GB2081337A - Hospital ward screen - Google Patents

Abstract

A hospital ward screen frame comprising two or more tubular sections (10) which are removably fastened together (e.g. by spring fasteners 36) so that the frame can be taken apart and packed in a small space. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hospital ward screen This invention relates to hospital ward screens.

Hospital ward screens generally comprise a number of tubular metal frames which are hinged together so that they can be set at different angles with respect to each other. Curtain wires or rods extend across each frame near its top and bottom portions so as to support a curtain, and it is usual to mount each frame on an inverted V-shaped or U-shaped tubular member forming two legs provided with castors at their lower ends.

In the manufacture of the individual frames of such screens, it has hitherto been the practice to bring together four lengths of tubular metal - two to form the vertical sides of the frame, and the other two to form the top and bottom portions of the frame. The top and bottom portions are provided with bent-over end sections in order that those end sections may receive the corresponding ends of the two vertical tubes as a force fit, after which the four tubes may be welded or rivetted together.

It will therefore been seen that a screen formed, say, of four such frames hinged together, takes up quite an amount of space when packed for transport or storage. In fact, because of their design, there will be a lot of wasted space in any container in which screens are placed. Moreover, this wasted space cannot be reduced as the frames consist of tubes which are permanently attached to each other by welding, rivetting or other non-detachable means.

A further disadvantage is that it is very easy to damage or otherwise ill-treat the jigs or machines which are used to produce the force-fit between the respective tubes of each frame. In addition, each frame, once formed, is a cumbersome object to weld, rivet or otherwise fasten, and to pass through painting or other surface-finishing apparatus.

With these considerations in mind, the present invention is directed to a new form of frame for hospital ward screens.

According to the invention, a tubular metal frame for a hospital ward screen comprises two or more tubular sections which are removably fastened together so that the frame can be taken apart and packed in a small space.

In this way, the wastage of packing spaced referred to above is simply but effectively overcome.

In one form of the invention, the end sections of an upper tubular member and a lower tubular member are bent over, as in previous ward screen frames, to receive the respective ends of two vertical tubes which form the sides of the frame. However, instead of being force-fitted together as in the past, the upper and lower ends of the two vertical tubes slide easily into the respective end sections of the upper and lower tubular members and are retained therein by hairpin-style spring studs or clips each having a nose or projection which projects through two aligned holes in the overlapping tube parts so as to hold the tubes of the frame together in a releasable manner. The nose or projection on each spring stud or clip can then serve as a hookforthe appropriate end of a curtain wire or rod.

By way of example, a specific hospital ward screen in accordance with the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lisa perspective view of the assembled screen; Figure 2 is an enlarged side view of an upper tubular portion of one of the frames of the screen showing the manner in which its ends are releasably connected to respective vertical tubes forming the sides of the frame; Figure 3 is a still further enlarged perspective view of the releasable connection shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section through one of the hinges by which a number of frames are hinged together; and Figure 5 is an enlarged side view of a hairpin-style spring clip forming part of the releasable connection shown in Figure 2.

The hospital ward screen shown in Figure 1 comprises, in this particular instance, four tubular metal frames 10 each having an inverted V-shaped or U-shaped tubular member forming two legs 12 provided at their lower ends with castors 14. Curtains 16 are supported on the frame by curtain wires or rods 42 which extend across each frame 10 near its upper and lower tubular portions.

As in the past, each frame 10 is made up of an upper tubular member 18, a lower tubular member 20, and two vertical tubes 22 which form the sides of the frame. Contrary to existing manufacturing practice, however, these tubular parts are held together in a releasable fashion so that each frame can be taken apart and packed in a small space. The releasable connection between adjoining tubular parts is shown in Figures 2 and 3. it will be seen that the upper end 24 of each vertical tube 22 is able to enter the respective turned-over end portion 26 of the upper tube 18 as a sliding fit until the lower edge 28 of the upper tube 18 abuts against a shoulder formed by the upper edge 30 of a hinge 32 which serves to hold adjacent frames together.This hinge is formed, as shown in Figure 4, by partially flattening a tube into a Figure 8 configuration or by shaping or moulding a metal or synthetic plastics component of similar configuration.

Once the edge 28 abuts against the shoulder 30, a nose or projection 34 on one of the side limbs of a hairpin-style spring or clip 36 contained within the tube 22 is able to project through aligned slots 38 and 40 in the end portion 26 of the upper tubular member 18 and in the upper end portion 24 of the vertical tube 22. The nose or projection 34 then serves as a hook or eye for one end of a curtain wire or rod 42, whilst also serving as a releasable retaining member for the two tube parts.

The same form of connection is used to connect all four adjoining tube parts together. This not only permits the frame to be dismantled for packing and storing in a small place but also allows each tube to be painted or surface-finished with much more ease than is the case with a complete frame.

It is possible to use other forms of stud or clip to that shown in Figure 5, but a hairpin-style clip has the advantage of simplicity and cheapness - and also of being easily provided with a nose or other projection 34.

Claims (8)

1. A tubular metal frame for a hospital ward screen comprising two or more tubular sections which are removably fastened together so that the frame can be taken apart and packed in a small space.

2. A hospital ward screen frame according to claim 1, in which at least two adjacenttubular sections of the frame are removably fastened together by a spring stud or clip having a nose or projection which projects into two aligned holes in overlapping end-portions of the respective tubular sections so as to hold the latter together in a releasable manner.

3. A hospital ward screen frame according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the end sections of an upper tubular member and a lower tubular member are bent over to receive, in a releasable manner, the respective ends of two tubes which form the sides of the frame.

4. A hospital ward screen frame according to claim 2 or claim 3 when appendant thereto, in which the spring stud or clip, or each stud or clip, is in the form of a hairpin having the nose or projection on one of its side limbs.

5. A hospital ward screen frame according to claim 2 or claim 4, in which the nose or projection on the spring stud or clip, or on each stud or clip, projects through the two aligned holes in the overlapping end-portions of the respective tubular sections so as to serve as a hook for an end of a curtain wire or rod.

6. A hospital ward screen frame substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A hospital ward screen having a number of frames as claimed in any preceding claim which are hinged together by hinges of Figure 8 configuration.

8. A hospital ward screen substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.