Patents Assigned to Hedstrom Co.
  • Patent number: 4257651
    Abstract: An all-welded wire spoke wheel for a pneumatic tire includes a pneumatic tire rim formed with a relatively wide groove or depression in its inner face which extends all around the rim. An elongated metal strap is formed having a length, width and thickness approximating the circumference, width and depth of the rim groove. A series of spokes are welded endwise to that strap at spaced-apart locations therealong and then the strap is bent into a hoop with the spokes extending radially inward and seated snugly in the rim groove. After the hoop is secured to the rim at locations all around the rim, a wheel hub is welded conventionally to the radially inner ends of the spokes concentric with the rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1981
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: William E. Griffith, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4256300
    Abstract: A play gym comprising a horizontal bar from which swings and other rides are suspended is supported at its opposite ends by legs. Special pivot joints connect the pairs of legs to the horizontal bar which permit each pair of legs to be folded together and against the horizontal bar so that the gym can assume a stick-like configuration. When the legs are unfolded to support the horizontal bar, parts of the pivot joints engage the ends of the horizontal bar thereby preventing end-wise movement and racking of the play gym. Provision is also made for substituting one pair of legs by a horizontal pivot arrangement which can be secured to a vertical support so that the gym can be used in a small area and be folded out of the way against the support when not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1981
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Raymond W. Boucher
  • Patent number: 4254848
    Abstract: A sprocket-actuated bike brake includes a brake shoe swingable against the rear tire by an actuator engaged by the sprocket teeth when the pedal sprocket is rotated in reverse. Using a small number of parts, the brake couples a maximum amount of force from the sprocket to the brake shoe and imparts a drag on the tire which is proportional to the force on the pedals so that the bike has a stop length versus pedal force characteristic which is substantially linear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1981
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Mark D. Moss
  • Patent number: 4245850
    Abstract: A scissor frame lock includes a circular plate sandwiched between the corresponding legs of the scissor frame at their point of intersection. The legs and the plate are formed with aligned openings for slidably receiving a pivot pin. One end segment of the pivot pin is bent back on itself so that the end segment bypasses the adjacent leg and extends through a second opening in the plate. The pin is biased outwardly so that when the two legs are more or less perpendicular the pin segment projects into an opening in the other frame leg to lock the legs in that orientation. The legs are folded/together by depressing the pin so as to disengage its end segment from that opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1981
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Robert J. Boudreau
  • Patent number: 4231582
    Abstract: A play seat includes telescoping scissor frames for supporting a seat above a base ring composed of two opposing arcuate ring sections whose opposite ends are connected together by stiff coil springs. The lower ends of the scissor frames are pivotally connected to the ring sections so that any weight in the seat tends to spread apart the ring sections thereby tensioning the springs whereby the seat is resiliently supported above the ground. Each spring is protectively enclosed within a plastic sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Mark D. Moss
  • Patent number: 4226467
    Abstract: A foldable cantilevered playseat has a base and a generally U-shaped seat-supporting member whose ends are pivotally connected to the base. Telescoping resiliently biased struts pivotally connected between the frame member legs and the bight of a bail swingably connected to the base resiliently bias the seat-supporting frame member above the base. A fabric seat supported by the frame member is arranged to support a child so that his feet can engage the floor below the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1980
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Robert J. Boudreau
  • Patent number: 4211401
    Abstract: A child's electric swing includes a pre-wound wind-up mechanical escapement type motor having spring-biased retainer and driving pawls, the latter being connected to a pivotally mounted hanger supporting the swing seat. The pawls engage a mainspring-driven ratchet wheel which periodically impulses the driving pawl to maintain the seat in oscillation. The mainspring is rewound periodically by rotating the ratchet wheel in the opposite direction by a battery-operated motor through a gravity-operated one-way clutch after the ratchet wheel rotates only about 180.degree. so that the prewound spring is always under tension. Also the pawls are moved out of engagement with the wheel during such rewinding to eliminate noise and drag on the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1980
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Joel C. Cunard
  • Patent number: 4190283
    Abstract: A play gym comprising a horizontal bar from which swings and other rides are suspended is supported at its opposite ends by legs. Special pivot joints connect the pairs of legs to the horizontal bar which permit each pair of legs to be folded together and against the horizontal bar so that the gym can assume a stick-like configuration. When the legs are unfolded to support the horizontal bar, parts of the pivot joints engage the ends of the horizontal bar thereby preventing end-wise movement and racking of the play gym. Provision is also made for substituting one pair of legs by a horizontal pivot arrangement which can be secured to a vertical support so that the gym can be used in a small area and be folded out of the way against the support when not in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 26, 1980
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Raymond W. Boucher
  • Patent number: 4165097
    Abstract: A canopy for a bi-directionally folding stroller has a pair of side frame members whose corresponding first ends are pivotally connected to the stroller pusher handles and whose opposite ends are normally held apart by an articulated frame member. Flexible sheet material is stretched between the side frame members and retained there by lateral fingers projecting from the side frame members and engaging in pockets in the sheet material. Triangular flaps of sheet material extend beyond the side frame members. These can be connected together at the underside of the canopy or to points adjacent the pusher handles to partially enclose the sides of the stroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1979
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventors: Robert J. Boudreau, Joel C. Cunard
  • Patent number: 4150820
    Abstract: A child's motorized swing includes a frame from which a seat is suspended by spaced-apart hangers pivotally connected to the frame so that the seat and its occupant can swing like a pendulum. A battery operated drive unit mounted on the frame adjacent one of the hangers rotates a small crank situated adjacent the hanger. A resilient, lost motion linkage connected between the hanger and the rotating crank applies reinforcing impulses to the hanger which maintain the weighted seat in oscillation at its natural frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1979
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Carl E. Bochmann
  • Patent number: 4049319
    Abstract: A wheel of the welded spoke variety has a hub with specially designed end caps. If the wheel is to be used as a front wheel of a tricycle, a pedal crank shaft having radial tabs is slid through openings in the end caps having inwardly projecting lips. As the shaft is forced further through the hub, the tabs slice into the rim around the opening in the distal end cap and also upset portions of the rim ahead of the cut into shaft slots just ahead of the tabs. This locks the hub to the shaft both axially and rotationally. If the wheel is to be used on a sidewalk bike with a coaster brake installed in the hub instead of a pedal crank, a circular array of teeth are formed in the outer surface of the proximate end cap which interfit with teeth on an element of the brake so that the brake element and hub rotate together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1977
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Richard S. Hartung
  • Patent number: 4045045
    Abstract: A foldable child walker includes two inverted U-shaped frame members pivotally joined at intermediate points in a scissor-like fashion. The lower, or free, ends of the legs of the frame members are pivotally mounted to an annular base supported on a plurality of castered wheels. A flexible seat is suspended from the upper lateral portions of the frame members. Various mechanisms allow folding of the walker into a flat, compact package, convenient for storage or carrying. For example, in one embodiment, one of the two frame members has telescoping legs which are locked in selected positions of adjustment by spring-loaded release buttons to maintain the walker in selected upright positions above the base. When the walker is unoccupied, each button can be released to fold the frame members into a flat position against the base. In another embodiment, the legs in one of the two frame members are articulated below the pivotal connection the other frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1977
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventors: Raymond W. Boucher, William H. Ziegler, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4033622
    Abstract: A seat for restraining an infant in a car has a steel truss frame to which is secured a molded plastic shell in which the child sits or reclines. The frame is secured to the front or back seat of the automobile by the customary lap belt and the infant is held in the car seat by an adjustable safety harness anchored to the frame and which is arranged to distribute reaction forces over broad areas of the child's body. The shell of the car seat includes wing portions terminating in energy absorbing foam padding which extend out from the back of the shell on each side of the child's head so as to protect the child's head in the event of side impacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1976
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1977
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Robert J. Boudreau
  • Patent number: 3955828
    Abstract: An improved handlebar assembly able to withstand a standard rotational torque test comprises a front fork whose tubular stem has an interior flat area which mates with an exterior flat area on a tubular handlebar post slidably received in the fork stem so that the two members are fixed rotatively, but are free to slide axially to adjust the height of the handlebars. The height adjustment is set by a special tubular collar which slidably engages over the top of the fork post. A set screw threaded into the side of the collar extends through an opening in the wall of the fork stem and bears against the handlebar post, thereby pressing the two flat areas together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1976
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Robert J. Boudreau
  • Patent number: 3930272
    Abstract: A lock for a height-adjustable crib or playpen requires two distinct manual operations in order to release the lock on each crib leg. Each lock includes a rigid metal bracket which engages around the extensible part of the leg and is pivotally connected to a crib corner post. The bracket has a nose which projects into one of a series of openings in the extensible part of the leg then the bracket is swung against the leg part to prevent movement of the leg part relative to the post. The upper edge of the bracket is slotted to receive a latch pivotally connected to the corner post just above the bracket. The latch drops into the slot when the nose is engaged in one of the openings so that the bracket cannot be moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1976
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Robert J. Boudreau
  • Patent number: D244325
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1977
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventor: Charles Voytko
  • Patent number: D250861
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1979
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventors: Robert J. Boudreau, Joel C. Cunard
  • Patent number: D251518
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1979
    Assignee: Hedstrom Co.
    Inventors: Robert J. Boudreau, Joel C. Cunard