US3804407A

US3804407A - Motor driven cradles and the like

Info

Publication number: US3804407A
Application number: US00320879A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Saint
Original assignee: Graco Metal Products Inc
Current assignee: Graco Metal Products Inc
Priority date: 1973-01-04
Filing date: 1973-01-04
Publication date: 1974-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-16

Abstract

A motor driven cradle or swing is provided in which a spring construction is employed which permits of extended operation without rewinding. The spring is a composite spring composed of nested inner and outer spring sections, the inner spring section being connected at one end to a driving shaft on which a ratchet wheel forming part of an escapement is secured and to which an oscillating frame is pivotally supported, the other end of the inner spring section being coupled through a coupling or spring section connector to one end of the outer spring section, the other end of the outer spring section being connected to the oscillating frame. The outside spring end connection remote from the coupling is shaped to provide a slip-clutch action.

Description

United States Patent 1191 [451 Apr. 16, 1974 Saint 1 MOTOR DRIVEN CRADLES AND THE LIKE [75] Inventor: David Saint, Elverson, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Graco Metal Products, Inc.,

Elverson, Pa.

[22] Filed: Jan. 4, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 320,879

[52] US. Cl. 272/86, 185/45 [51] Int. Cl A63g 9/16 [58] Field of Search 272/85-91, 272/83 A, 33; 185/37, 45; 297/5, 8, 297/274-282; 46/29; 287/83, 110, 115, 287/118, 114; 58/114; 267/180 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,807,309 9/1957 Saint et a1 272/86 740,114 9/1903 Fiske 185/45 633,328 9/1899 Roberts 185/45 2,662,612 185/45 12/1953 Valenburg [5 7] ABSTRACT A motor driven cradle or swing is provided in which a spring construction is employed which permits of extended operation without rewinding. The spring is a composite spring composed of nested inner and outer spring sections, the inner spring section being connected at one end to a driving shaft on which a ratchet wheel forming part of an escapement is secured and to which an oscillating frame is pivotally supported, the other end of the inner spring section being coupled through a coupling or spring section connector to one end of the outer spring section, the other end of the outer spring section being connected to the oscillating frame. The outside spring end connection remote from the coupling is shaped to provide a slip-clutch action.

' 8 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates to spring motor driven cradles and the like and more particularly to an improved spring construction with which greatly extended time of operation is obtained.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Spring motor driven cradles and swings have heretofore been proposed.

One such swing is shown in US. Pat. No. 2,807,309 to Saint et al., and improvements thereon are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,059,725 and 3,071,339.

These devices have been well received but the length of time of operation is limited before rewinding is required and normal operation of those swings is of the order of fifteen minutes.

Various suggestions have been made to increase the operating time but these have not proven satisfactory and have still only permitted brief periods of operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention an improved power spring construction is provided, using inner and outer series connected spring sections, the connections between the spring sections being effected by a rotatable coupling member movable longitudinally axially with the spring sections, the spring construction providing a greatly increased period of operation and with protection against overwinding.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a power operated cradle or swing which is spring actuated, and in which the duration of operation is greatly increased.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a power operated cradle or swing which is simple in construction, reliable in its operation and free from problems for the user.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a power operated cradle or swing having an improved power spring construction. i

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be morereadily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the motor operating portion of a cradle or swing;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken approximately on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the drive shaft ratchet wheel, the spring sections and the spring coupler; 7

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the spring section coupler showing the engagement of the spring sections and the coupler;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the spring coupler and outer spring section; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view, enlarged, taken on the line 8--8 of FIG. I.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings a canopy 10 is shown, preferably of sheet metal supported in any desired manner, such as by pairs of diverging tubular supporting legs 11 at each end.

The canopy 10 has a horizontal top wall 12, integral inclined front and

rear walls

13 and 14 and has end caps 15 at each end in secured relation.

An interior end frame is provided having a front inclined wall portion 21 for secured engagement with the front wall 13, a horizontal top portion 22 and a rear inclined wall portion 23 for secured engagement with the rear wall 14.

The frame plate 20 has a dished portion 24 with a hub 25 and leg engaging and retaining lug portions 26.

An interior end frame is provided having a front inclined wall portion 31 for secured engagement with the front wall 13, a horizontal top portion 32, and a rear inclined wall portion 33 for secured engagement with the rear wall 14.

The frame plate 30 has a dished portion 34 with a hub 35 and leg engaging and retaining lug portions 36.

A crank shaft 37 extends through and is supported in the hubs 25 and 35, extends through the end cap 15 at one end and has an exteriorly accessible manually operable crank arm 38. i

The shaft 37 has an oscillatable inverted U'shaped carriage or cradle frame 40 supported thereon withend walls 41 and 42 and hubs 43 and 44 for bearing engagement with the shaft 37. The cradle frame 40 has a bottom closure wall portion 45 and front and

rear wall portions

46 and 47, the cradle frame 40 preferably being constructed to prevent access thereabove which might result in pinching of fingers.

The front and

rear wall portions

46 and 47 have openings 48 for attachment of the supporting rods (not shown) of a swing seat or a cradle.

The hub 43, at one end, extends into an opening 50 at one side of a ratchet wheel 52, the ratchet wheel 52 being carried on the crank shaft 37. The ratchet wheel 52 has a collar 53 on which one end of a tubular shaft 55 is secured. The shaft 55 preferably has a struck-in tongue 56 engaged in a slot 57 in the collar 53 to key the shaft 55 to the ratchet wheel 52.

The other end of the shaft 55 has a bushing 59 secured therein with a central opening 60 through which the crank shaft 37 extends. The bushing 59 has a radial slot 61 which is engaged by a struck-out tongue 62 for rotation of the shaft 55 upon rotation of the crank shaft 37.

The carriage 40 has spaced

pivots

64 and 65 which pivotally support a pawl 66 having an edge portion 67 for engagement with one of the teeth on the outer periphery 68 of the ratchet wheel 52, and which is adapted to be moved outwardly upon movement of the ratchet wheel 52 in a clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 2. i

The interior end frame has a bracket 70 with a pivot opening 71, which with a parallel portion of the end frame 20 provides supports for

pivots

73 and 74 of a safety dog 75. The dog 75 has a tongue 76 for engagement with a tooth of the outer periphery 68 of the ratchet wheel and a control tongue 78 for engagement by the inner cylindrical toother surface 79 upon faster than normal movement of the ratchet wheel 52 to cause the tongue 76 to engage.

A spring 81 is engaged at one end on an arm 82 on the safety dog 75 and engaged at its other end on an arm 83 on the pawl 66. The spring 81 acts in tension and in compression. The operation of the pawl 66 and safety dog 75 is similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,339.

In order to provide the desired impelling force for long continued operation the force spring system to be described is employed.

An inner coil spring 85 preferably of spring wire of square or rectangular cross section to reduce the tendency of the turns to override, has one end hooked as at 86 into an opening 87 in the shaft 55, has a plurality of turns as at 88 in close engagement with the shaft 55 to provide more secure fastening action, a plurality of turns as at 89 of conical configuration, and the major portion of its length with helical turns of substantially uniform diameter as at 90. The inner spring 85 has an inwardly extending hook 91.

A spring section connector or coupling 95 is provided having a mounting sleeve 96 freely rotatable and longitudinally slidable on the tubular shaft 55.

The coupling 95 has a radially outwardly disposed segment 92 with an end shoulder 93 for engagement by the hook 91, and outwardly extending

spring retention fingers

94 and 97 for spring retention on the segment 92. A spring retention arm 99 is provided having a face 100 in a common plane with a face of the retention finger 97 and has a projection 101. A spring retention arm 102 is provided having a face 103 in a common plane with the face 100 and has a spring holding projection 104. The coplanar faces 100 and 103 serve as abutments to retain the inner spring 85 on the coupling 95.

An outer spring 105 is provided, preferably of spring wire of square or rectangular cross section, and has an outwardly extending hook 106 for engagement with the projection 101.

The coplanar faces 100 and 103 of the

spring retention arms

99 and 102 and the corresponding face of the retention finger 97 also serve as abutments to retain the outer spring 105 on the coupling 95.

The projection 104 limits outward displacement of the outer spring 105.

An additional abutment arm 114 on the coupling 95 retains the ends of the

springs

85 and 105 against displacement beyond the coupling 95. The spring 105 has its major portion of helical turns as at 109 and at the end opposite the hook 106 has a plurality of conical turns as at 110, and a plurality of turns as at 111 for engagement with the shaft 55, when the shaft 55 is wound, and an end hook 112 which is engaged in the end wall 42 of the carriage 40. The spring 105 is of opposite hand from the spring 85.

The smaller diameter turns 111 of the outer spring 105 serve as release turns and provide a slip-clutch action to prevent excessive pull on the hook portion 112 upon movement of the carriage 40 as well as upon winding.

The mode of operation will now be pointed out.

The power springs and 105 are wound by turning the crank arm 38 and the shaft 55, turning of the tubular shaft being effective for winding the inner spring 85 and through the coupling also winding the outer spring 105. The effect is like that of winding a long continuous spring. Winding of the springs 85 and causes the coupling 95 to move along the shaft 55 toward the ratchet wheel 52, the coupling 95 turning on the shaft 55 as required for winding and transferring a winding action from the inner spring 85 to the outer spring 105.

The

springs

85 and 105 are together effective for imparting a turning force to the shaft 55. A swinging movement of the carriage 40 is effected by reason of the escapement provided by the pawl 66 and safety dog 75.

The

springs

85 and 105 are self-locking on the spring section coupling 95.

The extended effective length of spring made available by the cotipiing of the inner and

outer springs

85 and 105 provides for a greatly extended period of operation for a single winding operation and which can be of the order of one hour, dependent upon the crosssectional area of the spring turns and the number of turns.

1 claim:

1. A power operated swing comprising a frame,

a longitudinal shaft mounted in said frame,

a carriage swingably attached to said shaft,

a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft,

ratchet members for alternate engagement with said ratchet wheel and providing with said ratchet wheel escapement mechanism for said shaft, and

spring actuating means carried on said shaft,

said spring actuating means including a pair of springs of opposite hand one of which is in enclosing relation to the other,

a spring coupling member loosely mounted around said shaft for rotation on said shaft and sliding movement along said shaft upon change of condition of said springs,

each of said springs having a corresponding end in locked engagement with said coupling member,

one of said springs having its other end connected to said shaft and the other of said springs having its other end connected to said carriage 2. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which an additional shaft is provided for rotating said first mentioned shaft for winding said pair of springs. 3. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which said spring coupling member has'portions providing abutments to retain said springs from movement therebeyond. 4. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which at least one of said springs contiguous to the other end has a plurality of turns for engagement with said shaft. 5. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which each of said springs contiguous to its other end has a plurality of turns for engagement with said shaft.

6. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which said spring coupling member has a projection for selfsaid springs have at least one pair of flat sides.

Claims

1. A power operated swing comprising a frame, a longitudinal shaft mounted in said frame, a carriage swingably attached to said shaft, a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft, ratchet members for alternate engagement with said ratchet wheel and providing with said ratchet wheel escapement mechanism for said shaft, and spring actuating means carried on said shaft, said spring actuating means including a pair of springs of opposite hand one of which is in enclosing relation to the other, a spring coupling member loosely mounted around said shaft for rotation on said shaft and sliding movement along said shaft upon change of condition of said springs, each of said springs having a corresponding end in locked engagement with said coupling member, one of said springs having its other end connected to said shaft and the other of said springs having its other end connected to said carriage

2. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which an additional shaft is provided for rotating said first mentioned shaft for winding said pair of springs.

3. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which said spring coupling member has portions providing abutments to retain said springs from movement therebeyond.

4. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which at least one of said springs contiguous to the other end has a plurality of turns for engagement with said shaft.

5. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which each of said springs contiguous to its other end has a plurality of turns for engagement with said shaft.

6. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which said spring coupling member has a projection for self-engagement by one of said springs.

7. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which said spring coupling member has portions for detachable engagement with said corresponding spring ends.

8. A power operated swing as defined in claim 1 in which said springs have at least one pair of flat sides.