US1292675A - Attachment for invalid-beds. - Google Patents

Description

E. B. AUGUSTINE.

ATTACHMENT FOR INVALID BEDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21.1918- Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT onmon.

EMILY BREWSTER AUGUSTINE, OF LISBON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO LOUELLA G. BREWSTER,

' OF LISBON, OHIO.

ATTACHMENT FOR INVALID-BEDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

Application filed February 21, 1918. Serial No. 218,456.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMILY BJAUGUSTINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lisbon, in the county of Columb-iana and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Attachment for Invalid-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to attach ments for invalid beds, and its object is to provide an attachment to be used in connection with an invalid bed whereby a patient may be lifted from the bed when, for any reason, it is desired to change the bed clothing or bedding, and also whereby a patient may lift himself or herself to a sitting position without the necessity of help from an attendant.

The invention comprises standards, one for the head end and the other for the foot end of the bed, these standards being of telescoping construction, and each having at the upper end a cross bar with receptacles for extensible poles designed to be arranged on opposite sides of the bed lengthwise of the latter. One portion of each telescoping pole has rings thereon for the passage of cords which, at one end, support a sheet of flexible fabric, such as canvas, and at the other end the cords are grouped and carried within reach of the patient so that when desired, the patient may lift himself to a sitting position, or lower himself to a realming position if he already be sitting up.

-There is also provided another sheet of canvas, or some similar fabric, having straps terminating in hooks arranged to engage over the poles, so that the patient may be supported while the bed is moved to one side for access in order to renew the bedding, and if need be, the mattress.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the further understandin that, while the drawing shows a practica? form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications come within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of the attachment applied to a bed;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the upper ends of the standards or posts, and one of the polessupported by the cross bars at the tops of the posts;

Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal section through one of the posts or standards at the junction of the body of the post and the telescoping member thereof.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a bed or cot 1, which may be considered as following the usual construction.

There are provided two posts or standards 2, each composed of an upright hollow memher with an extension 3 telescoping into the upper end of the post 2. At the lower end, each post has a foot composed of two members 4 and 5 held to the post by a bolt or screw 6, so that these members may be arranged in right angular relation to form an extended support for the post, or they. may be moved into longitudinal matching relation for packing or storage. One end 7 of the member 5 of the foot is shorter than the other end, while the ends of the member 4 may be as long as the shorter end of the member 5. By making the end 7 relatively short, and with the post 2 close to the head or foot of the bed, as the case may be, the space occupied by the foot is mostly underneath the bed, with the end 7 projecting unobtrusively beyond the bed.

It will be observed that the foot portion consists of a fixed member 4., and a movable member 5, the fixed member extending out from the post an equal distance at each side, while the movable member, which is movable in a horizontal plane, extends from opposite sides of the post at unequal distances.

The telescoping section 3 of the post is provided with a longitudinal series of notches or openings 8, while the other mem-- ber of the post has a set screw 9 to enter in one of the notches 8, and thereby hold the telescoping section 3 fixedly in any desired adjusted position in the body of the post 2. Each post has at the upper end of the extension 3 a cross bar 10 carrying a. series of stirrups 11 arranged lengthwise of the bar. There are also provided poles 12, each having an extensible section 13 telescoping into the body of the pole, and held in any desired adjusted position by a set screw l t. The poles are carried by the cross bars 10, each pole seating in the respective one of the stirrups 11 of the two posts 2. Each pole terminates in a head or enlargement 15, so that the pole, when seated in matching stirrnps 11, cannot easily escape therefrom, and yet may be readily placed therein.

Each pole. 12 is provided with a longitudinal series of rings 16, serving the same function as pulleys, through which there extends a cord or strand 17. In the particular arrangement shown, each pole and its body portion is provided with three rings or pulleys 16 spaced lengthwise of the body portion, two of these rings being near the ends of the body portion of the 'pole, and the other ring being intermediate of the first-named rings. The cords 17 carry a sheet 18 of some suitable fabric, such as canvas or the like, in overlying relation to the bed 1, and; the strands 17 at the ends remote from the sheet 18 are brought together and may be directed into convenient reach of a patient carried by the sheet or support 18.

There is also provided another sheet 19 which may be of general rectangular form, and this sheet is carried at the corners by straps 20 each having at the ends remote from the sheet, a hook 21 of such size and shape as to readily hook over the pole-s12.

The sheet 18 may be utilized for supporting the body of the patient, with the sheet 19 supporting the legs of the patient,

this arrangement being valuable in case the; patient is suffering from a broken leg, or

some injury requiring that the leg portion of the body be kept more or less quiescent.

The sheets overlap each other transversely of the bed, and being independently supported by the framework, may be shifted toward or away from each other, thus varying the effective length of the actual patient-supporting portion. This ability to shift the sheets, allows the nurse'to accommodate the device to the size of the patient and by changing the amount of overlapping and adjusting the back-supporting sheet, his comfort is suited as well.

In use, the standards 2 are placed at the head and foot of the bed about mid way of the width thereof, with the bars 10 extending parallel tothe ends of the bed. Then the poles 12 are lodged in any appropriate stirrup 11, and the' sheets 18 and 19, or one of them, are suspended from the poles12 in underriding relation to the patient, that is, between the patient and the bed 1.

If for any reason, the patient should desire to lift himself into a sitting position, this is easily accomplishedby graspingthe bunched ends of the strandsor cords 17', or suitable onesof'them, and by drawing onthese cords. If, for instance, the patient has a broken leg, thenit is difficult to lift himself to the upright position without aid. The invention, in the respect mentioned, takes the place of anattendant, for the patient may readily lift himself to the upright position through the aid of the strands 17 and sheet 18, without in any manner disturbing the injured leg. If it be found necessary to move the bed from beneath the patient, this is readily accomplished by the aid of the two sheets 18 and 19, the sheet 19 permitting the support of the patient without material lifting, and the sheet 18 being adjustable as to height, so that while the bed is being changed, the patient may either recline or be supported in a sitting position, as desired.

Ihe telescoping posts 2 provide for placing the cross bars 10 at different heights to answer different conditions, and the arrangement of the stirrups 11 in series along the cross bars provides for placing the poles l2 difl'erent distances apart, or for the use of a single pole through the middle portion of the bed, since there is a stirrup immediately over each post 2. For some reasons, it may be found advisable to use a single pole, or under other conditions, two poles may be advantageous, either for lifting purposes as already described, or fer supporting purposes, as when it'isdesired to cover the bed, with mosquito netting or when it is desired to exclude light from the patient.

l/Vhat is claimed is 1- 1. An attachment for invalid beds comprising two posts, one for each end of the bed, each post having a foot portion for supporting it and a telescoping section for varying the effective height of the post, a cross bar on the upper end of each telescoping section, a series of stirrups carried by each cross bar, and extensible poles adapted to the stirrupsand of a: length to eachlodge in corresponding stirrups of the cross bars.

2. 111 attachment for invalid beds comprising two posts each having a foot portion, and each post having a telescoping section at the end remote from the foot, a cross bar carried by the upper end of the telescoping section of each post, a series of stirrups arranged lengthwise of each cross bar, telescoping'poles adapted to the stirrups for connectingthe cross bars, andpatient supporting sheets, each" having suspending means for supporting the sheet from the poles.

An attachment for invalid; bedscomprising two' posts' each having afoot portion, and eachpost having'a telescoping section at the en'di remote from= thefoot, a crossbar carried bythe upper 91ml of "the telescoping section of each post, a series of' stirrups arranged lengthwise of; each cross bar, telescoping poles adapted'to the-stirrups for connecting the cross-bars, patientsu-pportmg sheets, each having suspending means for supporting the sheet from the poles, the suspension means for one of the sheets comprising cords connected to the side portion of the sheet, and rings arranged along the poles, with those ends of the cords remote from the sheet brought together for manipulation by the patient.

4. An attachment for invalid beds com prising a supporting framework for association with the bed, and sheets for carrying the patient and in turn independently suspended from the supporting framework, one of the sheets having its suspension means accessible to a patient supported by the sheet, whereby the patient may be lifted to a sitting position or lowered to a reclining position without assistance, said sheets overlapping each other transversely of the bed, the extent of such overlapping being adjustable for the purpose set forth,

5. An attachment for invalid beds comprising a supporting framework, and patient-supporting sheets each independently supported from the framework, one of the sheets having its suspension means accessible to said patient whereby the latter may lift himself to sitting position or lower himself to reclining position, said sheet loosely overlapping the other sheet transversely of the bed, both sheets being shiftable longitudinally and independently along the framework whereby they may be accommodated to the size and comfort of the patient.

6. An attachment for invalid beds comprising single'suppor'ting posts for location at the opposite ends of the bed substantially in the longitudinal center thereof, each post having a cross bar at the top extending toward each side of the bed, poles for location lengthwise of the bed, invalid supporting means connected to said poles, and a series of stirrups for the ends of the poles carried by and extended lengthwise of the cross bars, whereby each pole may be seated in corresponding stirrups for locating the pole and the invalid supporting means intermediate of the length of the bar or at different distances on either side of the middle of the bar.

7. An attachment for invalid beds comprising posts, one for each end of the bed, each post having a foot portion for supporting it on the floor independently of the bed, a cross bar on the upper end of each post, a lon itudinal series of receptacles in spaced re ation one to the other on each cross bar, and poles for engagement with matching receptacles of the cross bars, whereby either pole may connect the cross bars at an intermediate portion or on either side of the intermediate portion of the cross bars.

8. An attachment for invalid beds comprising posts, one for each end of the bed, each post having a foot portion for supporting it independently of the bed, and a telescoping part for varying the effective height of the post, a cross bar on the upper end of each telescoping'section, a longitudinal series of stirrups in spaced relation one to the other on each cross bar, and extensible poles for engagment with matching stirrups of the cross bars, whereby either pole may connect the cross bars at an intermediate portion or on either side of the intermediate ortion of the cross bars, and each pole having a series of devices through which cords may be passed and a sheet for the support of a patient hung from said cords.

9. An attachment for invalid beds comprising a supporting framework including longitudinal poles adapted to extend from one end of the bed to the other, a pair of patient-supporting sheets, said sheets loosely overlapping one another intermediate of the length of the bed and together forming a single patient-supporting surface, straps having hooks at their ends for suspending one of the sheets from the poles, cords for suspending the other sheet, and means provided on the poles for supporting and guiding the cords.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EMILY BREWSTER AUGUSTINE.

Witnesses:

J. C. BREWSTER, LOUELLA BREWSTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

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