US2467579A - Collapsible baby carriage and the like - Google Patents

Description

' April 19, 1949. A. M. BOUDREAU COLLAPSIBLE BABY CARRIAGE AND THE'LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 50, 1946 IN VEN TOR.

April 19, 1949. A. M. BOUDREAU 6 CQLLAPSIBLE BABY CARRIAGE AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 30, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE BABY CARRIAGE AND THE LIKE Application January 30, 1946, Serial No. 644,296

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in collapsible vehicles such as baby carriages and the like. More particularly it provides an improved releasable latch connection for maintaining the collapsible body-supporting frame and the pusher handle of a collapsible baby carriage in operative body-supporting relation, with provision for finger tip adjustment or release of the latch for varying the operative position of the pusher handle and for conditioning the supporting frame for a collapsing of the carriage.

Baby carriages of the general type including a collapsible frame customarily have a generally U-shaped pusher handle pivotally mounted at opposite sides of the top frame of the carriage body, with the ends of the pusher handle pivotally connected, one at each side of the carriage, to a collapsible frame element. Various latching mechanisms have been provided for latching together the pusher handle and frame elements in operative relative positions and for releasing them when it is desired to collapse the carriage. However, the prior latching mechanisms have involved projections and springs which have been exposed as unsightly appendages at each side of a carriage. Also, because of their projection, they have constituted elements on which articles of clothing frequently catch and become torn. Furthermore, they customarily operate with a snap action such that the fingers of the operator may become caught and pinched.

It is among the objects of my present invention to provide mechanism for releasably rigidly connecting together, at opposite sides of a carriage, the collapsible frame and the pusher handle without exposed springs and projecting levers and with all exposed parts of the mechanism generally fiat and smooth.

Another object is to provide a latching mechanism for each pusher handle arm and a collapsible frame element comprising a plane faced generally flat sleeve on each pusher handle arm, with means obscured by the sleeve biasing the sleeve toward latching relation with the associated collapsible frame element.

A further object is to provide a simple yet effective pusher handle and frame latching mechanism in the form of a spring-pressed generally fiat sleeve which is operable by the finger tips to latch-release position for a collapsing of the carriage.

' Yet another object is to provide a releasable interconnection between a collapsible carriage frame and a pusher handle, including a latching sleeve whose release involves a merevpressing of the latching sleeve along the pusher handle against the bias of a spring which is obscured by the sleeve.

Still another object is to provide a releasable interconnection between a collapsible carriage frame and a pusher handle, comprising a latching sleeve biased in one direction along the pusher handle and yieldable in the opposite direction to effect adjustment of the pusher handle or to release the latch for a collapsing of the carriage.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve the structure and operation of pusher handle connections to collapsible frames of baby carriages and thelike.

In the accompanying drawings:

' Figure 1 is a side elevation of a baby carriage having a pusher handle equipped with latching mechanism embodying features of my invention;

Figure 2 is an isometric fragmentary view showing the outer side of the latching mechanism of Fig. 1 on a larger scale;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the rear side of the latching mechanism;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the rear side of the latching mechanism, with the latching sleeve in medial cross-section and in its latch-release position;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the front side of the latching mechanism and showing in full lines the latched relation of elements and showing in dotted lines an unlatched and partially collapsed condition of the elements;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view approximately on line B6 of Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a cross-sectional view approximately on line 'l'| of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the outer side of a modified form of latching mechanism;

Figure 9 is an edge elevation looking at the upper edge in Figure 8, and with a portion broken away to show the latch socket or keeper;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the rear side of the mechanism of Figures 8 and 9 and showing in full lines one latched operative relation of the elements and showing in dotted lines another latched operative relation of the elements;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the rear side of another modified form of latching mechanism; and

Figure 12 is an edge view looking at the edge which is uppermost in Figure 11.

' Referring to the drawings, the carriage body ll) maybe regarded as representative of collaps-v ible carriage bodies in general which customarily have a rigid top frame l2 of wood or the like suitably covered and padded, and body walls of flexible sheet material suspended from the top frame, with a rigid bottom or floor within the walls. The body is mounted between two similar pairs of crossing strap metal frame. elements l4, IE, only one pair of which is visible inFig- 1. The frame elements [4, I 6 have their lower ends connected to the usual springs which in turn are mounted on the axles 22, 24.

A bracket 26 depends from the top frame l2 at each side of the carriage body toward the front end of the top frame, and, the. upperend of each frame element I4 is pivotally connected to one of the brackets 25. A similar bracket 28 depends from the top frame. at each side of the body toward the rear end of the top frame, and each arm 30 of a generally U-shaped pusher 32 is pivoted as at 34 to. one of the brackets 28, each arm 30 having extent beyond its pivot, as at 3|, andthe extreme end of each arm 38- being pivotally connected, as at 35, to the upper end :oi one of the frame elements l-B'.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-7, each frame element l5 has extent beyond its pivot-a1 connection at 36 to a. pusher arm 30, 3|, and each has its extending part cut away as at 38 to provide a projecting latch finger 40 whose end portion preferably is, bevelledor round ed as at 42 for a purpose which later will appear.

As best seen in Figs. 2-4, a. latch. sleeve 44 is mounted on each extension 3! of the pusher arms 30, each sleeve having, a keeper socket 46 formed therein for reception of the latch finger 40 ofv a frame element [6, and eachsleeve having aspring 48 therein biasing the sleeve in direction to en.- gag-e a finger 48 in its socket 48 when: the frame. elements It and the pusher arms 3ll, 31 are in alignment.

The sleeve 44 conveniently may be formed of a single piece of rugged sheet metal as shown, or may beotherwise form-ed of any suitablystrong material so long as it provides the resilient sliding latch features Of the invention with. general freedom from exposed projecting elements. As illustrated, the sleeve has; generally flat wrapped form which nicely and slidably receives. the extension 3| of a pusher arm 30. The front: ex.- posed face of the sleeve is plane and smooth; as appears in Fig. 2, and the-opposite edges of the generally fiat sleeve preferably are formed to provide the shoulders 50 to facilitate finger actuation of the sleeve in opposition to the. bias ofitsspring 48 for disenga ing latch finger 40 preliminarily to a collapsing of the carriage.

The rear side of each sleeve 44 has the two relatively large tongues 52,, 54 of: the sleeve stools outset from the plane of :the main rear wall-of the sleeve, the tongue 52 having the angularly related parts 55, 58., and the tongue having the partially opposed singularly-related parts: 62, which together define the socket 46- which is open adjacent one edge of the sleeve as at 64; for a limited extent to permit swinging movement, of latch finger 40 to and fromiengagement with part 56 of tongue 52 when; the sleeve ispressed in opposition to its spring 48 enough to; release the finger.

A rectangular slot 6 6 is, formed in extension 31 of each pusher arm 30 anda; small tongue 68 of the sleeve stock is depressed into the slot to constitute an abutment against which: one. end of spring 48 constantly engages, the springrbeing of size to, fit within the slot as seeninzFig. 7,?

and being under compression with its opposite end engaged against one end wall of the slot, whereby it yieldingly presses tongue 68 toward the other end wall of the slot. The tongue, in, consequence, limits the permissible movement of the sleeve in direction toward the pivotal point 36.

When the pusher and frame elements l6 are latched together in alignment as in Figs. 1-4 and as indicated in full lines in Fig. 5, the end of latch finger 48 will be restrained against movement by the parts 56 and of the outset tongues. A sliding movement of each sleeve 44 in direction away from the fingers 48 will release the fingers 48 so that they may move out through the edge openings 84 for a collapsing of the carriage. Fig. 4 shows the sleeve 44 moved to finger-releasing position, and Fig. 5 shows in dotted lines the finger-releasing position of sleeve 44 and also a dotted representation of a pusher arm 30, 3| and a frame element IB when the carriage is partially collapsed, and with the sleeve 44 released and moved back to its normal position.

A re-latching of the parts-with the pusher arms and frame elements It in operative alignment involves no manual shifting of the sleeves 44., Merely swinging the pusher counter-clocks wise about its pivot 34 causes the parts to approach alignment, and the cam surfaces- 42 on the. fingers 40 ultimately engage the edges of the outset tongue parts 58 and cam the sleeves along the pusher arms until the fingers move past the edges. of the tongues and springs 48 then snap the sleeves back to their finger retaining positions.

Figs. 8,-10 show a modification in which a sleeve 1-8 is mounted on the extension 13. of a pusher arm.'l2 generally in the same manner as the sleeve 44 as. previously described, with. a spring 14 inc; slot 16 in the. extension 13, and with one end of the spring engaging one wall of the slot and the otherend engaging a small inset. tongue 18; At the rear side of the sleeve the two outset tongues 88, 22'form a socket. at one end of the sleeve for receiving the: notched end of the frame element 86, which corresponds to the element I6 of the previously described form. When the parts are inlatched operative alignment as in Fig. 8, the end of element 85 is within the socket 84 and restrained against movement by the tongues 80,; 82. If it is desired to adjust the pusher to a higher or lower operative position, this maybe simply and quickly accomplished by meansof the notches intheend. of element 86. Two such notches 88; 9|! are shown. The pusher may beset in a higheroperative position by pressingsleeve 18 tothe left asiviewedrin Fig. 8 until the notched end of ele ment 86 is clear of the socket 84', after which the pusher: and the element 86. may bemoved relatively until the notch. 88 is opposite one edge wall of: the socket 84. By'releasing the sleeve to permit said edge wall to engage in notch 88, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 10, the pusher and element;86'wil1. be latched together with the-pusher in a somewhat elevated operative'positlon. Simi larly the. pusher may be latched'in a lower operative position by engaging the opposite edge 0! socket 841m notch 90, as shown in dotted lines-in Fig. 10. By swinging the notched end of element 86 entirely clear of the socket 84; the carriage may be conditioned for collapsing.

Another modification is shown in Figs. 11' and 12 in which the sleeve 9| has no socket but nasatongue. 82" projecting at its rear side and adapted to engageiin a single notch 94in the end of 1mm element 96 for a latching of the parts in operative alignment. The end of element 06 preferably is rounded as at 98 to constitute a cam surface for camming the sleeve to the left as viewed in Fig. 11 when the parts are moving relatively from unlatched to latched relation.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that I have provided carriage pusher latching and adjustin mechanism which has the extremely important attribute of providing what may be a plane and smooth outer exposed face and which is free of projecting parts and elements. Yet my improved mechanism is simple and effective, and is easily and safely operable by mere pressure of the fingers on a pair of unobtrusive latching sleeves to condition a carriage for collapsing or to adjust the position of the pusher handle.

I claim as my invention:

1. Frame-latching mechanism for baby carriages and the like comprising two generally flat strip elements pivotally connected together with the pivot of an end of one of the elements and inward a substantial distance from an end of the other element, whereby the end portion of said other element is movable into over-lapping relation to said one element, a. generally flat member wrapped inward around said one element and slidable thereon, with the wrapped edge portions of said member at the rear side of said one element, said one element having a slot therethrough within the wrapped member, a tongue formed on said member at its rear side and depressed into said slot, a spring in said slot, concealed by said member, and engaged between said tongue and a wall of the slot, and coacting means on said wrapped member at its rear side and on the end of said other strip element, for releasably latching said strip elements against relative movement.

2. Latching mechanism for the pusher handle and collapsible frame of a collapsible baby carriage and the like, comprising a pusher handle arm adapted to be pivotally connected to a carriage body and having a generally flat end portion, a generally flat frame element of a collapsible frame pivotally connected to the end of said arm and itself having an end portion projecting beyond its said pivotal connection, a sheet metal member wrapped around said generally flat end portion of the arm and slidable thereon, with the wrapped edge portions of said member disposed on the inner side of the arm and generally concealed from View, said generally flat arm portion having a slot therein covered by said sllidable member, and a said wrapped edge portion of said member having a tongue of the sheet metal stock displaced laterally into said slot, a spring in said slot engaged between an end wall of the slot and said displaced tongue and constantly urging the slida ble member yieldingly in direction toward the said pivotal connection, there being at least one other tongue at the inner side of said slidable member displaced out of the plane of said member, and means at the end portion of said frame element adapted to coact with the latter said tongue to releasably latch the arm end portion and the frame element extension against relative movement.

3. Latching mechanism for the pusher handle and the collapsible frame of a collapsible baby carriage and the like, comprising a generally flat pusher handle arm portion and a generally flat frame element portion pivotally connected together with the pivot at an end of the arm portion and inward from an end of the frame portion, whereby an end part of the frame portion and an end part of the arm portion are swingable relatively into and out of superimposed relation, a piece of sheet metal wrapped around said arm portion and slidable thereon, with the wrapped edges of the piece at the inner side of the arm portion, said arm portion having a slot therein concealed by said sheet metal piece, a tongue formed on said sheet metal piece at its rear side and depressed into said slot, a spring in said slot, concealed by said sheet metal piece and under compression between said tongue and an end wall of the slot, at least one other tongue on said sheet metal piece at its rear side and displaced out of the plane of the rear surfaces of the piece, and means at the end of said frame portion for latching coaction with the latter said tongue.

4. Latching mechanism for the pusher handle and the collapsible frameof a collapsible baby carriage having a generally fiat pusher handle element pivotally connected to a generally flat frame element, said mechanism comprising a piece of sheet metal wrapped around one of said elements and slidalble thereon, with the wrapped edge portions of the piece concealed at the inner side of the element, a slot in the element about which said piece is wrapped and concealed by said piece, a tongue on said piece, at its concealed rear side, and displaced into said slot, a spring in said slot concealed by said wrapped piece and under compression between said tongue and the end wall of the slot most remote from said pivotal connection, at least one other tongue on said wrapped piece concealed at its rear side and displaced out of the general plane of the rear surfaces of the piece, and means on the other generally flat element adapted to coact with the latter said tongue for latching said elements against relative movement.

ALBAN M. BOUDREAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 57,656 Alden Sept. 4, 1866 663,857 Browder Dec. 18, 1900 738,554 Lingel Sept. 8, 1903 2,063,242 Graser Dec. 8, 1936 2,285,700 Feldman June 9, 1942

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