US3095583A

US3095583A - Play pen

Info

Publication number: US3095583A
Application number: US728A
Authority: US
Inventors: Golub Leo; Zaiger Max
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-01-06
Filing date: 1960-01-06
Publication date: 1963-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 1980-07-02

Description

July 2, 1963 L. GOLUB ETAL 3,095,583

PLAY PEN Filed Jan. 6, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS J60 G-ala Max Zzz er jig 9* y 2, 1963 GOLUB ETAL 3,095,583

PLAY PEN Filed Jan. 6, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 29 a ,i )9 q.-

11 J1 ZJ )2 J K If f 16' i:

a INVENTORS J20 60/) Max Zr: 67'

July 2, 1963 L. GOLUB ETAL 3,095,583

PLAY PEN Filed Jan. 6, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS lea 6 01126 United States Patent 3,095,583 PLAY PEN Leo Golub, Marblehead, and Max Zaiger, Swampscott, Mass, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Paul R. Engel, Rochester, N.Y.

Filed Jan. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 728 8 Claims. (Cl. 99)

This invention relates to improvements in collapsible play pens or playyards for babies and has as its principal objects the provision of playpens which are more rigid in construction, safer in use, and which can be collapsed readily and compactly from a standing position. Other and further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and claims and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a childs play pen according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the play pen shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view, on reduced scale, showing the frame and the manner of collapsing the play pen shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial bottom view of the play pen according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, showing releasable means for joining the end member support to the upper frame of the play pen according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section on the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view, on a slightly reduced scale, of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view, on a reduced scale, of the play pen of FIG. 1 with canopy attached;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the play pen and canopy of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a side view of the canopy shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 detached from the play pen and mounted on separate, auxiliary legs.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the play pen illustrated comprises a generally rectangular upper frame 10, downwardly diverging legs 11 at opposite sides thereof, end members 12, a floor 13, axial rod 14, foot treadle 15 and enclosing material 16, preferably nylon netting.

The upper frame 10 comprises aluminum tube material and has two

U-shaped halves

17 and 17a which fold on pivots 18 at the midpoint of opposite sides thereof. Legs 11 are pivotally attached at their upper ends to the pivots 18 and diverge downwardly in open position, terminating in feet 19.

Floor 13 comprises two halves 20 and 21 which fold upwardly along a meeting or parting line 22 extending from side to side at the midpoint of the floor. As shown, each floor section 20, 21 is reinforced by a plurality of channels 23 attached thereto.

Axial rod 14 extends from side to side of the play pen beneath the floor axis 22 and terminates in depending legs 24 which contact the supporting surface for the play pen to support the floor 13 in open position. Hinges 25 are riveted or otherwise secured to the floor 13 and embrace the axial rod 14. Hinges 25 are provided with opposed, axially spaced, quarter-round slots 26. Pins 27 project from axial rod 14 and engage slots 26. In open position, the pins 27 engage opposite ends of slots 26 thereby preventing the floor from sagging below a horizontal plane and locate legs 24 in vertical position.

3,095,583 Patented July 2, 1963 Floor sections 13 are pivotally attached to the support rods 28 by means of clips 29 beneath opposite ends of floor 13. Rods 28 have projecting ends 28a rigidly secured to the ends of opposed legs 11 on either side of the play pen by means of bolts 30. End members 12 are generally U-shaped and have inturning ends pivotally secured by the bolts 30 to legs 11 on opposite sides of the play pen. Each outer end of frame 10* has sleeves 31 (FIGS. 5 and 6) secured thereto by means of bolts 32. Sleeves 31 carry projecting tongues 33 curved to embrace the closed or upper portion of end members 12 and having therein holes 34. The upper or closed portion of end member 12 is provided with spring pins 35, the ends of which are depressible inwardly but which normally project beyond the circumference of rod member 12. In open position, pins 35 project through holes 34 of bracket 31 to lock the upper frame member 10 in horizontal position.

For the purpose of safety, a spaced plurality of pins 35 and holes 34 are provided on each end member 12 so that a child cannot inadvertently release the supporting end member 12 by accidentally or otherwise depressing a single pm.

In collapsing the play pen, pins 35 are depressed to release end members 12, the

halves

17 and 17a of upper frame 10 are collapsed downwardly against legs 11, and end members 12 are then folded inwardly over rod 14 (FIG. 3). The upper ends of end members 12 are then grasped and foot treadle 15 pressed upon to fold the floor 13 upwardly while lifting moderately or pulling on end members 12. Thus the play pen can be collapsed, after disengaging end members, 12, by a single motion by an operator in standing or near-standing position, thus eliminating the stooping or bending heretofore required.

In addition to the improved manner of collapsing the pen, and to the safety feature embodied in a plurality of locking pins 35, the play pen illustrated has the further advantage of providing a substantially more rigid structure by utilization of rigid end members 12 in conjunction with legs 11 thereby substantially reducing the tendency of the play pen to skew.

A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 7 and comprises an upper frame 10a with halves 17b and 170, legs 11a, floor 13a with

halves

20a and 21a and channel braces 23a, elbow braces 36, vertical posts 37 and a draw string 38. The vertical posts 37 have an upper fitting 39 containing pivots 18a for upper frame halves 17b and 170, a fitting 40 to which legs 11a are pivotally secured and a fitting 41 to which the collapsible braces 36 are secured. In this embodiment, the axial rod beneath the center of the floor 13a terminates in rings 42 at each end which slidably engage the lower portion of the vertical post-s 37. In open position, the floor 13a is supported in horizontal position by means of pins 43a in the lower ends of vertical posts 37 which engage the rings 42 to limit downward movement of the floor. Draw string 38 is secured at its lower end to one of rings 42, passes upwardly through a retaining ring 43 on fitting 39 and terminates in a ball 44 held by ring 43. To collapse the play pen, braces 36 are folded, upper frame halves 17b and folded down against legs 11a and the floor and legs are collapsed by drawing on'draw string 38.

While upper frame braces 36 are shown in FIG. 7 pivotally attached at their lower ends to fitting 41 on vertical posts 37, they can also be attached to legs 11a as shown by imaginary lines 45.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a canopy 48 attached to the play pen of FIG. 1. This canopy comprises lower U- shaped frame member 50, intermediate U-shaped frame member 51, upper U-shaped frame member 52, and canopy cover material 53.

Frame members

50, 51 and 52 are mounted at their open ends to a pivot 54 at each side and on which the canopy folds. Elbow braces or folding brackets 55 are provided on opposite sides of the canopy and have their ends attached to lower frame 50 and upper frame 52, respectively. Clamps 56 are provided on each open arm of lower frame member Si) which secure the canopy to upper frame member 1t of the play pen.

While the canopy 48 is herein illustrated mounted on the play pen of FIG. 1, it is obvious that it can also be attached to the play pen shown in FIG. 7 as well as play pens of other types having upper frame members. However, the combination is particularly advantageous with the play pens, as illustrated, which have opposed diverging llegs and wherein the end-s of the upper frame member fold thereagainst since the canopy will collapse or fold with the play pen without requiring its removal.

The canopy illustrated has further utility in that it can be removed from the play pen and attached to separate legs 60 (FIG. by clamps 61 which can be clamps 56, if desired. The canopy can therefore be used to cover the play pen or to cover a separate chair or the like, as required.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration only and that the invention includes all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A foldable play pen comprising, in combination,

(a) an upper frame having two sections pivoted with respect to each other on an axis,

(b) a pair of legs carried on each opposing side of the upper frame and being pivoted with respect to each other approximately on said axis between open and closed positions,

(0) a lower frame comprising the lower portions of said legs and means rigidly connecting opposing ones of said pairs of legs for supporting a foldable floor thereon,

(d) a pair of end support means pivoted on said lower frame at opposite ends of the play pen, each support means being releasably lockable with a corresponding one of said upper frame sections at said opposite ends for supporting opposing ends of said upper frame relative to said lower frame when the legs are in the open position.

2. A foldable play pen comprising, in combination,

(a) an upper frame having two sections, pivoted with respect to each other on an axis,

([2) a pair of legs carried on each opposing side of the upper frame and being pivoted with respect to each other approximately on said axis,

(c) a lower frame comprising the lower portions of said legs, a pair of floor section between said pairs of legs being interconnected to form a substantially rigid floor when the play pen is in at least an open position, and means rigidly connecting opposing ones of said pairs of legs and pivotally supporting each of said floor sections relative to said opposing legs along an axis parallel to said upper frame axis, and

(d) a pair of end support means pivoted on said lower frame at opposite ends of the play pen, each Support means being releasably lockable with a corresponding one at said upper frame sections at said opposite ends for supporting opposing ends of said upper frame relative to said lower frame when the play pen is in an open position.

3. A foldable play pen in accordance with claim 2 in which,

(a) each of said end support means comprises a substantially U-shaped support member pivotally connected at opposite sides of the play pen to said lower frame.

4. A foldable play pen in accordance with claim 2 in which,

(a) each of said end support means comprises a substantially U-shaped support member pivotally connected to said lower frame at spaced intervals intermediate said pairs of legs.

5. A foldable play pen in accordance with claim 2 in which,

(e) each of said end support means is releasably lockable with an end portion of a corresponding one of said upper frame sections adapted to overlie the upper end of said end support means.

6. A foldable play pen comprising, in combination,

(c) a lower frame comprising the lower portions of said legs, a pair of floor sections between said pairs of legs being interconnected to form a substantially rigid floor when the play pen is in at least the open position, and means rigidly connecting opposing ones of said pairs of legs and pivotally supporting each of said floor sections relative to said opposing legs along an axis parallel to said upper frame axis, and

(d) a pair of end support members, each having handle portions at the upper extremity thereof and each being pivoted on said lower frame at opposite ends of said play pen, said members being constructed to overlie said upper frame members and substantially engage each other at said handle portions when said upper frame is folded downwardly to at least said pairs of legs in the open position, thereby providing handles facilitating folding of the play pen, and

(6) means for releasably locking said handle portions with each of said upper frame sections when in an open position for supporting said upper frame relative to said lower frame when the legs are in the open position.

7. A foldable play pen comprising, in combination,

(a) an upper foldable frame,

(b) a pair of legs pivoted to each opposing side of said upper frame along an axis,

(0) a floor comprising two sections,

(d) means rigidly connecting opposing ones of said pairs of legs and pivotally supporting each of said floor sections relative to said opposing legs along an axis parallel to said leg pivoting axis,

(e) a cross member of substantially circular cross section having a ground engaging leg,

(f) a pair of radial pins axially spaced on said crossmember, and

(g) a pair of hinges carried on abutting edges of said floor sections axially spaced and having arcuate portions overlying said cross-member and slots cooperating with said pins to pivotally interlock said floor sections and lock said cross-member leg in a substantially vertical position when the play pen is in an open position.

8. In a foldable play pen construction having an upper foldable frame, two pairs of legs pivoted to said upper frame at opposite sides thereof along an axis, a floor comprising two sections, means rigidly connecting opposing ones of said pairs of legs and pivotally supporting each of said floor sections relative to said opposing legs along an axis parallel to said leg pivoting axis,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,157,453 Szinak Oct. 19, 1915 6 Kolb Nov. 2, Shore May 1, Tigrett May 7, Lukala Sept. '16, Fulton Oct. 13, Werner Jan. 26, Hamilton July 11, Landry July 18,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 26, France Mar. 19, France Sept. 12,

Claims

1. A FOLDABLE PLAY PEN COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, (A) A UPPER FRAME HAVING TWO SECTIONS PIVOTED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER ON AN AXIS, (B) A PAIR OF LEGS CARRIED ON EACH OPPOSING SIDE OF THE UPPER FRAME AND BEING PIVOTED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER APPROXIMATELY ON SAID AXIS BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, (C) A LOWER FRAME COMPRISING THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID LEGS AND MEANS RIGIDLY CONNECTING OPPOSING ONES OF SAID PAIRS OF LEGS FOR SUPPORTING A FOLDABLE FLOOR THEREON, (D) A PAIR OF END SUPPORTED PIVOTED ON SAID LOWER FRAME AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE PLAY PEN, EACH SUPPORT MEANS BEING RELEASABLY LOCKABLE WITH A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID UPPER FRAME SECTIONS AT SAID OPPOSITE ENDS FOR SUPPORTING OPPOSING ENDS OF SAID UPPER FRAME RELATIVE TO SAID LOWER FRAME WHEN THE LEGS ARE IN THE OPEN POSITION.