US2873458A - Collapsible play pen - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 17, 1959 J. Q. ADAMSON COLLAPSIBLE PLAY PEN Filed June 24, 1957 INV EN TOR. JOHN Q. ADA M SON ATTORNEY COLLAPSIBLE PLAY PEN John Q. Adamson, Phoenix, Ariz. Application June 24, 1957, Serial No. 667,630 1 Claim. or. -98) This invention pertains to collapsible play pens, and is particularly directed to a foldable play pen of light weight but rugged construction.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a collapsible structure which can be converted with a minimum of effort into a rigid upright unit.

Another object is to provide a collapsible play pen with a two-position floor'to convert the device from a play pen to a table-like structure for handling the child in a more convenient elevated position.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a collapsible structure which can be folded in a novel manner for storage or transportation of the unit.

A further object of this invention is to construct a play pen which can be readily and compactly folded.

Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from a detailed description of the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a general perspective view of a collapsible play pen including the features of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 3--3 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation showing the device in collapsed condition.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

As an example of one embodiment of this invention there is shown a collapsible play pen having a top rail which is supported on folding legs 11 consisting of the upper portion 12 rigidly secured to the underside 13 of the top rail 10 by screws 14 and the bottom portion 15 on the lower end 16 of which is mounted the usual caster 17. A suitable netting or webbing 18 is appropriately secured at its upper end by sewing or a tie string 19 to the top rail 10 and extends downwardly inside the top rail 10 and the legs 11. The upper 12 and bottom 15 portions of the legs are hinged together at hinges 19a so that the bottom 15 may swing inwardly about the horizontal axes 20 of the hinges 19a.

Inside the legs 11 is provided the floor rail 21 which has a series of U-shaped guides 22 fixed thereto which can slide up and down on the bottom portions 15 and upper portions 12 of the legs 11. Suitable latch pins 23 are provided in the floor rail 21 having yielding spring means 24 to normally urge the outer ends 26 of the pins 23 into the lower positioning holes 26a in the botto portion 15 of the legs 11.

A fioor member 27 is provided with notches 28 forming a clearance around the inner sides of the legs 11 and the webbing or netting 18 extends downwardly and over the outside edge 29 of the floor 27 and then inwardly between the underside 30 of the floor 27 and the top 31 of the floor rail 21, as best seen in Fig. 3. The lower edge 32 of the netting 18 is then drawn together by a suitable draw string 33.

The floor member 27 may be moved upwardly to an 2 intermediate position 27a if desired in which case the lower edges 32 of the netting 18 aredrawn completely together and tied at 34. Fig.3, and the 11001 rail 21 moved upwardly to the position 2la With the latch pins 23 being inserted into the upper positioning holes 35 in the bottom portions 15 of the legs 11. This provides a convenient working height for taking care of the child.

In Fig. 4 the device is shown fully collapsed with the .floor member 27 in the position 27b up against the underside of the top rail 10 and the floor rail 21 in the position 21a up against the underside of the floor member 27 inside the upper portions 12 of the legs 11 so'that the bottom portions 15 of the legs may be folded inwardly making a compact collapsed structure as best shown in Fig. 4.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes a preferred form of the invention, it is also to be understood that the apparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangements and commercial adaptations as fall within the scope of the appendant claim are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully set forth and described this invention what is claimed and desired to be obtained by United States Letters Patent is:

A collapsible play pen comprising, a horizontally disposed top rail, a series of vertically disposed legs supporting said top rail including, vertically disposed downwardly depending upper portions rigidly secured at their upper ends to the underside of said top rail, vertically disposed bottom portions engaging a floor, a hinge con nection mounted on the lower inner edge of each said upper portion for vertical inward swinging movement of said legs, and horizontally disposed abutment surfaces on the lower ends of said upper portions and the top ends of said bottom portions to limit outward swinging of said bottom portions to vertical aligned position with said upper portions, a horizontal floor member of load supporting rigid material having an outer edge vertically slidably fitting between the vertical inner surfaces of said depending legs when in vertically disposed position to positively hold said bottom portions in vertically disposed position until said floor is raised to fully up position above said hinge connections and inside of said rigid upper portions of said legs, a netting fixed at its upper edge to said top rail extending downwardly on the inner vertical surfaces of said upper portions and said vertically disposed bottom portions, said netting extending downwardly over said outer edge of said floor member, a floor rail vertically slidably fitting between said vertically disposed inner surfaces of said legs, means in said floor rail movable horizontally to engage said inside surfaces of said legs to vertically limit the position of said floor rail and floor member on said legs, and draw string means in the lower edge of said netting located under said floor member for maintaining proper tension in said netting for any vertical position of the floor member on said legs, said upper portions of said legs projecting vertically downward from said top rail a distance equal to the vertical thickness of said floor member and said floor rail so that said legs may be folded vertically inwardly under said floor member and floor rail when said floor member is positioned up against the underside of said top rail.

Goodwin May 10, 18918 Cramer Jan. 16, 1900 (Other references on followlng'page)

Images