US2725578A

US2725578A - Transporting devices for invalids for use in bathtubs and like receptacles

Info

Publication number: US2725578A
Application number: US299134A
Authority: US
Inventors: Keller-Erne Lina; Keller-Benz Hans; Hauser-Keller Hildegard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-03-28
Filing date: 1952-07-16
Publication date: 1955-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 1972-12-06

Description

De@ 5 1955 J. KELLER TRANSPORTING DEVICES FOR INVALIDS FOR USE IN BATHTUBS AND LIKE RECEPTACLES Filed July 1e, 1952 IN V EN TOR. JIA/Y 7122445? BY United States Patent O TRNSPOR-TENG' DEVICES FOR. ALIDS FOR USE IN BATHTUBS AND LIKE- RECEPTACLES Jean Keller, Oberl'eimbach, Switzerland; Lina Keller-Eme, Hans Keller-Benz, and ll'ildeg'ardy Hauscr-Kcller, heirs of said `Te'a'n Keller, deceased This' invention relates to' transporting devic'es for in- Valids for use' in bathtubs` and like receptacles.

Physically disabled', e. g'.`t`otally' or`partially' paralyzed patients", are frequently unable to get into a bathtub and out again' unaided, but m'u'st be lifted into and out of the tub by attendants.' This work is extremely strenuous for said attendants, and' requires great effort and strength. Moreover', such work is lnot without danger, for accidents may easily be caused by patients slipping. To lift a patient into and to take him out of the bathtub is also generally more or less painful for the patient.

It is, therefore, one of the objects ofthe present invention to providemeans' considerably facilitating the moving of theA patient into" and out of a bathtub or like receptacle and rendering such movements painless for the patient.

It is another object of the invention to provide means ensuring safe operation of a transporting device for the patient to thereby place him into a bathtub at any desired height therein.

The present invention further contemplates a bathing device for physically disabled persons, wherein portable lifting means isremovably installed in a bathtub, said lifting. means comprising a base resting on the bottom of the bathtub, a seat' associated with said base for movement in vertical direction into and out of. said` bathtub,

guiding or bracing means for said lifting means, and

means automatically controlling` said lifting means.-

It is a further object ofthe present invention tol providel means conducive to a simple construction for lowering av patient into abathtub and for lifting. him out of the same, whereby water supplied throughthe faucet of the bathtube is employed to bring about movement of the trans-v porting device relative to the rim of the bathtub.

Still another object of the present invention. is the provision of means rendering possible to combine a jack or lifting device with a bathtub and for removal of said device from the latter.

The above and other'obj'ect's and features will become apparent from the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 isa vert-icaland longitudinal section of a bathtub with a bathing' device-madeaccording to the invention;

Fig..2vis asectiontaken along line 2 2 of Fig'. l;

Fig. 3- is a sect-ionta-kenalong line 3-3 of Fig. 2 drawn to an enlarged"y scale;

Fig. 4 is a section of the inlet nozzle (on an enlarged scale) of the lifting device together with automatically controlled outlet means.

The bathtub, as illustrated, may be readily changed to a bathtub with bathing device for physically diabled persons, which comprises a base 1 whose edge is covered with a rubber binding 2. This base 1 supports three U- shaped guide rails attached along the sides of an equilateral triangle, each rail forming guide means for the two free lower ends of a scissors linkage 4, of the type known as lazy tongs.

Through each of these free lower ends of the lazy ICC 2. tongs 4; ai belt' 6 projecting withits two endsthroufgh the respective rail extends parallel to the pivots of said linkage and slides in slot' 7A provided in opposite' sides'A of the U shaped guide rails In the center of.l eachl of the U shaped guide rails ff aI cut-out 8I is prov-ided whichl upon' collapse' of the lazy tongs 4 will receive its' lower'rnost' center pivot 9 therein, s'o that thev lazy tongs may callapse as compactly as possible.

The free upper ends of* the three lazy tongs 4'a1regui'dA` ed in exactly the sanremanner by three similar Ulshaped guide rails 3" attached: to the under-face ofv a seat' 11 providedj with a suitable covering I0'qfrubb'er',-canvas=or the like. Tov the base by means of washers 12 andl screw bolts 1'3, the lower end ofa bellows 14^ of7 rubber o'r like* materia-l is'tightly attached?, which bellows surrounds they guide rails 3 andv 3- and the4 three' la'z'y't'ongs 4, the upper end of which bellows is tightly attached in' exactly the' same way by; means: of washers 12""andscrew bolts 13 tothe under-face' of the seat 11'.

The pleats of the bellows '14* are providedl with suitableA annular elements 1:5`ftofpreventbuckling of theAV pleats orf folds. The central' pivots 9' of"A the lazy tongs' 4- ar'e' c'on-` nected to rods 16- whieh1 aredireeted toward the periphery of said bellows. Cennecting' said three rods 1:6 at the respective level is a ring member' 1*'71 which is concave on the outer surface to receive therein aV respective foldflofY the bellows Y14, said fol-id being' retained on said ring` member 17' by means ofj annular element 15` extendingv on the outside ofsad fol-d I4;

The ba's'e I is provided withk af central inlet opening I8' to whicha- Branch pipe 1t?" of' a- T-shaped tujbeis connected; one end of the" latter being provided with' threads for' connecting a h'ose 19' thereto, the' other end being' thread"V edly connected to a valve'hlo'ck it? through' flange piece I-8`-". In* a sleeve bearing 21 of said block v20 there slides a valve stern 22 carrying at one end thereof a valve p late 24 with rubberA or leather gasket' Afor operating (closing or opening) the passageway o'f said flange' piece' I8.

The other end of valve stem 22 is threadedly connected with a' sleeve 25 whichl is' sl'dable one end in a' bearing recess 26 provided in the engl cover of the valve'blo'ckf Z0. The sleeve 25 is= sutr'ou'ntl" edt by a compression spring` 27 which forces said(l sleeve 2:3' toward' valve plate 24 t' thereby press the latter against the' passageway of the flange' piece l8r. 'The sleeve 25l is' further provided with a llexible control member or pull string 2i8 passing through' an1openin'g1inthe cove'rof the"4 block A The block 20: is further provided with outlet slot's or' perforations In its front portion, the base `1 has two' threaded holes through eac'h o'f` which' extends' a bolt with' a' wing screw 30; engaging the respective lower end of a rubber support or foot resting inthe bathtub 32'.

personsis placed insaid bathtub so that' the' r'ea'r edge of the base- Iwith rubber' binding 2 engages' the' upwardly extending curvature ofthe bott'om' of the'tub at the head' end, andthe rubber feet 3"1' are raised' by1 means' of wing' screws' 3'01 so that the base 1') extends' in horizontal' direction. The water hosex 19 is' then' connectedto th'e'vfaucet' 3a of awater supply line;y K

Upon opening the faucet water is' 'admitted thrdugli inlet 18 by means of branch piece 18 of the T-tube whereby water llls up the interior of the bellows 14. The seat 11 is thereby raised at least approximately to the level of the upper rim of the bathtub 32. When the bathtub has been filled to predetermined level the patient will sit down on the seat 11 and the faucet or tap 33 is closed.

By operating the pull 28, the valve plate 24 is shifted and moved of the opening of branch or flange piece 18 of the Ttube. Owing to the load on the seat .11, the

water in the bellows 14 is now forced out through the opened valve and the outlet openings 29 into the bathtub. During this occurrence the seat 11 occupied by the patientv sinks gradually to just above the bottom of the bathtub 32. Y

When the bather is to be liftedfand removed from the bathtub 32,.the pull 28 is released so that the compression spring 27 acts to close the valve 24 again, and the faucet 33 to which the hose 19 is connected is opened. The bellows 14 is refilled with water and the seat 11 occupied by the bather is again raised to at least approxiniately the upper rim of the bathtub, so that he can readily be liftedl away from the bathtub.

The cross-sectional area of the bellows 14 is so chosen that the pressure commonly prevailing in an ordinary water-supply line is suicient to lift the seat 11 under the weight of the bather. The three lazy tongs do not serve as lifting means, but will solely guide and brace the seat 11. Instead of three lazy tongs 4, two or four of the same could be provided. The valve acting atthe opening of flange piece 18" of the T-tube includes the valve plate 24 with gasket 23, the valve stem 22, the sleeve 25 and the compression spring 27 and acts as a safety valve which opens automatically if the pressure in the bellows 14 should become too great or excessive.

y The base 1, the seat 11, the guide rails 3 and the lazy tongs 4 consist of corrosion-proof materials, preferably light metal. The seat 11 may be provided with a removable backrest 34, if desired.

It is well understood that instead of the bathing or lifting device herein referred to any suitable, preferably hydraulically or fluid operated jack or similar devices may be used to bring about movement of the effective surface of the latter relative to the rim of the bathtub, which may be readily and preferably operated from a water supply through the faucet of the tub and which may be easily and readily combined with ordinary bathtubs now in use and for ready removal of'said device from the latter.

It is, of course, understood that the jack or lifting device may be provided with a reclining surface rather than with a seat so that the patient may be transported into the bathtub in a reclining position instead of a sitting position. Y

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and herein described, it will be understood that the same is capable of modifications without departure from the general scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. In combination, lifting means provided with a base for Contact with the bottom of a bathtub and for removal therefrom, said lifting means including a seat and a bellows, pipe means extending from said bellows for connection with a water supply source, and vertically and horizontally extending bracing means, respectively, and positioned within said bellows, said vertically extending bracing means operatively connecting said seat with said base, said horizontally extending bracing means operatively connecting said vertically extending bracing means with said bellows, whereby tipping and tilting of said seat relative to said base is prevented, when said seat is in lifted position with respect to said base,

2. In combination, lifting means provided with a base for contact with the bottom of a bathtub and for removal therefrom, said lifting means including a seat and a bellows, pipe means extending from said bellows for connection with a water supply source, valve means connected to said pipe means for selectively permitting passage of water through said pipe means, substantially vertically extending lazy tong means operatively connecting said base with said seat within said bellows, and substantially horizontally extending bracing means in contact with said bellows and including rods connected with said lazy tong means.

3. Lifting means according to claim 2, said horizontally extending bracing means being ring means within said bellows and operatively connected with said rods, which extend radially from said ring means.

4. Lifting means comprising, in combination, a base for contact with the bottom of a bathtub and for removal therefrom, a seat, a bellows interconnecting said seat with said base, pipe means extending from said bellows for connection with a supply source to operate said bellows, a plurality of vertically extending lazy tong means disposed within said bellows and between said seat and said base, a plurality of rods extending within said bellows in radial direction to the latter and operatively connected with said lazy tong means, respectively, and horizontally extending ring means within said bellows and irl Contact therewith, said rods operatively engaging said ring means, whereby upon raising said seat said lazy tong means are extended and carry said rods and said ring means for bracing said bellows against tipping and tilting.

5. Lifting means in accordance with claim 4, including horizontally extending annular means disposed exteriorly of said bellows and in contact therewith, said ring means and said annular means conforming in contour to each other, to thereby prevent displacement of said ring means relative to said bellows. y

6. In combination, a bathtub, portable bellows lifting means for resting on the bottom of said bathtub and for removal therefrom, a seat operatively connected with said lifting means for holding a user, means connected to said lifting means to level said seat, pipe means connecting f2. said lifting means with a fluid supply source, valve means for regulating the fluid supply to said lifting means, control means for said valve means and disposed in said bathtub for manipulation by said user, to thereby permit I said user to discharge fluid from said lifting means for lowering said seat, and bracing means within the inner space of said bellows lifting means and stabilizing thc latter against movement inV longitudinal and transverse direction upon lifting said seat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Grier Sept. 16, 1952