GB1344023A - Apparatus for the emptying and cleaning of bed-pans - Google Patents

Abstract

1344023 Apparatus for emptying, cleaning and drying bed-pans G W VAN KEULEN VERWARMINGSINDUSTRIE NV 30 June 1972 [19 May 1972] 30823/72 Heading A4N Apparatus for emptying, cleaning, and drying bed-pans comprises a rotatable shaft 5 which is mounted in a housing 1 having a movable cover 19 and to which the bed-pan 20 is attached such that when the shaft is turned the bed-pan is inverted to empty its contents into a chamber 4, nozzles 21 for spraying water on to the interior of the bed-pan, and driving means for the the continuous high speed rotation of the shaft and the consequential drying of the bed-pan by centrifugal action. The shaft is turned to invert the bed-pan by a hydraulic servo-system working through a rack and pinion or by turning a hand crank, or a hand wheel 18 as in Fig.1. The driving means may be either an electric motor 28 coupled to the shaft by a belt 30 and pulleys 29 and 31 or a water turbine 32 mounted directly on the shaft. The bed-pan is attached to the shaft between a pair of fixed hooks 7 and a pair of hooks 9 slidably mounted on the shaft by a slide piece 11 and a bolt 12. The bed-pan handle 15 is located between two pins 13. The engagement of the hooks 9 with the bed-pan is maintained by a spring 17 and released by axially sliding the wheel 18 to the right operating through a coupling rod 16. The bed-pan may be balanced about the shaft axis by attaching suitable nuts 25 to a bolt 27 mounted on the shaft. Additional spray nozzles 22 are provided to flush the chamber 4, with waste liquid flowing though a water trap 24, to a drain connection 23. Raising the cover 19 operates an interlock which applies a brake to stop shaft rotation, Closing the cover shields the hand wheel 18. The apparatus may be controlled by an automatic programme.