US2197304A

US2197304A - Hospital bed

Info

Publication number: US2197304A
Application number: US199265A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert H Haynes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-03-31
Filing date: 1938-03-31
Publication date: 1940-04-16
Anticipated expiration: 1957-04-16

Description

April 16, 1940. HAYNES 2,197,304

HOSPITAL BED Filed March 31, 1938 abtowayi Patented Apr. 16, 1940 UNITED sures PATENT OFFICE I. 2,197,304 7 HOSPITAL BED,

Herbert H. Haynes, Clarksburg, W. Va. Application March a1, 1938, Serial No. 199,265

1 Claim.

. therewith a sectional bed spring, the sections of which may be adjusted to various relative angles.

In the treatment of certain diseases and conditions of patients it is highly important, in many instances, to place the patient in a -position at an angle to the horizontal. For instance, in the caseof shock, relief of pain in lumbar puncture,

spinal anesthesia, etc., it is of paramount. im-

portance that the patient be placed in an inclined position with his head at the bottom of the incline and his feet at the topthereof. Likewise in the case of peritonitis, it is importantthat the patient be placed in the Fowler position, i. e;, an inclined position in which the patients head is at the top of the incline and his feet at the bottom thereof.

Also it is an every day occurrence that the patient be moved to a sitting'or reclining position for various reasons which will be readily apparent. It is an object of the present invention therefore to provide a hospital bed in which a supplemental frame is transversely pivoted to the main bed frame, together with means for adjusting the supplemental frame about its pivot so as to move the head of the frame to a point below the main frame or to a point above the same in accordance with the requirements of the disease or condition being treated,

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a hospital bed having a pivoted supplemental frame together with simplified means for moving the frame about its pivot and locking it in either head down or ,head up position. I

A still further object of the invention consists incombining with a pivoted supplemental frame, a sectional bed spring and means for adjusting the sections thereof to various relative angles.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved bed showing the supplemental frame adjusted to head up position, the sectional bed spring being adjusted to one of its angular positions and indicated in part in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows.

. Figure 3 is an enlarged detail side elevational view of the mechanism for operating the supplemental frame, and

Figure 4 is a side elevational view (reduced scale) of the bed, showing the supplemental frame in normal horizontal position and the sectional bed spring adjusted to one of its angular positions.

. Referring to the drawing in greater detail, the numeral 1 indicates a bed of the general type used in hospitals, sanitariums and the like, and is composed of the end frames 2 and 3, and side members l rigidly connecting the end frames as indicated. 7

The supplemental frame is indicated by numeral 5 :and is pivoted intermediate its ends by a shaft 6 passing through the members 4 of the main bed frame and through the corresponding members of the supplemental frame. Nuts I are threaded onto the ends of shaft 6 for securing the same to the bed, and fixed, spaced collars 8 are provided to prevent lateral movement of frame 5 into contact with the main frame 4.

Suspended below the frame 4, as by means of hangers 9 is an angle bar I0 extending transversely of the bed. This bar is shown as located toward the head of the bedbut it will be obvious that it might be placed in a corresponding position at the opposite end of the bed if desired. Moreover, it will be apparent that the longitudinalpositicn of the bar Hi and its vertical distan'ce below the frame G will determine the limit of downward inclination of the supplemental frame 5 at that end of the bed.

Depending from the bar in is a pair of hangers H for supportingthe ends of a shaft l2 and a hanger I3 for supporting the central portion thereof. The shaft I2 is provided with right and left hand screw threads l4 and i5 for cooperation with similarly threaded follower blocks l6 and I1, and on the ends of the shaft are secured crankengaging pins I8 to which. a crank 20 may be detachably connected.

Connecting rods or links 2l-2l have their inner ends pivotally mounted in bearing members 22 formed on the follower blocks 16-41. The opposite ends of the links 2| are pivotally connected to bracket members 23 fixed to the sides of the supplemental frame 5.

Rotation of the shaft l2 in one direction will, of course, cause the blocks iii-l1 to travel inwardly toward the middle of the shaft, thereby drawing the links 2| into more or less horizontal positions and lowering the supplemental frame intosubstantially horizontal position. Rotation of the shaft l2 in the opposite direction will, of course, cause the blocks IB-Il to travel outwardly toward the ends of the shaft. This movement of the blocks will move the links 2| toward a vertical position and consequently raise the adjacent end of the bed as indicated in Figure 1.

The duplicate crank-engaging means at opposite ends of shaft I2 permit the nurse or other operator of the bed to adjust the position of the supplemental frame from either side of the bed, which is in itself a distinct advantage under many conditions arising in the hospitalization of patients. Moreover, the use of a screw as the power transmitting means not only permits a patients position to be readily altered without inconvenience and with slight exertion on the part of the operator, but also serves as an effective lock to securely hold the supplemental frame in the position to which it is adjusted.

While the primary purpose of the present invention relates to the positioning of the patient in an inclined position with the head either above or below the horizontal plane of the bed, nevertheless the invention also comprehends a construction whereby the patient may be moved to various other positions from time to time as desired.

To this end there is associated with the pivoted frame 5, in the embodiment of the invention shown herein, a sectional bed spring composed of the sections 30, 3|, 32 and 33. The section 3| is relatively short and is fixed to the supplemental frame at a point adjacent the middle of its length. Pivoted to .one end of section 3| is the section 30 at the head of the bed, While at the opposite end of section 3| the section 32 is pivoted. The foot section 33 of the spring is pivoted to the adjacent end of section 32.

The

sections

30 and 32 of the bed spring may be raised to various angular positions by means of pairs of links 34. These links have their upper ends pivoted to the respective sections, and their opposite ends are pivoted to follower blocks 35--36 engaged on right and left hand threaded shafts 31 mounted on the supplemental frame 5. The section 33 is not provided with operating levers inasmuch as it will be automatically raised or lowered as the section 32 to which it is pivotally connected is raised or lowered.

The operation of the several parts of the apparatus has been described in connection with the description of the structural details, and will be repeated only in a general way.

In the ordinary operation of the bed, the supplemental frame 5 will be adjusted to horizontal position, and the several sections of the bed spring will lie flat on the supplemental frame. When it is found desirable to tilt the patients body to a head downward position, as in the case of shock, spinal anesthesia, etc., or to the Fowler position as in peritonitis, etc., it is only necessary to turn the crank 20 in the proper direction to produce a clockwise or counter-clockwise movement of the supplemental frame 5. When the desired inclination of the frame is accomplished the movement of the crank is discontinued and the frame will be automatically locked in such position.

Should it be desired to move the patient to a sitting posture, as at mealtime, or for any other purpose, or to raise him to a reclining position for reading or the like, this may be readily accomplished by suitable operation of either or both of the shafts 31 which serve to elevate or lower the

bed spring sections

30, 32 and 33. It will also be understood of course that the sections of the bed spring may be thus adjusted regardless of whether the supplemental frame is in horizontal or inclined position.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing it will be apparent that the improved hospital bed is readily adaptable to practically any position which treatment of the patient, or his convenience, may dictate, and that the adjustability of the bed is accomplished with a minimum amount of structure and a minimum amount of effort on the part of the operator.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described what I now believe to be the preferred form of the invention, but inasmuch as various changes may be made in the structural details without departing from the spirit of the invention, it is intended all such changes be included within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A hospital bed including a fixed substantially rectangular main frame, a rigid supplemental frame pivotally supported by the main frame intermediate the length of the supplemental frame,.

a hanger depending from each side of the main frame and rigidly attached thereto, a horizontal bar rigidly connecting the lower ends of the hangers, other hangers depending from the said bar and rigid therewith, a horizontally arranged threaded shaft mounted in the lower ends of said last mentioned hangers, and spaced a substantial distance below the plane of the supplemental frame when the latter is in normal position, whereby the supplemental frame may be tilted either forwardly or rearwardly, follower blocks threaded to the shaft, means for connecting the blocks with the supplemental frame, a sectional spring frame on the supplemental frame, a threaded shaft on the supplemental frame, follower blocks threaded to the last-mentioned shaft, connections between the last-mentioned follower blocks and one of the sections of the spring frame, and means for rotating each of said shafts.

HERBERT I-I. HAYNES.