US3271795A

US3271795A - Hi-low frame for hospital bed

Info

Publication number: US3271795A
Application number: US462803A
Authority: US
Inventors: William A Hillenbrand; Francis J Burst; William D Drew
Original assignee: Hill Rom Co Inc
Current assignee: Hill Rom Co Inc
Priority date: 1964-06-15
Filing date: 1965-06-10
Publication date: 1966-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-13

Description

Sept 13, 1966 w. A4 ENBRAND ETAL 3,271,795

HI-LOW FRAME FOR HOSPITAL BED Original Filed June l5, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sz w m w Wham 7 Drew,

Sept. 13, 1966 W, A, H|| ENBRAND ET AL 3,271,795

HI-Low FRAME F'OR HOSPITAL BED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June l5, 1964 United States Patent O 3,271,795 III-LOW FRAME FOR HOSPITAL BED William A. Hillenbrand, Franklin Township, Francis J. Burst and, William D. Drew, Batesville, Ind., assignors to Hill-Rom Company, Inc., Batesville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Original application June 15, 1964, Ser. No. 374,974. Divided and this application June 10, 1965, Ser. No.

7 Claims. (Cl. 5-63) Thisy application is a division of our co-pending application Serial No. 374,974, filed lune l5, 1964.

This invention relates to a hi-low frame for an electrically driven hospital bed, .and has for its principal object the provision of a new and improved frame of this type.

It is a main object ofthe invention to provide a hi-low frame for a hospital bed which is normally disposed parallel to the Hoor and which can be moved, by power means into position inclined with respect to the floor to place the bed in the reverse Trendelenberg position.

Another object of the invention is to provide `a hi-low frame for a hospital bed. in which the posts at the foot end of the bed and the legs telescoped therein are disposed inwardly fro'm the edges of the spring frame of the bed and terminate beneath the spring frame, which posts and legs are provided with a steadyingsleeve which insures desired stability to the bed when the hi-low frame is elevated into its uppermost position.

Further objects of the invention not specically mentioned here will be apparent from the detailed description and claims which follow, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example and in which:

FIGURE l is a plan view of the hi-low frame of a hospital bed embodying the teachings of the present in` vention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view as seen from the head end of the bed;`

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, and showing details of the invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, through a post and leg at the foot end of the bed frame.

In a hospital bed having a hi-low frame supportedon the oor and carrying a spring frame and mattress disposed thereabove, there may be occasions when the treatment of a patient in the bed necessitates placing the patient in the reverse Trendelenberg position, that is, with the patients feet substantially lower than his head while in a prone position. rlhe, present invention provides mechanism for placing an electrically driven hospital bed in such a position in a convenient manner.

In a retractable hospital bed such as is shown in the parent application, of which this application is a division, it is preferable that the p osts and legs of the bedy at the foot end thereof be positioned inwardly from the lateral edges of the spring frame and mattress so that a doctor or nurse attending a patient in the bed is not likely to strike against them.

In order to position the posts and legs at the foot end of the bed inwardly of the lateral edges of the spring frame, it is necessary that these posts and legs be shorter than the posts and legs at the head end of the bed so that their upper ends will lie beneath the spring frame. As a result of this arrangement, when the hi-low frame of the bed is elevated into its uppermost position, the legs` at the foot end of the bed project into the posts but a very short distance, and as a result, an undesirable unsteadiness at the` foot end of the bed is present and must rice be compensated for to render the bed satisfactory for the uses to which it is to be pnt. The present invention provides mechanism for imparting the. desired stability to the foot end of the bed when it is elevated into its uppermost position.

Referring now to the drawings, particularlyy FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the hi-low fra-me of the bed consists of side rails 10 and 11 which are ixed toa cross member 12 at the head end of the bed and to a cross member 13` at the foot end thereof.

Posts

14 and 15 are iixed to the ends of cross member 12 in convenient manner such as by welding and extend upwardly from the member 12 terminating above the spring frame and mattress of the bed'.

Legs 16 and 17 telescope into the posts 14;. and 15, respectively, eachV leg being equipped at its lower end with a caster 18 which supports the bed upon a floor.

At the foot end of the bed, posts 20 and 21 are attached to opposite ends of the cross member 13; and a leg 22 telescoped in the post 20, carries at its lower endA a caster 23 to support the bed upon thev floor. The leg, not shown, telescoped in post 2:1 carries at its lower end a similar caster 24.

Mounted upon the hi-low frame between the side rails 10 and 11 thereof is a, power platform` indicated generally at 30, .a motor 31 and a control unit` 32. Mounted above the power platform and journaled for rotation. is a screw 33 which has threaded upon it a nut 3.4. Screw 33v and nut 34 are not of the essence of the present invention, their function and operation being fully explained in the parent application of which this application. is a division.

Also, mounted above the power platform for rotation isa screw 35 upon which a nut 36 is threaded. Attached to the nut 36l are cables 37 and: 38, which lead to the head end of the frame, and cables 39. and40, which lead lirst to the head end of the frame. and from there to the foot end of the frame as shown in FIGURE l. The operation of the screw 35 is fully explained in the abovementioned, parent application. and it is sufcient to note herein that when the control unit 32 is operated to cause the motor 31' to drive the screw 35 in one direction, nut

36 is moved to the right as seen in FIGURE l to elevate the hi-low frame and bed, and when the motor is operated to drive the screw 35 in a reverse direction, nut 36 moves to the left, as seen in FIGURE 1, to lower the hi-low frame and bed. f

The 'mechanism for placing the bed in a reverse Trendelenberg position includes L-shaped'

leversy

45 and 46 that are journaled in and project from the end frame member 12 twoard the foot of the bedr adjacent posts 14 and 15', respectively.

As will be seen best in FIGURES4 2 and 3, the cross member. 12 is a channel, ythe web of which carries bushings 47 and 48. in which levers, 45. and 46, respectively, are journaled. Fixed upon the innermostend of lever is a lever 50.

Journale-d in a bushing 51 that is xed upon the post 14 is a plunger 52 to whichv the lower end. of the lever 50 is connected by a pin 53 that projects through a slot in the plunger 52. A spring 54. abutsagainst the end of bushing 51 and against a pinv 55 carried by the plunger, this springV urging the` plunger and lever into the position in which theyA are shown in. the drawings.

Leg 16 projectsintothe post 14. and is centered therein. by low friction blocks 56 iiired` upon lthe leg and. engaging the inner surface of the. post. A sheave 57 journaledr in the end member 12 'projects into the post 14 and' the cable- 37' is threaded around this` sheave 57` and extends between the leg 16 and post 14 to a point of attachment 58 at the top of the leg. Leg 16 is perforated' as indicated at 59.

When it is desired to place the bed in a reverse Trendelenberg position, the motor 31 is operated to raise the bed to its uppermost position. This brings the perforation 59 into alignment with the plunger 52. Lever 45 is then operated to move the plunger 52 to the left, as seen inthe drawings, thereby to project it through the perforation into the leg 16.

As will be seen in FIGURE 2, a rod 65 extends from the upper end f the lever 50 to a reversing link 66 journaled on the member 12 adjacent the center thereof. A second rod 67 extends from the lower end of link 66 to the upper end of lever 50 that is journaled upon the lever 46 and connected at its lower end to a plunger 52 that is positioned adjacent the post and leg 17. It will be apparent that rotation of the lever 50 in a clockwise direction to project the plunger 52 into the perforation 59 in leg 16 will operate the lever 50 counterclockwise to project the -plunger 52 into a perforation, not shown, in leg 17.

The mechanism thus described is located between the edge anges of the channel 12 and may be concealed by a suitable cover, not shown, carried by the flanges and extending therebetween.

With the plungers extending into the legs and the lever 45 manually held in operated position, the motor 31 is then operated in proper direction to lower the hi-low frame upon the legs. Plunger 52 contains a slot 60 in its lower edge and a slight movement of the bed downwardly projects the bottom edge of the perforation 59 into this slot thereby locking the plungers in operated position to permit lever 45 to be released, since it is locked in operated position. Engagement of the post 16 with the slot and plunger and the similar engagement of the post 17 with the slot and plunger 52 prevent further downward movement of the head end of the bed. Further operation of the motor lowers the foot end of the bed until the desired reverse Trendelenberg position is reached.

Cables

37 and 38 become slack as downward movement of the foot end of the bed continues after the head end of the bed is held in an upper position. To insure that these cables will remain in the grooves in sheaves 68 and 69, rollers 70 are provided.

When it is desired to return the bed to normal operation, the motor is operated to raise the hi-low frame upon the legs of the bed. As soon as the head end of the bed has been raised sufficiently to disengage the bottom edge of the perforation 59 from the slot 60, springs 54 and 54 function to move the plungers and levers from their respective operated positions into the normal position in which they are shown in the drawings.

The mechanism for maintaining desired stability at the foot end of the bed is shown in FIGURE 4. Telescoped into the post is a sleeve 71 that is centered in the post by suitable low friction blocks 72 xed upon the sleeve and engaging the inner surface of the post. A slot 73 extends from the bottom of the sleeve to a point near the top thereof and sheave 74, around which the cable 40 is threaded, projects into this slot.

Leg 22 is positioned within the sleeve and centered therein by low friction blocks 75 xed upon the leg and engaging the inner surface of the sleeve. Cable 40 extends through the space between the leg and sleeve to a point of attachment at the upper end of the leg.

When the hi-low frame is in its lowermost position, the post and sleeve both rest upon the bracket portion 23 of the caster 23. As the cable is moved to elevate the frame, post 20 moves upwardly on the leg and sleeve, the friction between the sleeve and blocks 75 combining with the pull of gravity on the sleeve to overcome the friction between the blocks 72 and the post thereby causing the sleeve 71 to remain in engagement with the bracket 23 until relative movement between the post and sleeve is arrested by the engegament of stop means 76 carried by the sleeve with stop means 77 carried by the post. Further upward movement of the post pulls the sleeve upwardly on the leg 22 with a result that when the hi-low frame is in uppermost position, the leg projects into the sleeve and the sleeve projects into the post sufriciently to impart desired stability to the foot end of the bed. Post 21 and the leg telescoped therein are equipped with a sleeve that duplicates sleeve 71 in structure and function.

The parent application of which the instant application is a division discloses a retractable bed with the mechanism shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 incorporated in the head end of the hi-low frame. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, this mechanism can be incorporated in the foot end of the bed, thereby to enable the bed to be put in a Trendelenberg position. The steadying sleeve shown in FIGURE 4 is shown to be applied to the posts at the foot end of the hi-low frame, these posts being disposed inwardly of the transverse edges of the spring frame and being shorter than the posts at the head of the frame so as to fit beneath the spring frame. The teachings of the present invention are not limited in application to a retractable bed and modification of the specific disclosure shown by way of example, to incorporate the teachings hereof to other beds is contemplated.

Having thus complied with the statutes and shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, what we consider new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is pointed out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hospital bed comprising:

(a) a rectangular frame including cross members at the head and foot ends of the frame;

(b) a post fixed on each end of each cross members;

(c) a leg telescoped into each post for supporting the bed upon a oor;

(d) a sprin-g frame supported above said frame and normally disposed parallel thereto;

(e) power means for raising and lowering said posts and frame upon said legs;

(f) a plunger journaled in each post at one end of the frame;

(g) manual means for moving said plungers into slots in the associated legs that are aligned with the plungers when the posts are in elevated positions on the legs;

(h) and means for holding said plungers engaged in the slots while said power means lowers the other end of the frame to move the spring frame downwardly from horizontal into a downwardly inclined position.

2. A hospital bed as specified in claim 1 in which the manual means includes an operate lever journaled in the cross member adjacent each post, a crank arm xed upon each operate lever and connected to the associated plunger and link means connecting together said crank arms to cause both plungers to be moved when either operate lever is rotated.

3. A hospital bed as specied in claim 2 in which the cross members of the frame are channels and in which the operate levers are journaled in the web of the channel and the crank arms, plungers and link means are disposed within the channel between the flanges thereof.

4. A hospital bed as specified in claim 1 in which the means for holding the plungers engaged in the legs includes a notch recessed into each plunger into which notch the leg portion at the end of the slot projects to hold the plunger engaged with the leg.

5. A hospital bed as specified in claim 4 in which a spring encircles each plunger and moves the plunger out of the leg when the post is moved upwardly on the leg and the plunger is thereby raised out of engagement with said leg portion.

6. A hospital bed comprising:

(b) a post fixed on each end of each cross member;

(c) a sleeve telescoped into each foot end post and containing a vertically disposed slot opening into the lower end of the sleeve;

(d) spacer means composed of low friction material -xed upon the sleeve and engaging the post to center the sleeve in the post;

(e) a leg telescope/d into each sleeve;

(f) low friction spacer means xed upon the leg and engaging the sleeve to space the leg inwardly of the sleeve;

(g) a sheave journaled in the cross member and projected into the slot;

(h) a cable extended around said sheave and through the space between the leg and sleeve to a point of attachment at the upper end of the leg;

(i) power means for operating said cable to raise the post and frame on the leg, said sleeve being free to drop and being dropped down by gravity during such movement;

(j) and interengaged means on the sleeve and post for limiting downward movement of the sleeve,

7. A hospital bed as specified in claim 6 in which the interengaged means consists of stop means on the sleeve near the top thereof and projecting radially into juxtaposition to the post and stop means on the post near the midpoint thereof and projecting radially inwardly into juxtaposition to the sleeve.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner.

Claims

1. A HOSPITAL BED COMPRISING; (A) A RECTANGULAR FRAME INCLUDING CROSS MEMBERS AT THE HEAD AND FOOT ENDS OF THE FRAME; (B) A POST FIXED ON EACH END OF EACH CROSS MEMBERS; (C) A LEG TELESCOPED INTO EACH POST FOR SUPPORTING THE BED UPON A FLOOR; (D) A SPRING FRAME SUPPORTED ABOVE SAID FRAME AND NORMALLY DISPOSED PARALLEL THERETO; (E) POWER MEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING SAID POSTS AND FRAME UPON SAID LEGS; (F) A PLUNGER JOURNALED IN EACH POST AT ONE END OF THE FRAME; (G) MANUAL MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PLUNGERS INTO SLOTS IN THE ASSOCIATED LEGS THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH THE PLUNGERS WHEN THE POSTS ARE IN ELEVATED POSITIONS ON THE LEGS; (H) AND MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID PLUNGERS ENGAGED IN THE SLOTS WHILE SAID POWER MEANS LOWERS THE OTHER END OF THE FRAME TO MOVE THE SPRING FRAME DOWNWARDLY FROM HORIZONTAL INTO A DOWNWARDLY INCLINED POSITION.