US2500739A - Invalid's bed - Google Patents

Description

Maych M, 3950 M. BEEM ,5,

INVALIDS BED Filed Sept. 1, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mal 4 55M 1 N V EN TOR.

M. BEEM INVALIDS BED March 14, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 1, 1945 March 14,1950) M. BEEM 2,500,739

INVALIDS BED Filed Sept. 1, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented M 1!. 14, 195% UNITED other;

Application September 1, 1945;8erial-No. 6135985 ill in This invention relates to beds, and has as its general object to provide a bed having incolzporated therein all of the conveniences necessary for the care of an invalid patient. The. inven-. tion L's-particularly useful in hospital and invalids beds.

One or the objects of the invention is totprca videa bedhaving a fius-hable toilet incorporated therein, eliminating the necessity for the use of a bed pan. More specifically, the inventionaims to provideabed having a normally covered'opening to which a toilet is adapted-to-be presented, the toilet being normally concealed beneath the bed, in a lowered position. Ari-important object or the invention is to provide a bed of this type wherein the existence of the toilet opening does not inany Way detract from the com-fort of the patient when resting in the bed. To this end, the invention contemplates an arrangement wherein the toilet and toilet opening are disposed at one side of bed, separate and apart from the major portion of the-bed in which the patient normally rests.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a bed'having a removable bed bottom which is adapted to be transfer-red to an ambutar/ory cart for transporting the patient from the bed to other parts of a hospital. In connection with this object, the invention contemplates the provision of a bed structure whereinthe toilet portion of the bed is fixed to the bed frame and the main portion of the bed has the removable bed bottom portion just-mentioned.

A further object of the invention is to provide a flushable toilet arrangement-in which the toilet bowl, in its operative position, is so inclined as to permit the body of the patient to be supported in a proper relation to the bowl, and in a comfortable reclining position. Consequently, the invention has as a further object to provide a bed wherein the toilet portion of the bed has a bed bottom that is articulated, including a back rest, a thigh portion and a leg rest adapted to be elevated to inclined positions in which they cooperate to forma reclining :seat for the patient. The invention alsocontemplates an arrangement wherein the main bed bottom portion of the bed is likewise articulated, and wherein common. e1evating mechanism is employed for raising there: spective sections of'both. of thesezbedbottqmportions of; the bed simultanequsly.

,A f r h r ob ec of th i e tion is o p ovid a normal lift meqhanism f or elevating therespeetive portions of the bed, which lifttmechanis'n is arranseditpmor r u cfen asementwitnthe 2, removablev bed bottom portion. so. as to perm t-511,; tobe nemovedfrom-thebed;

Another object oiqthe invention is tolprovideta bedlin which thetoiletbowl is adapted tolbe pro jected horizontally from beneath the bed; for-11st by: an ambulatory patient. A further object is-tolprovidea bedl in-which the, toilet bowl isadapted. touconform toi the an: gu-larit of the thigh section. of the ..toiletwseat portion of the bed.

Another object isto provide a bed which, in additionto the above mentioned'features, incqrs porates a lavatory that is normally concealed be: heath. the bed and is adapted; to be moved'toja position above the bed for use by .a patient the bed. Another object is; to. .prpnideca bed which, in addition to the foregoing 'features, is provided: with a trapeze by means .of which the. patient may more himself from the mainportionfof; the. bed to the toilet. portion of the bed, and which. incorporates mechanism for shifting the trapeze from a normally inoperative position in whichit substantially conforms to the outline of thehead; ofthebed to an operative positionprojected over the bed.

vAnotherobject of the invention is topro ide a bed in which the toiletopening- .is normally coil ered by-a cover that :15 provided, with mechanism. fionautomatically moving it to. a position which it permits access to the. toilet, as the resultnofithe elevation of the toilet to the toilet opening.

@ther objects of the invention will appear in the ensuing specificationiZw-hen considered connection with the appended drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view. of a hospitalbled embody-1;

a! n ii Fe 15 a re sve ena na -view he ma hs a at ry t s l ra e e sitiqne -en ex m le e e I. ei en be when. her We drawing a bed imploding a head 9',' a'. foot lllfr removable bed bottom portion 12 comprising-three eamen 4, M and i5 i eedlt se h ra 2A 22, and a narrow bed bottom portion I1 comprising parts l8, l9 and 28 hinged together at 23 and 24. The hinges 22 are connected to a sub-frame 16 (Fig. 3) and the hinges 24 are connected to fixed longitudinal rails II, II.

The thigh section l9 of the toilet portion of the bed bottom is provided with an opening to receive the toilet bowl 25. The toilet bowl 25 is adapted to move vertically from a position near the floor to the raised position shown in Fig. 2, in which position it projects upwardly through the opening in the thigh section IS. The upper extremity of the bowl is, in this position, sufficiently below the upper surface of the mattress 26 (indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2) so that g the compression of the mattress under the patients weight will bring thethighs of the patient into contact with the bowl.

The opening in the thigh section [9 is normally covered by a cover 21 which has a frame portion 28 extending downwardly therethrough and hinged at 29 to brackets 30 that are secured to the side frame members of the thigh section l9. Thus the cover 2'! may swing upwardly to a position in which the frame portion 28 contacts the outer rail of the thigh section l9, in which position the cover 21 will be projected beyond the side of the bed. The frame portion 28 includes one or more compartments 28a for holding toilet tissue or the like.

The bowl 25 is attached to one end of a waste pipe 3| which is of flexible tubing. The other end of the pipe 3| is connected to a sewer outlet 32. For flushing the toilet, I provide a connection 33 to a flexible water inlet 34 which in turn is connected to a water supply pipe 35. The connection 33 may include a valve which is controlled by a solenoid 36.

The bowl 25 is carried on the end of a swinging yoke 36. One end of the yoke 36 is hinged at 31 to the bowl 25 and the other end of the yoke is hinged at 38 to a bracket 39 which is pivoted, on a vertical axis, between a pair of bearings 40 and 4| respectively. The bearings 49 and 4| are secured to the fixed frame mechanism of the bed.

Journalled in the bracket 39 is a screw shaft 42 on which is threaded a follower nut 43. Nut 43' is held against rotation by a slidable connection with a channel 44 in the bracket 39, and is caused to travel vertically when the shaft 42 is rotated. For rotating the shaft 42, I provide a reduction gear 45, driven by a motor 46 carried on the head member 9. The gear 45 may include a worm on the shaft of the motor 46 and a worm gear secured on the screw shaft 42.

A pair of chains 47 are attached to the follower nut 43, extend over idler sprocket 48 on the bracket 39, and are attached at their other ends to a yoke 49 that in turn is attached to the yoke 36. It will now'be apparent that operation of the motor 46 will cause the nut 43 to travel vertically on the shaft 42, thereby raising or lowering the bowl 25.

A coil spring 5|, under tension between the bowl 25 and the yoke 36, tends to maintain the bowl 25 in a, neutral position with reference to the yoke 36. From this neutral position, the bowl 25 may be tilted in either direction so as to conform to the angularity of the thigh section l9. Such tilting movement is caused by engagement of a plurality of rollers 52, carried by the bowl 25, with the underside of the thigh section l9.

When the bowl 25 is in its lowered position, it

may be projected horizontally from beneath the bed by the swinging of the entire bowl suspension unit including the bowl 25 and the yoke 36, bracket 39 and chain 41, about the axis of the bearings 40, 41. This provides for use on the floor, by an ambulatory patient.

The elevation of the bowl 25 automatically moves the cover 21 to its open position. This is effected by means of an arm 53, pivoted at 54 to a bracket 55 that is secured to the fixed frame 19, and a link 56 universally connected at its respective ends to the arm 53 and to the frame portion 28 of the cover 21.

For elevating the articulated sections of the toilet portion ll, of the bed top, I provide pairs of rack bars 51 and 58 respectively the upper ends of which are adapted to engage in sockets 59 and 60 respectively secured to the under sides of the top sections l8 and 20. Each of the rack bars 51 and 58 extend through guide members 6 l, are meshed therein with pinions 62, and have bearing engagement with idler rollers 63. The pinions 62 are mounted on shafts 64 which extend transversely beneath the bed and are each driven by a motor 65, through a reduction gear 66.

The articulated sections of the removable bed bottom unit 12 are likewise adapted to be elevated by lift units identical to those just described and referred to by the same reference numerals. These lift units are connected to the same shaft 64 which drive the lift units for the toilet portion of the bed top.

In their retracted positions, the rack bars 51 and 58 are lowered sufiiciently so that their upper ends are withdrawn from the sockets 59 and 60 and clear the lower sides of the longitudinal rails of the sub-frame I6. This permits the removable top unit l2 to be moved ofi the bed without interference from the lift mechanism.

The trapeze comprises a horizontal bar 61 having a pair of normally vertical side arms 68 which are carried by normally horizontal side arms 69. The ends of the arms 69 are mounted upon a shaft 16 which is journalled in the fixed frame member II, H, H. In the lowered position of the trapeze, the arms 69 extend horizontally alongside the rails H, H", in spaces between these rails and side panels 12 and 13 of the bed. The arms 68 extend upwardly along the side extremities of the head 9 of the bed, and the crossbar 61 extends along the upper edge of the head 9. This indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The sub-frame I6 is provided with rollers 15 operating in tracks 16 which are secured at their ends to fixed frame members II and H and extend transversely of the bed. The sub-frame l6, top sections I3, I 4 and I5, and the mattress 11 supported thereon, collectively constitute the unit l2 which is removable from the bed onto an ambuatory cart [8. Cart 18 has tracks 19 which are adapted to register with the tracks 16 when the cart is moved to the proper position alongside the bed as shown in Fig. 3, and the removable bed bottom unit I 2 may then be simply rolled -r transversely from the bed onto the cart 18.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the rollers 15 are mounted in end members 89 of the sub-frame 16, which end members so lie directly above the tracks 16.

The fixed frame members H, II, and H are secured and supported at their ends upon the head 9 and foot ID in any suitable manner, as by resting upon angle brackets 8| secured to the head 9 and foot ID.

The toilet portion I! of the bed bottom is permanently attached to the bedby-the hinging of the; sections Hand 20 to, brackets 82 which are secured upon the fixed frame rails Ill and II". These brackets are of sufficient height to bring the hinges 24 in alignment with hinges 22. The head and foot rests 25 and 18 are supported upon transverseframe members fit fitand 85respectively when the sections of the; toilet portion of the: bed bottom are in their lowered, horizontal position.

Secured to. the shaft ill is a lever 86 which projects downwardly. At the lower end of the lever 8.6 is pivoted at Bl, a sleevefifi. A shaft89 extends through the sleeve 88 and has afiixed theretoa stop collar 9t whichis, adapted to push against thesleeve 88 for rocking, the lever 86- to rotate, the shaft If! and lift the trapeze to the-operativeposition shown in Fig. 2. The shaft 89 forms part of a screwjack 9! which is-driven, through reduction gearing 92, by an electric motor 93. The gearing 52 is pivoted at 9 3 to the fixedeframe member l l.

its elevated position, the trapeze bar. 6'! extends. above the bed in; the proper position to permit'the patient to reach upand grasp itin order to swing himself laterally from the main bed portion l2 to the toilet portion ii.

I provide a lavatory 95, mounted upon the upper ends of the vertical arms 96 of a pair of tubes 91 which extend horizontally parallel to each other. The ends of the tubes 9! are capped at 98. A water supply tube 99 is connected to one of the tubes 9? and a waste disposal tube Hill is connected to the other tube 97. The tubes 99 and I are flexible and are connected respectively to a water supply pipe It! and a sewer outlet pipe I02. One of the tube members 96 carries water to the lavatory bowl 95 and the other is connected to the drain outlet thereof.

The tubes 9'! are supported on the ends of arms I03 to which they are pivoted. The arms )3 are mounted on shafts Hit of a pair of reduction gear units I05. An electric motor 108 drives the gear units I05 through a shaft lill.

Operation of the motor H16 in one direction will swing the arms I03 clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 4), projecting the lavatory bowl 95 through an opening its in the panel 73. The opening N38 is normally closed by a door IE9 which is hinged in the panel 73. As the movement of arms I03 continues, bowl 95 will move upwardly and then as the arms I03 swing past the top center, the bowl 95 will move back toward and over the bed, to the position indicated in Fig. 5.

The motors 46, 65, 93 and H16 are all reversible electric motors, so the various units may be operated in both directions.

The lavatory unit includes a utility tray H! which may assume a position covering the bowl 95, in which position, it may be utilized as a tray for supporting dishes of food, cosmetics, toilet accessories and implements, etc. The tray l H is hinged to the lavatory at H2, and when the lavatory is to be used, the tray Ill is swung to the position shown in Fig. 5, in which it depends from the hinge H2 and covers the back of the lavatory.

The panel '12 has a hinged section H5 which is adapted to swing outwardly to permit the horizontal swinging of the bowl from beneath the bed. The section H5 is hinged to the head 9 of the bed at I I6.

Provision is made for heating the bed by the circulation of hot air from beneath the bed upwardly into the space beneath the covers of the bed; r-Fortthis purpose, :I providezra heater l 'l ir. which is, disposed in the space below the I lull-I'd; Between-the narrow top-portion J t1 and the re movable -topportiondz of-the bed theresisnon mally .a narrow space "I t8; through whiohhotairfrom the heater 'tl may rise into thespace? he neaththecoversotthe bed. I

Iclaim asmy-invention:

1'. In a bed, a fixed, non-portable frame, a bed'bottom. comprising two. separate bottom por time one permanently attached to said fixed frame and having a toilet facility incorporated: therein, said: toilet facilityincluding flushing-"and: sewenconnections, and the other comprisinga main: patient supporting bottom portion normally arranged alongside said one portion to form therewith a substantially continuous-supporting surface on which the'patient'ma-y readily-move fromsaid main supporting portion onto said. one portion for use of thetoiletfacility,'saidLmain. supporting portion being detachable from said fixed frame for transportation of the patient away-fr0m the'bed, and means mounting said main supporting portion on said fixed frame for horizontal translational movement off of and back onto the fixed frame.

2. In a bed, a frame, a pair of separate sectional bed bottom portions each including a back rest and thigh section carried by said frame and hinged together for elevating movement toward each other and a leg rest hinged to said thigh section to provide a knee joint, said bed bottom portions being arranged side by side to normally provide conjointly a substantially continuous bed surface, one of said bed bottom portions providing a normal resting surface and the thigh section of the other providing a toilet seat and having a toilet opening, a toilet bowl beneath said other bottom portion, cooperable with said opening, and lift mechanism having common drive mechanism and parts adapted to simultaneously elevate both of said bed bottom portions in continuously registering relation, whereby a person may, at any stage of such elevation, easily move from said normal resting surface onto said toilet seat and back.

3. In a bed, a frame, a pair of separate sectional bed bottom portions each including a back rest and thigh section carried by said frame and hinged together for elevating movement toward each other and a leg rest hinged to said thigh section to provide a knee joint, said bed bottom portions being arranged side by side to normally provide conjointly a substantially continuous bed surface, means on said frame and one of said bed bottom portions providing for horizontal lateral translational movement of the latter off of said frame whereby said one bed bottom portion may be moved onto a transporting cart, said one bed bottom portion providing a normal resting surface and the thigh section of the other pIOVidlng a toilet seat and having a toilet opening, a toilet bowl beneath said other bottom portion, cooperable with said opening, and lift mechanism having common drive mechanism and parts adapted to simultaneously elevate both of said bed bottom portions in continuously registerin relation, whereby a person may, at any stage of such elevation, easily move from said normal resting surface onto said toilet seat and back, said elevating parts for said one bed bottom portion being retractable to allow said movement off said frame.

4. A bed comprising a fixed frame, a removable frame, roller mechanism supporting said removable frame on said fixed frame for horizontal translational movement whereby it may be removed from the bed, a bed bottom supported upon said removable frame, said bed bottom comprising a head section and a thigh section hinged to the removable frame and a foot section hinged to said thigh section, and elevating means carried by the fixed frame and adapted to move from a position disposed wholly below the plane of said removable frame so as to permit free movement thereof horizontally, to a position wherein it contacts a bed bottom section from below and raises it to an inclined position.

5. A bed comprising a fixed frame, a removable frame, means supporting said removable frame for horizontal translational movement on said fixed frame, whereby it may be removed from the bed, and a sectional bed bottom carried by said removable frame, said bed bottom comprising a head section and a thigh section hinged to the removable frame and a foot section hinged to said thigh section.

MARVEL BEEM.

REFERENCES CITEfi The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 274,392 Sargent Mar. 20, 1883 557,614 Schmitt Apr. 7, 1896 653,547 countryman July 10, 1900 801,865 Hall et al Oct. 17, 1905 882,714 Proctor Mar. 24, 1908 1,636,705 Prettenthaler July 26, 1927 1,707,464 Horst Apr. 2, 1929 1,714,111 Staufenbiel May 21, 1929 1,740,906 Rothauszky et a1. Dec. 24, 1929 1,840,170 Neils Jan. 5, 1932 1,869,036 Zink July 26, 1932 1,879,185 Gleim Sept. 27, 1932 2,208,410 Carter July 16, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,074 Great Britain 1911 321,073 Great Britain Oct. 81, 1929 506,578 Germany Sept. 5, 1930

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