US2514134A - Support - Google Patents

Description

iatented July 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,514,134 .SUPPORT Robert L. Mann, Oak Park, m. y

Application November 7, 1947, Serial No. 784,658

Claims.

My invention relates to supports, and includes among its objects and advantages a support of the type used to hold infants milk bottles, which is cheap and durable and afiords improved manipulative advantages to the infant.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective of the complete device in place on a crib;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure-3; and

Figure 6 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modified construction.

In the embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, the support includes hook means operating under tension for engaging the side members of the crib; receiving means for holding the bottle itself; and a connection between the receiving means and the hook means whereby the hook means supports the receiving means subject to convenient longitudinal adjustment by g the user.

its outer end bent to form a hook I4 which is 7 covered with a rubber sleeve IE to avoid marring the furniture. AS clearly indicated in Figure 1, the hooks may be hooked over the side rails l8 of a crib, or any other structural member that happens to be conveniently located. For instance, if the side rails l8 happen to be too high, the hooks can be engaged with the pilasters 20, either with or Without a bit of string to keep the hooks from sliding down.

' The tension means includes the compression spring 22 encircling the overlapping inner ends of the rods 18 and 12. The rod it passes through the spring from right to left, and its end is turned laterally out at 24 and then into an arcuate portion 26 lying in a plane perpendicular to the rod. The arcuate portion provides a firm abutment for the washer 28 against which the spring 22 presses. The left hand rod l2 passes through the spring from left to right and has a, duplicate arcuate portion 26 and abutment washer 28. It will be apparent that pulling the hooks l4 apart to engage them with the crib will compress the spring 22 so that the hooks will be resiliently held against disengagement. And because the rods Iii and [2 are slightly flexible, the entire tension connection can sag down a little in the middle, which is desirable.

The receiver illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive includes a spring steel pillar 30 with a large band 32 spotwelded to it-near the top and a small adjustable band 34 at theextreme lower end. The lower end of the pillar 30 is bent back up as indicated at 36, and the lower band may be entered in the bight thus formed, and welded or soldered in lace. The band 34 is of relatively flexible metal, and. its outer ends 38 overlap. Thus the user can readily bend it to define an opening materially larger than that illustrated in Figure 4, or materially smaller, so that a fairly'accurate fit can be obtained with the necks of the bottles 40. At its upper end the pillar 34 is bent to define a resilient downwardly opening hook'42.

The connection between the receiver and the tension means is a cylindrical tube 44 housing the spring 22, the washers 28 and the arcuate wire ends 26. It has a closure 46 at both ends to function as an abutment limiting the expansion of the spring 22 when the device is not suspended under tension. The cylindrical exterior of the rod .44 can receive the resilient hook 42 at any point throughout its length.

When in use as in Figure 1, the spring 22 is materially compressed compared with its completely expanded condition in Figure 3. This compression will move the washers 23" toward each other and leave a clearance inside the tube. This clearance permits the tube to slide axially to and fro with respect to the tension connections. Thus the caretaker can set the tension means and tube 44 up on the crib and then hook the receiver and bottle onto the tube 44 in position directly over the infant. If, during feeding, the infant happens to loose hold of the bottle, the tube 44 will swing pivotally about its own axis, but the movement of the bottle will be all in one plane and sufficiently restricted so that even a very small child can nearly always find the bottle again and continue feeding. Furthermore, if the infant happens to roll from side to side a little, all the infant need do i hang onto the bottle and the tube 44 can slide axially for a considerable distance to accommodate the change of position of the infant.

In the embodiment of Figure 6 the receiver may be identical with that in Figure 1, and the tube 48 differs from tube 44 onl in having smaller openings in its end closures. The overlapping rods l0 and I2 are replaced by shorter rods 50' and 52, each flexibly connected at 54 to an extension 56 terminating in a rubber-covered hook 58. Tension is provided by a tension spring 60 of undistorted length much less than the length of the tub 48, which tension spring is connected to theproximate ends of the rods 59 and 52.

Without further elaboration others may readily adapt the invention for use under various conditions of service by employing one or more of the novel features involved, or equivalents thereof. As at present advised with respect to the apparent scope of my. invention, I desire toplaim the following subject matter: .1 p

1. In a support of the class described, in combination: a resilient suspension adapted to span sion; a receiver shaped to receive an inverted bottle; and a connection between said suspene sion and receiver for supporting said receiver on said suspension with limited. sliding. movement in a longitudinal direction along said suspension; said suspension including a central spring to maintain the tension of said suspension; said connection-being a tube 'housing said spring and of greater length than said-spring when loaded; "said; spring being a compression-spring, incombi- --nation with-tension rods ext n i past each othehthrough said springand projecting beyond said spring-in opposite directions.

2:, A support accordingto claim 1 "in" which which-each tension rod is connected'at one end to the a'djacentend of said spring and at'theother I 5 =porting-two spaced bands ;-the lower of the said tend projects out beyond the end of said tube for attachment to said fixed structure.

o 3; In a'support of .the'classdescribed', incombination: a resilient suspension adapted to span a ,space between two fixedstructures under tension; a receiver shaped to receive an'inverted bot- 35,

tle; and aconnection betweensaid suspension 'andreoeiver for supporting said receiver onsaid suspension with limited sliding movement in a longitudinal direction along said suspension; said pension including a'central Spring t0main-"g receiver including detachable; means "atitsupper 2,084,243

end comprising a resilient downwardly open hook for affixing said receiver to said connection in any one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced positions.

4. In a support of the class described, in combination: a resilient suspension adapted to span between two fixed structures under tension; 2, receiver shaped to receive an inverted bottle; a connection between saidsuspension and said re- 19 ceiver; said suspension e'comprising :two tension members adapted to be secured to said structures 1 and a spring secured to and joining said members; a space between two fixed structures under ten-' said connection comprising a tube housing said ,li'spring and of a length substantially in excess of ,15 the.loaded length of said spring so that said tube 20 members and a centrally located spring joining said membersadapted'to span betweentwo fixed "structures under tension; a receiver for receiving aninverted-bottle; a connection between-said suspension and said -receiver; said connection comprising a tube housing said spring and of a length in excess of that of the spring when loaded; said tube being adaptedto slide longitudinally of said suspension for properly positioning said 'receiver; said receiver -comprising a pillar supbands'being cirournferentially adj ustable;and the pillar being bent at its upper end to form a downwardly opening hook for affixing said receiver to c said tube.

ROBERT L. MANN.

- REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in'the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date '1;30l,886 Tocknell Apr, 29, 1919 Charles June 15, 1937

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