Patents for children in the early 20th century

Children are always a top concern for parents, especially when children are young. So, besides other great inventions, there are many simple inventions for children . The main purpose of most of these inventions is to assist parents in keeping children and protecting children safe. However, not all inventions are effective and widely used. This week's "Every Week of an Inventory" column will give you 11 "fun" inventions for children in the early 20th century.

May 1916: The cradle is attached to the window

A baby sleeper is mounted outside the window of a tall building hundreds of meters from the ground, is this true? Well, in a city with a large population, a high population density, one has to cram together in tight spaces of high-rise buildings. Parents who care about their beloved children must live in a tight space that lacks oxygen and light. So the inventors captured that need and created a covered cradle and could attach to any of the windows. This device has an iron frame that is securely attached to the window, withstands more than 226 kg in weight and can withstand high winds. The inside has a mesh door to prevent the baby from climbing inside. In the picture above, we can see that this sleeping cradle is large enough to accommodate a baby stroller so that the mother can swing her baby to sleep.

September 1917: The cradle swings itself

Like many other parents, Sheldon D. Vanderburgh, an inventor from Hastingson Hudson, New York, is tired of coaxing a child who always cries and refuses to sleep. Finally, he found a solution that was a cradle for children to swing by themselves. First, Vanderburgh made a cradle with a net. After assembling the crib into a wooden frame, he realized that the cradle would be more effective if it could swing itself without the need for human thrust. So he installed an additional wire that stored energy in a spring and a pendulum into a shaft. As a result, the hammock has swayed like a clock's pendulum after winding up. In addition, in addition to the ability to swing by itself, the cradle also emits regular noises to the rhythm that the baby can go to sleep naturally.

October 1917: Baby holding tube

When parents take their children on trains, they are always anxious and worried that their children will cry or bother others. They said: "We expect from year to year that there will be a smart inventor who makes a device so that babies can be mischievous, comfortable crying inside. still don't bother other passengers ". Parents require the device to be covered with a soundproofing material so that noise cannot be emitted.

Caleb M. Prather, an inventor from Evanston, Illinois, has designed a perforated tubular cradle. While awake, the child is placed inside this cradle so that their parents can comfort and watch over, until they sleep, the lid will be closed and the child can still breathe normally through the air vents. . Their parents will have free hands to rest without being tired to carry them on their hands during the trip.

Although this is a convenient device for parents, it causes discomfort to the surrounding passengers because it has not solved the problem of restricting the child's noise. Moreover, the space in this "cradle" is so narrow that his product was not popular in the end.

February 1920: The cradle has a motor

Anyway, swinging a cradle constantly to coax a baby to sleep is not a very interesting job. Therefore, the inventors created a motor cradle to swing itself continuously for 2 hours without a follower. Like the swaying cradle of Vanderburgh, Luther P. Jones' cradle of the inventor is also equipped with a powertrain that is the engine of a mechanical watch. As in the photo, the crib is hung on a shaft, above the mechanical system attached to the metal frame. In order to operate this cradle, people just go on the cot, the gears will move to make the shaft move back and forth and they swing themselves. The operation of the gear system also emits sounds so that the child can go to sleep more easily.

May 1934: Ultraviolet light for children

The kidnapping of the baby named Lindbergh in the spring of 1934 made the parents obsessed. Therefore, people have created an alarm device similar to the high-tech laser alarm system that you see in action movies. However, instead of using lasers, people use ultraviolet light bulbs hidden under children's mattresses. When the mattress is violated, ultraviolet rays will shine on an electronic sensor that activates the alarm sound. However, parents are not really reassured when their young child has to be on such a sensitive system.

October 1939: Seat for children on bicycles

You want to take your child with you when you walk around the city by bicycle, but it is not safe to carry a child with one hand. So Emile Eberle's invention from Geneva, Switzerland is the answer for you. A chair is firmly attached to the steering wheel and the metal frame is fastened to the neck of the car to help you comfortably take the walk.

October 1939: The poison mask for children

This full-body mask looked funny at first glance, but in the face of the threat of poison gas attacks in 1938 when the war was about to start, this was actually an ideal choice. This mask is developed by France for adults with an extension for children. It is equipped with a filter and a part that acts as a lung made of rubber. Caregivers always control the amount of fresh air at any time with this artificial lung.

December 1938: UV lamp plays infant play

To avoid misconduct or exchange babies, an ultraviolet device was used to "stamp" the baby's initials on the skin as soon as the child was born at the hospital. This portable ultraviolet lamp will shine ultraviolet light through a seal bearing the baby's name and leave a light mark on the skin, which will disappear on its own after a few weeks. This is like the first sunburn in a baby's life.

August 1939: Upgraded children's respirator

The mask was born in the context of a month after Germany occupied Poland. It was designed by British inventors after 3 years of research. Similar to the baby's respirator before, it also has a filter and an air pump so the babysitter can control the baby's air. The hood on the head is made of airtight fabric while the window part is made of cellulose material allowing the baby to observe the surroundings.

September 1939: Walker for children

Most parents practice their children by gently lifting them up by hand or buying them a walker. However, a Swiss engineer has a better idea of ​​designing a wooden strap and beam between the parents' legs to the baby's feet. That way, parents can easily use the foot to guide the child to walk. A pulley system is also attached to the wooden beam to keep the child upright and balanced.

October 1939: Safety belt in the bath

It is not safe to leave your baby alone in the bath without observing. But what if there is an unexpected event like someone calling a door or another child crying in the next room? Instead of screaming to call for help from a spouse or other person, this invention will allow you to get out of the bathroom without having to worry about the child. Carl H. Fischer, an inventor from Iowa State, built a small metal rod to hold the baby in the tub wall when the mother was busy. To use, simply wear a baby seat belt into the metal bar and attach the metal bar to the bathtub. The two ends of the metal rod are fitted with a rubber pad so that it can be fixed to the edge of the tub, thereby keeping the baby firmly in a fixed position.