US2679055A - Cot - Google Patents

Description

Patented May 25, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE COT John Alan Ball, Birmingham, and- Wilfred George the side section about the An gerson, Kings 'Norton', Birmingham, England .4 Claims. (Cl. 190) This invention relates to convertible cot and play-pen appliances which when assembled as a cot have head and foot sections, and side sections detachably secured thereto around a mattress frame or equivalent bedding support.

The object of the invention to facilitate the conversion of the appliance from the form-in which it is a cot to'the form in which-it is a play pen, so that this conversion is within the capabilities ofallclasses of persons who are likely to be concerned with the care of children.

With this object in view the head and foot sections are provided with drop-side guides along which can slide an attachment member provided at or near each lower corner of the associated side section, the attachment members being such as to permit pivoting otthe side section relatively to the guides at the lower ends thereof about an axis perpendicular to the plane of head and foot sections to enable the: side section to be swung into the play-pen position, andwherein the other side section is pivotally. connected about an axis parallel to that aforesaid by attachment members at or near its upper corners to the head and foot sections at or near the corners thereof diagonally opposite tothe lower ends of the guides, so that this side section can also be swung into the play-pen position, bothside sections having further attachment members at or near their remaining corners which attach-.-

ment members are releasable from the head and foot sections to permit said swinging movement,

and which can be re-fastened thereto in the playpen position.

It will be understood that the provision of a drop-sided cot is not regarded as novel, this being conventional practice, but the feature that the side sections can be swung as described from the position which they occupy when the appliance is in the form of acot to the position which they occupy when the appliance is the form of a play pen can beincorporated only in cots in which one of the side sections can be dropped.

The drop-side guides may if required take. a conventional form, such as rods secured to the head and foot sections, at one side of these and adjacent to the inner faces. If such a construe-- tion is employed then it will be necessarywto provide on the side section concerned attachment members which are capable of sliding along these rods, and which in the case of those secured to the lower corners oflthe drop-side section are also capable of pivoting relatively to aforesaid axis. -Whilstsuch a construction would be' within the scope or the invention, it is preferred to adopt a simpler type of attachment member and a simplified form of drop-side guide.

For instance the cooperating securing means by which the head and foot sections are detachably secured to theside sections may comprise. locating posts projecting endwise from the ends of the side sections. openings extending through the side margins of the head and'foot sections for receiving the posts and clamping thumbscrews havin heads bearing against the outer faces of the. head and foot sections, and shanks screwthreaded to engage within said openings cooperatively with threads on the posts.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings'illustrating by way of example a preferred embodiment thereof and wherein:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a cot constructed in accordance with the present invention assembled for use as a cot;

Figure Zshows also in perspective the same cot converted for use as a play pen;

Figure 3 shows in end elevation and. on an enlarged scale a view of the same cot, the chain dotted lines indicating the positions of the side sections at one stage of the conversion process; and

vther enlarged scale showing in cross section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 the details of construction of the cooperating securing means provided for detachably securing the-head and foot sections to the side sections.

The side sections of the cot indicated generally at It] and ii (Figure 1) are in the main of conventional construction and comprise upper and lower horizontal bars such as are indicated at E2 and i3 connected by spaced vertical'rails l4.

The head and foot sections of the cot l5 and i6 respectivelyare of like construction, and it will therefore .be necessary to describe only one of these. Considering. for this purpose the foot section i6--this comprises an elongatedrectangularjramehavin'g sidemembers l1 and l8'connected at theirends by upper and lower bars I9 any suitableforin of joint.

At an appropriate height forthe support of a mattressira-methe side members ii and I8 are connected by horigontalsupport rails '2! on the upper ,iace o: which extensions f ,of the mattress framefiindicatedge any at 22",(Figur 1),"can

and 28, the connection being effe'cted through V the foot member, that is to say the space enclosed by the members ii, it, is and 2!, presents an effective barrier through or over which a child cannot climb when the appliance is assembled, as in Figures 1 or 2, a panel 23 is secured to extend between the bar is and the support rail 2i, leaving only relatively narrow spaces 2d and 25 between its sides and the side members I? and it of sulllcient width to allow the extensions of the mattress frame to lie on the rail 2! without undue free lateral movement but of insuflicient width to prevent any danger of a child gainin exit either from the cot or the play pen.

It will be understood that the construction illustrated in which the panel 23 is employed is only one form of effective unclirnbable barrier which may be employed.

Other forms are possible, as for example diagonal slats.

The lower portion of the foot section is provided with spaced horizontal rails it, the spacing GI" v. ich is, as in the case of those of the side sections, insufficient to result in any danger of the child getting out or" the play pen, and as has already pointed out these horizontal rails not form any part of the barrier when the appliance is assembled as a cot, and hence the fact that they are horizontal does not lead to any danger.

To enable the side sections to be secured to the head and foot sections, the latter are prod with openings extending through the marpor ions of their sides. In the construcillustrated these openings are formed through the side members i? and it.

The upper and lower bars 52 and id of the side sections are provided with projecting posts, indicated generally at 2'] (Figure 4), which will be described in more detail subsequently and which engage in the openings formed in the side members i? and is.

In the side member it three openings are provided, one at the upper corner being an openended slot, 21 second one 23 spaced vertically from the opening 2 3 being in the form of an L-shaped slot, whilst the remaining opening 35 is a closed ended slot of considerable length extending for the whole of the lower portion of the side member 58.

The slot forms a drop-side guide in which the projecting post of the lower bar 53 of the associated side section engages. In the raised or upper. position of this side section the post projecting from the upper bar i2 is received in the slot 28.

To lower the dropside, the side section it is raised slightly, its upper bar is moved outwardly, and the whole is then lowered until the projecting post of the upper bar 22 can be engaged in the slot 29, whereupon the side section is moved inwardl to the furthest possible extent and subsequently allowed to fall, so that the post moves into the downwardly-extending portion 3 of the L-shaped slot is.

The drop-side is thus effectively held in position against outward displacement not only by the clamping action of the cooperating securing means, which will later be described, but also positively by the walls of either the slot 28 and the portion 3 of the slot 29.

In order to permit the assembly of the post projecting from the lower bar 53 complete with the headed thumbscrew, shown generally at St, through the slot 39, the atter has an enlarged portion 32 at upper end which is above the ilk (iii

4 position reached by the lower bar I3 when the drop-side is in the raised position.

The arrangements in respect of the side membar it are somewhat similar except that in this case side section 8 ii cannot be dropped as can the side section 5 i, so that consequently the elongated slot forming the drop-side guide is omitted.

For the purpose of securing the side section it two slots only are provided, 33 which is of i. formation like the slot 253, and 34 which is openended and is similar to slot 28.

The lower end of the side member H has an openended slot 35 for accommodating the projecting post of the bar iii of the side section I! when the latter is in the position for use as a play pen.

In order to convert from a cot to a play pen, the drop-side is first lowered, as already described, and using the posts at the ends of the lower bar i3 as pivots in the lower ends of the guide slots 36, the whole side section is swung, as indicated by the arrow 35, through 270 until the posts of the upper bar iii are engaged in slots 35, an intermediate position being indicated at 3? in chain dotted lines.

Likewise the side section iii, after release of the posts projecting from the ends of its lower bar from the slot 33, is swung about the slot 35; until the free posts are received in slots 23.

Referring now to the cooperating securing means illustrated in Figure 4, these comprise a post El, having a shank 33 which is secured in a socket 39 formed in the bar of the side section to which the post is applied, this shank being provided with barbs or ratchet teeth so.

The socket 39 is first bored to a diameter slightly smaller than the maximum cross-sectionai dimensions of the shank 38, and the latter is forced in by means of a suitable press or hand tool, so that the barbs or ratchet teeth 49 bite into the side walls of the socket and by their formation secure the shank firmly against withdrawal.

The shank may be of any suitable cross-sectional shape, for example circular, but we prefer to form it of approximately square section with the ratchet teeth or barbs at rounded corners of this section.

The projecting portion ill of the post is hollow and screwthreaded internally, as seen at 42, to cooperate with the screwthreaded portion it on the shank of the thumbscrew 3|.

This shank at a position intermediate the threaded portion and the base of the head 36 is of reduced diameter upon which is partially closed or turned in the outer lip or rim 4-? of the post, so that although the thumbscrew can be screwed completely out of engagement with the threaded portion d2 of the post it cannot be withdrawn completely.

At the junction of the projecting portion l! of the post and the shank, the post is formed with an annular flange 68 against which the thumbscrew serves to clamp the head or foot section, so that overtightening of the thumbscrew cannot tend to withdraw the shank 38 from the socket 39.

The mattress frame of the cot has side members 4% which are extended, as seen at to rest on the rail ii, the end members of this frame (not seen in the drawings) bearing against the inner faces of the panels 23 to locate the mattress frame in the endwise direction.

What we claim then is:

1. A convertible cot and play-pen appliance comprising head and foot sections each of greater height than width and provided with drop-side guides extending along corresponding vertical edges, side sections each of greater length than height, all said sections including barrier means extending over substantially their whole area, at least one side section having near its lower corners fastening elements slidingly moving in said guides and for pivoting relatively to the head and foot sections about an axis perpendicular thereto at least when said elements are at the lower extremity of said guides, the other side section having fastening elements near its upper corners securing it pivotally about an axis parallel to the first said axis near the upper corners of the head and foot sections, which corners are diagonally opposite the lower extremities of said guides, both said side sections having further fastening elements near their remaining corners coacting releasably with the head and foot sections, whereby the sections can be secured together alternatively in two different modes, in the first of which the side sections have their short edges extending alongside the long edges of the head and foot sections to form a generally rectangular cot wall structure embodying a dropside, and adapted to support in its interior a removable mattress base, and in the second of which the side sections have their short edges extending alongside the short edges of the head and foot sections to form a generally rectangular play-pen wall structure.

2. In a convertible cot and play-pen appliance of the kind comprising head and foot sections of greater height than width and side sections of greater length than height; the provision of, means for pivotally connecting the side sections to the head and foot sections about respective axes approximately coincident with upper and lower long edges of the side sections and with upper and lower ends of the long edges of the head and foot sections and perpendicular to the planes of the latter, means for releasably connecting the side sections to said long edges of the head and foot sections at positions spaced respectively below and above said axes, to .permitthe side sections to be pivoted about said axes while the side sections remain in connected relation with the head and foot sections at the axes, so that the short edges of the side sections can be moved alongside the short edges of the head and foot sections, and; means on these last said short edges for engaging the releasable fastening means therewith.

3. In a convertible cot and play-pen appliance of the kind comprising head and foot sections of greater height than width and side sections of greater length than height; the provision of, means for slidably connecting at least one side section with its short edges arranged alongside adjacent long edges of the head and foot sections so that it can be raised and lowered to form a drop-side, means permitting pivoting of this side section at least when in its lowered position relatively to said head and foot sections about an axis approximately coincident with the lower lon edge of this side section and with the lower ends of the long edges of the head and foot sections, means for pivotally connecting the other side section to the head and foot sections at the opposite edges thereof and about an axis approximately coincident with the upper long edge of this side section and with the upper ends of the adjacent long edges of the head and foot sections, menas for releasably connecting the side sections to said long edges of the head and font sections at positions spaced respectively above and belcw the first and second said axes to permit the side sections to be pivoted about said axes while the side sections remain connected relation with the head and foot sections at the axes, so that the short edges of the side sections can moved alcngside the short edges of the head and foot ctions and; means on these last said short edges for engaging the releasable fastening means therewith.

4. a convertible cot and play-pen appliance oi the kind comprising head and foot sections of greater than width and side sections or" greater length than height; the provision of, marginal portions on the head and foot elements having openings extending through them and situated adjacent to the corners defined by the meeting of the long and shorter edges of the head and foot sections, at least one of the openings in both the head and foot sections situated at the lower end of a long edge communicating with a slot-like guide extending upwardly therefrom parallel to this long edge, said marginal portions having furtheropenings situated respectively above the lower ends of said slot-like guide and below the openings adjacent to the upper corners on the opposite sides of the head and foot sections, at a distance substantially equal to the separation between the corner openings measured along the short edges of the head and foot sections, these further openings having lateral mouths opening into the long edges of the head and foot sections, headed fastening elements engaged threadably with the side sec tions in one case through the openings at the lcwer ends of said slot-like guides, and in the other case through the relatively diagonally opposed openings at the upper ends of the opposite long edges of the head and foot sections, and in both cases additionally either through said further openings or through the remaining corner openings which are in the form of open mouthed slots according to whether the appliance is assembled as a cot or play-pen, the fastening elements on slackening being freely moveable in the openings to permit of lateral removal from said further openings and pivoted movement of the side sections about parallel axes at said diagonally opposed openings while said side sections remain in connected relation with the head and foot sections preparatory to engagement of the removed fastening elements in said remaining corner openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 97,545 Muller Dec. 7, 1869 2,360,525 Odom Oct. 17, 1944 2,518,904 King Aug. 15, 1950 2,554,883 Smigley May 29, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 131,517 Great Britain Aug. 28, 1919 532,036 Great Britain Jan. 16, 1941 129,046 Australia Sept. 7, 1948

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