US546302A

US546302A - Embalming-couch

Info

Publication number: US546302A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1912-09-17

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

{No Model.)

W. ()LOUSER.v EMBALMING COUCH. No. 546,305}. Patented. Sept. 17,1895,

r 1 0. E WITNESSES; WW1 INVENTOR:

TTOHNEY.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. GLOUSER. EMBALMING 00mm.

No. 546,302. Patented Sept. 1'7, 1895.

Hum 11 Inventor:

Attorney UNITED STATES PATENT Orricn.

WILLIAM CLOUSER, OF GREENFIELD, OHIO.

EMBALMlNG-COUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,302, dated September 17, 1895.

Application filed November 7,1894. Serial No. 528,142. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CLOUSER, a citizen otthe United States, residing at Greenfield, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Embalming-Couches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawlugs.

My invention relates to improvements in embalming tables or couches used by undertakers, but it might in some cases be used in tables, &c., used for other purposes.

The object of my invention is to produce an improved embalming-couch of the character described which will be convenient in use, simple in construction, and easily carried about.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embalming-couch embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken near the center of the couch. Fig. 3 is an end view of the body portion of the couch. Fig. at is a longitudinal vertical section of the body portion, taken near one side. Fig. 5 is a side view of the couch when folded up. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the headrest slide with the dogging device in its elevated position. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the head-rest slide with the dogging device in itslowered or engaging position. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the pawl or dogging device. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the headrest. Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the head-rest slide, taken on line 03a: of Fig. 7, showing also the head-rest in position. It may be stated that Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are drawn to a larger scale.

My improved couch has three principal parts, which will be designated as a body portion A, a head portion B, and a foot portion 0. The body portion A has side rails a a, which are connected together by slats a a and the frame-pieces a and a The head portion B has side rails 11 b, which are connected together by slats 1) 19 The foot portion 0 has side rails c c, which are connected together by slats c c and the frame-piece 0 The body portion A has curved supports or rockers d d. Each rocker d is placed beneath a rail a, and has one end hinged thereto at d The other end of the rocker is secured to the lower end of leg or connecting-piece d and the upper end of said leg d is hinged to rail 0. at 11. Brace-rods ff, Fig. 3, have their upper ends pivotally attached by means of hook-and-eye connections at f f 2 with rails a a. The lower ends of brace-rods f f are provided with books f f adapted to fit into rings or screw-eyes f said rings or screweyes being attached to the innersidcs of legs d d These brace-rods f f hold the rockers d d firmly in position and prevent their swinging around the hinges or pivotal points d and 61 Each rocker d carries at its lower end a small wheel at, the wheel being secured to the side of the rocker by means of a screw or other bearing d.

The foot portion 0 is secured to body portion A by means of hinges g g, said hinges connecting frame-pieces a and c Braces 72 h have their upper ends pivotally attached by means of screws or other bearings 72, h to the inner sides of rails c 0, while their lower ends carry hooks h 72 adapted to fit into rings or screw-eyes 7L 7L4, said rings being secured to rockers at (Z. These braces 71 h prevent the foot portion 0 from swinging around the hinges or pivotal points g g.

Supplemental rails c c are placed inside of rails c c and extend from the extremities of frame-piece c to points beyond rail 0 c, converging toward each other. These rails c a carry at their outer ends the short slat 0 A cross-piece It extends between the inner sides of rails a a and has its ends attached, pivotally, axially with the cross piece by means of screws or other bearings to said rails a a. A leg or brace-rod it extends downward from the center of this cross-piece it, being rigidly secured thereto. A brace-rod is pivotally attached, by means of its hookand-eye connection 70* to the center of one of the slats 0 The leg orbrace-rod 70 carries a number of rings or screw-eyes k", and bracerod k carries at its lower end a hook is, adapted to fit into said rings or screw-eyes W.

The slats b b in head portion B carry on their under sides staples 19 5 These staples carry a slide h This slide has holes 11 for the reception of stem 22 of head-rest 11*. The side rails 17 h are arranged so that their lower ends fit just outside of rails a, a, being pivotally attached to said rails or aby means of screws or other bearings I) 1). Rails a a have at their ends notches a a on their upper sides, and the lower slat b of head portion B rests in these notches.

The stem b of head-rest b is provided on one side with teeth or corrugations b Figs. 9 and 10. The slide 11 is provided with holes I), and near each hole is a pawl or dogging device I)". At the side of each hole 6 is a transverse groove b extending across the slide. The dogging device 11 consists preferably of a piece of wire bent angularly into the form of asquare, with the greater part of one of the sides cut away, Fig. 8. 6 Z9 are inserted in holes in the sides of slide 5 and thus become pivotal points, Figs. 6 and 7, and the opposite side of the dogging device ts into groove 19 The dogging device I) is shown in its elevated position in Fig. 6 and in its lower or operating position in Figs. 7 and 10. When it is in'its lower or horizontal position, it engages the teeth or corrugations b of head-rest stem b as shown most clearly in Fig. 10.

The operation and advantages of my lIlJ- proved embalming-couch are apparent.

When the couch is set up as represented in Fig. 1, with the braces in proper position, it stands firmly and substantially and will support a heavy body. The slats a b and c are superior to a solid top, because the spaces between the slats admit of cords or bandages being readily passed or lapped around the body to be embalmed without lifting or moving the body. By placing hook of bracerod k in a higher or lower ring 70 the table may be tilted to any desired angle. This is most clearly shown in Fig. 2, where it is apparent that if hook 70 be placed in a higher ring 70 the leg k will be brought into a more nearly vertical position, and consequently the foot of the table will be tilted up, while if hook 7c be placed in a lower ring the foot of the table will be tilted down. The rockers d d allow the table to be more easily tilted, keeping the weight more nearly over the base or point of contact with the floor, as will be readily understood. By tilting the foot of the couch high enough the rockers d d are brought clear of the floor and the weight rests upon wheels d d", and the couch may thus be easily wheeled aboutthe room or from one room to another. The wheels 01 d are preferably detachable and are not shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5.

The slide b works longitudinally in staples b 11 and hence the head-rest may be readily brought nearer to or removed farther from the body portion A. The head-rest may also be adjusted by insertion in dilferent holes 17 The head-rest may be adjusted vertically by means of teeth b and the dogging device I),

The ends.

as will be readily understood. When the dogging device 5 fits down in groove b it does not interfere with slats b when moving the slide longitudinally.

The couch as above described may be folded up in a comparatively small space. This is shown most clearly in Figs. 2, 3, 4., and 5. The head-rest, which consists of the curved piece If, adapted to receive the back of the head, and the toothed or corrugated stem 1), is first removed from slide N. Then the wheels (1 61 may be removed. Then the head portion B is swung around the pivotal points I9 19 in the direction of the arrowp and the dotted lines in Fig. 2, until slats b rest upon slats a 0, the rails 12 1) fitting along the outer sides of rails act. Then the couch may be turned upside down, if desired, so as to be more easily operated. The brace-rod 70 then has its hook k disengaged from ring 70 and is swung around the pivotal point k in the direction of arrowp and the dotted lines, Fig. 2, until it rests against slats c and 0 Then the leg k is swung around the pivotal point of crosspiece 7c in the direction of arrow 13 and the dotted lines until it rests against the slats a a Then each brace-rod f has its hook f disengaged from ring f and is swung around its pivotal point f until it rests against side rail a and cross-piece 70, as shown in Fig. 4. Then braces h h have their hooks 77, 71 disengaged from rings 71 h and are swung around their pivotal points 71. h in the direction of arrow p and the dotted lines until they rest against the inner sides of rails c 0. Then the rockers d d are swung around their hinges or pivotal points d d in the direction of arrows 13 p in Fig. 3 until they assume the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Then the foot portion 0 is swung around its hinges or pivotal points 9 g in the direction of the arrow 13 and the dotted lines in Fig. 2 until the rails c 0 rest against the rails to a The couch then has the appearance and the various parts the positions shown in Fig. 5. The latches r 'r on the ends of rails c c are then inserted in rings t t on rails a a, and the couch is held securely in its folded position, as shown in Fig. 5. This feature of folding into a small space is quite desirable when the couch is to be carried in a buggy or undertakers wagon.

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

1. In an embalming couch, the combination, with the top of the couch, of the rockers sup porting the top and hinged so as to fold beneath said top, substantially as set forth.

2. In an embalming couch, the combination, with the top of the couch, of the rockers d d supporting said top and hinged so as to fold beneath said top, and the brace-rods f f designed to hold said rockers in position, substantially as set forth.

3. In an embalming couch, the combination,

with the top of the body-portion A, of the rockers (Z (Z supporting said body-portion and hinged so as to fold beneath said top, and the head-portion l3 pivotally attached to said body-portion A so as to fold upon the top of said body-portion A, substantially as set forth.

4:. In an embalmingcouch,the combination, with the body-portion A, having rockers d d hinged so as to fold beneath the top of bodyportion A, of a footportion O hinged so as to fold beneath body-portion A, and braces 72 h pivotally attached to foot-portion C and designed to engage rings h h in rockers d (Z, so as to hold the foot-portion O in position, substantially as set forth.

5. In an embalming couch, the combination, with the body-portion A, having rockers d d hinged so as to fold beneath the top of bodyportion A, and braces ff designed to hold said rockers in position and pivotally attached so as to fold beneath the top of body-portion A, of a head-portion l3 pivotally attached so as to fold upon the top of body-portion A, an adjustable head-rest carried by said head-portion B, and a foot-portion (3, having braces h h pivotally attached so as to fold beneath footportion 0, said braces being designed to engage rings 7L k in rockers cl (1, and said footportion C being hinged or pivotally attached so as to fold beneath bodyportion A, substantially as set forth.

6. In an embalming couch, the combination, with the body-portion A having rockers d d and the depending leg 70 pivotally attached, of the foot-portion 0 having the depending brace k pivotally attached, said brace 76 being designed to engage rings in leg 76 and thus regulate the elevation of the foot of the couch, substantially as set forth,

7. In an embalming couch, the combination, with the body-portion A, having the folding rockers (Z d, and a depending leg 70 pivotally attached so as to fold beneath the top of bodyportion A, of a foot-portion 0 having a depending brace k said brace k being designed to engage rings 70 in leg 75 and being pivotally attached so as to fold beneath foot-portion 0, and said foot-portion 0 being hinged or pivotally attached so as to fold beneath body-portion A, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM CLOUSER. \Vitnesses:

ALBERT M. MAC-KEELEY, EUGENE L. ARNQTT.