Folding crib and stroller

<td> Nov. 13, 1951</td><td> T. F. SCHMIDT FOLDING CRIB AND STROLLER</td><td> 2,575,189</td>

<td> Filed July 25, 1947</td><td></td><td> 2 SHEETS—SHEET 1</td>

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ATTY.

Nov. 13, 1951

T. F. SCHMIDT

FOLDING CRIB AND STROLLER

2,575,189

Filed July 25, 1947

SHEETS—SHEET 2

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FIG. 4

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att'y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,575,189 .

FOLDING CRIB AND STROLLER

Theodore F. Schmidt, Elmhurst, HI.

Application July 25, 1947, Serial No. 763,721

Patented Nov. 13, 1951

2,575,189

Claims.

This invention relates in general to a folding crib and stroller which is capable of assuming three different positions; in a raised or extended position as a bed or stroller; in a partially lowered position as a play pen, and in a completely collapsed condition for carrying or storing it.

An important object of the invention is to provide a folding structure which is both light and strong so that it may be easily carried and moved.

A further object is to provide a folding structure which has no projecting parts when folded so that it occupies no more space than the extended dimensional area of the frames.

A further object of the invention is to provide means actuated from either side for releasing the parts which hold the structure in its extended positions and to change from one position to another.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a folding structure of this kind in which a mattress support is suspended from an upper frame by fabric sides which adapt the structure to fold compactly, eliminating unnecessary parts for collapsing and extending it into its various positions.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a folding crib and stroller in accordance with this invention, in its raised or extended position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 in a partially lowered or intermediate position to provide a play pen;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the structure in its completely collapsed or folded condition;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken just above the wheels in the extended position of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5—5 of Fig. 4.

In folding cribs heretofore provided, the folding structures are usually so heavy and cumbersome that they are not easily portable when folded and some portion of the folding structure usually extends beyond the confines of the frame itself to make a cumbersome structure which is difficult to carry, and it also occupies considerably more space than the dimensional area of the bed and closing frame.

The present invention overcomes these objections by providing a folding structure which collapses within the outer confines of the frames so that no portion thereof projects beyond the (CI. 5—98) outer area of the frames, thus limiting the size of the folded structure to the actual rectangular dimensions of the structure in its extended position.

δ An added convenience of the present invention is the provision of tripping means operable from either side of the crib in changing it from a crib to a play pen or from a play pen to its collapsed position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, an upper frame 10 of wood, metal, or any other suitable material has fabric sides 11 and ends 12 secured to it by fastening tacks 13, the sides and ends being a continuous strip of canvas 15 or other suitable material, or separate pieces, if desired. The lower edge of each side and end are similarly secured to a bottom frame 14 by tacks 15, the frame having cross slats 16 for supporting a mattress IT within the sides and ends.

The enclosed mattress structure is supported by a wheeled frame at the bottom and below it by means of a folding parallelogram connected at each corner of the upper frame.

The wheeled frame comprises an axle 18 at each 25 end with .a wheel 19 freely rotatable at each end of the axle. Extending between the opposite axles are connecting rods 20 which hold the axles suitably spaced apart. Mounted on the rods intermediate their ends is a cross piece 21 which 30 extends to the outer sides of the frames, the rods preferably extending through the cross piece.

At each side of the cross piece is a latch bar 22 having a projection 23 at the end of the cross bar. Each latch has a pivot 24 at its side of the cross 35 bar located at the opposite side of the mid-por' tion of the cross piece from which the projection extends at the end.

Locking bars 26 and 27 are connected to the opposite axles 18 by hinges 28 so that they may 40 swing downwardly, and these bars are formed with projections 29 and 30 which overlap below the cross piece 21. A screw 32 is inserted through the overlapping projections and through the cross piece with a fastening nut 33 at the upper side 45 and with a coil spring 34 interposed between the head of the screw and the lower projection 30 tending to hold the locking bars against the underside of the cross piece.

In order to insure the movement of both lock50 ing bars when either one of the latches 22 is operated, a plate 36 is attached to the upper sides of the bars 26 and 27 by fastening screws 37 inserted through slots 38 in the plate.

In the tops of the locking bars are locking notches 40 and 41 each adapted to engage a cross

2,575,189 bar 42 of the supporting parallelogram structure at the ends. Each cross bar 42 has openings adjacent its ends for mounting it to slide upon the bars 20 and to be seated in the notch 40 or 41 and to be entirely disengaged from the notches when the crib is in a collapsed position.

Each cross bar 42 is connected at each end to a lever 44. Intermediate its ends it is pivoted to a cross lever 45, the lower end of which is mounted to rotate upon the, axle 18, and the upper end of the lever is connected to one end of a link 46, the other end of the link being connected^intermediate the ends of a lever 47, one end’of the lever 47 being pivoted to the upper end of lever 45 and the other end of the lever being pivoted to the side of the frame Ί3 at the adjacent corner thereof. Between the connected ends of the lever 44 and the link .46 js.a cross piece 50. Extending between opposite sides of the crib frame so that the cross bars 42 and '50 at each end of the crib are connected by the lever 44, thus insuring the joint operation of the two-parallelogram structures ateach-end of the crib.

In-operation, assuming the structure is in its -extended position as shown in Fig. 1, the upper Trame Ϊ3 is raised substantially above the supporting wheel frame suspending the lower frame 14 by means of the sides and ends 11 and 12, and 'the supporting parts are locked in this position by the engagement of the cross bars 42 in the notches 40 near the outer ends of the locking bars 26 and 27.

' To lower the crib, one of the latch bars 22 is operated by engaging its projection 23 at the end of the cross piece 21, preferably by pressing the projection 23 with the toe of the foot. This depresses the overlapping ends 29 and 30 of the locking bars against the spring 34, thus freeing the notches 40 of the locking bars from engagement with the cross bars 42 so that by pressing downwardly upon the frame 13, the bars 42 are moved inwardly upon rods 20 into engagement with notches 41, thereby holding the supporting ’structures in: the lowered or intermediate position 'as shown in Fig. 2.

In this lower position, the crib is located substantially upon the floor or any other surface upon which it is supported, being separated therefrom only by the relatively flat wheel supported frame. In’the raised position, the structure may be used as a crib or bassinet moved about upon the wheels 19, and in its lowered or intermediate position, it may be used as a play pen.

When it is desired to fold or collapse the structure toi a position as shown: in Fig. 3_? either of the latch bars is again tripped-by engagement of the •toe in the condition.as shown by Fig. 2, whereupon,the cross bars 42 are disengaged from the blots:4l, and the cross bars42 are moved inwardly on: top of the locking bars 46 without engagement with any of the notches thereof. In this position, the parallelogram supporters are folded closely and compactly together, the arrangement of the links , and :levers is such that they fold together and do not project beyond the ends of the upper and lower frames 13 and 14.

In the collapsed position, the fabric sides and ends I I and 12 fold inwardly, overlapping the edges of the mattress 17 but not projecting materially therefrom, the folded structure being only slightly thicker than the mattress and the flat supporting frame and wheel being mounted for movement upon the wheels ί 9 if desired. In the collapsed position, the structure is readily portable and occupies a minimum of space so that it may be conveniently stored or shipped in a small package.

While I have thus described the invention as a folding crib and stroller, it should be regarded by way of illustration and example rather than a restriction or limitation of the invention as various changes in the construction and arrangement of. the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope, of the invention.