US2821406A

US2821406A - Adjustable base invalid lift

Info

Publication number: US2821406A
Application number: US444764A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodore R Hoyer; Victor R Hildemann
Original assignee: TED HOYER AND CO Inc
Current assignee: TED HOYER AND CO Inc
Priority date: 1954-07-21
Filing date: 1954-07-21
Publication date: 1958-01-28
Anticipated expiration: 1975-01-28
Also published as: BE547898A; CH345417A; FR1153906A; GB820497A

Description

Jan. 28, 1958 T. R. HOYIER ETAL ADJUSTABLE BASE INVALID LIFT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 21, 1954 j NV TORS Jan. 28, 1958 T. R. HOYER lsrrmv 2,321,406

I .ADJUSTABLE BASE INVALID LIF T Filed July 21, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 19 TTORNE'VS.

T. R. HOYER ETAL 2,821,406

ADJUSTABLE BASE INVALID LIFT Jan. 28, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filgd July 21, 1954 a I NTORSI /5 31:

United States 1 ADJUSTABLE BASE INVALID LIFT Theodore R. Hoyer and Victor R. Hildemann, Oshkosh,

Wis., assignors to Ted Hoyer & Company, Incorporated, Oshkosh, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application July 21, 1954, Serial No. 444,764

2 Claims. (Cl. 280-34) atent O f on an upper portion of the mast for movement in a verti- A cal plane and from the outer end of which slings or a saddle are depended, and power means between the upright post or mast and the vertically swingable arm.

Invalid lifts are very useful in respect to transferring a patient or incapacitated person from a bed to a wheelchair or vice versa, or in transferring and transporting the patient to some other article of furniture, appliance or conveyance. In connection with an invalid lift of the type under consideration, it is necessary that the space between the arms forming the U-shaped base be sufliciently great to receive therebetween a wheel chair or other article of furniture or appliance of considerable width. It is furthermore necessary that the overall width of the horizontally disposed U-shaped base be limited in order that the lift may be wheeled through relatively narrow doorways, halls, aisles and the like.

With the foregoing in mind, it is therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide 'an invalid lift wherein the U-shaped base is adjustable as to width or :spread whereby the base may be spread to permit the entrance thereinto of a wheel chair or wider article of furniture, and which can thereafter be contracted in width to adapt the lift for wheeled passage through a restricted doorway or hall.

i A further object of the invention is to provide an ad- A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable base invalid lift having easily operated mechanical means for locking the lift base in any of its positions of adjustment.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ad justable base invalid lift which can be readily disassembled to permit storage thereof in a limited space.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable base invalid lift which is of very simple construction, which iseasy and convenient to operate, which is strong, durable and safe, and which is well adapted for the purposes described.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a side view of the improved adjustable base inv l d l f Patented Jan. 28, 1958 Fig. 2 is an end view of the lift viewed from the open end of the U-shaped base, there being a broken line showing of the base in a relatively spread condition;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the closed end portion of the lift base showing the base adjusting mechanism and the means for locking the base in a position of adjustment;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of the' lock operating rod and associated members, the rod being in a turned locking position relative to its position in Fig. 5.

As will be observed from the drawings the base of the improved invalid lift is generally in the form of a horizontally disposed U, formed of two complementary hookshaped half sections 10, preferably of tubular metallic stock, hingedly joined together at their adjacent inner ends. The U-shaped base is open at one end (the left hand end in Fig. l) and the outer ends of the complementary base sections 10 have swivellingly mounted thereon supporting wheels or casters 11. Each complementary base section 10, toward the hinged closed end of the base, swivellingly carries another supporting wheel or caster 12. The inner end portion of each base section 10 terminates in an integral upstanding hollow post portion 13. The two post portions of the complementary base sections 10, in the assembled condition of the base, are slightly spaced apart and are connected by

plates

14 and 15 which engage the upper and lower ends, respectively of the posts 13, being held thereto by pivot bolts 16 which extend vertically through the hollow posts 13 and are surrounded by bushings 17 (see Fig. 3). The lower end portions of the pivot bolts 16 have threaded thereon retaining nuts 18. At this point it may be stated that due to the hinged mounting of the inner ends of the complementary base sections 10 the same may be moved to widen or restrict the opening at the outer end of the base by means hereinafter to be explained.

Integral with the lower connecting plate 15 and mounted on the same between the posts 13 is an upwardly directed cylindrical socket 19 which extends through an opening therefor in the upper plate 14 and which is adapted to removably receive the lower end portion of a vertical mast 20. In practice the mast, when inserted in the socket is properly located and held against turning movement by a transverse pin 21 on the mast entering a slot 22 therefor in the upper peripheral portion of the socket.

On an intermediate portion of the mast 20, directed toward the open end of the wheeled base, are a pair of spaced apart lugs 23 between which the lower end portion of an hydraulic jack cylinder 24 is pivotally mounted on a transverse pivot pin 25. The upper extremity of the mast 20 is bifurcated as at 26 and within said hifurcated portion the inner end portion of a vertically swingable arm 27 is removably pivotally mounted on a pivot bolt 28. The arm 27 extends from the mast-20 toward the open end of the U-shaped base at an elevation thereabove and is adapted to be moved in a vertical plane by the hydraulic jack whose upwardly extending piston 28 is pivotally connected to depending lugs 29 on the arm 27. The hydraulic jack includes an operating lever 30 extending laterally outwardly from the base portion of the jack cylinder, which lever is operatively associated with the jack mechanism so that when it is reciprocated hydraulic fluid will be forced below the lower end of the piston 28 within the cylinder 24 to project the piston 28 and thereby cause the outer end of the arm 27 to be raised. With a weight imposed on the outer end of the arm 27 said arm can be caused to swing downwardly by manipulating a controlknob 31projecting from the base of the jack cylinder which relieves the hydraulic pressure acting on the inner end of the jack Piston. An angled plate 57 (see Fig. 2) is secured at its inner end to the base of the jack lever mounting. SE'and the angled! outer end-portion 57 of said 'plate extends adjacentthe hydraulic pressure control knob 31 and limits thedistance said knob may be turned outwardly thereby prevent ng undesired detachment of the turnable knob 31 and"pos sible loss of hydraulic fluid.

At the outer end of the vertically swingable arm 27 there is a depending eyed member 32 which can be. re movably engaged by a hook 33 swingably mounted onthe upper end of a spreader bar and hanger 34. As'will' appear most clearly from 'Figs. 1. and2' the opposite hooked extremities of the spreader barand' hanger 34 may be removably engaged by the upper ends ofchains'35' or other flexible suspension means by which a saddle hooked extremities of the spreader bar and hanger 34.

Also the spreader bar and hanger 34 can be dispensed with and the saddle supporting chains 35 maybe connected directly to the eyed member 32, if desired.

One of the principal features of the present invention is the mechanism which permits an attendent who is pushing or operating the lift in a standing position to mechanically spread or contract the companion base seetions so as to widen or constrict the entrance to the U-base whenever desired to permit the base to receive or straddle a chair, piece of furniture or appliance of any width within certain limits and to thereafter narrow the span between the outer ends of the base sect-ions to facilitate wheeled passage of the lift through a narrowdoorway, hall or other'restricted area.

For the purpose of permitting the lift attendant or operator to adjust the width of the base while standing at the rear of the lift or pushing the same, an upright hand lever 36' is provided whose lower end revolubl-y and re.- movablyextends into a socket-37 therefor'integral with and inwardly offset from the upper end of a bar 38 which is pivotally mounted inwardly of its lower, end on a. horizontal pivot 39 projecting'rearwardly from the lower endofthesocket19'. The inner ends of oppositely-directed arms 40 are pivotally connected to vertically spaced apart portions of the bar 38 on opposite sides of the pivotal'rnounting 39 thereof and are respectively pivotally connected'at their outer ends, as at 41, to lugs on the curved end portions of the complementary base sections 10. It will thus be seen that a pivotal movement of the hand lever 36' from its full 'line position in Fig. 2 to the broken line-position of 'Fig. 2 will, through the arms 40, cause the base sections 10 to be swung from the relative- 1y narrow or constricted position shown in full lines to the spread broken line position, and a reverse movement of the hand lever 36' will move the complementary'base sections-from the relatively spread position to an narrower position. Intermediate positions are also obtainable.

The -inventionalso includes means for locking the base sections '10 in any position of adjustment. The post supported top plate -14 has a downturned' flange 14 on which are mounted-in spaced relaiton a pair of curved plates=42- and 43. The bar 38, which is pivotally moved through the hand lever-36", isconfinedbetween'thecurved plates 42 *an'd' 43' for swinging movement'in a vertical plane and is limited'in its movement in' each direction by the bolts 44 which spacedly mount the

curved plates

42 and 43 on the downturned flange 14. gin of the inner curved plate 43 is formed with a series of spaced-apart notches or recesses 45 which are adapted to be selectively engaged and disengaged by a stub pin 46 projecting laterally from an intermediate portion of a latch plate 47 having its lower end yieldingly mounted on a bolt 48 which carries on its shank a confined coil spring 49 which normally exerts pressure against the lower end of the latch plate 47 in a manner so asto cause its offset upper end to yieldingly engage a face portion of the curved plate 43 and thereby cause the stub pin 46 to engage any of the plate notches 45 with which it might be in registration, depending upon the position of the bar 38 and the consequent spread of the base sections 10. The bolt 48 yieldingly mounts the latch plate 47 on an inner face portion of the lower end o t e P ot l b r A portion of the hand'lever 36' which is revolubly engaged within the socket 37 extends below the socket and'is mutilated or formed with a depending semicircular cam surface 50 (see Figs. 5 and 6). lever 36' is turned in its socket so as-to remove the depending cam surface 50 from' the upper'end portion of the latch plate 47, the upper portion of the latch plate being guided on a laterally projecting pin 51, the upper end" portion of the latch plate is permitted'to be yieldinglyurged away from the face portion of the bar 38 to project the latchplate carried stub pin 46 into one of the locking notches 45 of the plate 43.' This will serve to lock thebar 38 in ana-djusted position and hence the comple-- mentary base sections 10 will be held in a set position. Should it bedesired to adjust the base sectionsto increase or diminish the spread thereof, it is merely necessary for the-operator or lift attendant to turn the hand lever 36' within the socket 37 to shift the cam projection 50-from'. the position of Fig. -5 to the plate engaging position of- Fig". 6 which removes the stub pin 46 from aplate aperture 45. Turning movement of the hand lever 36 in both directions is limited by contact of the side edges of thecam projection 50 with a pin 59(see Fig. 5) mounted in the 'lower portion of the socket 37, which pin also serves to locate and hold the lower end of the lever 36' withini-ts socket. Consequently, the attendant is then free to pivot-ally swing the hand lever 36, which, through the arms 40 will pivotally move both of thebase sections10 to spread or: contract the same, as-desired.

From Figs. 3 and 5 it will-be observed that theuinner. end portions of the base sections 10 are provided withdepending.'-integral lugs 55 which extend into-slots 56 in the lower-plate 15. This arrangement limits the swinging movement 'oflthe base sections in both.directionsztherehy preventing tipping .of the .entire lift mechanism should the adjusting mechanism become impaired or the arms 40. becomedetached.

The-improved adjustable base invalid lift is susceptible' of easy and rapid disassembly to permit storage .of the lift in a-dirnitedwspace or to facilitate packing and trans-- portation thereof. The mast'20 and :partscarried thereby may -be entirely removed from the base carried socket-19 and the hand lever 36' maybe removedfrom its base carried socket 37. Further, \the chains are detachable from the outer end of the vertically swingable arm -27. and the-saddle 36, .back support 37" or shoulder and :leg slings may be disengaged and arranged in a small package. To further compact the mast and arm assembly the pivot bolt ZS-maybe removed'so as to fold the ,arm 27 and hydraulic-jack against the mast. If the improved-lift :is carried in the disassembled oonditiondescribed it maybe easily setxup for-use atanytime orpointof destination.

In order to remove a patient from a bed or stationary pieceof furniture, it is merely necessary'toposition-the saddle 36 under the seat of the patient and adjust-theback support'37',-with.-the -U-shape'dbase being positionable under the bed or in embracing relation toth'e' side- The upper mar- When the hand portions of the stationary support. Then, by manipulating the operating lever 30 of the hydraulic jack the arm 27 will be moved in a vertical plane so as to elevate the outer end of said arm raising the saddle and the patient supported thereby to a proper elevation. Then the entire lift, with the patient supported thereby may be wheeled to a remote point for the subsequent deposit of the patient, or a wheel chair can be positioned between the complementary members 10 of the base to receive the patient after the arm 27 and saddle are lowered through manipulation of the hydraulic fluid control knob 31. A particular feature of the improved lift is the means whereby the base 10 may be spread or contracted while the lift is stationary or in movement to adapt the spread of the base to a chair or other support of any width within certain limits, or to permit passage of the left through a narrow doorway or hall. In the latter event the base is constricted. The attendant may easily push or pull the lift by engaging handle bars 52 projecting laterally from an upper portion of the mast 20. The lift operator or attendant in a standing position is free to manipulate the hand lever 36' to adjust the base, and by turning the hand lever in its socket, the locking mechanism is engaged with or released from the notched plate 43 which afiords convenient means for preventing undesired spreading or constriction of the base relative to its adjusted position.

While an hydraulic jack has been shown and described as the instrumentality interposed between the mast and the vertically swingable arm for raising and lowering said arm, it should be understood that a mechanical jack or other motion transmitting means could be substituted therefor.

The improved adjustable base invalid lift is simple in construction and operation, is exceedingly adaptable and is well suited for the indicated purposes.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In a lift for transferring an invalid in a sitting posture, a U-shaped, horizontal, wheeled base member formed of a pair of complementary sides having curved adjacent inner end portions, a hinge connection between the adjacent inner end portions of the base member sides to permit relative spreading movements of the sides of the base member, an upwardly directed lever pivotally mounted adjacent said hinge connection for swinging movement in a vertical plane, a lever operator revolubly carried by the lever and normally operable to pivot the lever, bars connected directly to said lever on opposite sides of its pivotal mounting extending to rear portions of said base member sides for swinging them on said hinge connection to spread or constrict the open end of the base member, and a latch for releasably locking said lever and the base member sides in various positions of adjustment operated by turning movements of the lever operator.

2. In an invalid lift, a U-shaped, horizontal, portable base member formed of a pair of complementary sides having adjacent inner end portions, a hinge unit between the adjacent inner end portions of the base member sides to permit relative spreading movements of the sides of the base member, an upwardly directed lever pivotally mounted on said hinge unit for swinging movement in a vertical plane, oppositely directed bars connected to said lever on opposite sides of its pivotal mounting extending to said base member sides for swinging them on said hinge connection to spread or constrict the open end of the base member, an extension handle movably engaged with said lever, a latch pin plate on said hinge unit formed with a series of spaced recesses, and a latch pin yieldingly associated with said lever and selectively engageable with said plate recesses to hold the lever and base member sides in a desired position of adjustment, movements of the extension handle relative to the lever controlling projection or retraction of the latch pin relative to a :plate notch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 699,186 Katzke May 6, 1902 2,023,790 Ormsby et al Dec. 10, 1935 2,287,955 Zunino June 30, 1942 2,427,804 Mueller Sept. 23, 1947 2,608,418 Finlayson Aug. 26, 1952 2,706,120 Stratton Apr. 12, 1955 2,739,783 Pentecost Mar. 27, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 907,838 Germany Mar. 29, 1954