US566677A

US566677A - Tray attachment for bedsteads

Info

Publication number: US566677A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 1913-08-25

Description

ma Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. P. FRY.

TRAY ATTACHMENT FOR BEDSTEADS.

No. 566,677. Patented Aug. 25, 1896. S

INVENTOR m ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES (No Model.)

B. F. FRY. TRAY ATTACHMENT FOR BBDSTEADS.

Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

ITNESSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v ATTORNEYS.

PATENT Fries.

ELLA F. FRY, OF RICHMOND DALE, OHIO.

TRAY ATTACHMENT FOR BEDSTEADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,677, dated August 25, 1896.

Application filed May 14, 1896. Serial No. 591,569. (No model.)

To is whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELLA F. FRY, of Rio inond Dale, in the county of Ross and State of Ohio, have invented anew and Improved Tray Attachment for Bedsteads, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

V This invention relates to an attachment for bedsteads, adapted to provide means for supporting articles for convenient use of invalids while confined to their beds.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel device of the indicated character which will be readily attachable to the inner face of a side rail of the bedstead, be foldable adjacent to the mattress when this is desired, be convenient to adjust for service in the support of a removable tray at one side and partly over the bed, and be adjustable for height as occasion may require.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view in part of a bedstead, showing the improved attachment in position on a side rail of the bedstead. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the bed-rail and an enlarged side view of the improvement thereon, the section being substantially on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view of the improvement in position to receive a tray, seen in direction of arrow 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of the removable tray reduced in size. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a bedstead in part, showing the improvements thereon in folded adjustment. Fig. 6 is an enlarged front view of a hollow post that is a feature of the invention. Fig. 7 is an edge view of the hollow post. Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of details, taken substantially on the line 8 8 in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is an enlarged and partly sectional side view of a slidable standard which engages the hollow post shown in Ffgs. 7 and 8, also of a bracket-plate hinged 03 a crossbar of said standard, and a hinged proppiece which supports the hracket-plate in a level position. Fig. 10 is a side view of the same parts shown in Fig. 9, adjusted to dispose the bracket-plate nearly alined with the standard; and Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the main portions of the details shown in Fig. 10, but arranged to support the bracketplate thereof in a level position or at a right angle with the standard.

In carrying into effect the features of in vention a post is provided for support of other parts, said post comprising a flat plate 10, that is widened at the lower end to adapt it .for attachment on the side rail A of the bedstead A, or a like structure.

On the post 10 a substantially cylindrical sheath 10 is formed or secured, the bore of which is designed to receive and support the standard 11, that loosely fits therein. The standard 11 is provided with a cross-bar 11 atits upper end, whereon a bracket-plate 12 is hinged by one end, as at a, and thus adapted to receive adjustment for disposing said plate at a right angle to the standard, or upwardly extended to substantially aline it therewith, these adjustments being respectively shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

It is designed to render the standard capable of sustaining the bracket-plate 12 at different heights on the post 10. To this end the sheath 10 is longitudinally slotted, said slot 1) extending nearly the length of the sheath, and from the longitudinal slot at spaced intervals short lateral slots 12' are cut essentially in the form of the well-known lantern-lock, so that a stud 6 which projects from the standard 11 near its lower end, will be permitted to traverse the longitudinal slot named and enter any one of the spaced lateral slots h,which will serve to retain the standard I at a desired point and correspondingly elevate the bracket-plate. The wider lower portion 10 of the post 10 is preferably rounded at one corner 0 and flanged atits lower edge, said flange cl projecting at a right angle from the flat post, at a suitable distance from the lower end of the sheath 10.

The preferred means for removably connecting the p0st-f0ot 10* with the inner side of a bed-rail A is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, consisting of a screw-stud e, that is axially bored and screw-threaded internally for the reception of a thumb-screw c,which passes through a perforation of the foot 1O near its corner 0, and when properly adjusted serves to bind the post on the end of the stud.

There is a squared portion provided on one end of the stud e, to facilitate its insertion With a wrench into a socket formed in the rail A at a proper point for its reception, whereby the post 10 is held on the inner face of the bed -rail slightly removed therefrom, and adapted to receive rocking adjustment in the direction of the curved arrow in Fig. 1, so as to dispose said post horizontally, as shown in Fig. 5.

The described parts are secured so as to retain the post 10 in an upright position, by provision of a hook g, that is loosely secured on the inner side of the bed-rail A at a correct distance from a staple or ring-eye g", which projects from the foot 10 near the edge opposite from the rounded corner a; and it will be seen in Figs. 1 and 3 that when the end portion of the flange d on foot 10 is seated on one of the bed-slats B the hook g may be entered in the ring-eye g mentioned and retain the post in contact with the slat so as to hold said post upright.

A recess 77. is formed in the lower side of the bracket-plate 12 of a suitable width and length, extending from its hinged end, as best shown in Fig. 0, and in said recess the widened end of a prop-arm 13 is adapted to lie when the plate 12 and prop-arm are disposed as shown in Fig. 10, the normally upper end of the latter being hinged, as at h, to the bracket-plate at the transverse edge of the recess h that is farthest from the hinge a.

The prop-arm 13 is proportioned in length to that of the standard 11, so that the notched lower end of the prop-arm, if engaged with the outwardly-projecting stud b on the standard, will be supported thereby, and the proparm be sustained in an outwardly inclined position, maintaining the bracket-plate 12 level or projecting at a right angle to the standard, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 9.

The plate 12 is preferably constructed with inwardly-inclined side flanges i, that afford a dovetail formation on the upper face of the same when the parts are adjusted as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 11.

The tray 14, which is provided for a detachable engagement with the bracket-plate 12 when the improvements are to be put in service, may be of oval, circular, or rectangular contour. As shown, it is shaped as last mentioned, having the corners slightly rounded. (See Figs. 1 and 4.) Four short legs m are projected from the corners of the tray 14 outward and downward, to afford support therefor when the tray is detached from the bracket-plate 12, to which it is connected by the flanges 71., that project from the lower surface of the tray parallel with its side edges, these flanges-being outwardly flared and so spaced apart as to permit them to loosely contact with the inner inclined surfaces of the flanges i of the bracket plate 12 when the tray is slid endwise thereon.

It will be seen that the post 10 when erected will dispose the bracket-plate 12 partly over the bed A, and may be so relatively positioned as to hold the tray 14 conveniently accessible for the occupant of the bed, who may sit therein close to the tray or he inclined, as may be preferred, and with ease partake of food placed on the tray.

It is evident that a tray in the form of a flat tabletop may be providedand be substituted for the tray 14 when the latter is removed with the table-service thereon after a meal, the substitute tray or small table-top affording means for the support of books, writing materials, or needlework, it being understood that the slidable connection shown and described for the tray 14 is to be furnished for the flat tabletop, theconstruction of which is so evident that it is not necessary to show it in the drawlngs.

When not required for service, the tray 14 may be removed, and, if preferred, the entire device may be closely folded and then rocked so as to dispose it between the mattress (not shown) and the bed-rail A, the hook g having first been detached from the foot 10 of the post 10.

It is claimed for this improvement that it is neat, light, compact, and inexpensive to construct, and that its use aifords great comfort and convenience to an invalid who may be confined to bed, as it enables one to eat with comfort and also have other necessary articles within reach while the occupant of the bed is reclining in an easy posture therein.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a post adapted for a pivotal attachment on the side rail of a bedstead, and vertically securable thereon. when so attached, of a standard adjustable on said post, a hinged bracket-plate on said standard, a tray securable on the bracketplate, and means to support saidplate in a level position, substantially as described.

2.. The combination with a post having a longitudinally-disposed sheath thereon, said sheath being longitudinally slotted, and said slot having lateral spaced slots extending therefrom, of a standard slidable in the sheath, a stud on the standard, adapted to slide in the longitudinal slot thereof and to interlock with any lateral intersecting slot, a bracket-plate hinged on a top cross-bar of the standard, a prop-arm for the bracketplate, hinged thereon and adapted to rest on the stud of the standard, and a tray connected with the bracket-plate, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the described construction, thei combination with a supporting-post adapted" to receive upright support or horiflanges of the bracket-plate, and also provided with legs at its corners, substantially as described.

Witnesses N. (J. DURRANT, GEO. W. FRY.

ELLA F. FRY.