Child's exercise, amusement, and education device

Sept. 9, 1958 c. w. suter 2,851,271

CHILD'S EXERCISE, AMUSEMENT AND EDUCATION DEVICE

Filed Feb. 27, 1956

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United States Patent Office

2,851,271

Patented Sept. 9, 1958

2,851,271

CHILD’S EXERCISE, AMUSEMENT, AND EDUCATION DEVICE

Curtis W. Suter, Riverside, Calif.

Application February 27,1956, Serial No. 567,984

Claim. (Cl. 272—76)

This invention relates to devices for exercising, educating, and amusing children, particularly infants, and particularly for use in a child’s crib or the like to be activated by pushing or kicking.

In the past there have been certain types of amusement and exercise devices which are fastened in babies cribs, in play pens, buggies, and the like, for the purpose of the child’s entertainment and exercise by manipulation and movement of such devices.

In general such devices have consisted of series of articles which are designed for hanging overhead and which the child can grasp with its hands or move with his hands.

I know of one device which has been evolved which consists basically of a flat board suspended at its four corners by an elastic holding system which can be struck or kicked by a child and which will move.

Of all the devices for such entertainment and exercise of children I have found that there is a generally common deficiency in that a degree of coordination required to properly activate and utilize such devices is frequently of the somewhat older age level so that the very small child, the infant, cannot obtain the proper function and satisfaction from the devices and further that they are usually cumbersome and fitted into the crib or other article by means of strings, cords, ropes, or other cumbersome fastening means.

I have devised a simple, economical and effective exercise device which can be fitted into and adjusted to virtually any type of crib, baby bed, buggy, play pen or other enclosure, vehicle, article of furniture or the like which may be occupied by a child. My device incorporates a basic striking element which is of sufficient size and simplicity of operation that any child who can make a movement can activate it. It contains sufficient musical and eye appealing devices to enable the child to obtain a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction from its use.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a device which is educational for the child and shall assist him in achieving proper coordination of his limbs and shall also amuse him. The further object is to provide a means by which the child can activate a music box or the like to entertain himself with the musical sounds resulting. Still another object is to provide a device which can be easily installed in any appropriate position for use by a child. It may be especially noted that my device is of particular value to invalid children who must remain in a prone position; that they can use this device as a leg exerciser to good advantage.

My invention is comprised of an object having sufficient surface that it may be struck easily by the hands or kicked by the feet of a chlid in a prone or sitting position. The striking surface is pivotally mounted upon an axis which is movably mounted within the crib or other location selected. The striking surface is held in an upright position by appropriate spring action or the like and is capable of being deflected by a relatively light blow from a baby but will return to its upright position immediately after the blow has been struck.

The striking surface has attached thereto a desired decorative and amusing device which will preferably move and/or make a noise upon the striking element moving.

In addition the striking element may be connected to or activate a winding element for a spring wound music box or the like so that after being struck a tune may play for a few moments.

The object and details of my invention will be apparent from the following description in which reference will be made to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention;

Figure 2 is a section through the plane 1—1 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section through the plane 2—2 of Figure 1.

Referring in more detail to Figure 1 the striking object 1 in a preferred form may have upon it a pad of rubber or other suitable soft material 2 and is mounted upon brackets 8 and 9 by screws or other suitable means 10 and 11. The brackets 8 and 9 are loosely fastened about the hollow axle within which there are transversely movable rods 15 and 16 which are inserted, and spring loaded, into clamps 17 and 18 which fit upon the bars of a crib shown in broken section 19 and 20. The striking plate 1 is held in an upright position by a spring 12 mounted upon a hollow axle 14 and fastened to the striking object 1 by suitable means 13. A music box 21 is fastened by suitable means 22 to clamping element 18. A handle 24 fastened to spring winding axle 23 winds the music box 21 when the striking plate 1 is pushed back against the handle 24 and when it returns to position the music box 21 plays for a few moments while the handle returns to the area of the striking object.

Referring in more detail to Figure 2 there are shown in cross section the clamping elements 17 and 18, each having an aperture in which the rod 15 and 16 are inserted and held slidably in position by pins 27 and 28 through slots 32 and 33 by springs 29 and 30 against the crib bars 19 and 20. The rods 15 and 16 are adjustably movable to provide for wider or narrower spacing of the crib bars by thumb set screws 26 and 25. The spring 12 is shown held by suitable means 31. The other numbered elements are the same elements as those bearing identical numbers as those in Figure 1.

Referring in more detail to Figure 3 the only new elements introduced are the bell clapper 4 and tongue 3 and the adhesive material 32 binding the pad 2 to the striking object 1.

The size of this item is not critical, however, it will be readily seen that a preferred size will be a striking plate 1 of approximately inch thickness, 9 inches high and 15 inches wide with the other elements approximately in scale relation thereto with reference to the figures as appearing on the attached drawings.

It will be quite obvious to anyone skilled in the art that the parts, all of them, composing my invention may be of plastic, wood, or metal or other suitable substitutes and that the bell 5 may be replaced by an animal figure or other decorative item or may be entirely omitted.

It will also be obvious the music box may be entirely omitted or may be mounted in a number of different ways including a ratchet mounting with a strip clutch arrangement rather than a fixed winding rod as illustrated in the drawings.

It will also be obvious that the holding mechanism might be made of one fixed bar of any desired length, however, it is felt that an adjustable bar as indicated may be more desirable because it can be used in a larger number of applications.

It is further obvious that a number of modifications

2,851,271 in the exact method of. achieving the results, herein described may be made.

While there are above disclosed only a limited number of embodiments of the: structure of. the. invention herein presented it is possible to produce many other embodiments without departing from the inventive concept herein disclosed. It is desired therefore that only such limitations be imposed on. the appended, claims as are stated therein or required by the prior art. The exact configurations, sizes, forms and relationships shown and described are for illustrative purposes only and are intended nowise to be limiting. My invention is to be considered in the light of the prior art and with due consideration with and to the doctrine of equivalents.