US3284815A

US3284815A - Tiltable beds

Info

Publication number: US3284815A
Application number: US274050A
Authority: US
Inventors: Grossman Abraham; Connor Paul Phillips
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-04-18
Filing date: 1963-04-18
Publication date: 1966-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-15

Description

United States Patent 3,284,815 TILTABLE BEDS Abraham Grossman, 710 Junior Terrace, Chicago, IlL, and Paul Phillips Connor, Evanston, 111.; said Connor assignor to said Grossman Filed Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 274,050 15 Claims. (Cl. 62)

This invention relates to longitudinally tiltable beds or platforms, and more particularly to such beds employed for the use of invalids and incapacitated persons, and for use as X-r-ay tables.

Tiltable beds are advantageously used for paraplegics and other comparable invalid patients, who are paralyzed and unable to move certain parts of their bodies. These patients are not able to roll themselves over, or otherwise move to one side or the other of a bed, and so changing the bed linen for such patients has been difiicult.

Placing such a patient in a longitudinally tiltable bed facilitates caring for such a patient, with respect to Chang ing the bed linen, bathing the patients back, and the like.

Such a bed is simply tilted, whereby a patient may, without difficulty, be rolled by a single person to the downhill side of the bed, even though he is not able to move himself. The bed linen may be changed by tilting the bed and rolling the patient first to one side and then to the other, in this manner. When the bed is tilted to one side, the soiled linen is rolled-up to the center of the bed, and replaced by fresh linen, which is also partly rolled at the center of the bed. When the bed is thereafter tilted to the other side, the other half of the soiled linen may be removed, and the fresh linen rolled out to cover the remainder of the bed. The same method may be employed to roll the patient over so as to bathe his back, and the like.

Moreover, it is often desirable to take an X-ray exposure of a patient lying on his side, such exposure being known as a lateral decubitus, Such lateral decubitus X- ray films are ordinarily taken first with the patient lying on one side, and then an identical view is taken with the patient lying on his other side. These films facilitate the diagnosis of a number of disorders including perforated ulcers and polyps or ulcers in the large intestine.

It has not been possible heretofore to conveniently take such X-ray films when the patient is incapacitated, and for any reason is not able to support himself on his side. It has therefore been necessary in the past to either avoids taking such films altogether in such cases or to employ the assistance of several persons in holding the patient in the appropriate position. It has also been difficult to rapidly obtain a number of different X-ray films taken at various angles to the body, particularly when the patient is unable to cooperate in assuming the desired positions. Speed of movement is important in many situations, e.g., when a substance such as barium has been introduced into the patient, and which may disperse or be expelled after a short time.

In order for a tiltable bed or X-ray table to be safe for use, it must have some mechanism to prevent the patient from falling or rolling entirely out of the bed. The present invention provides novel side panels which are readily adjustable, which adapt tiltable beds for use under varying conditions. The side panels may be selectively either automatically caused to come into patientretaining position as the bed is tilted, or may be adjusted manually.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a bed which may be tilted about a longitudinal axis, such bed having a selectively adjustable side panel mechanism.

This and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood with reference "ice to the accompanying specification, drawings and claims.

In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a frame, and a tiltable bed surface mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis with respect to the frame. A pair of side panels are provided which are also adapted for rotation with respect to the frame, said side panels being selectively elevated relative to the plane of the bed portion as the latter is tilted.

Reference will now be made to the accompanying specification and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation of a tiltable X-ray table constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the table of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the table of FIGS. 1 and 2, illustrating the table in tilted position;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of a tiltable bed constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the bed of FIG. 4 with the mattress and springs removed; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the bed of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 a tiltable X-ray table having a frame comprising a pair of

end panels

10 and 12 joined together with a pair of

side members

14 and 16 which are secured at their respective ends to the

end panels

10 and 12. A shaft .18 is journaled for rotation in the upper portions of the

end panels

10 and 12, and supports a bed member 20 in tiltable relation with the

end panels

10 and 12, and with the

side panels

14 and 16. A film holder 21 is secured to the bottom of the bed member 20, to receive film to be exposed by X-rays. A gear 22 is fixed to the shaft 18 at one end thereof and meshes with a gear 24 fixed to a shaft 26 jou-rnaled for rotation in the end member 12. The shaft 26 is connected to a crank 28 by which the table portion 20 may be tilted relative to the frame by rotation of the

meshing gears

22 and 24. A latch 25 is mounted on the end panel 12 in slidable relation therewith, to selectively lock the

gears

22 and 24, thereby holding the bed member 20 in any desired position.

A pair of

side panels

27 and 29 are arcuately formed and their free upper ends terminate in the same plane as upper surface of the bed member 20. The lower ends of each of the

side panels

27 and 29 are interconnected by a pair of beams 31 bolted to the respective ends of each of the

side panels

27 and 29. An upstanding support member 33 is connected to each of the beams 31, and each of the support members 33 is provided with a bore to permit the shaft 18 to pass therethrough. A plurality of transverse struts 35 are also interconnected between the

side panels

27 and 29, intermediate the two beams 31. Both of the

side panels

27 and 29, together with the truss including the beams 31, the support members 33, and the struts 35, are therefore rotatably mounted on the shaft 18 for rotation with respect to the

end panels

10 and 12 independently of the bed member 20.

The center of gravity of the truss including the

side panels

27 and 29 is directly below the shaft 18 when in a level position, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2; so that no clamp need be provided to maintain the side panels in level position.

In FIG. 3, the table is illustrated with the bed member 20 in tilted position, and it is seen that the side panel 27 prevents a patient lying on the table member 20 from being displaced from the table member 20. The angular movement of the table member 20 is limited in each direction by a pair of

shafts

30 and 32 extending between the

end panels

10 and 12. The

side panels

27 and 29 are also tilted with respect to the

end panels

10 and 12, because the lower edge of the bed member 20' bears against the struts 35 to rotate the

side panels

27 and 29 3 with the bed member 20, after the latter has rotated through a limited angle.

The end panels and 12 of the table may be constructed of any desired structural material such as steel or the like, and the

side panels

27 and 29 are preferably constructed of the same material. The bed member 20, however, is preferably constructed of a material which is transparent to X-rays. Such materials are Bakelite, plastic materials such as epoxy resin, and wood. None of these materials have an appreciable absorption of X rays passing therethrough, and so films may be taken with the use of the present invention without undue amount of shadows on the X-ray film. When a lateral decubitus film is desired, the bed member is tilted as illustrated in FIG. 3, and the film in the film holder 21 is exposed by X rays directed normally to the plane of the bed member 20.

When the X-ray table of FIGS. 1 to 3 is used, a patient is placed on the table member 20 and rotated by turning the crank 28 to the desired position. One person may conveniently turn the crank 28 for the purpose of tilting the table, while the

side panels

27 and 29 insure that the patient will be held in place on the table. The latch is then engaged with the teeth of the gear 24, to insure that the table portion 20 remains in the desired position. The

side panels

27 and 29, and their supporting truss, are maintained in the position illustrated in FIG. 3, by the weight of the truss itself acting through its center of gravity which has been displaced toward the up-hill side. If desired, the bed member 20 may be locked to the side panel mechanism by inserting a pin 34 through an aperture in the side panel 27 and screwing it into a threaded bore in the bed member 20 aligned therewith. The

side panels

27 and 29 then move with the bed member 20, as it is rotated. This facilitates transfer of the patient between the bed member 20 and another surface at a different elevation, such as a cart or the like upon which the patient is carried to and from the X- ray equipment.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 6, there is illustrated a tiltable invalid bed for hospital use or the like, constructed in accordance with the present invention.

The bed comprises a pair of

end panels

40 and 42, which are held together by

side member

44 and 46 secured thereto. A shaft 48 is journaled for rotation in opposed apertures near the top of the end panels 40* and 42. On the shaft 48 there is pivotally mounted a mattress supporting truss including a plurality of transverse beam members 50 to 54 which are adapted to support a mattress 56. A pair of

longitudinal members

58 and 60 are connected to each of the transverse members 50 to 54 and also serve to support the mattress 56.

The

side panels

57 and 59 are disposed outwardly of the

longitudinal members

58 and 60 and outwardly of the mattress 56, and serve to retain the mattress 56 in proper position. A pair of transverse beam members 61 are bolted between opposing ends of the side panels 44- and 46, and each is provided with an upstanding support member 63 rotatably supported on the shaft 48.

One of a pair of trusses is connected to each of the endrnost beam members 50 and 54, to prevent such beams from deflecting under load. Each truss comprises a vertical member 66 connected to the center of its respective beam member 50 or 54, and a pair of inclined members 68 and 70 connected between the ends of their respective transverse members 50 and 54 and and the lower end of the vertical member 66.

The two trusses at each end of the bed, in addition to maintaining the mattress 56 in a plane, also act as counterweights to lower the center of gravity of the mattress supporting truss. This permits the bed to be both tilted and returned to horizontal positon with about the same amount of force.

A motor 72 provides the motive power for tilting the bed. The shaft 74 of the motor is connected to one end of a crankshaft 7 6, the other end of which is pivotally connected to one end of a connecting rod 78 by a shaft 80. The connecting rod 80 is pivotally connected to the beam 53 by a shaft 82. The motor 72 is preferably a reversible motor, and is provided with switch means for selectively energizing it for forward or reverse rotation, and control means for selecting the speed of rotation. The bed may thus be adjusted to any desired degree of tilt simply by energizing the motor in the appropriate direction. 1

In the use of the bed illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, a patient may be conveniently rolled from one side of the bed to the other, simply by energizing the motor 72 to tilt the plane of the mattress to an appropriate angle, whereupon the patient may easily be rolled in the downhill direction by a single attendant, even though the patient is completely incapacitated. In this manner, the patient may be shifted from his back to his stomach, etc., and may be moved from one side of the bed to the other in order to change the bed linen, or to bathe the patient, and the like. The mattress supporting truss rotates independently until one of the

longitudinal members

58 and 60 reaches one of the transverse beam member 61 of the side panel assembly, after which the mattress supporting truss and the side panel assembly rotate together.

The bed of FIGS. 4 to 6 is also advantageously used in the treatment of patients recovering from pneumonia or other maladies which are frequently accompanied by pulmonary congestion. When so used, the bed is cyclically tilted from side to side, and the direction of tilt is occasionally alternated. Such an occasional reversal of the direction of tilt is also useful in treating patients who have circulation difficulties, whether of a cardiac or kidney origin. The cyclical tilting back and forth is performed by continuously energizing the motor 72. The speed of rotation of the motor is adjusted individually for each patient, and the period of each cycle is preferably about 10 to 30 minutes.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the crank may be optionally replaced by a motorized arrangement whereby the bed may be tilted by rotation of an electric motor or the like. The bed of either embodiment may also be provided with means for raising and lowering it in a vertical direction. Such eXpedients are well-known to those skilled in the art, and therefore need not be specifically described.

The foregoing will so fully and completely describe the present invention as to enable those skilled in the art, by applying current knowledge, to adapt the same for varying conditions of service, without departing from the essential features of novelty involved, which are intended to be defined and secured by the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. A tilting bed comprising a frame, a horizontal shaft supported by said frame, a bed platform rotatably mounted on said shaft, said bed platform having a substantially plane surface for supporting a patient, a pair of side panels, a first support member interconnecting said side panels, and a second support member secured to said first support member and rotatable on said shaft for rotatably supporting said side panels on said shaft independently of said b'ed platform, whereby said bed platform and said side panels may rotate independently relative to said frame.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bed platform comprises an X-ray table composed of material substantially transparent to X-rays.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bed platform comprises a mattress-supporting truss having a plurality of transverse members adapted to support a mattress for rotation relative to said frame, and a mattress supported on said truss.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, including selectively operable means for rotating said bed platform relative to said frame, and selectively operable means for restrain ing said bed platform from rotating relative to said frame.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for preventing said bed platform from rotating beyond a first predetermined angle and for preventing said side panels from rotating beyond a second predetermined angle, said second predetermined angle being less than said first predetermined angle.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said side panels each comprise an arcuate member forming a circular cylinder axially aligned with said axis, the upper portion of each of said side panels terminating flush with the surface of said bed platform.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first support member comprises a plurality of beams connected to form a rigid assembly, said assembly having a center of gravity disposed below said axis.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said assembly normally assumes a condition in which said beams are horizontally disposed, but assumes a tilted condition in response to said bed platform being tilted through more than a predetermined angle.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein one of said beams is interposed in the path of said bed platform as it is tilted about said shaft, to cause said assembly to be tilted in the same direction as said platform after said bed platform has been tilted into contact with said beam.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper edges of said side panels terminate below said surface when said bed platform is horizontally disposed, and one of said side panels is raised relative to said surface as said surface is tilted with the down-hill side of said surface toward said side panel.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said one side panel is raised relative to said surface until said bed platform has been tilted through a predetermined angle, said side panel remaining in fixed relation to said surface as said bed platform is tilted beyond said predetermined angle.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for locking said bed platform and said side panels to gether so that both of said side panels rotate with said bed platform about said axis.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, including a truss connected to said bed platform, said truss extending below said axis to lower the center of gravity of said bed platform toward said axis.

14. A tiltable bed according to claim 1, including means for continuously cyclically tilting said bed platform relative to said frame.

15. A tilting bed comprising a frame, a horizontal shaft supported by said frame, a bed platform rotatably mounted on said shaft, said bed platform having a substantially plane surface for supporting a patient, a side panel disposed adjacent one side of said bed platform, said side panel being substantially normal to said plane surface, and a support member secured to said side panel and rotatably mounted on said shaft independently of said bed platform, whereby said bed platform and said side panel may rotate independently relative to said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 728,865 5/ 1903 Cheetham 561 1,122,251 12/1914 Campbell 561 1,573,571 2/1926 Pohl 561 1,823,013 9/1931 Wantz 5236 1,962,988 6/1934 Fulton 31223 1 3,013,281 12/1961 Steiner 562 3,093,836 6/ 1963 Christensen et a1. 560

FOREIGN PATENTS 210,469 10/1957 Australia. 1,098,719 8/1955 France. 1,248,020 10/1960 France.

13,532 6/1910 Great Britain.

466,091 10/ 1951 Italy.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, CASMIR A. NUNBERG,

Examiners.

Claims

1. A TILTING BED COMPRISING A FRAME, A HORIZONTAL SHAFT SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME, A BED PLATFORM ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT, SAID BED PLATFORM HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY PLANE SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING A PATIENT, A PAIR OF SIDE PANELS, A FIRST SUPPORT MEMBER INTERCONNECTING SAID SIDE PANELS, AND A SECOND SUPPORT MEMBER SECURED TO SAID FIRST SUPPORT MEMBER AND ROTATABLE ON SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID SIDE PANELS ON SAID SHAFT INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID BED PLATFORM, WHEREBY SAID BED PLATFORM AND SAID SIDE PANELS MAY ROTATE INDEPENDENTLY RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME.