US2638296A - Nursing bottle support - Google Patents

Description

May 12, 1953 w. BATTLE NURSING BOTTLE SUPPORT Filed Aug. 11, 1950 Inventor WINGATE BATTLE necting member II. The end members may be of any preferred formation, but are preferably formed triangular in contour, as indicated in Fig. 1, thus providing an extended base Illa with the sides In?) of similar length united in an apical zone positioned opposite the base and into which the ends of the connecting member are secured. The member If) is preferably of skeleton type, as shown, thus combining strength with light weight, the end members being formed of suit able material, such as plastic or metal, to provide the desired stability in structure. In practice, the base side is positioned on the supporting surface such as a bed or crib. The assemblage may also be supported practically on the ground if a suitable underlying pad or the like is positioned for the infant to rest on.

The connecting member II is of suitable length, being at least suflicient to span the torso zone of the infant, the end members being dimensioned to locate member II some distance above the torso of the prone infant. It is preferred, however, that member I I be of increased length as compared with the members of prior structures of this type, since it is one of the features of the invention that the infant will have some freedom of movement laterally to avoid creating any irritating feeling of being cramped with a tendency to make the infant fretful and restless. In both forms, the member II is secured to the upper apical zones of the end members in such manner as to prevent rotation of member II. Any suitable means for securing this result may be used, a simple arrangement being indicated in Fig. 2. Since member I I is generally formed of wood, it is possible to sufficiently expand the end zones of the member as to frictionally engage the walls of the openings in the end members which receive the member end zones, by simply driving a small nail I2 or the like into the ends of the member II, this being illustrated in the drawing.

The member I I is shown as of different crosssection in the two forms shown, the member Ila in Fig. 1 having a circular cross-sectional contour, while in Fig. 3 the contour Ilb is shown with a square contour, one form of polygonal contour, these differences being for the purpose of meeting the conditions set up by the two different structures of bottle holder units, as presently described. However, both forms of member II have the one characteristic that the bottle holder unit is slidable longitudinally of the member. This characteristic is employed to meet a number of conditions, a few of which are referred to. For instance, the width of the supporting surface may be such that the assemblage can occupy but one position thereon, but the surface itself may be such that a particular point in the length of the member II may not accord with the most desirable position of the infant on such surface. With a fixed position, the infant would be required to occupy the more uncomfortable position, but with the present invention the infant is placed in the most comfortable position and the bottle holder unit then moved lengthwise of the member II to place the bottle nipple in proper position for the feeding, it being understood that the bottle holder units shown will operate similarly at any position longitudinally of member I I. Again, should an infant for any reason, restlessness or otherwise, lose the nipple before finishing the feeding, an attendant, or even the infant itself, could shift the holder to the new position, instead of requiring return of the infant to the former position. In other words, the required change could be made of the holder unit without disturbing the infant.

The bottle holder unit I3 is formed with an embracing zone I3a, the upper portion of which embraces member II and which may be considered as the head zone. This merges into an intermediate neck zone I322, the lower portion of which is expanded and shaped for proper connection with the lower bottle clamping zone I30, the latter including a pair of yieldable jaws I3d adapted to clamp the bottle between them, with the bottle axis normally extending transverse to the direction of length of member I I.

The Fig. 1 form of holder can be formed of any suitable material such as metal or plastic, or even wood, with the jaws I3d more or less resilient through the use of resilient material or by a shaped spring formation I3e as shown in Fig. 5, the holder unit in this form, Fig. 1, however, being designed to be more or less rigid and unyielding, except as to the clamping jaws. The head zone I30. is formed with an openin for receiving member II, the fit therebetween being such as to set up a sufficient friction component that the holder unit can be moved either lengthwise of or around member II for adjustment of position and will remain in the adjusted position. This not only permits the adjustments referred to above, but also permits adjustment rotatively. This permits the meeting of either of dual conditions, viz: (l) to locate the bottle at the best angle for the delivery of the milk to the infant, since the frictional engagement enables the bottle holder to be positioned at any desired angle, and (2) to enable the attendant to shift the bottle holder unit arcuately to a position above the member I I, when the infant has ended feeding and probably has fallen asleep, the shift not arousing the infant.

The second, or modified form shown in Figs. 3 to 5, differs from the first form through the fact that the connecting member I I is given a polygonal form in cross-section. It is shown as square, but may have a greater number of sides. The square form is preferred, although it prevents the small angular adjustments possible With the first form. The larger number of sides would permit rough adjustments, but would provide decreased ability to maintain the adjusted position as the number of sides is increased. The member II in this form is also non-rotative.

A second distinguishing feature of the second form is the fact that the bottle holder unit, indicated at I4, is formed of resilient rubber. Its shape is generally similar to that of the first form, having the opening of the head zone complemental to the cross section of the member I I, the jaw zone being reinforced by the resilient metallic formation I36 shown in Fig. 5, the neck zone I5 being of reduced dimensions. Due to the fact that the head zone is also of rubber, the holder can be swung arcuately, the walls of the head zone yielding as the holder is shifted from side face to side face of member II. Because of the yieldability of the head zone, arcuate adustments are practically limited to moving the holder approximately to locate the bottle above member II.

However, the holder unit of the second form presents the advantage of being able to move the neck zone torsionally, this being indicated in Fig. 3, which shows the holder unit as slightly twisted so that the bottle no longer extends truly transverse to the direction of length of member swa H It is a position which is 'obtained only when the infant is feeding. When the nipple is removed from the mouth of the infant, the holder returns to its normal transverse position. Should the infant lose the nipple by body movement, as by restlessness, before ending feeding, its hands can move laterally to :grasp the bottle and by drawing the nipple toward the infants new position, the neck zone of the holder becomes twisted, permitting the infant to continue feeding and without requiring shifting of the holder longitudinally of the member. When finished feeding, release of the nipple permits the holder to return to its normal transverse position, thus removing the nipple from the vicinity of the infants mouth. The infant does not provide arcuate shifting of the holder about member II with this form, since the resiliency of the rubber would tend to return the holder into its normal position relative to a side-of member II. The

attendant, however, can swing the holder through the semi-circular angle to place the bottle above member H, due to yieldability of the head zone of the holder.

While each form of the assemblage provides side rails are comparatively high, the holder unit must be of extended length. Due to these conditions, the holder is made adjustable lengthwise ofthe holder unit, but the adjustment can only be by the attendant. While such structures were serviceable to a limited extent, they could not be employed Where the support was a cradle or a baby carriage, or on the ground, the length of the connecting member and the less height of the sides preventing use of such assemblage except with the crib. To overcome these and other objections, the art structures previously described, having the end frames or members and a shorter connecting member were developed; these, in turn, presenting the disadvantages previously pointed out, the ability to position the assemblage at any desired point being deemed a satisfactory substitute for the adjustment of the earlier type longitudinally by the attendant.

The present invention, which provides both the end frame construction connected by the member II as well as the adjustment longitudinally, presents the general advantages of using a longer connecting member to meet the conditions of the comfortable positioning by attendant service through longitudinal adjustment, as above pointed out, and, in addition, provides for the conditions of a restless infant losing the nipple, being able to regain it by its own efforts, in the first form by sliding the holder unit longitudinally (permitted through the short length of the holder) and in the second form by the torsional twisting of the neck of the holder unit, also of short length, as above explained. In addition, both forms can be swung arcuately at will by the attendant to carry the bottle and holder to an upper position, in addition to which the first form permits accurate adjustment of the holder arcuately to position the bottle and nipple at the most acceptable angle for feeding service.

Since the bottle holding unit "extends downward from and below member I I, when in feeding position with the bottle inclined sufficiently to produce a draining eifect toward the nipple, and at the same time the nipple must be capable of extending into the mouth of the prone infant having the head .properly positioned for com"- fortable feeding action (head slightly raised), it is apparent that this will place member I! 'at a considerable height above the infant and assemblage supporting surface, with consequently ac'onsiderable distance factor in connection with the dimensions of the end frames. While these are shown as triangular with equal apical angles, it is the upright side dimensions that are actual 1y controlling in this respect, it being obvious that the base side need only have a length su-fficiently extended as to properly support'the assemblage against upsetting or toppling, but not necessarily equal to the upright dimez'isi'on's.

The important factor in this connection is that the sides preferably extend at opposite angles so as to produce a symmetrical upper apical zone capable of'prop'erl'y receiving the member II. The distance factor can be determined on the basis that all mountings and movements of the holding unit and its bottle are above the axes of the end frames so that if such axis be con sidered as the upper limits of the space required for the torso of the infant, the positions of member l i and the length of the holding unit "can be readily determined. In other words, a line exte'nding parallel with the member II and extending through such end frame axes, can represent the lower limits to which the holder unit and bottle can extend, this aff'ording ample space below the line for the positioning of the infant as well as the movements of a restless infant within such space.

As will be understood from the drawings and the above description, the assemblage is comparatively simple in construction and thus reasonable in the cost of production, and at the same time is exceedingly efficient in service, being so formed as to permit positioning of the infant in its most comfortable position for feeding, and so manipulative as to tend to prevent the rise of conditions such as to make the infant restless. thus assuring the feeding activities under the most favorable conditions. Where the infant is restless or of restless type, the assemblage and its manipulative practices tend to prevent accentuation of the conditions, actually tending to reduce the conditions so as to provide for quiet feeding. In other words, the assemblage is developed in such manner as to assure as far as possible that the infant feeding conditions will be made active in such way as to tend to quietness rather than disturbing conditions, thus presenting the feeding activities in such form as to render them most conducive to the welfare of the infant.

While I have herein disclosed several ways in which the invention may be placed into practice, it will be readily understood that changes and/or modifications therein may be found desirable or essential in meeting the exigencies of service or the individual desire of a user. I, therefore, reserve the right to make all such changes and/or modifications so deemed essential or desirable insofar as the same may fall within the spirit and scope-of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims, when broadly construed.

I claim:

1. In nursing bottle holding assemblages,

wherein an assemblage enables feeding of the infant with the latter lying prone on a supporting surface, said assemblage comprising a pair of similar end frames of triangular contour extending vertically in parallel spaced relation and rigidly connected in their upper apical areas by an elongated normally non-rotative rigid connecting member of uniform polygonal crosssection to form a bottle-supporting frame adapted to straddle the prone infant with the connecting member spaced above the torso of the infant, and a bottle holder unit mounted upon and normally depending from said connecting member, said unit being formed generally of resilient rubber with the formation including a head portion, a pair of bottle-holding jaws, and a neck portion connecting the jaws with the head portion to form a unitary resilient configuration, said head portion having a laterally-extending opening complementally contoured to accord with the cross-sectional contour of the frame connecting member to thereby enable position adjustment of the unit lengthwise of the connecting member while normally retaining the unit against movement rotatively on such member, said jaws being positioned to support the bottle with the bottle axis normally extending in approximately transverse relation to the direction of length of the connecting member and below such member, said jaws being reinforced by a metallic resilient element dimensioned to combinedly embrace more than half of the length of the circumference of the bottle, the resiliency of the rubber content of the unit, enabling torsional and twisting movements of the unit by the infant during feeding and enabling movement bodily of the unit rotatively on the connecting member to locate the unit inactive in reversed position above the membar.

2. An assemblage as in claim 2 characterized in that the neck portion of the unit is of reduced cross-section to thereby enable ready torsional and twisting movements of the jaw portion by a restless infant during feeding without materially disturbing the general position of the unit in the assemblage.

3. A nursing bottle support comprising a pair of similar end frames of triangular contour extending vertically in parallel spaced relation and rigidly connected in their upper apical areas by an elongated rigid connecting member, said support adapted to straddle a prone infant with the connecting member spaced above the prone infant, a resilient rubber bottle holder unit mounted upon and depending from said connec ing member, said unit comprising a head portion, a pair of bottle holding jaws and a neck portion connecting the jaws with the head portion, said head portion having a laterally extending opening complemental with the contourof the connecting member, said neck portion being of reduced cross-section to permit twisting movements of the jaw portion.

WIN GATE BATTLE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,151,920 Barton Aug. 31, 1915 1,315,621 Barlow Sept. 9, 1919 1,407,681 Saunders Feb. 21, 1922 2,201,257 Bell Feb. 3, 1939 2,514,134 Mann July 4, 1950

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