US2550210A - Infant feeder - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1951 J. T. VANCE, JR 2,550,210

INFANT FEEDER Filed Aug. 1, 1949 Fig .l.

if 22 26 Fig.2.

Fig. 3

20 John T. Vance, Jr.

24 40 INVENTOR,

- ulywqfim Patented Apr. 24, 1951 OFFICE.

INFANT FEEDER John T. Vance, Jr.,.Edna, Tex.

Application August 1, 1949, Serial No. 107,992

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in structural refinements in devices for feeding infants, and the principal object of the invention is to facilitate convenient, expeditious and highly sanitary performance of the feeding 7 operation Its object is achieved by the provision of a receptacle adapted to slidably receive a food container, the receptacle, in turn, being provided with an outlet tube terminating at one end with a feeding spoon, so that by simply sliding the food container in the receptacle, the contents of the container may be discharged through the outlet tube of the receptacle onto the spoon and into the infants mouth.

, The primary feature of the invention, therefore, lies in the particular structural arrangement of the receptacle and feeding tube, while another feature lies in the provision of a pistonlike head on the feeding tube to engage the interior of the food container.

Some of the advantages of the invention lie I in its simplicity of construction, in its convenient operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the .above more important objects and features in view, and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which.

Figure 1 is aside elevational view of the invention; a

. Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view thereof Figure 3 is a cross sectional view thereof, taken substantially in the plane of the line 33 in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing the feeding spoon at the outer end of the outlet tube.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views. 7

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of an infant feeder designated generally by the reference character Ill, the same embodying in its construction an elongated receptacle assuming the form of a wire cage l2, this consistin of a plurality of spaced parallel and longitudinally extending rods M which are inwardly arcuated at one end as at It and are securedto a tubular bushing l8, as will be clearly apparent.

1 Claim. (01. 222-320) The bus-hing I8 is thus; disposed centrally at one' end of the receptacle l2, it being noted that the remaining end portions of the rods l4 are arcuatedoutwardly as at 20- and are doubled upon themselves in spaced relation, as indicated.

provided with annular members 24, 25 which, together with the rod portions 20, 22 define what may be referred to as a finger piece, the purpose of the latter being hereinafter more fully described.

The end of the cage l2 provided with the finger piece 2U2E is open so that a food container 28 may be slidabl inserted in the cage, and it is to be noted that an open-ended outlet tube 3!! is secured intermediate the ends thereof in the aforementioned bushing l8 and extends longitudinally in the cage l2, one end portion of the tube projecting outwardly from the cage and terminatin in a concave feeding spoon 32, as will be clearly understood. I

On the other hand, a piston-like head 34 is mounted on the inner end of the tube 30 and is provided with a central aperture or bore 36 communicating with the interior of the tube, the head 34 being adapted to slidably engage the inner wall of the food container 28 so that when the container, filled with food, is inserted in the cage or receptacle l2, inward sliding movement of the container in the cage causes the food to be forced by the head 34 through the tube 30 onto the spoon 32 and, consequently, into the infants mouth.

Needless to say, the food employed should be of a semi-solid consistency, and if desired, suitable graduations 38 may be provided on the container 26 so that the amount of food dispensed may be measured. In addition, the face of the head 34 adjacent the open end of the receptacle [2 may be concave as indicated at 40, whereby the food in the container will be urged into the tube 30 by the concavity of the head, and whereby the marginal edge portion of the head will possess a certain amount of resiliency so that it is better adapted to frictionally engage the inner wall of the container 28 to prevent leakage of food.

When the invention is placed in use, the receptacle I2 i simply held in the palm of the hand with two or three fingers engaging the finger piece 20-26, while the container 28 is pressed into the receptacle by the remaining fingers, so as to dispense the food through the v tube 30.

The: portions 20;.22 of the rods Mare, in turn,

If desired, the open end of the container 28 may be flared as indicated at 42, so as to facilitate the entrance of the head 34 therein.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention Will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Havin described the claimed as new is:

In an infant feeding device, the combination of a substantially cylindrical cage comprising a set of spaced longitudinally extending rods having straight intermediate portions defining the sides of the cage and reversely curved end portions disposed respectively at the outside and inside of opposite ends of the cage, an annular invention, what is wire member secured to extremities of the ex- 25 ternally disposed end portions of said rods in spaced coaxial relation to the cage, a tubular bushing secured to the internally disposed end portions of said rods coaxially with the cage, an open-ended outlet tube secured intermediate the ends thereof in said bushing, a piston-shaped head provided on said tube in said cage, and a removable cylindrical food container slidable in said cage and having its inner surface in frictional sliding engagement with said head, the outer surface of said container slidably engaging the straight portions of said rods and said rods having outwardly curved regions between the straight portions and the externally disposed end portion thereof, whereby to provide guide means for inserting said container in said cage.

JOHN T. VANCE, JR.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,214,801 Linke Feb. 6, 1917 1,921,535 McLean et a1. Aug. 8, 1933 1,948,054 Stringfellow Feb. 20, 1934 2,461,211 Guthrie Feb. 8, 1949

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