US2823390A - Foldable crib - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 18, 1958 L. A. HAGELFELDT 2,823,390

FOLDABLE CRIB Filed Nov. 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

\ LYDIA ADOLFINA HAGELFELDT ATTORNEY Feb. 18, 1958 1.. A. HAGELFELDT 2,823,390

FOLDABLE CRIB Filed Nov. 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY United States FOLDABLE CRIB Lydia Adolfina Hagelfeldt, Stockholm, Sweden Application November '12, 1954, Serial'No. 468,479

Claims. ((21. 5-99 "to, which combines extreme simplicity indesign andinexpensiveness of manufacture with safety and comfort'in use and which can rapidly'be set-up and folded without requiring special skill or tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide 'a novel and'improved cribof the general class abovereferred'to, which is very light'for its size and can be folded into a comparatively small and compact package that maybe easi'lyplaced in acarrying bag-for transport or'storageor in the luggage compartment dfa car.

Still another object 'oftlr'einvention is to provide a novel and improved crib, all the parts of which areliriked together 'and'foldable one upon the other. This affords the advantage that there are no loose parts which-maybe 'tmisplaced.

A further object of'the inventionis to provide 'a novel and improved vcrib, the legs and walls of which lock each other in 'the set-up position of thecrib bycom'mon'and simple locking means :thereby greatly facilitating the setting-up and folding of the crib.

,A further object of 'the invention is-to provide a novel and improved crib, thezlegs and walls of which look each about a median axis and which is equipped with easily operable locking means for locking the frame in its extendedposition and the side walls of:the:crib to theframe.

'in an initial stage of folding.

'Fig. 3 is anisometric view of thecrib showing theisame in a more advanced stage of folding.

Fig. 4is a view .of the crib .fully folded and placed in a carrying bag. I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view .of the crib structure, sh0w- 'ing inparticularthelocking. means for locking the side walls and the legs imposition. g p

Fig. '6. is an. isometric detailed view of the locking. means .ofFigJS.

Fig.7 is aJfragmentaryisOmetfic Viewofthefilegar- 'rangement of the crib.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7, and

atent O 2,823,390 "Pa'tented Fbr'lS, 1958 'Fig.*9"isa fragmentary isometric viewt'ofithe side walls of 'the'crib and of "locking means forfholding the upper edges offthe side walls inali'gnme'nt.

Referring now tothefiguresin.detail,*the exemplified crib according to the .invention comprises a .main frame preferably made of metal tubing. Thisfframeisiformed by two symmetrical U shaped members 10; joined by suitable hinges ll. The 'main frame supports a mattress frame also "formed by two symmetrical u shaped members 12 joine'd' by hinges 13. The: mattress .frame is suitablymounted within the main frame,;generally byaplurality of'co'il springs 14. It serves a'siframe o-f a conventional'mattress sprin g "15 whichjn iturnserves 'tosupport 'the soft mattress and :other bedding. [The .crib "further comprises side walls generally designated by 1 6 and rests on four legs 17, 18, 19andj20 whicharepreferably'paired 'bycross- b'ars 21 and 22. LegsjI9;and 20 areshown as being: equipped withcoasters 23' and 24 tofacilitate'movement df-thecfib.

The'side walls-df the crib which are made-of any suitablemate'ria'lsnch 'as'woodor plastic, are formedby two symmetrical -halves or units '25. Each unit-comprises an end Wall '26 and two *side Walls 27. The lengthof the side walls corresponds to the length of thetside branches of frame members ltl. Ea'chend wall 26 is hingedto the "base fbranch cif the corresponding frame member 10 "by .hinges?28 and-eah side wall'27 isliinged to it-s'end'wall by hinges '29. To-'perniit folding' ofthe side walls back :upon the :end wall, the latter is prferably-curvedalong its side edgesat 26' 'ascan' best'be seen' 'in'Fig. 3. Tliisfigure also'shows howboth' the side walls 'may 'befolded-against the inside of the end'wallwhen the'latteristurned downwardly.

Each leg is pivotally-mounted onas'idebranh'ofthe .respective frame-member 10by any suitable-means such as a bolt 30 and'a nut 31, :for pivoting 'the legs-either into .in Fig. 2 intoithe left hand:position. Eachilegi-spreferably further provided with a lateral iarm for'bracket34 which in the fully set-up-positionof the 'cribsunderliesthe respective side branch of frame membfer lOand supports thesame. The purpose of bracket 34 is:to strengthen the criband toincrease its stability inqgeneral. In%this connection it maybe mentioned that Figs. 7*and8 :showthe wall units and legs in an intermediate position of assembly or disassembly in which leg extension' 19:hasinot'yettfully entered its receiving pocket or slot 32. Accordingly, bracket 34 and frame member .10 have not yet reached the relative position in which the bracket :supports ithe frame member.

As appears from the ,previous description, the wall units, when in.thelefthandposition of.Fig.-2 lock'the legs in-the erected positionbut the wall units themselves are not positively held in position. Tolockthe wall unitsin their set-up positions and s-imultaneouslyito effect a positive locking of the legs, the locking means:according to Figs.,5 and 6 are provided. Theselock-ingmeans, one .of which is provided for each side vwall, .basically comprise ,a pin 40 or .similar protrusion engageable with .aLhole I41in .the respective side branch of frame, member branch when the side walls are in the said set-up position. Each pin 40 depends downwardly from a branch 43' of a Z-shaped angle member 43. As can best be seen in Fig. 6. the web of the angle member is secured to the inside of the respective side wall and branch 43' extends inwardly from the side wall. The second branch 43 abuts against the lower edge of the side wall and supports clamping arm 42 pivotally mounted thereon by a pivot pin 44. A handle 45 is preferably provided to facilitate manipul tion of clamping arm 42. The length of branch 43' and the location of pin 40 are such as to accommodate the respective side branch of frame member 10.

The right hand side of Fig. shows a side wall in progress of being placed in its set-up position and the left hand side wall is shown fully set-up and clamped. As is apparent, arm 42 is movable by means of handle 45 into a position in which it is out of the way of the frame. After pin 40 has engaged its hole 41, the arm is pivoted into the position in which it underlies the frame thereby tightly holding the side wall and with it the entire wall unit in the set-up position, at the same time also positively locking the legs in the erected position.

As is further apparent from Fig. 5 and also Figs. 1 and 2, the arrangement of the locking means is such that the side walls in the set-up position completely conceal the frame thereby giving the crib a neat appearance and also avoiding any sharp edges which possibly may injure an infant.

The locking means described in connection with Figs. 5 and 6 engage the side walls at the lower edges thereof. While this engagement assures secure locking and stability of the crib, it is advantageous to provide additional locking means which serve to hold the upper edges of the side walls in alignment. Such locking means are shown in Fig. 9. They comprise a generally U-shaped member 50 made of-sheet metal or other suitable material and secured to the upper edge of two of the side walls. Each U member engages the upper edge of the corresponding adjacent side wall when the crib is in its set-up condition.

A crib as hereinbefore described, may be folded and set-up as follows:

Let it be assumed that the crib is set up as is shown in Fig. 1 and that it is desired to fold the crib.

After removing the bedding placed upon the mattress spring 15, all four clamping arms 42 are turned out of their positions underlying the side branches of frame members 10. The two Wall units can now be swung backwardly. When they reach a position of tilt somewhat further advanced than the position of the right hand wall unit of Fig. 2, leg extensions 19 will leave the respective slots 32. As a result, the side walls of each wall unit can be folded back upon the respective end wall and the legs are released. The two frame members 10 and 12 forming the main frame and the spring frame, respectively are then folded toward each other so that the aforementioned components of the crib occupy substantially the position of Fig. 3. The frame members 10 and 12 are finally pressed toward each other so that a compact package is formed which, if desired, can be inserted in a carrying bag 51 as shown in Fig. 4.

As will be noted, all the parts of the crib remain linked to each other so that there is no danger of misplacing one of the parts. Furthermore, it is not necessary to loosen or tighten any screws or other parts.

When it is desired to set up a folded crib, the afore described operations are carried out in reverse order. Again, no screws need be tightened or loosened. All that is necessary to lock the crib in its set-up position, is to swing clamping arms 42 intothe positions shown at the left side of Fig. 5.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A foldable crib comprising two substantially symmetrical sections each including a substantially U-shaped rigid frame member, a pair of joined legs each pivoted to one corner of the frame member for placing the legs in a folded position and an erected position respectively, and a wall unit having an end element hinged to the base branch of the U-member and two side elements each corresponding in length substantially to a side branch of said frame member and hinged to the end element for placing the side elements in a set-up position alongside the side branches and for folding the side elements back upon the end element respectively, retaining means for each leg to prevent rotation of said legs out of an erected position, each of said retaining means including a receiving opening formed in the side element juxtaposed with the respective leg and a leg extension engageable by said receiving opening in the set-up position of the respective side element, and a locking means at the lower edge of each side element for positively locking the respective side element to the corresponding side branch of the respective frame member in its erected position, each of said locking means including a coacting protrusion on said side element and a protrusion receiving opening in said side branch of the respective frame member respectively for preventing rotatable displacement of said side element about said hinged connection to said end Wall, and

v a clamping means on said side element underlying said protrusion receiving opening in the corresponding side branch of the respective frame member, said clamping means in the set-up position of the side element preventing rotatable displacement of said wall unit about said hinge connection of said base branch.

2. A foldable crib comprising two substantially symmetrical sections each including a substantially U-shaped rigid frame member, a pair of joined legs each pivoted to one corner of the frame member for placing the legs in a folded position and an erected position respectively, and a wall unit having an end element hingedly connected to the base branch of the U-metnber and two side elements each corresponding in length. substantially to a side branch of said frame member and hingedly connected to the end element for placing the side elements in a set-up position alongside the side branches and for folding the side elements back upon the end element respectively, a retaining means for each leg on each of said side elements engageable with the respective leg in the set-up position of the corresponding side element for retaining. the legs inthe erected position'and a locking means at the lower edge of each side element for positively locking the respective side element to the corresponding side branch of the frame member in its erected position, each of said locking means including a coacting protrusion on said side element and a protrusion receiving opening in said side branch of the frame member for preventing rotatable displacement of said side element about said hinged connection to said end wall, and a clamping means on said side element underlying said protrusion receiving opening in said side branch of the frame member, said clamping means in the set-up position of the said side element preventing rotatable displacement of said wall unit about said hinge connection to said base branch, each of said retaining means including an open recess formed in an inner wall portion of the respective side wall element at the lower edge thereof and a cover strip secured to said inner wall portion for at least partly covering said recess so as to form said retaining means, and a set-off extension on the respective leg protruding beyond the pivot point thereof, said extension fitting said retaining means in the erected position of the leg, and each of said legs having a lateral arm positioned to underlie the respective side branch of the frame member in the erected position of said legs.

3. A foldable crib comprising two substantially symmetrical sections each including a substantially U-shaped rigid frame member, a pair of joined legs each pivoted to one corner of the frame member for placing the legs in a folded position and an erected position respectively, and a wall unit having an end element hingedly connected to the base branch of the U-member and two side elements each corresponding in length substantially to a side branch of said frame member and hingedly connected to the end element for placing the side elements in a set-up position alongside the side branches and for folding the side elements back upon the end element respectively, a retaining means for each leg on each of said side elements engageable with the respective leg in the set-up position of the corresponding side element for retaining the legs in the erected position, and a locking means at the lower edge of each side element for positively locking the respective side element to the corresponding side branch of the frame member in its erected position, each of said locking means including a coacting protrusion on said side element and a protrusion receiving opening in said side branch of the frame member for preventing rotatable displacement of said side element about said hinged connection to said end wall, and a clamping means on said side element underlying said protrusion receiving opening in said side branch of the frame member, said clamping means in the set-up position of the said side element preventing rotatable displacement of said wall unit about said hinge connection to said base branch, each of said locking means including an angle member secured with one flange to the inner wall of the respective side memher, the end edge of said flange being situated substan- 3 from said inner wall, a nose downwardly extending from said lateral flange, the corresponding side branch of the respective frame member being formed with said opening for receiving the nose, and a clamping arm pivoted to said respective side member at the end edge thereof in parallel relationship with said lateral other flange, the perpendicular distance between the lateral other flange and the plane of said arm being approximately equal to the cross sectional thickness of said side branch of the frame member, said arm being pivotal into a clamping position underlying the said side branch and a reverse position disengaged therefrom.

4. A crib according to claim 3, wherein the said angle member further comprises a third flange to form a 2- member, said third flange hugging the bottom edge of the said side element and the said clamping arm being in sliding engagement with said third flange.

5. A crib according to claim 4, wherein a handle is secured to said clamping arm downwardly extending therefrom to manipulate the arm for the purpose aforesaid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 511,230 Adams Dec. 19, 1893 609,491 Ashwell Aug. 23, 1898 852,296 Raymond Apr. 30, 1907 2,135,517 Isbell Nov. 8, 1938 2,518,904 King Aug. 15, 1950 2,561,285 McCarthy July 17, 1951 2,594,677 Opie Apr. 29, 1952 2,659,903 Hagelfeldt Nov. 24, 1953 2,738,521 Billgren Mar. 20, 1956 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Mechanics, article by C. and B. Brownold, page 181, September 1952.

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