US3079194A

US3079194A - Baby-carriages and the like

Info

Publication number: US3079194A
Application number: US145065A
Authority: US
Inventors: Penfold Frederick Thomas
Original assignee: Lines Bros Ltd
Current assignee: Lines Bros Ltd
Priority date: 1960-12-28
Filing date: 1961-10-16
Publication date: 1963-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 1980-02-26

Description

Feb. 26, 1963 F. T. PENFOLD I 3,079,194

BAisY-CARRIAGES AND THE LIKE Filed Ooi. 16, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A Horn e VS F. T. PENFOLD BABY-CARRIAGES AND THE LIKE Feb. 26, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16. 1961 Feb. 26, 1963 Filed 001'.. 16, 1961 F. T. PENFOLD BABY-CARRIAGES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Attorneys Feb. 26, 1963 F. T. PENFOLD BABY-CARRIAGES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed 001.. 16, .1961

Inventor Lm/M 7W MV f Attorneys United States Patent Giiice 3,079,194 Patented Feb. 26, 1963 3,079,194 BABY-CARRIAGES AND THE LIKE Frederick Thomas Penfold, Sutton, England, assigner to Lines Bros. Limited Filed Oct. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 145,065 Claims priority, application Great Britain Dec. 28, 1960 Claims. (Cl. 296-27) Baby-carriages and similar Wheeled vehicles are often collapsible in order to reduce the space occupied by the vehicle in storage or during transportation. Such vehicles may comprise a collapsible body and `a collapsible framework for the body.

A collapsible body for :a baby-carriage or similar wheeled rvehicle commonly consists -of upper and lower frames spanned by flexible material. When the ilexible material is stretched between the two frames in the erect position of the body the walls do not have any substantial rigidity, and the appearance `of the -side walls is poor in contrast to that of coach-built bodies. Moreover, the iiexible material forms at ends which do not present the attractive `appearance of a coach-built rigid body with curved ends.

A common method of achieving the collapsing action of the supporting framework of a baby-carriage or similar wheeled vehicle is to provide two pairs of crossed members forming an X-framework, the upper ends of these members supporting the body of the vehicle when the framework is erect and the lower ends being connected to the wheels. When the framework is collapsed, the crossed members `are pivoted relative to each other to flatten the X, and the pushing handle of the vehicle can -be folded over the collapsed framework. However, such a collapsible framework is often diicult to erect and has generally required several opera-tions to both erect the framework and lock the body of the vehicle to it.

It is an object of this invention to provide a collapsible body for a baby-carriage or similar wheeled vehicle having the appearance of a `coach-'built rigid body and in which rigidity is imparted to the iiexiible sides of the body.

It is a fur-ther object of this invention to provide means Afor locking the body of a baby-carriage or similar wheeled vehicle to a collapsible framework, and to simplify the erection of the latter.

These and other objects which will become more apparent hereinafter are realised in the baby-carriage of the instant invention, which will be described with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the body in the erect position, showing a hood and a cover fitted to the body;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the body in the collapsed position;

'FIGURE 3 is -a view corresponding to lFIGURE 1 showing the body without the covering of flexible material;

FIGURE 4 is a section on the line IV-IV in FIG- URE 1 FIGURE 5 is a section on the line V-V in FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view of pant of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the baby-carriage showing how the wheels and body are litted -to the collapsible framework;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of the chassis, framework and handle only; and

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation of the chassis, framework and handle inthe collapsed position.

The baby-carriage -body shown comprises an upper frame 1, Ia lower frame 2, `and two exible sides 3 `and two flexible ends 4 of polyvinyl chloride plastic on a thin fabric backing, which yspan these frames. The upper frame 1 is composed of two side members S of inverted channel shape and two end members 6, also of inverted channel shape. At the corners the inner walls of the members 6 `are cut away to accommodate rthe ends lof the members 5, and the overlapping tops of the channels are welded together.

The lower frame 2 is composed of side bars 7 and end bars 8, all of wood, and a baseboard 9 which is secured to the two side bars 7 by screws y10, which pass not yonly through the board 9, but also through two sheets 11 and 112 of Ia plastic which form a casing for the board 9 and are heat-sealed at their edges. On the underside of Ithe end bars l8 there are hooks 42 by which the body can be secured to the supporting collapsible framework.

The inverted-channel members S have integral -sheet metal skirts 13, which are outwardly flared las shown in FIGURE 5 and downwardly convex along their lower edges as shown in FIGURE 2. The sides 3 extend over the tops of the members 5 as shown at 14 and are fixed to these by snap-fastening devices 15. From the parts 14 the sides 3 run downwards in contact with the outer faces of the skirts 13 :and then further downwards yas far as the underside of the lower frame 2, where the lower edges are stitched 'to the side edges of an under covering 16 which is in fact integral with and unites the ends 4. Piping 17 is also stitched into the joint so formed.

The body has an inner lining 18' formed from four pieces of plastic sheet, namely two side pieces land two end pieces. The upper edges of the side pieces lie `along the inner walls of the inverted-channel member 5 as shown at 19, and -then run across the top 14 of the sides 3 as shown at 20, next downwards as shown at 21 and then upwards again as shown at 22. The

parts

21 and 22 are heat-sealed to form :a pocket containing a Stiifening strip 23 and padding 24. The part 22 merges into a top part 25 which is in turn heat-sealed to the part 20 to form a pocket containing padding 26. This top part 25 then merges'into a downward run 27 which at the base merges into and is integral with the sheet 11. A strip of padding 2'8 is trapped between the

lengths

19 and 27 of the sheet. Snap-fastening devices 29 pass through the various layers on the outer side 4faces of the members `5 and through holes 30 in these members to hold the layers in position. The sheet metal skirt 13 imparts rigidi-ty and an `attractively shaped appearance to the -ex-ible side 3 of the body and yet does not prevent the vbody from collapsing. The total depth of the sides of the upper frame yand the sheet metal skirt l13 may advantageously be just enough to accommodate the lower frame and the llexible sides when the 'body is collapsed as shown in FIGURE 2. This is generally also a suicient depth to impart substantial shape fto the sides, and to give them a coachabuilt appearance when the body is in the erect position. The body is held in the erect position by two U-shaped rods 31, the free ends of which are bent 4as shown at 32 to pass through holes in `the inner walls of the members 5, these rods engaging spring clips 33 iixed to the base 9.

The ends 4 comprise inner and outer sheets 34 and 35 joined together by horizontal stitching to form transverse parallel pockets each of ywhich receives a wooden slat 36. When the body is erected the slats impart lateral rigidity to the end of the body, which resembles the slatted par-t of a rol1-top desk, and -this enables the desired curved shape clearly shown in FIGURE 4 to be formed and maintained. The maintenance of this shape is materially lassisted by piping l37 and buckram s-tiiening material 38 stitched in position at the junctions between the sides 3 yand ends 4. One piece of buckram 38 is used at each junction, and lies essentially in the plane 3 of the side 3 at that junction. The free edge of each piece of buckram is straight, as shown in FIGURE 4.

To improve the appearance of lthe body still further a decorative metal strip 39 may be fixed to the outside just above the lower edge of each skirt 13. The body shown has a hood 40 and a cover 41.

The collapsible X-framework of the baby-carriage iS formed from two

tubular metal members

43 and 44 of inverted-U shape pivoted together near the middle of their arms at 45. The free ends of both members 46 are connec-ted to the chassis 47 through short pieces of metal 48 each of which is pivotally connected at one end of the chassis and at the -other to a free end of an arm of la U. The handle 449 of the baby-carriage is of U- shape and at each side is pivoted near its free end to the U-member 44 near the base of the U at 50 and at its free end 51 to a link 52, the other end of which is pivoted at the free end of the other U-member at 53. There is also an inwardly directed pin 54 `at each free end of the handle which can be locked by a hook 55. A pin 56 on each cross-arm 57 can lit between each of the two pairs of hooks 42 on the under-side of the babycarriage body.

When the framework and handle are in the collapsed position shown in yFIGURE. 9 the arms of U-members 43 and44 at each side, the link 52 and the part of the handle 49 *between the t-wo pivot points on it form a long thin quadrilateral. When the handle is raised the Iangle of the quadrilateral between it and the link becomes more obtuse until it is substantially 180 when the handle is approximately vertical. ln this position, which lis shown in dot-and-dash lines in FGURE. 8, a triangle is formed, and the cross-arm 57 of each U-mem- `ber is raised as high as is possible so that the minimum separation between the cross-arms now obtains. The body of the baby-carriage may now be rested on the cross-arms 57. Further movement of the handle towards its working position causes lthe free ends of the handle at 51 to approach the U-member 44 to which it is pivoted, the cross-arms 57 move downwards through a short distance, and the separation between them increases once more. This causes the cross-arms -to engage the hooksV 42 on the body. At the same time each pin 454 at a free end of `the handle comes into position to be engaged by a hook `5 which is pivoted on the U- member 44, and by rotation of the hooks S5 around the pins 54 the handle is locked so that it can no longer be lifted to collapse the framework. The chassis 47 has axles 58 carrying wheels 59, which may be detached for storing or transporting the baby-carriage in its collapsed state.

I claim:

l. In a wheeled vehicle of the kind described, a collapsible body comprising a base, an upper and `a lower frame spanned lby exible material forming walls, releasable means for holding said frames apar-t in an expanded position, sheet metal skirt rigid with the sides of said upper frame extending outwardly and downwardly for part only of the depth of the 'body when in the expanded position.

2. A fvehicle according to claim 1, in which the upper frame includes at each side an inverted-channel member of sheet metal comprising inner and outer walls and the outwardly and downwardly-extending sheet metal skirt is integral with said outer wall, the total depth of said upper frame and said skirt being just sufficient 4to accommodate the lower frame and llexible sides of said coilapr ible body in its collapsed position.

3. A vehicle according to claim 2, in which said :sheet metal skirt extends along the whole length of 'both lsides of said collapsible body and is convex downwards along the `bottom edge on each side.

4. VA vehicle according to claim l in which the flexible material of at least one end wall of said body is formed with a plurality of transverse pockets carrying stitening slats.

5. A vehicle according -to claim 4 in which piping eX- tends along the junctions between the side and end walls of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,196,834 Mahr Apr. 9, 1940 2,226,000 Krozz etal. Dec. 24, 1940 2,395,208 Wylie Feb. 19, 1946 2,421,388 Mochan June 3, 1947 2,744,760 Welsh et al. May 8, 1956 2,777,706 Welsh Jan. 15, 1957

Claims

1. IN A WHEELED VEHICLE OF THE KIND DESCRIBED, A COLLAPSIBLE BODY COMPRISING A BASE, AN UPPER AND A LOWER FRAME SPANNED BY FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FORMING WALLS, RELEASABLE MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID FRAMES APART IN AN EXPANDED POSITION, SHEET METAL SKIRT RIGID WITH THE SIDES OF SAID