US2720661A - Cover for baby beds - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 18, 1955 J. s. HARRIS COVER FOR BABY BEDS Filed Aug. 1, 1951 lEZ INVEN TOR. JANE STEELE HARRIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent COVER FOR BABY BEDS Jane Steele Harris, New Rochelle, N. Y.

Application August 1, 1951, Serial No. 239,796

2 Claims. (Cl. 5-343) This invention relates to a cover for baby beds and has for an object the provision of a cover of the class described, wherein provision is made for securing a baby in the cover on opposite sides of a pillow or mattress enclosed by said cover.

Another object is to provide a cover of the class described in which the baby is secured in the bed, yet the babys hands are free and may be extended freely outside the cover.

Another object is to provide a cover of the class described which is easily combined with a pillow or mattress without the use of tapes or other securing means.

A further object is to provide a cover of the class described which is tubular in form to completely enclose a pillow or mattress and which has openings on opposite sides to permit the insertion of the body of a baby with means for securing the cover about the neck of the baby.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and drawings, from which it will be obvious that many changes can be made in the details of construction herein set forth merely by way of illustration, the invention being as defined by the appended claims.

Heretofore baby bed covers have been made that comprise a top sheet having an aperture like that herein described, to permit placing the babys body below the sheet with the head protruding. Such sheets have been secured to the mattress by means of several tapes, and have their upper ends closed so that the babys arms are below the sheet.

Often it is necessary to change the baby at night which, with these prior art devices, necessitated shifting the baby to another bed while the top sheet of the baby bed was untied. Often the room is cold during this procedure and the baby is exposed.

Such procedure necessitates a delay in changing the baby, which is eliminated by the present invention, which further eliminates using a wet top sheet or providing an extra one in case a change is necessary.

The present invention also provides a two-sided baby bed that is made up on both sides at once. When one side is wet, the bed is simply turned over, the baby placed in the dry side and the wet side can air and dry below, as the mattress usually rests on slats or tapes so that it is exposed to the air.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a top sheet assembled to a mattress having a tubular rubber sheet thereabout, and illustrating the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the assembly Fig. 1 on the line 22, Fig. 1.

For the sake of illustration, a tubular top sheet 10, 11 is shown as used with a resilient body member such as the mattress 12 which is usually about 13 x 22 x 3 inches. This mattress may be a pillow, and is preferably provided with a tubular open-ended rubber sheet 13 which surrounds the mattress except for portions at the ends thereof. This sheet 13 provides a smooth foundation for the under-sheet 14 and protects the mattress from moisture.

The under-sheet 14 is made like a pillow case, open at one end and seamed at 15 in the usual manner, and encloses the mattress 12 and rubber sheet 13. Sheet 14 may have its open end turned in and stitched over, as shown at 16, and may be as long as the mattress, as shown.

The top sheet 10, 11 is also made like a pillow case and the bottom closed at seam 10a, with an excesssay, 4 inches-width to allow room for the baby. This sheet 10, 11 slides over sheet 14 and is easy to apply because of the extra 4 inches of material, as aforesaid.

The upper end 17 of the top sheet may be turned inwardly and stitched, as shown, and the upper open end of the top sheet is, therefore, slightly below the end 18 of the mattress and under-sheet.

An aperture 19 is made in the side 10 of the top sheet and a similar aperture 19a in the side 11 thereof. These apertures have edges forming collars bound around sponge rubber or some other soft yielding material, indicated at 20, 20a, and form an upstanding collar loosely fitting the babys neck. These collars can be closed by snap fasteners 21, 21a or tapes, or in any suitable manner.

Opening into the apertures 19, 19a are the slits 22, 22a, about 18 inches long on each side of the top sheet and the edges of these slits may be closed in any manner, such as by Zippers 23, 23a.

Panels of cloth 24, 24a are stitched to the underside of the top sheet, as shown at 25, and underlie the openings and zippers to prevent the later from contacting the baby.

In use, the top sheet of special construction as above described is assembled to the under-sheet, rubber sheet and mattress. The bed is then made up both sides. There are no straps to tie.

The baby is now picked up and held in one arm while, with the free hand, the zipper is opened, the baby placed in the opening, the zipper closed and the neck band closed at 21. The baby is thus instantly placed in the bed and, the top sheet being open at the top, the baby can sleep with its arms under its head, can turn over and can reach its face with its hands, and is not frustrated as occurs with arrangements where the babys hands are held beneath the top sheet.

To change the baby in case the side 10 becomes wet, it is only necessary to unfasten snap fastener 21 and zipper 23, remove baby, turn the mattress over and place baby in the side 11. The side 10, being turned down, is free to dry and air, and it requires less than a minute to change the baby from a wet to a dry bed. This change can be made in the dark as there are no tapes to tie nor is any disassembly of the top and bottom sheets and mattress necessary.

Obviously, the two sides 10, 11 of the top sheet can be made separately and instead of being stitched together can be secured by buttons or the like along their longer sides and bottom. Such a modification is obvious once the inventive concept herein disclosed is understood, which is that of providing an arrangement wherein babyretaining means is provided on opposite sides of the mattress or other resilient body whereby it is in effect two separate beds for the baby which can be used one after the other by simply turning the mattress over.

What is claimed is:

1. A tubular sheet adapted to receive and surround a mattress or the like and being open at one end, said open end being adapted to receive a mattress, said sheet having apertures on its opposite sides adapted to receive the neck and body of a baby, and means for closing said apertures to hold the body of said baby below said sheet on either side thereof and supported on opposite sides of said mattress therein,whereby the babys arms may freelyextendfronr the open end" of saidsheet on'either side thereof while the babys body is secured below and within saidsheet by said means. 7

2. A baby bed including a resilient member, a tubular waterproof sheet surrounding part of said member, a bottom tubular sheet overlying said first sheet, a tubular sheet overlyinglsaid bottom sheet and having apertures in its opposite sides separated by said resilient member, and'baby-retaining means carried by said last sheet and on -opposite sidesof-said resilient member whereby the body of a baby can be secured in position below said last sheet on either sideof said resilient member, said last sheet being open at the upper end to permit a babys arms 7 to extend freely above said last sheet on either side thereof while the babys ibody is secured below and within said means.

References Cited in the file' of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,767,842 Gehrke June 24, 1930 2,036,175 Hollander -Mar. 31, 1936 2,151,434 Malah Man-21, 1939 2,442,192 Bookbinder May 25, 1948

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