US2177998A - Baby support for bathtubs - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 31, 1939. F. H. SCHUETTE BABY SUPPORT FOR BATHTUBS Filed May 20, 1938 Patented Oct. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES ATENT QFFECE 7 Claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, durable and inexpensive means adapted to be detachably secured to the top edge of a bathtub to support a suitable girdle or the like by means of which a child seated on the bottom of a tub containing a small amount of water may be supported against falling over into the water, the child being supported in such a manner that it may have free use of its arms and feet.

More specifically, it is the object of my invention to provide a child support formed of comparativelylight and strong material, such as small metal rods, so constructed and arranged that a rdle made of fabric or other similar material may be detachably supported thereby, wherein the girdle may be adjusted as to size and adapted to be supported about the childs waist and wherein the girdle may be easily removed and washed when so desired.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a transverse sectional View of one side of a bathtub showing my improved device in side elevation and the manner in which the same is supported in the tub.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the device as it is detached from the tub.

Figure 3 is a top View of the device.

My improved baby support comprises a supporting frame It formed preferably of a single piece of rod on which a rubber tube II is supported and moved to the central portion of the rod, after which the rod is bent to form a loop 12, said loop portion then being bent at right angles to provide upwardly extending leg portions l3, one of which is formed longer than the other and supported adjacent thereto, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The rods are then again bent at right angles to be supported in horizontal planes, and formed with curved portions 14. The lower one of the rods is then bent upwardly at Hi, the said portion it is then again bent at right angles to assume a horizontal position and adjacent to the upper member Hi, the last said horizontal portions being designated by the numeral IS, the rods being welded or otherwise fixed together. The ends of the portion 16 are then bent upwardly and diverging from each other, as clearly shown in Figure 2, their upper ends terminating in hook portions [l and downwardly extending portions E8, the lower ends of the portions is being bent inwardly toward each other and adapted to beplaced in a sleeve l9, said sleeve providing means for fixing the ends of the members l8 and also as a means for supporting a set screw 20 having on its inner end a foot 2| which may be faced with an elastic member 22, such as rubber, the outer end of the screw 20 being formed in a loop 23 to provide a handle by means of which the screw 28 may be operated.

The upwardly divergent portions and the hooks H are provided with a rubber covering 24 such as a rubber tube. Thus, means is provided whereby the hook portion ll may be placed over the flange 25 of a'bathtub 26, with the loop member l2 resting on the bottom 2! to serve as a support for the inner end of the frame 50, while the hooks I'll provide a support for the outer end of the frame, the hooks ll being spaced apart to provide means for supportingthe free end of the frame against swinging movement. The set screw 2E! and the foot 2| provide a means for fixing the frame to the tub to prevent the same being moved longitudinally of the tub. The loop portions I l provide means for supporting a girdle 28, which is preferably formed of a washable fabric, having glove fasteners 29 for detachably and adjustably securing the ends of the girdles together whereby the girdle may be placed around the waist of a child sitting on the bottom of the tub, and having its ends secured together to support the child in an upright position, one side of the girdle 28 being provided with straps 353, having their ends provided with glove fasteners or other suitable fastening means 3| for fastening the ends of the straps together, said straps being adapted to be placed around the curved portions It, as indicated in Figures 2 and 3, and when so placed, provide means for holding the girdle in place. By providing two curved portions It, one above the other, means is provided whereby the girdle may be more positively supported so as to assume a horizontal position. The two curved portions also provide means for supporting both the lower and upper edges of the girdle and apply the supporting forces over a greater amount of area on the childs body.

Thus, it will be seen I have provided a support of simple and cheap construction which may be easily and quickly placed in operative position and so constructed that the girdle will be firmly supported and held against movement, at the same time providing means whereby the child may be supported against falling over, and at the same time permitting free movement of the childs arms and feet so that it mayamuse itself by splashing the water in which it is sitting.

I claim as my invention:

1. A baby support for bathtubs, comprising a supporting frame having one end adapted to rest on the bottom of a bathtub, means for detachably securing the other end of said frame to one edge of the tub, an adjustable girdle, and means for detachably securing the girdle to said frame.

2. A baby support, comprising a body portion supported substantially in a horizontal position, having an upwardly extending hook portion at one end adapted to rest on the upper edge of a bathtub, a clamping device carried by said hook, said body having a downwardly extending portion at the other end to rest on the bottom of the interior of the tub, an adjustable and washable girdle, and means detachably securing the girdle to the horizontal portion of the body.

3. A baby support, comprising a frame formed of a single piece of metal rod folded at its central portion to provide over-lapping portions, the folded end being formed into a loop to provide a foot portion, the ends of said loops terminating in upwardly extending leg portions, thence into separated horizontal curved portions one above the other, said curved portions terminating in adjacent horizontal portions, said portions being adjacent and fixed together, the outer end of said horizontal portion terminating in upwardly and diverging portions, which in turn provide hooks having their lower ends projected downwardly and terminating in inwardly extending portions, a sleeve connecting the said inwardly extending portions, a horizontal set screw mounted in said sleeve, a girdle, and means for detachably securing said girdle to the curved portions of said frame.

4. A baby support, comprising a body having a curved portion supported substantially in a horizontal plane, means for supporting the said curved portion of said body above the bottom of a bathtub, a girdle, means for adjustably connecting its ends together, a series of vertical straps carried by said girdle, means for detachably securing the ends of said straps together to form loops, said loops being formed around the curved portion of said body whereby the girdle may be placed around the waist of a baby sitting on the bottom of the tub, to support it against falling over.

5. A baby support for bathtubs, comprising a supporting frame having one end adapted to rest on the bottom of a bathtub and the other end on the upper edge of one side of the tub, a girdle, and means for detachably securing the girdle to the supporting frame.

6. A baby support, comprising a frame having a curved portion in a substantially horizontal plane, means supporting said frame above the bottom of a bathtub, a washable girdle, and means for detachably securing said girdle in the curved portion of said frame whereby the girdle may be easily removed for washing,

'7. A baby support, comprising a frame having a curved portion in substantially a horizontal plane, means supporting said frame above the bottom of a bathtub, a washable and adjustable girdle, and means for detachably securing said girdle in the curved portion of said frame whereby the girdle may be easily removed for washing.

FRED H. SCHUETTE.

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