US3897778A

US3897778A - Quick-release buckle and body harness arrangement

Info

Publication number: US3897778A
Application number: US412312A
Authority: US
Inventors: Elliott Forbes-Robinson; Christina Ethe Forbes-Robinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-11-02
Filing date: 1973-11-02
Publication date: 1975-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 1992-08-05

Abstract

A vest type body harness capable of being cinched around the torso of a patient in a manner making it extremely difficult for a patient to slip out has strap portions which extend when the harness is in situ from each side of the patient. Two selfclamping quick release buckle arrangements are mounted on the frame member of the bed, wheel chair, etc., to which the patient is to be strapped for engaging the respective strap portions. A linkage arrangement is provided which extends between the two buckle arrangements for simultaneously releasing both buckles.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 Forbes-Robinson et a1.

[5 QUKIK-RELEASE BUCKLE AND BODY HARNESS ARRANGEMENT 175] lnventors: Elliott Forheskobinson; Christina Ethel Forbes-Robinson, both of Glendale, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Glendale,

Calif.

{22] Filed: Nov. 2, 1973 [2'11 Appl. No: 412,312

['52] US. Cl 128/134; 5/83 [51] Int. Cl. A6IG 7/06 ['58] Field of Search 128/134, 133; 119/96;

5/83, 85, 320; 2/2 R; 24/73 PH, 81 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,051,560 1/1913 Cowles 5/320 3,063,447 11/1962 Kirsten 128/134 3,100,484 8/1963 Berl 123/134 1 1 Aug. 5, 1975 3,136,311 6/1964 Lewis 128/134 3.265.065 8/1966 .lillsun..... 128/134 3,407,807 111/1968 Giberson 2/2 R Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant I:'.mminer-Henry J. Recla Atmmey, Agent, or Firm-Huebner & Worrel [S7 ABSTRACT A vest type body harness capable of being cinched around the torso of a patient in a manner making it extremely difficult for a patient to slip out has strap portions which extend when the harness is in situ from each side of the patient. Two self-clamping quick release buckle arrangements are mounted on the frame member of the bed, wheel chair, etc., to which the patient is to be strapped for engaging the respective strap portions. A linkage arrangement is provided which extends between the two buckle arrangements for simultaneously releasing both buckles.

16 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures QUICK-RELEASE BUCKLE AND BODY HARNESS ARRANGEMENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for strapping a patient to a hospital bed, wheel chair or the like and more particularly, to a quick-release buckle and harness arrangement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore, harnesses have been employed to hold patients securely in beds. Frequently, such are used on post-operative patients to prevent the patient from falling or climbing out of bed and incurring injury. Such harnesses usually include some type of strap arrangement which may be buckled to the persons torso with straps running around the sides of the bed and joining each other beneath the bed so as to loop the mattress springs and frame of the bed. These harness arrange ments, since they cannot be released by the patient being held, represent a safety hazard in the event that some emergency condition, such as a fire, earthquake, or other condition, demands speedy evacuation and removal of the patients from the hospital rooms. A common disadvantage with the prior art harness arrangements is that they could not be quickly released. Generally, it is necessary for an attendant to reach under the bed and manually unbuckle or untie the straps before the patient can be removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an improved harness capable of being cinched around the torso of a patient in a manner such that it is extremely difficult for the patient to escape from the harness and to improved buckling devices for securing the ends of the straps of the harness below a bed or behind a wheel chair or the like in a secure fashion while permitting quick release of both straps by an attendant. This is accomplished, in brief, by providing in combination with an improved patient harness a harness strap locking apparatus for mounting on the frame of a hospital bed, wheel chair or the like. The strap locking apparatus comprises first and second strap clamping units. Each strap clamping unit includes a frame member and a strap clamping plate mounted on the frame member with a locking member rotatably supported above the clamping plate and having a strap engaging surface movable into and out of a strap clamping position. Spring means urges the locking member to rotate into the clamping position for gripping the strap and holding it securely. Tension on the strap in a direction to withdraw the strap tightens the clamping action. Quick release means links both units for simultaneously rotating both locking members against the action of the spring means to release the straps. A manually positioned control lever at each unit actuates the quick release means from either side of the bed, detent means holding the lever in either a strap clamping position or a strap releasing position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation view of a hospital bed illustrating a patient held therein by a combination harnessclamping arrangement according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of one of the buckle units of the clamping arrangement of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the harness of FIG. 1 in situ on a patient.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the harness of FIG. 1 when opened along the seams in its shoulders and Iain flat.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating use of the harness-clamping arrangement combination of FIG. 1 to releasably strap a patient in a wheel chair.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 10 indicates generally a conventional hospital bed having a main frame including a pair of side rail angle irons l2 and 14. Box springs 16 and a mattress 18 rest on top of the frame. The patient lying on top of the mattress I8 is fitted in a body harness, indicated generally at 20, having

strap portions

22 and 24 which secure the harness on the patient and which extend around the edges of the bed where they are buckled to the

side rails

12 and 14 by quick-

release buckle units

26 and 28, respectively, mounted below the

side rails

12 and 14.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the harness is in the form of a cloth garment or vest. The garment 20 defines an opening 23 centrally in its top just large enough for receiving the patient's head and neck when the shoulder seams I9 are sewn shut as illustrated in FIG. 4. An armhole or opening 25 is defined in one vertical side of the garment 21 just large enough to receive an arm of the patient. The other vertical side of the garment 20 is open. The back panel 7 of the garment has an extension 27 formed along the open side of the garment 20 which narrows from a point adjacent a wearers arm like a triangle to a point on the garments lower edge and wraps around the side of the patient opposite from the arm hole 25 under the patients armpit. The front garment panel 9 also has a generally similar but preferably shorter extension 29 formed along the open side of the garment 20 which overlaps the extension 27 around the same side of the patient when the garment 20 is in situ on the wearer as shown in FIG. 4. The strap ends 22 and 24 are preferably part of a continuous strap sewn to the lower margin of the garment so as to encircle the patients waist. The strap end 24, where it leaves the garment extension 27, passes through a preferably centrally located vertically extending slit 31 in the front panel 9 of the garment. The gannent preferably is sewn with pleats 33 which make it form fitting.

In use, the harness 20 is fitted on the patient as shown in FIG. 4 and the

strap ends

22 and 24 are pulled in opposite directions. Thereby, the harness 20 is tightened around the patients waist and the harness portion 27 is cinched under the patient's arm 8. Due to the tightening at the waist and the cinching under the arm 8, it is extremely difficult for a patient to slip from the harness 20 once these strap ends 22 and 24 have been tightened and are held in place.

This harness arrangement provided by the garment 20 additionally has the inherent advantage that it may be used to replace the conventional hospital gown worn by a patient since it covers the torso and particularly the breast portion of the patient.

As shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the quick-

release buckle units

26 and 28 is made up of a box-like frame 30 having a top wall 32 which is bolted to the bed frame by suitable bolts (not shown) extending through slots 34. The box-like frame 30 includes side walls 36 and 38, a bottom wall 40, and back wall 42. The back wall is positioned outwardly along the side of the bed when the unit is mounted in position on the bed frame and has an opening 43 through which one of the

strap portions

22 or 24 is inserted. The front side of the box-like frame 30 is open.

Mounted on the inside of the bottom wall 40 is a buckle assembly for adjustably securing a strap. The buckle assembly includes a U-shaped bracket 44 secured to the bottom wall 40. A rotating clamping member 46 is joumaled on a shaft 48, the shaft being supported at its ends by the bracket 44 in substantially parallel alignment with box frame wall 42. Suitable spring means, such as a coil spring 50, is wrapped around the shaft and connected in engagement with the bracket 44 at one end and the clamping member 46 at the other end. With reference to FIG. 3, the coil spring 50 resiliently biases the clamping member 46 clockwise to maintain it rotated into the strap clamping position there shown.

The clamping member 46 is provided with longitudinal extending serrations or ridges 52 which engage the inserted strap 22, clamping it against the bottom portion of the bracket 44. The ridges 52 are formed to define a partially serrated surface which increases in radial size from the point 49 to a diametrically opposite point 51. Consequently, with reference to FIG. 3, rotation of the clamping member 46 in a clockwise sense due to the tension of the spring 50 or withdrawal tension on the strap 22, causes an increased clamping pressure against the strap 22.

The clamping member 46 is provided with an integral handle 54 which, when lifted upwardly, rotates the clamping member 46 in a direction against the action of the spring 50, moving the ridges 52 out of contact with the strap 22. This releases the strap 22 permitting it to be withdrawn through the opening 43 in the back wall 42.

One of the advantages of the present invention is that the

straps

22 and 24 can be released from the clamping

units

26 and 28 easily and quickly from either side of the bed. To this end, each unit has a bracket 60 projecting out from the side wall 38 on which is mounted a bearing 62 for receiving the end of a shaft 64. The shaft 64 spans the space between the two buckle units beneath the bed and is rotatably supported in the bearings 62 at either end.

Each buckle unit includes a release lever 66 which is securely clamped to the shaft 64 for rotation therewith. A link 68 connects the outer end of the lever 66 by a ball and socket joint 70 to a bracket 72 that is bolted or otherwise secured to the handle 54. The length of link 68 can be adjusted by nuts 74 on a threaded end 76 of the link 68.

A quick-release handle 80 associated with each buckle unit is securely attached to each end of the shaft 64 for rotating the shaft. The handle 80 is formed of double curves 81 and 83 which are in opposite directions to define a detent 82 for engaging a lip 84 on the bottom of the frame 30. Upon movement of the handle 80 to the left, as viewed in FIG. 2, the fixed lip 84 slides across the upwardly curved surface 81 into the downwardly curved surface 83, thereby the detent 82 engages the lip 84 to lock the handle 80 against the frame 30. In this locked position, the clamping element 46 is held in a strap release position in which the

straps

22 and 24 may be easily withdrawn from the buckle units. Upon disengaging the handle detent 82 from the frame lip 84, the handle returns to the strap clamping position shown in FIG. 2.

It is noted with the

strap portions

22 and 24 clamped, as shown in FIG. 2, so as to be held against pull exerted on the straps by a patient, that the straps can still be easily tightened by an attendant merely by pulling the ends of the straps. There is no need to move the handle 80 into the strap release position in order to tighten the straps due to the eccentric shape of the clamping member 46. By mounting a handle 80 at both buckle units, both units can be released together from either side of the bed due to the linking shaft 64.

In addition, the bracket 72 may be provided with a portion 73 that projects beyond the wall 36 to form a handle. By lifting this handle, one of the buckles can be released without releasing the other buckle since the link is designed to have lost motion between the nuts 74 and the washers 75 to isolate the movement of the clamping member 46 from the rod 64. This effective decoupling of the clamping member from the rod 64 occurs due to the pivotal connection of the bracket 72 to the link 68 by the socket joint and the downward slant of the lever 66. As a result, upward movement of the link 68 is translated into a flattening movement of the washers against the nuts 74 instead of a position change of the lever 66.

Referring to FIG. 6, the aforedescribed harness 20 and

buckle units

26 and 28 are shown employed to strap a person in a wheel chair 90. The buckle units are appropriately secured on the back of the wheel chair 90. Thus, it is apparent that the improved harnessbuckling arrangement described herein can be used on beds, wheel chairs and in other equivalent applications.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A harness device for holding a patient in a hospital bed comprising: harness means adapted to securely engage a patients body, said harness means including a pair of elongated strap portions, a pair of releasable buckle means for securing one of the strap portions adjacent one side of the bed and for securing the other of said strap portions adjacent the other side of the bed, means for securing one of said buckle means adjacent said one side of the bed and for securing the other of said buckle means adjacent said other side of the bed, and quick release means connected to both buckle means for simultaneously releasing both strap portions to release the harness from the bed.

2. The device of claim I wherein the quick release means includes an actuating member connected to both buckle means and means for actuating the actuating member from either side of the bed.

3. Apparatus of claim 2 wherein means for actuating the actuating member are manually operated levers extending from each bed side, and including means for holding each lever selectively in a strap clamping position or a strap releasing position.

4. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the harness means includes a garment open on one side and having an opening fitting over the patients head and an opening for receiving one arm, the strap portions extending from overlapping extensions on the open side of the garment, one of the overlapping extensions extending from the front and one from the back of the garment, the strap portion of the back extension extending out through a slit in the front of the garment.

5. The invention according to claim 1, in which: said buckle means are secured below the bed, said quick release means includes an actuating member extending the width of the bed below the bed connected to both buckle means, and means for actuating the actuating member from either side of the bed.

6. Harness strap locking apparatus for releasably clamping straps extending from a body harness and being for mounting on a supporting structure, such as the frame ofa bed, wheel chair, or the like out of reach of a wearer of the harness, comprising: first and second strap clamping units adapted to be secured at laterally spaced apart points on said supporting structure frame for receiving the harness straps when extending in opposite directions, each unit including a frame member for securing to said supporting structure frame, a strap clamping plate mounted on the frame member, a locking member rotatably supported from the frame member and having a strap engaging surface movable into and out of strap clamping position with said plate by rotation of the locking member, spring means urging the locking member into strap clamping position, and quick release means linking both units for simultaneously rotating said locking members against the action of the spring means into a strap release position.

7. Apparatus of claim 6 wherein said quick release means includes a manually positionable control handle on at least one of said units for actuating the quick release means, and detent means for holding the lever in either a strap clamping position or a strap releasing position.

8. Apparatus of claim 6 further including means for moving the locking member of one unit to release the strap without actuating the second unit.

9. A harness device for holding a patient in a supporting structure comprising: harness means adapted to securely engage a patients body, said harness means including a pair of elongated strap portions, said supporting structure having two sides, a pair of releasable buckle means for securing one of the strap portions adjacent one of said sides and for securing the other of said strap portions adjacent the other of said sides, means for securing one of said buckle means adjacent one of said sides and for securing the other of said buckle means adjacent the other of said sides, and

quick release means connected to both buckle means for simultaneously releasing both strap portions to release the harness from the supporting structure.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the quick release means includes an actuating member extending between both buckle means and means for actuating the actuating member from either of said sides.

11. Apparatus of claim 10 wherein means for actuating the actuating member are manually operated levers extending from each of said sides, and including means for holding each lever selectively in a strap clamping position or a strap releasing position.

12. A body harness for fitting over the torso of a person comprising a vest-like garment having a continuous front and back panel, said panels being shaped and joined at their tops to define a pair of shoulders with a head hole therebetween and dimensioned to have their bottom edges positioned approximately at the waist of a wearer, said panels being shaped and joined along one vertical side to form a closed side with an arm hole therein, said panels being open and shaped along their other vertical side edges to define from a point adjacent a wearer's arm to the bottom edges of said panels downwardly sloping overlapping triangularly shaped extensions which when overlapped cross beneath a wearers armpit, a strap portion secured to said garment to extend laterally from each of said triangular extensions and a substantially vertically extending slit defined substantially centrally adjacent the lower edge of said front panel for receiving said strap portion extend' ing from the triangularly shaped extension of said back panel whereby a wearer may be tightly secured in said harness by inserting said strap portion extending from said back panel through said slit in the direction from inside to outside and then pulling said straps in the opposite directions they extend.

13. The invention defined in claim 12, wherein said strap portions are the end portions of a single strap secured around the bottom edge of said garment.

l4. The invention in claim 9, in combination with a pair of laterally spaced apart clamping means, means for securing said clamping means to a frame structure to which a wearer of said harness is to be strapped, each clamping means being operable to releasably hold the one of said strap portions inserted therein.

15. The invention defined in claim 14, including means for simultaneously actuating said clamping means to release said strap portions held therein.

16. The invention defined in claim 14, wherein each of said clamping means includes an off-center curved clamping member biased by spring means in a strap clamping position.

Claims

1. A harness device for holding a patient in a hospital bed comprising: harness means adapted to securely engage a patient''s body, said harness means including a pair of elongated strap portions, a pair of releasable buckle means for securing one of the strap portions adjacent one side of the bed and for securing the other of said strap portions adjacent the other side of the bed, means for securing one of said buckle means adjacent said one side of the bed and for securing the other of said buckle means adjacent said other side of the bed, and quick release means connected to both buckle means for simultaneously releasing both strap portions to release the harness from the bed.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the quick release means includes an actuating member connected to both buckle means and means for actuating the actuating member from either side of the bed.

4. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the harness means includes a garment open on one side and having an opening fitting over the patient''s head and an opening for receiving one arm, the strap portions extending from overlapping extensions on the open side of the garment, one of the overlapping extensions extending from the front and one from the back of the garment, the strap portion of the back extension extending out through a slit in the front of the garment.

6. Harness strap locking apparatus for releasably clamping straps extending from a body harness and being for mounting on a supporting structure, such as the frame of a bed, wheel chair, or the like out of reach of a wearer of the harness, comprising: first and second strap clamping units adapted to be secured at laterally spaced apart points on said supporting structure frame for receiving the harness straps when extending in opposite directions, each unit including a frame member for securing to said supporting structure frame, a strap clamping plate mounted on the frame member, a locking member rotatably supported from the frame meMber and having a strap engaging surface movable into and out of strap clamping position with said plate by rotation of the locking member, spring means urging the locking member into strap clamping position, and quick release means linking both units for simultaneously rotating said locking members against the action of the spring means into a strap release position.

9. A harness device for holding a patient in a supporting structure comprising: harness means adapted to securely engage a patient''s body, said harness means including a pair of elongated strap portions, said supporting structure having two sides, a pair of releasable buckle means for securing one of the strap portions adjacent one of said sides and for securing the other of said strap portions adjacent the other of said sides, means for securing one of said buckle means adjacent one of said sides and for securing the other of said buckle means adjacent the other of said sides, and quick release means connected to both buckle means for simultaneously releasing both strap portions to release the harness from the supporting structure.

12. A body harness for fitting over the torso of a person comprising a vest-like garment having a continuous front and back panel, said panels being shaped and joined at their tops to define a pair of shoulders with a head hole therebetween and dimensioned to have their bottom edges positioned approximately at the waist of a wearer, said panels being shaped and joined along one vertical side to form a closed side with an arm hole therein, said panels being open and shaped along their other vertical side edges to define from a point adjacent a wearer''s arm to the bottom edges of said panels downwardly sloping overlapping triangularly shaped extensions which when overlapped cross beneath a wearer''s armpit, a strap portion secured to said garment to extend laterally from each of said triangular extensions and a substantially vertically extending slit defined substantially centrally adjacent the lower edge of said front panel for receiving said strap portion extending from the triangularly shaped extension of said back panel whereby a wearer may be tightly secured in said harness by inserting said strap portion extending from said back panel through said slit in the direction from inside to outside and then pulling said straps in the opposite directions they extend.

14. The invention in claim 9, in combination with a pair of laterally spaced apart clamping means, means for securing said clamping means to a frame structure to which a wearer of said harness is to be strapped, each clamping means being operable to releasably hold the one of said strap portions inserted therein.