US2757387A

US2757387A - Collapsible car crib

Info

Publication number: US2757387A
Application number: US346692A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul C Kelly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-04-03
Filing date: 1953-04-03
Publication date: 1956-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 1973-08-07

Description

Aug. 7, 1956 P. c. KELLY 2,757,387

COLLAPSIBLE CAR CRIB Filed April 5, 195a INVENTOR FhuLCKelly.

ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 2,757,387 Patented Aug. 7, 1956 COLLAPSIBLE CAR CRIB Paul C. Kelly, Ardmore, Pa.

Application April 3, 1953, Serial No. 346,692

3 Claims. (Cl. -94) This invention relates to a collapsible and erectable childs crib to be used in connection with automobile seats.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a three-sided crib comprising a medially hinged front sectionhaving side sections hinged to the opposite ends thereof to effect easy and convenient manipulation of the crib respectively for erection and storage. It Will be' seen that under these circumstances the backrest of the car seat to which the crib is attached is utilized as the back wall and fourth side of the enclosure.

More particularly, a special object of the invention resides in the provision of novel means for attaching the crib to the seat. One of the essential characteristics of such means is that the rear vertical portions of the side sections rest tightly against the backrest of the car seat when the bottom rails of the side and front sections are firmly secured to the seat, thus preventing the forward tilting or movement of the crib, either when the car is decelerating in motion, or if the child from a standing or any other position brings pressure upon any part of the crib. While it has been proposed to hold down the rear portion of a car crib by hooks or the like, nevertheless such holding means is impractical for such reasons as difficulty in storing, undue wear on the upholstery, the injury hazard to a handler, and troublesome manipulations. Also, in a device of this type, it is even more desirable to avoid the use of rigid locking elements or projections from the standpoint of possible injury to the child. Accordingly, .the present invention proposes to utilize a flexible holding means which is so arranged and constructed as to enable considerable pressure to be imposed in a downward direction on the rear ends of the side sections in combination with pressure exertedon the bottom rails of the front section which holds the bottom rails'of all sections securely to the seat and thereby avoid accidental forward movement or tilting of the crib.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective View of the crib attached to a car seat.

Figure 2 is a detail view of one rear corner of a side section showing a type of loop or guide at the rear of said side sections, and the relation of the guide to a related buckle-type fastening.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the crib collapsed.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of an alternate form of loop or guide.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be observed that the car seat cushion is designated generally as A and, as usual, cooperates with a back or backrest B.

The crib, designated generally as C, comprises a front section D hinged as at E for collapsibility, and having at the opposite ends thereof the side sections P which are hingedly connected to the front section, as indicated at G. The front section D is provided at the location of the hinges E with a locking latch E to hold the hinges rigid when the crib is erected. The crib C is preferably of the horizontal rail and vertical spoke or rod type, including upper and lower rails to which the spokes or posts are attached. The lower rails H and H, respectively, of

the front and side sections are intended to cooperate with the present novel anchoring or locking means for securing the crib firmly to the seat.

The securing means includes front buckles 11 connected by front terminal anchors, in the form of flexible loops 2, to the bottom rail H of the front section. Also, said means includes the rear terminal anchors in the form of fastening buckles 3 connected by loops 4 to the side sections each at a point inwardly of the rear portions or posts 55 of the side sections, as for example to one of the rods of the section. The purpose of connecting the loops 4 inwardly of the rear portions 5 of the side sections is to provide suflicient room for hand manipulation of the rear free ends 6 of the seat-embracing straps S and. S in relation to the rear fastening buckles 3.

It will also be noted that the bottom rails H of the side sections F are provided with the guide elements 7 which are located adjacent to the rear portions 5 and between the loops 4 and said rear portion 5. The hold-down guide means is preferably in the form of a loop. In the example shown, this loop is made of a piece of fabric with its end portions secured to the related bottom rail H by end fastenings 8. Of course, this loop could be made of metal or other suitable material as shown by the detail view in Figure 4- and designated as 7a.

The straps S and S have their intermediate portions placed beneath the seat A While their free rear ends 6 and free front ends 10 are adapted for cooperation with the buckle units 3 and 1, respectively. In the case of the rear free ends 6 of the straps, it will be seen that the same are threaded from the inside of and over the bottom rail H and through guide or loop means 7 and thence led to the buckles 3 for permanent anchorage. Therefore, the rear portions 5 of the side sections F may have considerable pressure exerted upon them to hold the rear 7 ends of the rails H firmly against the seat, said pressure being accomplished by pulling forward and downward on the free front ends 10 of the straps S and S through the buckles 1-4, and, furthermore, if any slack develops 3 in the portions 6 of the straps which pass through loop or guide means 7, additional tightening or take-up may be accomplished through the buckles 3. In any event, the arrangement described provides for concentrating hold-down pressure at the rear portion of the bottom rails H of the side sections and firmly secures the bearing surfaces of all bottom rails to the car seat.

When the straps S and S are once positioned beneath the seat A, they may be left in that position after the buckles 11 and 33 have been manipulated to release the free ends of the straps from the crib to enable its removal from the seat. This has the advantage that when it is again desired to erect the crib C on the seat A, it is simply necessary to move the crib sections into the erected position shown in Figure 1 and then reconnect the free ends 6 and 10 of the straps, respectively, with the buckles 3 and 1. Thus, the seat-embracing strap portions of the securing means may be conveniently left in place when the crib is not in use, and there will be no metallic parts to damage or interfere with the normal use of the seat. Moreover, the arrangement described avoids any metallic connecting parts which might prove injurious to the child or an occupant of the seat. It will also be understood that after the ends 6 and of the straps have been disconnected from their related buckles, the crib C may then be removed from the seat and collapsed to be placed in a suitable carry carton provided for the purpose of keeping the crib sanitary while stored in the luggage compartment or out of the car.

The crib is of such length that, being placed oif center on the seat, suitable seating space for another occupant normally will be provided adjacent to the side section F.

The manner in which the side members F and the front member D are hingedly connected greatly facilitates placing a child into the crib or removing it therefrom, and permits part of the crib to be moved away from the seat cushion while the remaining part remains attached thereto. This may be accomplished by unbuckling either strap S or S from buckles 1 and 3 and swinging the free side member F inwardly away from the backrest and toward the adjoining half section D of the front member thereby providing free access to the seat cushion without having to lift the child over the crib. In addition to unbuckling straps S or S from buckles 1 and 3, top and bottom latches E may be released and that half of the crib comprising sections F and D may be swung forward toward the back of the front backrest, thus providing even greater convenience and accessibility in placing or taking the child easily from the cushion. This arrangement also permits changing the baby without removing it from the cushion.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the distinguishing feature of the present invention resides in the provision of means for holding the crib tightly to the seat and firmly against the backrest in a simple and practical way, as the crib is firmly anchored in place against lateral or forward shifting or tilting in any way. In applying the straps S and S beneath the seat A, it is only necessary to lift the seat from its normal position sufficiently to place the straps in position, and by so leaving such straps under the seat, thereafter, the crib may be erected and attached many times with speed and convenience, since the free ends 6 and 10 of the straps provide no hazards to occupants of the seat when the crib is not in use.

I claim:

1. A childs crib for use on automobile or like seats, comprising, in combination, a three-sided enclosure including pivotally connected collapsible front and side sections having bottom rails, and means for securing the crib to the seat with the vertical rear portions of the side sections abutting the backrest, said means including front buckles secured by adjustable loops to the bottom rail of the front section, rear buckles secured by adjustable loops anchored forwardly of the rear ends of the bottom rails of the side sections, guides on the rear portions of the bottom rails of the side sections, and flexible straps embracing the bottom and front and rear ends of the seat with their free ends exposed for access at the front and rear of the seat, the rear free ends of the straps passing from the inside and over the rear portion of the bottom rails of the side sections, through said guides and thence connecting with said rear buckles and anchoring the rear ends of the side sections firmly to the rear portion of the seat, and the free front ends of said straps secured to the front buckles on the loops carried by the bottom rail of the front section to hold the remaining parts of all the bottom rails of the crib securely to the seat.

2. In a crib for automobile seats or the like, including, front and side sections, means for attaching the crib to the seat, comprising, rear terminal anchors adjacent the lower rear end of each side section of the crib and including a loop guide and a buckle secured forwardly of the guide, front terminal anchor buckles on the front section, straps having their free rear ends secured to the rear terminal anchors by passing from inside and over bottom rails of side sections through said loop guides and connected to the related buckles thereof, said straps embracing the seat from underneath and over the rear and front ends thereof and being pulled forwardly thereabout to firmly depress the rear ends of the bottom rails of the side sections against the backrest and the rear surface of the seat and to firmly press the rear vertical portions of the side sections against the back rest to prevent forward tilting of the crib, and the front ends of the straps connecting with the front terminal anchor buckles.

3. A childs crib for use on automobile or like seats comprising, in combination, a three-sided enclosure including a front section having medially hinged top and bottom rails, side sections including top and bottom rails and vertical rear posts, the front ends of said top and bottom rails of the side sections hinged to related rails of the front section, means for securing the crib to the seat with the vertical rear posts of the side sections abutting the backrest and the bottom rails of all sections resting on the top of the seat, said means including straps passing beneath the seat and having their rear ends passing over the bottom rails of the side sections from the inner sides thereof and connected thereto to firmly hold the rear portions of the side sections against the rear of the seat and the backrest, when the front ends of the said straps are pulled forwardly and connected to the bottom rails of the front section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kelly June 3, 1952