US202116A - Improvement in invalid-mattresses - Google Patents

Description

G. B. PRICE. Invalid Mattress.

. No. 202,116. Patented Apr H9, 1878.

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'GHARLES B. PRICE, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT lN lNVALI D-MATTRESSES.

Specification formingpart of Letters Patient No. 202,116, dated April 9, 187 8 application filed November 26, 1877. 1

To all whomt't may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES B. PRICE, of the city of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Invalid-Mattresses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of the mattress on line w 01:, showing the opening in the center, the urinal-pan,water-pipe, spongerod, and also how the mattress is used when placed on an ordinary bedstead. Fig. 2 is a top view of the mattress, showing the opening in the center and urinal-pan, with its waterpipe and sponge-rod. Fig. 3is a longitudinal section of the foot-board of the bedstead, showin g the opening to admit the pan, and also how the opening is closed when not in use. Fig. 4

is a sectional view of the mattress on line y y,

showing the casing in the groove or opening.

The object of this my invention is to provide an improved mattress that may be readily arranged for the invalid to make his evacuations without being removed from the bed, and also without danger of soiling the mattress, the vessel containing the discharges being drawn out at the foot end through a recess or opening in the under side of the mattress and footboard of the bedstead, which opening is after ward closed by a suitable cover.

This mattress may be used on any ordinary bedstead for sleeping purposes, is simple in construction, and conveniently arranged for either purpose, and, by means of its peculiar construction and the "manner in which it is used, it is of much value in preventing bedsores, or in cases of acute rheumatism, typhoid fever, and other similar diseases, in which it would be impossible to'move the patient, its arrangement relieving the nurse of much disagreeable labor in the care of his patient.

This invention consists in a mattress of suitable dimensions, having the middle portion of its foot part cut away about half its thickness, or suficiently large each way on the under side to receive an evacuation-pan loosely. This cut-away portion or recess is cased with wood,

and forms a groove extending from the foot end nearly two-thirds of its whole length, while the upper part or face of the mattress is intact, forming a plain smooth bed, except a small hole in the center for evacuating purposes, which is afterward closed, when not in use, by means of a small tapered stopper made of the same material. I

The top part of the mattress and the evacuating-hole above referred to are covered with a loose gum cloth, that part of which that enters the hole being made in the shape of a hopper or funnel, extending down into the pan, thereby forming a chute, that will effectually prevent any soilin'g of the mattress by contact with the discharge from the patient. In the drawings, A'represents the bedstead, which may be made inany of the known forms, provided with slats B, on which the mattress rests. C is the mattress, which may be made of any suitable material, and in form as shown in the drawing. D is the evacuation-opening in the top, which is made somewhat funnelshaped on the sides and ends. E is the stopper, made of the same material as the mattress, by whichthe opening D may be closed when not in use. F is the groove or opening on the under side to receive the evacuation-pan,which open in g extends up about two-thirds the length, and cuts up into the mattress about half its thickness. P is a wood casing to hold the groove-opening in shape and prevent soiling the'mattress. G is the evacuation-pan, which is made in the form of a square box or trough, as shown in the drawings, but may be made in any, other suitable shape. H is the pipe for supplying the'trough G with water, and also serves as a handle for operating it, when detached at the joint I. This last-named pipe His provided with a nozzle having a flat opening or openings, crossing each other, for the proper distribution of the water. J is a funnel-shaped reservoir, to raise a head with sufficient pressure to supply the pan G, and made detachable at the joint I. K is the sponge-rod in the side of the pan, which enters the end near the corner, and the pan ishere secured from leakage by means of packing or any other suitable device. The inner end of this rod is made to turn up over the nozzle of pipe H, to be in position to receive water into the sponge L on its end.

This sponge L is used for cleansing the person of the patient from all impurities caused by the evacuation without moving the patient. N, Fig. 3, is the foot-board of the bedstead, showing how the cover of the opening is kept in its place. 0 is this cover, which is provided with a small dovetail piece on the inside, which drops in behind corresponding bevels on the foot-board. B is a rubber (gum) cloth covering the whole or a part of the mattress, and having a hopper-shaped portion extending into the opening D and covering its walls, so as to protect them from defilement by discharges.

Having thus fnlly described the nature and object of this my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, in an invalid-mattress, is

1. The mattress O, constructed with the recess F in its under side, and having the casing P, constituting a covered way, integral with the mattress, and adapted to receive, and in combination with, the evacuation-pan G, substantially as shown and described.

2. The invalid-mattress (3, having in its under side, as an integral part thereof, the cased recess or groove F P, leaving the top of the mattress over said recess intact, and having the opening D leading into said recess from above, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an invalid'mattress, the combination of a reciprocating arm or rod and a sponge or equivalent cleaning device, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In an invalid-mattress, the combination of a movable sponge and means for supplying it with water, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of the evacuating-pan, a water-supply reservoir, and a rod carrying a sponge, substantially as and for the purpose described.

CHARLES B. PRICE.

Witnesses FRANK PARDON, O. HEWITT.

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