Thread: Cot drop-down mechanism - ideas?

Hafele used to have metal ones, might still.

I looked at many drop down cot designs and decided they weren't up to our needs so I designed my own. I made one with a small drop down lower section combined with a large folding side/top. We also needed our cot completely covered because we were worried about our cat.

The cot was designed around a small bed but raised by extendable legs to a decent adult height. On top of the bed sat an all round cage.

The lower drop down section attached to the bed is normally always in place and was only intended for making it easier to clean and hold the mattress in place and provides a small barrier to stop a baby rolling out of the cot.

The sides and top of the cage are double piano hinged so the side folds up and with an appropriate stop can stay up like a teepee or can be tucked under the top for extra stability. See second row of drawings for a side view.

I also placed extendable legs on the cot so that while bub was small the cot was up at adult height (ie mum doesn't need to bend over to pick up or cuddle bub). Once todler could get out of bed themselves the legs were lowered and cage removed to create a small bed. This system proved a valuable transit for a number of users from cot to full bed.

The cot has used for 22 years by a succession of 8 different bubs starting with my son followed by nieces and nephews (I have 26 nieces and nephews), no drama, no problems. I remember all of my nieces and nephew loved the cot and wanted to play in it whenever they came over. It's currently stored safely in our loft and lining up for action for the next generation. I have some pictures somewhere if you are interested.

Hopefully that will give you some ideas to work with.

My nephew made a cot for his daughter & bought these for it, he's very happy with them.

only problem I have with the design is your munchkin may be taller than the "top" by the time s/he is 6 to 8 months old and standing calling for you to rescue him/her in the night.

You might be better with a two piece front and two piece top without having the top and side integrated into the same unit.

Hmmmm. Now that I think about it, a fully enclosed cage might have been a good idea when my son decided to climb out of his cot. Nice and safe, can't get out....hmmmm he's 2.5

To quote Bob Parr..."I still got time."

I can just see the littly in your cage with his bottle rattling on the cage bars and in his piping little voice "...no body knows the trouble i've seen, nobody knows my sorrow..."

Originally Posted by jugglingogre

only problem I have with the design is your munchkin may be taller than the "top" by the time s/he is 6 to 8 months old and standing calling for you to rescue him/her in the night.

You might be better with a two piece front and two piece top without having the top and side integrated into the same unit.

Hmmmm. Now that I think about it, a fully enclosed cage might have been a good idea when my son decided to climb out of his cot. Nice and safe, can't get out....hmmmm he's 2.5

To quote Bob Parr..."I still got time."

I thought about that problem when I designed it but tall kids just learned not to stand up in it which made it even safer - tall kids standing up increases the chance of tipping it over especially if they rock it back and forth. There was no trying to climb out and no bouncing on the mattress (they hit their heads if they got too high), the kids just accepted it.

This may help.

http://www.bubhub.com.au/infosafetyfurniture.shtml

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HJ0

Harry you can get the drop down mechanism from www.clicksystems.com.au
they are the same as the ones that are supplied from Carbartec WA and half the price $15 + GST

Good luck

Peter

Harry I have just found the Australian/nz standards for cots. please send me a PM or Email with you're Email address and I will send to you.

When building it is an idea to be able to lower the rails for when they get bigger so that you will have 600ml from the top of the mattrass to the top of the side so they are not able to toss themselves out of the cot on to the floor.

Cheers Peter

I had this dilema, a couple of years back and almost decide to make a metal type sliding mechanism my self - ie bend some metal bar at appropriate points and drill holes etc. ( I have a metal working background)

In the end the nature of the cot i built lent itself to just having a routed groove each side of the cot, with the sliding cot side having a corresponding tongue that fitted into it. the advantage of this system is that when the cot side is up there are no or almost no gaps, or bars that little finger can get caught in. This arrangement still works very well after 2 and abit years. See pic if it decides to attach it self or not. or try herehttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=11781

The cot is recycled redcedar and tassie oak.

Stephen

Originally Posted by mkb

My nephew made a cot for his daughter & bought these for it, he's very happy with them.

I agree

I have used these in the past. Affordable, strong and they are easy to fit.

Thanks for all the suggestions! Now I have no more excuses to put off the project!

I already have a copy of the Australian Standard for cots, so thanks very much for the offer.

Harry R,

I built a cot several years ago and had your problem. I offer an alternative solution to those discussed so far, although this is not my idea (I saw it on a cot years ago).

I routed a groove on either end of the cot, with the upper grooves being a straight cut and the lower grooves being an upsidedown "J" type cut (see pictures attached). This sort of mechanism is fail safe, requires absolutely no hardware, and can be lifted and lowered with one hand. That is, to lower, the side only need be lifted slightly while pushing it inwards with your knee. This pushes the pins riding in the upsidedown "J" slot up and over the top (or bottom!) of the "J". On my cot, when raising the side, the pressure provided by the mattress pushes the side back up over the curve so it can settle into its "up" position. Boy that description doesn't sound very good. Just look at the pictures... Cheers, Luckyduck

I posted some images in this OLD thread of what I did:

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ead.php?t=6856

The drop sides simply had a rebate which slid in the vertical posts.
The latch held the side up.

I must say I do like the elegance of the inverted J method, good one.

Cheers, Ray