US257185A - Baby-walker - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

I. 0. PRICE.

BABY WALKER. No. 257,185. Patented May 2,1882.

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BABY-WALKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,185, dated May a, 1882.

I Application filed February 28, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I. OORWIN PRICE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of the city of Springfield, in the county ofOlarke and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Baby-Walkers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in baby-walkers which are mounted upon wheels, so as to be pushed forward by the child inclining its body in the same direction, thereby inducing it to step.

My invention further relates to a baby-walker in which the supporting-frame upon which the child rests its hands and arms is placed in front of it only, and which dispenses entirely with the use of supporting-straps orother like appliances,which encumber and prevent the infant from having free use of its body and limbs while learning, this being an object of my invcntion.

My invention relates, further, tothe employment of means for looking or clamping the pilot-wheel of the walker, so as to prevent the machine from slippin g away from the child too suddenly while it is endeavoring to support itself thereupon in its first attempts to walk.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved baby-walker. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top view of the front end of the bedframe with a section removed, cut through line 1 2, Fig. 2.

In the drawings, A is the upright frame, consisting of the uprights a, and the supportingbar 1), connecting them at the top ends.

B is the bed-frame, which is in shape nearly like the rear hounds of a two-horse wagon. Three wheels support the walker, the forward or pilot wheel being pivoted upon a spindle-bolt, 6, between the ends of the two bars 0 c, which form the bed-frame. The latter is composed of the two side bars, 0, which extend back and are bent at an angle outward at their rear ends, which terminate in a spindle or axle, which forms the bearing for the wheels d. By turning the rear ends of the bars 0 outward in the manner shown a much wider support is given to the walker at the rear end than could otherwise be had,which prevents it from being overturned by the child in operating it.

The two upright posts a are tenoned and let into the top of the bars 0, being either riveted attheirlowerendsorotherwisefastened. They are placed considerably forward of the rear wheels, d, so as not only to allow the child to walk between them, but also to prevent any danger of tilting the walker backward by the weight of the child being thrown upon the sup- 7 porting-bar b.

A little forward of the base of the posts a is placed the bar a, which connects the bars a and 0, so as to give the child sufficient room to walk without stepping upon it. This bar extends across the frame B, in line with the lower edge of the'two side bars, 0, and is bent at an angle upward and outward to form a shouldered end, and is riveted at each end to the top of the side bars. The object in thus form ing its ends is to give it firmness and strength at the points of connection in resisting the strain by springing the forward ends of bars 0 inward to press them against the hub of the interposed wheel 01 between them.

In Fig. 3 the dotted lines show the adjustability or movement in the ends of bars 0.

The bolt 6 may be cut with a fine thread, so as to allow a variable pressure.

In the first lessons in walking, the babe not being able to control the forward movement of the walker from want of knowledge, and the tendency of the wheels to roll forward and thus I carry the machine away from it,the use of some means to lock or cramp the pilot-wheel to prevent this is important, and I have therefore adopted the most simple means for accomplishing this purpose, as I construct the frame of my walker of malleable iron made very light. The round supporting-bar bis the only part made of wood.

It will be noticed that in using thawalker, which is in front of it, the child is free and unconfined, and can not only support itself upon the bar I) with one or both hands, but can turn around when itsattcntion is drawn in another direction, and it may move from the machine to a chair, as it learns to step, without assistance. The absence of supporting-straps or oth er like appliances allows it to gain self-confidence 'as it progresses, which is an important object in infantile teachings.

I claim as my invention- 1. A. baby-walker having a single support ing-bar connecting the tops of two upright posts, secured at their lower ends in the side bars of a bed-frame supported upon wheels, and having the rear ends of said frame extending in rear of said uprights and turned outward, and terminating in axles or spindles on which said wheels are pivoted, while its front ends converge toward their forward ends, and are connected by a pivot-bolt or spindle on which a forward wheel is pivoted between said. ends, substantially as shown and specified, for the purpose set forth.

2. In baby-walkers, a triangular or nearly triangular bed-frame supported upon wheels or casters, and having uprights or posts thereon connected by a single supporting-bar, said upright frame being set forward of the rear wheels to allow the child to walk between them, and to prevent the walker from tilting backward when the weight of the child is thrown upon the supporting-bar, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

3. The combination, with an upright frame .having a supporting-bar for the child to bear its weight upon, of a bed-frame of triangular or 2 5 nearlytriangular shape supported upon wheels, and having means for locking or clamping the front wheel of the same, as hereinbefore specified.

4. The. combination, with frame A, having 0 posts a and connecting-bar b, of the boundss'haped bed-frame B, having side bars, 0, connecting-bar a, and wheels 01, d, and d, the latter being interposed between the front ends of said frame-bars 0 upon the pivot-bolt c, and 3 5 provided with means for looking or clamping thesame, as hereinbefore set forth.

I. convvm PRICE.

Attest:

B. O; CONVERSE, F. H. PENFIELD.

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