US2552844A - Bottle holder - Google Patents

Description

y 15, 1951 E. D. CLINEHENS 2,552,844

BOTTLE HOLDER Filed May 10, 1946 Patented May 15, 1951 BOTTLE HOLDER Elmo D. Clinehens, Penn Township, St. Joseph County, Ind.

Application May 10, 1946, Serial No. 668,957

' 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bottle holders, and particularly to a holder for an infants nursing bottle. The primary object of the invention is to pro vide a device of this character which is adapted to fit loosely around the body of an infant in a comfortable firmly supported position and without danger of injuring the infant, so that no fixed anchorage is required therefor.

A further object is to provide a device of this character Which is readily adjustable and is adapted to be supported and positioned at the infants chest in such a manner that the infant is free to move both his body and his head without danger of spilling or releasing the bottle.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is simple in construction, easy to use, light in weight and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object is to provide a device of this character with novel means for adjusting the same in desired operative position.

A further object is to provide a device of this character with novel means. for gripping a bottle firmly and without danger of breakage, and in x which a bottle may be mounted rapidly and easily.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the device.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, the numeral lfl designates a support upon which a clamp 12 is mounted adjustably, said clamp being adapted to mount a conventional nursing bottle l4.

The support It comprises a pair of rigid elongated plates of substantial width each having a substantially flat inner portion 16 and an outer end portion l8 bent in substantially J -form on a curve of a radius to fit around the sides of the chest of an infant. The portions 18 may be curved on a radius in the order of from 3 inches to 4 inches, and is of an extent greater than 90 and preferably less than 180. These dimensions are illustrative only, it being contemplated that the portions 18 need not be of arcuate form, and that they will fit around an infants chest in a manner to permit the portions I 5, when superimposed as illustrated, to rest flat upon the chest and to be held against tilting by the fitting of the parts [3 at the sides of the chest. In this connection, it is preferable that the members l8 be susceptible of slight bending and reshaping as tions it of the support and includes a central flat part or top wall 22 hearing in face engagement with the top face of the uppermost part US, side Walls 24 extending along the sides of the superimposed parts of the support, and inturned bottom flanges 26. The retainer is of a size and shape adapted to hold the parts It of the support in superimposed parallel relation and to permit longi tudinal sliding of said parts relative to each other and to said retainer. The projections 20 are positioned to engage the ends of the retainer when the parts are extended, and thereby prevent disassembly. One or more tabs or ears 28 are struck from the top wall 22 of the retainer and extend in planes perpendicular thereto and to the side walls 24. The cars have a central aperture formed therein.

The clamp I2 is preferably formed from a pair of clamp arms 30 and 32 which are preferably formed from stiff material having some resilience, for example, sheet metal or plastic material. The arms have inner straight runs 34 which are pivoted at their end portions to the ears 28 by suitable means, such as a screw 36 and a thumb nut 38. As best seen in Fig. 3, the runs 34 are pivoted off-center with respect to the transverse dimension thereof, and the lower edges of said arms have a cam shape at 40, so that said cam edge will bear firmly against the top Wall 22 of the retainer or the surface of the uppermost part I6, when said clamp is positioned at an angle to the perpendicular for use.

The intermediate portions of the arms are preferably apertured and, if desired or necessary to afford the required gripping action of the arms, suitable means may be provided to hold the arms together. Such means are here illustrated as a screw or bolt 44 extending freely through opposed apertures and mounting a thumb nut 46. A coil spring 48 encircles the bolt at one end and serves to urge the arms together. The outer ends or jaws 50 of the arms 3!), 32 are bent outwardly in substantially U-shape longitudinally thereof and in a manner conforming to the shape of and to firmly grip the bottle I 4. Rubber pads 52 are adhered or otherwise secured to the inner faces of of the parts of the support, for example, a width of from two to three inches, the support has substantial bearing engagement with the front and sides of the infants chest, and hence is stable in its position. Therefore, the device may be used in any location, and it is not necessary that the infant lie in some exact position relative to a previous devices which must be mounted or anchored to a crib or the like.

The angle of the arms SB'and 32 is readily adjustable to position the bottle with its nipple at or adjacent to the'infants mouth. In this connection, the point along the length of the bottle at which the bottle is engaged by the gripping jaws may be varied to accommodate variations in the angular position of the arms 30, 32, and therefore a substantial range of adjustment is obtained. The bottle need not be clamped by the application of great pressureby the jaws 50', inasmuch as a light pressure by the padded jaws will prevent slippage of the bottle and its release or displacement by the infant. Likewise, by virtue of the cam edges 46, the arms will remain in any angular position in which they are set, and a tight frictional grip by the screwand nut arrangement 36, 33 is not necessary as long as lateral play or looseness at the pivot joint is avoided. This permits change of angular position without necessity of manipulating the nut 38. A further advantage is that the child may move without disturbing the device, and can turn his head. Also, there is enough play so that a child can grip the bottle and pull it to him a slight extent without disturbing or endangering the supporting function of the device.

It will be understood that, while the device here illustrated and described is preferred, it may be embodied in other forms Within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A bottle holder adapted to support a bottle support or other member as is required with for a nursing infant, comprising a pair of J- shaped parts having their shank portions superimposed and their curved portions arranged oppositely, said parts having broad supporting surfaces, a retainer fitting around and slidably receiving said shank portions and including a part perpendicular to said shanks, and an elongated clamp pivoted to the perpendicular part of said retainer and adapted to be positioned in any selected angular position.

2. A bottle holder adapted to support a bottle for a nursing infant, comprising a pair of J- shaped parts having their shank portions superimposed and their curved portions arranged oppositely, said parts having broad supporting surfaces, a retainer slidably receiving said shank portions and including a wide plate bearing against the outermost shank portion, return bent flanges projecting from the opposite sides of said plate and embracing said shank portions and ears extending perpendicularly outwardly from said plate, an elongated clamp pivotally mounted on said retainer ears and frictionally clamped thereon to be positioned in any selected angular position, and means for limiting sliding move,- ment of said shank portions relative to said retainer.

. 3. A bottle holder comprising a pair of broad elongated rigid plates having flat superimposed portions and bent end portions, a retainer fitting slidably around said superimposed portions and having a projection perpendicular thereto and to said plates, a pair of rigid elongated arms each having an outwardly off-set jaw portion at one end, means pivotally connecting and clamping the opposed ends of said arms to said projection, one of said arms having an eccentric portion at its pivoted end adapted to bear against said retainer in selected angular positions, and means for drawing said arms toward each other.

ELMO D. CLINEHENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date

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