US484974A - Invalid s adjustable back-rest - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 1. J. PARKER.

' INVALIDS ADJUSTABLE BAGK REST. No. 484,974 Patented Oct. 25, 1892.

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' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. PARKER. INVALIDS ADJUSTABLE BACK REST. N0. 484,974. Patented 001;. 25, 1892.

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JOHN PARKER, OF CLINTON, CONNECTICUT.

INVALIDS ADJ U STAB LE BACK-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,974, dated October 25, 1892.

' Application filed May 31, 1892. Serial No.434,858. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PARKER, of Olinton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Invalids Adjustable Back-Rests; and I do hereby declare the following,when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked'thereon, to

- be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1,aview in side elevation of abackrest constructed in' accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof with the canopy-frame removed and the hinged upright broken away; Fig. 3, a detached view in side elevation of the tray-support; Fig. 4., a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the device with the hinged frame thereof elevated and the tray-support and canopy-frame in position for use; Fig. 5, a detached plan view of the tray-support and tray; Fig. 6, a similar view of the canopyframe, which is shown as when folded up or collapsed; and Fig. 7, a broken view in rear elevation of the hinged upright, showing the ratchet. on the winding-drum and the pawl for engagement therewith.

My invention relates to an improvement in invalids beds, and particularly to adjustable back-rests therefor, the object being to pro-v duce a simple and convenient device possessing a wide range of adjustment and adapted to be applied to an ordinary bed to facilitate the lifting and general care of an invalid.

With these ends in view my invention consists in a device having certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described .and pointed out in the claims.

As herein shown,the body A of the device is rectangular in form and has its inner end open. It maybe constructed in any suitable manner, but will preferably be framed of wood. In speaking of it I shall refer to the end against the headboard as its outer end and the end within the bed as itsinner end. A rectangular suspension-frame B, substantially conforming in its exterior dimensions to the interior dimensions of the body A, has its inner end hinged by studs B B to the extreme inner end of the said body, the

outer end of the said frame being thus free to be raised and lowered. This suspensionframe supports a pillow or small mattress C, conforming to it in size and of any approved material and construction.

As herein shown, the outer end of the frame is provided with two hinged clampsD D, each having an operating-button d and a spring d, Fig. 4, for holding the pillow in place, the outer end of the pillow being tucked between the said clamps and the outer end of the frame, as clearly shown by Fig. 1 of the drawings. The pillow is supported upon a yielding surface E, stretched across the upper surface of the suspension-frame and consisting of webbing, woven wire, or other suitable material. The outer end of the frame is provided at a point midway of its length with a block F, to which the lower end of a heavy cord G is secured, the said cord passing upward and over a pulley G, mountedin the upper end of an upright H, the lower end whereof is mounted on a horizontal shaft H, hearing in a small box H secured to the outer end of the body A. The said upright is thus hinged for swinging movement forward and back in the line of the body and frame. The

other end of the cord G is fastened to the shaft or winding-drum I of a Winch and mounted upon the outer face of the said upright at a point thereon where it is conven iently accessible for operation by a person standing near the head of the bed to which the device is applied. The said shaft is mounted in a frame I, bolted to the upright, and is provided at its outerend with a crank I and with a ratchet-wheel 1 the latter being engaged by a dog orpawl I. The block F, before mentioned, is furnished with an outwardly-projecting arm F, carrying a roller F which engages with the inner face of the upright and guides and steadies the suspension-frame as the same is raised and lowered bymeans of the winch. I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the use of a rope and winch for raising and lowering the bed, as I might employ in place thereof a screw or any other equivalent device. It will be clear that by means of the suspensionframe and the operating mechanism connected therewith the invalid may have the upper portion of his body raised or lowered as his comfort or care may require. He may, for instance, be raised to a sitting posture for the purpose of giving him his food, and with that object in view I provide the device with a removable tray-support having two arms J J, Fig. 5, the free ends whereof are inserted into suitable pockets J, arranged to receive them: and formed in the opposite sides of the body A of the device, as clearly shown by Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The opposite ends of the said arms are pivotally attached to the under face of an open frame J to swing in the plane thereof. A table K, conforming in its dimensions to the interior dimensions of the said frame, is suspended by its ends therein on short studs jj and constructed with a bowed arm K, locatedinits outer edge and midway the length thereof and provided with a series of transverse openings to receive a key K mounted in the outer side of the open frame J. The swinging table is thus adapted to be fixed in a horizontal plane in accordance with the adjustment of the suspension-frame. A little tray L, adapted to be supported on the said table, is provided at its ends with rings Z Z, which are caught over pins Z I, with which the table is furnished, whereby the tray is held in place thereon. The tray-support thus described is very easily applied to and removed from the body of the device and very easily adjusted according to the adjustment of the frame thereof and the convenience of the invalid, who is thus en-- abled to take his food with much more com-,

fort than he can do from a tray placed upon the bed or upon a table placed by it. The upper end of the upright is provided with a head M, in which the pulley G, before mentioned, is mounted, the said head being constructed with an opening or socket M to receive the lower end N of a post N, the upper end of which is vertically bifurcated to receive the vertical plate 0 of a canopy-frame. The said plate 0 has a horizontal plate 0 applied to its upper edge and forming a bearing for the inner ends of the arms 0 the outer ends of which are connected by a flexible band 0 As herein shown, there are five of these arms, of which the outer pair are hinged at their inner ends to a head P, located upon the bearing-plate 0', while the inner ends of the inner pair are hinged to the inner end of the middle arm, which is fixed in its position. When these arms are opened out, they form a skeleton frame, as it were, for the support of a netting of gauze by which the invalid is protected. The arms are held in their open positions by means of pins 0 inserted into holes 0 in front of the arms of the outer pair, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The vertical plate 0 is hung in the upper end of the post N, before mentioned, on a pin 0 and provided along its lower edge with a segmental series of perforations 0, which receive a plug 0 mounted in the post, whereby the said vertical plate may be locked to the post in diiferent positions relative with buttons Q with which the loops in the said ropes are engaged, whereby the rest may be adjusted according to the convenience of the invalid. The rest may be very easily detached and replaced as required, and will enable him to sustain a sitting or raised posture with comfort.

It will be understood that the whole device may be used in connection with any ordinary bed, being easily applied thereto and removed therefrom, the inner end of the suspensionframe and the pillow or mattress being constructed so that the latter will shade into the bed, so to speak, and cause the invalid no discomfort.

It is apparent that, in carrying out my in vention some changes from the construction herein shown and described may be made, and I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact form setforth, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations therein as fairly fall within the spirit and scopeof my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an invalids adjustable back-rest, the combination, with a body, of an uprighthinged to the outer end thereof, a suspension-frame hinged to its inner end, a rope attached to the free outer end of the said frame and running over a pulley in the upper end of the upright, and a winch applied to the said upright for taking up and paying out the rope which is attached to it to raise and lower the susand a tray-support constructed for removable attachment to the said body and comprising two arms, an open frame having the outer ends of the arms pivoted to its opposite ends to swing in thesame plane with it, a table suspended at its ends within the said frame and adapted to support a tray, and means for locking the table at different inclinations within the said frame, substantially as described.

3. In an invalids adjustable back-rest, the combination, with a body, of an uprighthinged to the outer end thereof, a suspension-frame the upper face of the said bearing-plate, and means for coupling the said post and vertical plate in different inclinations of the latter, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN PARKER.

Witnesses:

FRED. O. EARLE, GEORGE D. SEYMORE.

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