US2898923A - Babysitter protective tents - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 11, 1959 J. c. SMILEY 2,398,923

BABYSITTER PROTECTIVE TENTS Filed Got. 24, 1955- I Tend-6J0) F192? INVENTOR.

JAN CAROL SMILEY WW I BABYSITTER PROTECTIVE TENTS Jan Carol Smiley, San Diego, Calif.

Application October 24, 1955, Serial No. 542,296

1 Claim. (Cl. 135-1) My invention relates to a babysitter tent, cabinet or chamber structure, light and portable in character and constructed for the entertainment and protective confinement of infant babies and young children; and its objects are to provide an adequate play, exercise and resting, protected area for said infants without requiring attention of the mother or caretaker while she is engaged in housework or other vocations in the house or the immediate vicinity thereof; a provide a housing for the confinement of such infants indoors or out-of-doors, while guarding them against drafts, excessive sunshine, dust, or annoying insects; to allow infants without molestation to sleep, romp, play, exercise, sunbathe and enjoy their toys, while being secure against escape or outside danger; to furnish a portable structure of this character which is collapsible and which may be quickly set up and taken down and utilized for the home, yard, beach, camping in the woods or along lakes, at the Oceanside, for fishing trips, for pic nic grounds or for commercial baby or child care in private or institutional homes, nursery schools, child or baby sitting in department or other and all types of stores while parents do their shopping, or for places of education or hospitalization or observation while aifording complete protection for the infant; to allow the covering for the tent readily to be removed from its frame and to be washed and easily restored; or, if the material of said covering is of non-washable material to allow it to be restored to its original state by cleaning or sterilizing upon removal of said covering from said frame; to render the parts readily accessible for inspection,'adjustment, re moval, replacement, renovation or repair; to provide a tent covering of non-porous substance, such as plastic, plastic product, rubberized fabric or other water repellant material, which could be left on the frame and washed, cleaned or sterilized, without being required to be removed therefrom, and in which openings could be made for the proper ventilation thereof; and in general to provide a babysitter protective tent which is simple, compact and economical of construction, saving of labor, efficient in action and of long life and durability.

My invention further consists of other novel features of construction, and of other combinations and arrangements of elements and parts illustrated in the drawing and as hereinafter more specifically described and claimed.

Attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred form of my invention, in which drawing similar numerals of designation refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a babysitter tent embodying my invention, showing the covering applied to the frame thereof, the open entrance or window in the front of said covering, the adjustable removable front drop and a removable canopy provided therefor;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the frame, the covering having been removed therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the frame shown in Figure 2;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the frame for the re- States Patet movable canopy, showing the cloth, fabric or material of the same detached therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the ball-ended bar, rod or dowel employed for the adjustment of the front drop and located just below the entrance of the babysitter tent, and

Fig. 6 is the front view of the removable adjustable screen employed to cover the said entrance, window, opening or doorway against the ingress of insects.

Referring to the drawing, the babysitter tent there shown is in the form of a triangular or wedge-shaped or pyramid shaped cabinet, and comprises the collapsible hinged frame 7, the covering 8, the entrance window or doorway the removable canopy 10, and the adjustable and removable entrance or front drop 11.

The frame 7 is preferably composed of light metallic tubing, but may be of any suitable material tubular or solid in character. As shown in the drawing, the said frame is constructed of a pair of upset U-shaped members 12 and 13, the yokes of which are hinged together by the clamps 14 and 15, each of said clamps being in the form of an annulus with separated ends in sliding e11- gagement with said yokes. To maintain the legs of said members 12 and 13 in angular spaced relation, I employ the braces 16, each of which can be made in a single bar horizontally disposed, and locked in place by slots in the ends of said bar positioned to engage with a button, knob or rivet protruding from the adjacent legs. Preferably, however, each of braces 16 is made of two parts hinged together at their inner ends, and whose outer ends are pivotally connected to the legs thereto adjacent. When in alignment, the parts of each brace serves to hold the members in the desired angular spaced relation, and when turned out of alignment, the frame may readily be collapsed. At the bottom ends of each of the legs of said members, 12 and 13, I form or secure the rubber cups or caps 17.

To maintain a tight fit of the covering 8 against the inner portion of the canopy 10 and to add to the stability of the desired angle of spread of the front legs of the frame 7, I employ a brace 18, the ends of which are welded, riveted or firmly secured to the upper portions of said legs.

Preferably, through such arrangement or any other form of construction "that would obtain the same effect, I obtain an angular spread of not less than that of 20 of the legs of each member, in order to aiford the necessary stability to the tent-like structure.

The covering 8 is shaped closely to conform to and cover the entire frame 7, including the leg caps 17, when said frame is fully distended by the braces 16 and 18.

The covering may be made of light canvas, duck, drill, plastic, vinylite plastic or other light-weight fabric, or of waterproof material or any porous or non-porous material suitable for the purpose. It is generally comprised of the floor strip 37, back strip 19, triangular side strips 20, top panel 21, and lower panel 11, between which panels is formed the open window or doorway 9, through which access is generally to be had to the interior of the tent. However, if desired, this tent covering 8 may be made in one section only or in more than one section and still be within the spirit of my invention. In case the said covering is of non-porous water-repellent material, I preferably, for ventilation, provide an opening or openings 22 in the back strip 1? opposite to the doorway 9, but as is obvious other openings elsewere, through said covering for such purpose, could be made as desired.

Extending through the upper portions of the legs of the member 12 of the frame 7 adjacent to the brace 18, are the openings 23 located in alignment with the grommets 24 formed in the inturned sides 25 of the window 9;

8, which may be decorated, colored, fringed or ornamented as desired. This canopy is positioned so as to afford an efiective protection as against the rays of the sun, rain and inclement weather.

On both the inturned sides of the window 9 just above the lower panel 11, I affix sets of three rings 29, vertically spaced and oppositely arranged, so as to engage at different levels with the barrier rod 30, one end of which is threaded to engage with a removable ball 31, the other end of which is secured by cement or glue to a ball 32 immovably affixed thereto. Suspended from the rod 30 by tucks or broad hems through which the inturned flap portion 33 of said panel is made to extend is the back drop or lower panel 11, the said panel being normally of the same fabric as the tent, but which may be of any material suitable for the purpose. Through engagement with oppositely located rings 29, the barrier rod 30 may be adjusted upwardly or downwardly carrying the flap portion 33 of the panel 11, so as to raise the height of the barrier thereby presented at the sill of the window 9, and presenting an obstacle over which the infant is ordinarily unable to climb, depending upon his age and growth. If desired, the panel 11 may be made wholly detachable from the covering, either by threads in stitches removable therefrom, or by any means Well known in the art, in which case the tent will be made readily available as an open play tent for children other than infants.

To guard the infant against annoying insects, particularly where the tent is used out of doors, I preferably employ the form of screen shown in Fig. 6, covering and conforming to the size of the Window 9, and comprising the frame 34, the panel 35 of plastic screen, fabric netting, wire mesh, or other mesh material, and the attachments 36 and 36a secured to the top and sides of said frame; the rings 36 being positioned to engage with the catches 26 upon the attachment of the canopy support 27 to the member 12, and the rings 3611 being positioned to engage with the rod 30 passing therethrough. In the case of the formation of ventilating openings 22 in the back strip 19, or elsewhere in the wall of the tent fly, screens of the usual type or the type shown in Fig.

' 4 6 may be employed and afiixed to the walls of the tent as required or desired.

Also there may be supplied, a sponge rubber or rubberized mat or waterproof pad conforming to and resting upon the floor strip 37 which mat or pad may be taken out from time to time and washed or cleaned, as occasion requires. Toys, pillows and other matters for the well being, entertainment and interest of children also may be furnished.

My invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment as above set forth is therefore .to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of my invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which may come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a babysitter protective tent for the confinement of infant babies and young ,children, the combination of a triangular shaped frame comprising a pair of up-set U- shaped members hinged together at the bows thereof and having legs downwardly spreading therefrom, braces pivotally secured to .legs and serving to hold said legs in angular spaced relation, a covering conforming to said frame and completely enclosing the same, said covering having a window at the front thereof with a sill constituting a barrier to the escape of the infant occupant from said tent; the lower portion of the covering below said window opening extending upwardly to a substantial ex- .tent and being inturned to form a fold through which extends a removable barrier rod forming an encased sill for said window; and means for securing the ends of said rod to sides of said window and for vertically adjusting the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 415,638 Hawks Nov. 19, 1889 548,425 Biddle Oct. 22, 1895 1,045,132 Dorsey Nov. 26, 1912 1,575,902 Dial Mar. 9, 1926 1,684,237 Marbury Sept. 11, 1928 1,784,199 Peterson Dec. 9, 1930 1,904,700 Starks Apr. 18, 1933 2,420,898 Miner May 20, 1947

Images