US30717A - Baby jumper - Google Patents

Description

'Uivrrnn sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

J. ySILAS BROYVN, OF GREEN POINT, NEW YORK.

BABY JUMPER, COUCH, AND CARRIAGE.

Speccation of Letters Patent No. 30,717, dated November 27, 1860.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J. S. BROWN, of Green Point, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a Universal Baby- Tender; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, `and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, is a perspective view of the baby tender when suspended and used as a baby jumper. In this figure the back of the seat and the table are placed on a plane with the seat so as to form a couch for allowing the child to lie down. Fig. 2, is a perspective view of the baby jumper, with the table and back of the seat arranged for sitting the child up. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of the baby tender, with the table removed and the parts arranged and mounted on a box, for forming a chair seat. In this arrangement the parts are not suspended. Fig. t, is a perspective view of Fig. 3, mounted on a carriage body. Fig. 5, is a longitudinal section through the frame of the carriage of Fig. 4. Fig. 6, is a longitudinal vertical section through the seat of the frame of the baby tender. Fig. 7, is an enlarged per spective view of the pedal used in Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several gures.

Thisv invention I term a universal baby tender, as it is intended to serve by simple adjustment, as a baby jumper a chair seat, wherein the child may be placed in a reclining or sit-ting position, and a carriage, wherein the child may be moved about as in the common carriage, in all of which changes ample provisions are furnished for making the child comfortable, and supplying its wants.

The nature of my invention consists, firstly, in constructing a quadrilateral framework, for holding the baby, of four upright posts, of a suitable length and strength, which are secured at the bottom ends to a suitable seat, and at the top ends to a covering, or canopy; said frame has also two side boards secured to the upright posts, which are elevated above the bottom of the seat a suitable distance, and used to prevent the child from falling sideways, out of the frame, and to'receive and -support an adjustable back for the seat; and also an adjustable table, all as will be hereinafter described, said frame being so constructed that it may be suspended by suitable cords attached to the four top ends of the uprights, and the child thus supported in the frame in a safer and more steady manner than in baby jumpers heretofore used. Secondly, it consists in a novel manner of attaching the back of the seat to the aforementioned side boards of the frame, whereby said back may be adjusted forward or backward within the frame, and by the use of back straps attached to the back, this back may be adjusted and set at any desirable inclination as will be hereinafter described. Thirdly, in the employment of a post of any suitable design, placed in front of the seat, or bottom, of the frame, and secured thereto, by a spring bolt, for preventing the child from slipping oif the seat, as will be hereinafter described. j

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, A, A, A, are four upright posts, B', is

Aa cover, B, is the bottom or seat, with a hole through it, `and C, C, are two wide side boards which are secured to the four posts A, a short distance above the seat B. These parts are strongly secured together forming a quadrilateral `frame-work, which may be trimmed and ornamented in any desirable manner. This frame is made about twice as high as it is wide, and its width-is about equal to its breadth. The top ends of the four posts A, project through the cover B, and to these projecting ends of the posts, four cords a, a, a, a, are attached, which cords are each tied to a suitable ring a', so that the ring will be in a line drawn vertically through the middle of the frame, when this frame is suspended. The two side boards C, C, are secured to the inside of the four posts A, a short distance above the seat B, so as to allow the dress of the child to be drawn out under these boards C, C. On the inside of each side board are cut several grooves a2, which grooves are parallel with the seat, and extend about half the length of these boards C, C, and the object of these grooves, is to receive and support a table D, represented in Figs. 1, and 2, and to allow this table to be adjusted up ,or down, or horizontally. There are two other grooves Z9, formed along each side of the seat B, for receiving and holding the table D, on a plane with the seat, when this table is usedto form a part of a couch on which the child may lie down, as represented in Fig. 1.

E, is an adjustable back to theseat B, which is made adjustable in two ways; it may be moved forward in the following manner; c, c, are two right-angular spring arms, which are secured to the bottom, and on each side vof the back E. These arms 0, c, are made of spring rods which project out from each corner, or side of the back E, and their ends lit into holes e, e, e, which are made on'fthe inside of the side boards C, C, near the lower edge of these boards. As the arms c, c, project beyond the sides of the back E, and as the back is made to fit closely between the side boards, it is necessary7 to press the arms c, c, toward each other, in

order to admit the back between the side boards, and when the back is thus admitted the ends of the arms will be forced into one of the holes e, e, on each side of the Vside boards C, C. The holes e, c, e, extend in rows from the back ends of the side boards toward the front ends and by pressing the ends of arms c, c, toward each other the lower end of the back E, maybe moved as far as desirable toward the front of the seat B, and again attached to the side boards as before described. 'This attachment of the back E, with the frame will form pivot bearings for the back and allow its upper .end to be set at any desirable angle with the plane of the seat, the straps f, f, which are secured to each side of the back E, and attached to buttons on 'the two back posts A, A, are used to adjust and to secure the back to the desired angle. These straps f, f, are sufciently long to allow the back to be placed, and secured in the position represented in Fig. 1, in which position it serves in conjunction with table D, and seat B, to form a couch.

The back of the seat, the seat, and the table (or shelf) are each suitably cushioned to form a soft couch and to protect the child from injury. The seat B, is furnished'with two cushions g, and h, one of which, g, has a hole through it to allow the child to use a chamber, as will be hereinafter described.

F, is a post which may be carved, so as to form any desirable figure. This post has a wide tenon z', projecting from its lower end, as shown in Fig. 6, which tenon passes through a hole cut through the seat, 'near the front edge and at about the middle thereof.

A spring bolt j, which is made of a spring rod, secured to the bottom of the seat, is used to secure the post F, in its place, the bolt passing through the tenon portion z', and into the front part of the seat thus secures this portion (z'); a portion of the spring bolt is curved downward as represented in Fig. 6 and serves to some extent to break the fall of the frame when it is used as a f baby jumper and without a pedal as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

7c, 7s, are two straps which are used as shown in Figs. 1, and 2, for supporting the extreme end of the table D, when it is used both as a table and as a part of the couch. In Fig. 3, G, is a box, which is composed of three inclined sides, a bottom, and a perpendicular side, which latter is the front of the box, and this side has la foot board II, which is hinged near the bottom of the box, and made to shut up close to its front side, as shown in Fig. l, or thisV foot board H, may be set as shown in Fig. 3. The bottom onl the frame of Figs. 1 and 2 is fitted into the top of box G, and the frame is secured to this box by the side straps I, o`r in any other suitable manner which will admit of a simple and ready attachment or detachment. The frame, when it is thus mounted on the close box Gr, forms a chair which box may be furnished with casters, secured tothe bottom corners of the box Gr, so that the child can be easily moved about the floor while in its seat. Or the frame with its box G, attached to it may be set on the body of a small carriage as shown in Fig. 4L, and secured to it by means of the straps I, I. The carriage body is mounted on springs and wheels and furnished with a tongue J', and a prop J. The floor K, of the carriage is hinged at its front end to the front part of the reach L, as shown in Fig. 5; and the springs 7c, coiled around stilfemng posts are used to give an easy motion to the child.

N, is a common coiled spring, of any suitable'length and of a strength suicient to sustain the frame shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The top end of this spring N, has a ring a, secured to it and the bottom end is secured to a strong leather strap N, in any suitable manner; a straight metal rod p, is fastened at one end to the ring n, passes down through the spring N, and projects below it some distance, and on this lower end of the rod p a hook r, is formed which hook prevents the spring N, from being drawn out beyond its capacity to recoil, the hooked rod p, therefore preserves the spring from injury through carelessness of servants or others operating the baby jumper. The lower end of the spring N, is secured to the ring a, to which the four cords a, a, a, a, are attached, through the strap N', which is provided with a buckle and hook that will allow the strap to be shortened or lengthened at pleasure.

In Figs. 1 and 7, P, represents a pedal which rocks on a fulcrum at s, and which is operated by the foot so as to give an up and down motion to the baby-jumper; at the opposite end of this pedaL-to that on which the foot is held-, a cross piece S, is attached, by a swivel joint, and to each end of this piece S, a long strap T, is secured. These straps T, T, are carried up each side of the frame, and attached to the sides of cover B, by buttons and holes. This piece S, referred to may be made of any suitable wood or metal and its ends are curved upward as shown in Fig. 7, so that when the baby jumper is pulled down, by pressing with the foot on the pedal, its bottom will strike the curved ends of the piece S, which will prevent the concussion that would be occasioned should the bottom strike the floor or any unyielding body. The end of pedal P, is pivoted at the middle of the spring bar S. By carrying the straps T, T, up each side and attaching their ends at or near the top of the frame the pedal movement will give a more steady up and down movement to the frame than if the straps T, were attached to the lower part of the frame.

The operation of the entire contrivance is as follows: As a baby jumper the frame is suspended as represented in Fig. l, from the ceiling of a room, or if desirable from the center of a support as represented in the drawings. The strap N', is adjusted so as to elevate the bottom of the frame the proper distance from the floor, and if desirable the back E, is let down on a plane with the seat and the table D, is placed in the grooves b, b, so as to bring it, also, on a plane with the seat. The seat B, being cushioned, and the back and table also cushioned their arrangement as now described will form a comfortable bed, o1' couch upon which the child may lie down. The pedal P, is now attached to the baby jumper, by means of the straps T, T, and by giving P, the common pedal movement the child may be jumped up and down, at the same time, the pivot by which the spring bar S, is connected with the pedal P, will allow the frame, with the child to be turned around, without moving the pedal from its place. To sit the child up in this baby jumper, the baclr E, is first set at the de' sired angle by shortening the back straps f, f, the child is then prevented from falling forward by the table D, which is now placed in the grooves a2, in the side boards C, C, and moved toward the child until the inner edge (which is cushioned) touches the childs breast, the straps 7c, 7c, will prevent the table when thus arranged from slipping away from the child, and the table, besides serving to prop the child up, can be used for holding play-things etc. Vith this arrangement of the back and the table the central post F, is used, which, being between the childs legs and projecting up some distance from the seat will prevent the child from slipping off the front of the seat and under the table D. This post F, is removed from the seat when the back and table are arranged as represented in Fig. l.

Fig. 2, shows the back and table arranged for sitting the child up; and should the child be old enough, the pedal P, with its attachment may be removed from the frame, and the child may move itself by pushing with its feet upon the iioor, the frame of course being adjusted at the proper height from the floor. Or with the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 the child may be swung back and forth.

In Fig. 3 the cords a, a, a, a, are, with their attachments for suspending the frame, removed, and the bottom of the frame is fitted into the top of the box G, which box is made any convenient height, and the frame is strapped to this box by the side straps I, I, forming a very pretty and comfortable chair, in which chair the child may use a chamber pot inclosed within the box G, by removing the cushion It; in this arrangement the table D, may be used or not as it may be found desirable. Instead of the table D, the common strap may be stretched across the front posts A, A, to prevent the child from falling out of the chair. The board I-I, is now used for the childs feet to rest on, and the post F, is employed as in Fig. 2. A stationary couch may be readily formed in this case, by removing post F, and arranging the table D, and back E as described in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows the arrangement of Fig. 3, applied to a carriage body, forming a complete carriage, in which the child may be drawn about as in any common carriage.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The frame for holding the baby, composed of four posts A, A, A, A, bottom and top B, and B, grooved and perforated side boards C, C, for supporting respectively the back E, and table D, all arranged substantially in the manner herein described.

2. The spring arms c, c, and straps f, f, in combination with the posts A, A, and perforations e, e, e in the side boards C, C, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The post F arranged'as set forth, and secured to the seat by a spring bolt j, and tenon i, as, and for the purposes herein described.

J. SILAS BROWN.

Witnesses:

M. M. CRoMr'roN, JAMES LAIRD.

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