US2704111A

US2704111A - Baby jumper

Info

Publication number: US2704111A
Application number: US437917A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lowell H Wunderlich
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-06-21
Filing date: 1954-06-21
Publication date: 1955-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 1972-03-15

Description

March 15, 1955 WUNDERUCH 2,704,111

BABY JUMPER Filad June 21, 1954 2 sneaks-sheet 1 1 N VEN TOR.

March 1955 L. H. WUNDERLICH BABY JUMPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21, 1954 United States Patent BABY JUMPER Lowell H. Wunderlich, Billings, Mont.

Application June 21, 1954, Serial No. 437,917

1 Claim. (Cl. 155-18) This invention relates to baby holding and exercising devices.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a baby holding and exercising device wherein the infant by moving his feet will oscillate vertically, while travelling in a circular path, spring means being provided for taking up the slack of the vertical oscillation, said spring means being adjustable to the weight of the child.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a baby holding and exercising device of the above type which may be easily disassembled and folded up into a compact unit for portability and convenience in storage.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a baby holding and exercising device bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, is easy to use and efficient in operation.

For other objects and a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in operative assembly;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the base portion of the device showing the manner in which the legs are folded together when not in use for greater compactness and portability; 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the seat portion taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; f

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the device in operative use and showing in phantom the joscillating positions of the horizontal seat supporting arm;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the other end of the seat supporting arm;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view shown partly in elevation of the base portion and taken along the line 66 of Fig. 1; and ii Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the base portion showing the pivotal mounting of the legs.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing and particularly to Fig. 6, 10 represents a hub member wider at the base than at the top and integrally formed along the under surface thereof with four pair of radially spaced aligned ears 11 (Fig. 7). Tubular legs 12 are pivotally mounted at their inner ends between each pair of lugs 11 by means of the pins'13, the inner and outer portions of each of the legs being offset relative to each other and terminating in the enlarged ball ends 14. The undersurface of the base member 10 (Figs. 2) is provided with the semi-cylindrical grooves 15 receiving therewithin the inner ends of the legs 12 when the latter are in the operative position of Fig. 1.

Thus, when the base portion 10 is not being employed, the legs 12 may be folded together as shown in Fig. 2 for greater compactness and portability.

As shown in Fig. 6, the hub member 10 is provided with central bore 16 which communicates with an enlarged upper bore 17 extending inwardly from the upper end thereof and with an enlarged lower bore 18 extending upwardly from the under surface thereof. Outer race 19 is secured within the lower bore 18 and receives therein the ball bearings 20 which rotatably mount the inner race 21. Similarly, an outer race 22 is mounted within the upper bore 17 and receives therewithin the ball bearings 23 which rotatably mount the inner race 2,704,111 Patented Mar. 15, 1955 24, the inner races 24 and 21 having central bores aligned vertically in the manner shown.

A central inclined arm 25 is formed at its lower end with a vertical portion 26. The lower end of the vertical portion 26 is integrally formed with an extension 27 of less diameter than the vertical portion 26 and providing thereby a shoulder 28 (Fig. 6). The extension 27 fits downwardly within the inner races 24 and 21 and is rotatably supported therewithin by a shoulder 28, the arm 25 being retained in the hub member 10 by gravity.

An elongated horizontal tubular arm 28 is fixedly connected at its inner end to a vertical tubular arm 29 by means of the plates 30 and rivets 31, as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, the arm 29 being disposed at substantially right angles to the arm 28.

The upper end of arm 25 is received and pivotally mounted between the plates 30 by means of pin 32.

A collar 33 is adjustable along the arm 25 by means of wing nut 34, the side of collar 33 remote from wing nut 34. being integrally formed with a perforated lug 35 which mounts one end of a spring 36. A second collar 37 is adjustable along the vertical arm 29 by means of a wing nut 38, the side of collar 37 remote from wing nut 38 being integrally formed with a perforated lug 39 which mounts the other end of spring 36. The spring 36 serves to retain the arm 28 in proper relationship to the arm 25, the tension of the spring 36 being adjustable by adjustment of collars 33 and 37 whereby to vary the tension according to the weight of the child 40 (Fig. 4).

A ring support 41 is integrally formed with an extension 42 which is received within the outer open end of the tubular arm 28 and secured therewithin by means of a pin 43. An aluminum seat 44 adapted to support the child 40 thereon is integrally formed around its arcuate rear edge with a vertical wall 45 and at its front end with a vertical support 46. The upper edge of the rear wall 45 is integrally formed with a substantially U-shaped flange 47 adapted to fit downwardly on ring 41 while the upper end of the front wall 46 is integrally formed with the U-shaped flanges 48 adapted to fit downwardly upon ring 41. Thus, the seat 44 is removably supported. upon the ring 41 and is adjustable angularly thereon, as will be obvious. The flanges 47 and 48 are adapted to be snapped downwardly onto the supporting ring 41.

In operation, with the various parts in assembled relationship of Fig. 1, the child 40 will be supported on the seat 44 within the supporting ring 41 which latter also serves as a handle. It will be noted that the weight of the child, the seat 44, arms 28 and 29 will serve to retain the arm 25 within the ball bearings 23, 20 and will permit the rotational movement thereof about the base member 10 to-' permit the child to move in a circular pattern. When the child pushes with his legs, the arm 28 will oscillate vertically (Fig. 4) with the spring 36 taking up the slack. As the child pushes with his legs, the seat 44 will move in a circular path about the hub member 10. Y

When not in use, the arm 25 may be removed from the hub member 10, which latter may be stored in a compact manner by folding the legs 12 together, as shown in Fig. 2. By adjustment of the sleeves 33 and 37, the tension of the spring 36 may be varied according to the weight of the child 40.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A baby holding and exercising device comprising a central hub portion, a plurality of outwardly extending legs, radially spaced, depending pairs of lugs on the undersurface of said hub member, the inner ends of each of said legs being received between each pair of said lugs, pin means rotatbaly mounting said inner ends between said lugs, the undersurface of said hub member having substantially semicylindrical grooves adapted to receive the inner ends of said legs therewithin when said legs are in the operative position and permitting said legs to be folded together when not in use, an inclined arm, said hub member having a substantially vertical bore therethrough, first ball bearing assemblies at the upper end of said bore within said central hub member, second ball bearing assembly within the lower end of said hub member surrounding said bore, said inclined arm at the inner end thereof having a vertical downwardly extending portion, said downwardly extending portion having an extension of less diameter than said vertical portion thereof and adapted to fit downwardly within said bore and to be rotatably mounted within said first and second ball bearing assemblies with the lower end of said vertical portion supported on the uppermost of said ball bearing assemblies, an elongated, substantially horizontal arm, a substantially vertical arm at the inner end of said horizontal arm, plates securing said vertical arm at substantially right angles to said horizontal arm, the upper end of said inclined arm being received and pivotally mounted between said plates, a

first collar adjustable along said inclined arm, a second collar adjustable along said vertical arm, a' spring connecting said first and second collars, said legs comprising inner portions offset relative to outer portions, said child supporting means comprising a supporting ring having a shank adapted to fit within the outer end of said horizontal arm, means for securing said shank within said horizontal arm, a seat adapted to support the child thereon, said seat at the front and rear thereof having vertical walls extending upwardly therefrom, said vertical walls at the upper edges thereof being formed with flanges of substantially U-shaped cross section adapted to be snapped downwardly on to said supporting ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 159,451 Smith July 25, 1950 1,832,755 Waddell Nov. 17, 1931 2,548,228 McCray Apr. 10, 1951 2,630,289 Selig Mar. 3, 1953