US2704235A

US2704235A - Adjustable bed table

Info

Publication number: US2704235A
Application number: US384965A
Authority: US
Inventors: Georgia L Bion
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-10-08
Filing date: 1953-10-08
Publication date: 1955-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 1972-03-15

Description

March 15, 1955 e. BION 2,704,235

ADJUSTABLE BED TABLE Filed 00 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS March 15, 1955 G. L. BION 2,704,235

ADJUSTABLE BED TABLE Filed Oct. 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \f 1 J4 u 50 22 if Z3 32 42 Z7 4' 22 ATTORNEYS United States Patent ADJUSTABLE BED TABLE Georgia L. Bion, East Orange, N. J.

Application October 8, 1953, Serial No. 384,965

1 Claim. (Cl. 311-27) l;l1his invention relates to an adjustable all purpose bed ta e.

The object of the invention is to provide a table which is adapted to be used by patients or other persons lying in bed, the table permitting or facilitating the ready accomplishment of a number of functions while the person is lying on his or her back.

Another object of the invention is to provide a table which can be readily adjusted so that it can be comfortably used while the body is in any position in bed ranging from the horizontal to a sitting up position.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure l is a perspective view of the all purpose adjustable bed table of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the table.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the table showing the leaf or shelf in extended position.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the table.

gigure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken through the ta e.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the table top or platform showing the lip or stop member and the gripping means in raised position.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 3.

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of one of the stop members or lips.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of one of the plates or brackets.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a horizontally disposed base which can be made of any suitable material such as wood, and the base 10 is provided with a beveled edge 11, Figure 1. Arranged intermediate the ends of the base 10 is a recess 12, Figure 5, and seated in the recess 12 is the lower end of a vertically disposed pedestal or upright 14. Suitable screws 13 may be used for securing the pedestal 14 to the base 10. The pedestal 14 is provided with an arcuate cut-out 15 which conforms to the shape of the persons body. In use the table of the present invention is used when a person is lying in bed and the persons legs rest upon the top of the base 10 while the legs straddle the pedestal 14. The pedestal 14 is provided with an elongated vertically disposed slot 16 for permitting an adjustment of the table top as later described in this application.

For adjustably connecting the table top or platform 22 to the pedestal 14, a pair of brackets or plates 17 are provided, Figure 11. In Figure 11 the plate 17 in solid lines show the initial position of the plate before it is bent or folded and in broken lines the plate is shown in folded ready to use position. The plate 17 includes a vertically disposed slot 19 which is adapted to register with the slot 16 in the pedestal 14, and one of the plates 17 is arranged on each side of the pedestal 14. The plate 17 is further provided with an arcuate slot or recess 18 which also registers with the slot 16in the pedestal 14. A plurality of apertures 20 are arranged 2,704,235 Patented Mar. 15, 1955 in each of the plates 17, and the apertures 20 are adapted to have suitable securing elements such as screws 21 extended therethrough whereby the horizontal portion of the plate 17 can be secured to the undersurface of the platform or table top 22. A triangular shaped body member 23 may be secured to the undersurface of the table top 22, and the body member 23 is arranged between the upper portions of the vertically disposed sections of the plates 17 and is secured thereto by suitable screws such as screws 24, Figure 2. A suitable bolt and nut assembly 25 extends through the registering slots 19 and 16, and a suitable bolt and nut assembly 26 extends through the cut-outs 18 and through the slot 16.

Secured to the undersurface of the platform 22 is a pair of guide members 27 which are each provided with a channel or slot 28. A shelf or leaf 29 is slidably mounted in the channels 28, and the shelf 29 is provided with a cut-out 30 which provides sufficient clearance for the shelf when the shelf is in its retracted position beneath the table top 22. A suitable recess 31 may be provided in the leaf 29 and the recess 31 provides a hand grip for facilitating the sliding of the shelf.

Adjustably connected to an edge of the platform 22 is a lip 32 which provides a stop member. The lip 32 is provided with a pair of L-shaped slots 33, and a suitable securing element such as a screw 34 extends through each of the slots 33 and into the adjacent portion of the platform 22. Thus, the lip 32 can be moved from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 10 or vice versa due to the provision of the L- shaped slots 33, and with the lip 32 in the position as shown in Figure 1 articles resting thereon will be supported.

Extending along the side edges of the platform 22 are

rods

35 and 35. The left rod 35 has its upper end pivotally connected to the platform 22 by a cotter key or pin 38. Thus, the upper end of the left rod 35 is shaped to provide a transverse finger 46 which extends into a socket 36 in the platform. A cut-out 37 is arranged adjacent the socket 36, and a cotter key 38 extends through an aperture 39 in the finger 46, the cotter key serving to prevent accidental disengagement of the finger 46 from the socket 36. The rod 35 may be made of spring metal so that it can be moved outwardly and upwardly as shown in Figure 6 when articles such as playing cards or papers are to be placed under gripping members 45. The gripping members 45 may be made of cork or sponge rubber or any other suitable material, and these gripping members may be secured to the lower surface of bars 42. A pair of the bars 42 are provided, and each of the bars 42 has a curved portion 43 for engaging pivotally the rod 35' at the right side of the platform. The other end of each of the bars 42 is bent or shaped offset as at 44 for engagement with the opposite bar or rod 35, Figure 3, which is arranged at the left side of the table. The right rod 35' is provided with transverse lugs 40 on each end thereof which permanently seat in sockets 41 in the right edge of the platform 22, Figure 8. The lower end of the left rod 35 is provided with a lower transverse finger 3 which is detachably mounted in a socket 4 in the lower left side edge of the platform.

The rod 35 on the left side of the table top is a clamp rod, while the rod 35' on the right side of the table top is a hinge rod. The clamp rod 35 serves to hold the clamp bars in position and is arranged to pivot with the cotter key 38 at the upper left hand end of the table top. When the clamp rod 35 is over the clamp bars at the left, and the forward end of the clamp rod is placed in the hole in the forward left end of the aluminum bar on which the concealed shelf slides, the clamp rod stays in place holding the clamp bars secure for work. The hinge rod 35' has the clamp bars hinged thereto and serves to hold the clamp bars permanently on the rod only allowing them to be free to slip up and down for the desired adjustments. The ends of the hinge rod 35' are fitted permanently into holes made for them at the upper and forward ends of the table and the hinge rod 35 does not pivot nor is it removed from the table.

From the foregoing it is apparent that an adjustable all purpose bed table has been provided which is inexpensive to make, light and easy to handle and self-adjusting since the adjustments are within reach of the person using the table. The table can be made to adjust from either the right or left side by reversing the screws so that the wing nuts on the bolt and nut assemblies 25 and 26 may be on the side desired. Further, one size table can be adjusted to fit the needs of everyone, and the table is always available for its intended use as it is not suitable for holding things as most bed tables are used for in hospitals. The present invention can be kept handy for use and the table is low enough to be kept under a hospital bed and it can be used for home use since the table is low enough to be kept in a closet on the floor. The table can be used by persons who like to work in a reclining position and the table furnishes maximum ease and relaxation of the body through the use of the adjustments on the table so that one person may perform any type of activity by the use of the bed table that may be accomplished while sitting in a straight chair at an ordinary table. From a therapeutic point of view the table makes it possible for a patient to have any type of work prescribed for treatment that a Well person can do sitting at a desk, provided the work is mentally and emotionally suited to the individual and adheres to the time prescribed in the bed rest tolerance program which is based on the medical classification of the patient.

In use the table is used by putting it on the bed so that one leg of the patient is placed around one side of the pedestal 14 and the other leg is placed around the other side of the pedestal and over the base in the same manner so that when the legs are completely straightened out in bed, the weight of the thighs and hips resting on the base 10 holds the table firmly in place. The use of the able for any position of the body is made possible through the wide range of adjustments on the pedestal 14 to form any angle, and the curved cutout 15 on the forward side of the pedestal 14 makes it possible for the table to be brought as high or low on the upper torso as may be desired by simply pushing the base 10 of the table up or down in the bed. The table is in the proper position when the upper arms are resting on the bed at either side of the body or the wrists are resting on the forward edge of the table so that there is no strain or pressure on the upper torso.

The adjustable stop 32 makes it possible for the weight of a book to be held in the stop leaving the hands relaxed and free to turn the pages and tilt the book at the correct angle for reading. The wrists can be supported on the forward edge of the table so that knitting, embroidering, weaving and the like can be accomplished. Furthermore, a person can learn to type on a portable typewriter while lying in a horizontal position since the adjustable table can bring the machine forward and at the correct angle and the typewriter can be held securely in place by the adjustable stop 32. By means of the sliding shelf 29 concealed under the right side of the table top and immediately below the table top, a person is able to read the exercises from a typing manual when it is placed on the extended sliding shelf.

The two adjustable metal clamp bars 42 may be lined with a gripping material such as sponge rubber or cork to give an adhering quality when the bars are clamped into position across the top of the table by the rod 35 on the left edge of the table top 22. Furthermore, card games can be played while lying in the horizontal position since the metal clamp bars can be spaced so that the cards can be arranged across the table. In the sitting up position the table may be used for shaving since a regular shaving mirror can be placed against the forward metal clamp bar 42 while the adjustable stand on the mirror can be placed against the other clamp bar. Further, the table can be readily used for holding a tray of food.

To adjust the elevation and tilt of the top 22, it is necessary to loosen the bolt and nut assemblies 25 and 26 then raise the top 22 to the desired height and tilt the top to the desired angle. The top 22 cannot be elevated unless both the bolt and nut assemblies 25 and 26 are both loosened. After the top has been adjusted to the desired position the bolt and nut assemblies 25 and 26 are then clamped or tightened and the construction of the slot permits the elevation and tilt adjustments to be made at the same time.

To adjust the position of the bars 42, it is only necessary to pull out the free end of the left rod 35 whereby the bars 42 can be moved to any desired position after which the rod 35 can be returned to the locked or closed position. The ends of the bars 42 may be rounded so that injury from sharp edges will be prevented, or, suit- 1able guard members can be placed over the ends of the ars.

Also, the table can be used for holding a sheet of paper in place for a person who has only the use of one hand and the forward edge of the base 10 is beveled as at 11 to conform to the contour of the patients body.

In constructing the table the pedestal may be glued into the recess 14 and the screws 13 coact with the glue to insure that the pedestal 14 and base 10 remain firmly connected together. Also the triangular shaped body member 23 is seated in a suitable recess on the platform 22 and the body member 23 may also be glued to the platform 22.

I claim:

In an adjustable bed table, a horizontally disposed base provided with a beveled edge, there being a recess in the base intermediate the ends thereof, a vertically disposed pedestal extending upwardly from the recess in the base and secured thereto, an intermediate portion of the pedestal being cut away arcuately in the same direction as said beveled edge, the lower section of the arcuate cutaway portion merging into the beveled edge, said base positioned below a portion of a persons body and the pedestal extending between the legs, a platform adjustably connected to the opposite end of the pedestal by a pair of brackets each including a vertically disposed portion contiguous to said pedestal, said brackets further including substantially horizontally disposed portions secured to the undersurface of said platform, said vertical portions each provided with a vertically disposed slot, and a vertically disposed slot in said pedestal registering with the slots in said brackets, a securing bolt element extending through the registering slots, a triangular shaped body member secured to the undersurface of said platform and secured between the vertical portions of said brackets, said body member having the same width as said pedestal, and the lower edge of said body member abutting the top of the pedestal.

UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited in the file of this patent 431,036 Dawson July 1, 1890 632,804 Congour Sept. 12, 1899 803,083 Weaver Oct. 31, 1905 1,246,981 Moyer Nov. 20, 1917 1,314,060 Hagerstorm Aug. 26, 1919 1,443,998 Meltzer Feb. 6 ,1923 1,564,359 Klein Dec. 8, 1925 1,625,774 Fraser et al. Dec. 13, 1927 1,770,955 Storm July 22, 1930 2,170,006 Brandt Aug. 22, 1939 2,541,779 Reeves Feb. 13, 1951