US3311935A - Bed vibrating device - Google Patents

Description

April 4, 1967 R. H. PETTY BED VIBRATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 20, 1965 INVENTOR.

Robert H. Petty ATTORNEY April 4, 1967 R. H. PETTY 3,311,935

BED VIBRATING DEVICE Filed July 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l N VEN TOR. Robert H. Petty ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,311,935 BED VIBRATING DEVICE Robert H. Petty, P.0. Box 2314, Sanford, N.C. 27332 Filed July 20, 1965, Ser. No. 473,280 1 Claim. (Cl. -109) This invention relates to a bed vibrator and, more specifically, to an apparatus adapted to be releasably attached to the grid springs of a baby bed in a manner to impart a general reciprocating motion to the springs and, thus, to the mattress carried thereby.

Numerous devices have been designed to induce vibrations in a baby crib for the purpose of inducing sleep. The majority of these devices have been complicated in construction and have necessitated a change in structural arrangement of the crib. Also, these devices were generally connected to the frame of the crib which caused the same to rattle and make uncommon noises as well as induce vibrations therein.

Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a unitary structure which is joined only to the bed springs for inducing a vertical and reciprocatory motion therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide a baby bed vibrator which is adapted to vary the amplitude of the reciprocatory motion produced thereby.

A further object of this invention is to provide mounting means for a crib vibrator that may easily be secured to or removed from the grid springs of a baby crib without the use of special equipment or tools.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a baby crib vibrator with a pivotally mounted motor which is adapted to apply a constant driving force to an unbalanced but concentrically mounted disc.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FlGUREl is a sectional, pictorial view of a crib showing the apparatus attached to the grid springs which are received by the crib structure;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the right side of the apparatus showing the drive shaft in communication with the weighted, circular disc;

FIGURE 3 is a left hand, elevational view ofthe apparatus showing the motor in a tilted position;

FIGURE 4 is a partial section and side view of the apparatus taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 1 showing the special arrangement of the casing and elements therein.

A preferred embodiment of this invention includes in combination with a baby crib having horizontally aligned, mattress-supporting grid springs, an apparatus comprising a base plate which is mounted on the bottom of the springs by means of rods that extend from the base plate over a section of the grid springs and back to the base plate. A mounting plate is rigidly and centrally mounted on the base plate and extends downwardly. The mounting plate has a cavity located therein. A motor which receives a power supply from a suitable source is partially mounted in the cavity and is pivotally attached to the mounting plate thereby adapting the motor to swing through a small arc. The motor also includes a drive shaft which extends laterally therefrom and which has a friction surface. A substantially circular disc is concentrically and rotatably mounted on a post which is attached to the mounting plate. The disc has its peripheral surface frictionally engaging and supporting the drive shaft of the motor and against which the disc is forced. The motor weight creates a moment about the pivot point of the motor thereby constantly keeping the friction surface of the drive shaft against the outer periphery of the circular disc. The disc is provided with location.

3,311,335 Patented Apr. 4, 1967 ice an elongated and radially extending slot which partially and slidably receives a weight of a desired magnitude. By securing the weight at a predetermined position along the length of the slot, the amplitude of the vertical reciprocation may be selected. Various speed motors may be employed however with a disc of approximately five and one-half inches; 2. disc speed of 350 rpm. has given satisfactory results. If a long, slow amplitude is desired, the weight is moved toward the extremity of the disc and is securely positioned at that location; if a short, fast amplitude is desired, the weight is moved inwardly toward the axis of the disc and fixed at that To complete the structure an outer housing covers the motor and disc apparatus.

Referring to the detailed description, crib 10 is comprised of supporting sides 11 and 12 and end 13. The lower portions of sides 11 and 12 are adapted to receive channels 14 and 15, respectively, which run approximately the length of supporting sides 11 and 12. A mattress-supporting grid spring broadly designated as 16 is comprised of individual lengths 17, spring means 18 and frame 19 with spring means 18 connecting individual lengths 17 to frame 19. Grid spring 16 coincides with and is adapted to be received by channels 14 and 15 and thereby provide a resilient support for mattress 20.

The apparatus is firmly secured to the grid springs 16 by means of a base plate 25 and rods 26 and 27. Rods 26 and 27 have a length sufiicient to span a plurality of lengths 17 thereby adapting the same to rest on the upper surface of grid spring 16. Rods 26 and 27 have curved end portions which extend downwardly through the plane in which grid springs 16 reside and have threaded end portions which extend through base plate 25 and which are adapted to receive nuts 28 which, when tightened, firmly secure base plate 25 to grid spring 16. It can easily be seen that rods 26 and 27 and base plate 25 combine to form a fastening means which may easily be dismounted thereby adapting the apparatus to be positioned at most any location beneath the grid springs 16.

A mounting plate 30 is rigidly and centrally secured to base plate 25 by screws (not shown), adhesive or any equivalent means and extends vertically and downwardly from the plane thereof. Plate 30 is provided with a cavity 31 which is adapted to partially receive the structure of an electric motor 32. Motor 32 is pivotally mounted on plate 30 by nut and bolt arrangement 33. The length of the arc through which motor 32 may pivot is defined by slot 34 that houses a travel bolt-nut combination 35 which in turn is secured to motor 32. Travel 35 also horizontally stabilizes the upper portions of motor 32. The bolt portion of travel 35 has a diameter which is substantially smaller than the width of slot 34 so as not to interfere with the swing of travel 35 through its arc. Motor 32 receives a power supply by means of cord 36. A drive shaft 37 which is an integral part of motor 32 extends outwardly therefrom and is provided with a friction sleeve surface 38 which may be rubber sleeve or the like.

Plate 30 is provided with a shaft 40 which is perpendicular thereto and extends outwardly from one side thereof so as to rotatably receive a circular disc 41 which has a diameter sufficient to place its outer periphery 42 in a rollable communication with the friction sleeve 33 on output shaft 37 of motor 32. Disc 41 is provided with an elongated and radially extending slot 43 which is adapted to receive a bolt 44 which receives weight 45 as an integral part. Bolt 44 and nut 46 are adapted to be tightened along any portion of the length of elongated slot 43 so as to position weight 45 at a predetermined distance from the axis of rotation of disc 41. Weight 45 is effective of course to dynamically unbalance the disc 41.

To insulate this device and to reduce the level of =3 noise produced thereby, a housing 50 is provided to contourly enclose motor 32, mounting plate 30 and disc 41 and is adapted to be secured to base plate 25 by means of rods 26 and 27 and threaded nuts 28.

In operation, base plate 25 is secured to grid springs 16 by means of rods 26 and 27. Weight 45 is adjustably positioned in elongated slot 43 to give the desired am plitude of reciprocation of the device upon the rotation of disc 41. The friction sleeve 38 of drive shaft 37 is positioned against periphery 42 of disc 41 by pivoting motor 32 about shaft 33. Upon the energization of motor 32, drive shaft 37 is rotated thereby rotating disc 41 in a geared down relationship which results in a vertical reciprocation of springs 16 and mattress 20. While not shown an electric timer may be employed or conventional switch means for cutting the power on and off,

In summary, the vibrating device of the invention has,

the advantage that it can be quickly installed and removed. It also has the advantage of being adapted to vibrate the mattress supporting spring directly which eliminates both noise and lost motion encountered when the ends or sides of the baby bed are rocked. By having the device of the invention suspended below the springs, the mattress can reside in its normal fashion and except for the presence of the necessary power cord is otherwise hidden from view. The device according to the invention has the further advantage of being simple to adjust in order to increase or decrease the amplitude of vibration. As previously noted, all that is necessary is to loosen the outer housing clamp nuts which frees the housing and makes the disc weight available for adjustment. Since children of different weight and age seem to respond to different amounts of rocking such ease of adjustment is of considerable practical importance to the parents.

This invention is of course not to be limited to the specific embodiment and features shown and described herein but is to be given the scope of the following claim.

What is claimed is:

In combination with a baby crib having horizontally aligned, spaced mattress-supporting grid springs, an apparatus comprising:

(a) a plurality of U-shaped rods each having spaced parallel leg portions terminating in threaded ends and a straight portion connecting said spaced leg portions, said straight portions residing on and above said springs and said spaced leg portions extending downwardly through selected spaces between said springs;

(b) a base plate located adjacent and immediately beneath said springs and slidably mounted on said leg portions of said U-shaped rods;

(c) a mounting plate secured to and extending downwardly from said base plate and having a cavity located therein;

(d) an electric motor residing in said cavity and adjustably secured to said mounting plate, said motor including a drive shaft extending outwardly therefrom and driven thereby;

(e) a vibration inducing means including a post extending outwardly from said mounting plate and parallel to said shaft, a circular disc concentrically and rotatably mounted on said post and weight means mounted on said disc, said disc having its peripheral surface frictionally engaging a portion of said shaft and partially supporting said electric motor by means of said shaft whereby upon the energization of said motor, said disc is rotated to induce vertical oscillations in said apparatus;

(f) a housing being effective to enclose said mounting plate, said motor and said vibration inducing means, said housing engaging said base plate and being slidably mounted on said leg portions of said U-shaped rods; and

(g) clamp means threadably mounted on said ends effective to securely clamp said housing against said base plate and thereby clamp said base plate against said springs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 957,277 5/1910 Underwood 248-16 X 2,939,627 6/1960 Greiner 248-16 X 2,951,479 9/1960 Sellner 128-33 3,027,892 4/1962 Searl 128-33 3,035,572 5/1962 Houghthaling 128-33 3,194,522 7/1965 Azneer 5-109 X 3,279,461 10/1966 Oliver 128-33 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner.

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