US796357A - Tray-supporter. - Google Patents

Description

No. 796,357. PATENTED AUG. 1, 1905.

r E. E. ROBERTSON.

TRAY SUPPORTER. APPLIUATION FILED APR 18.1904. RENEWED APB. 29,1905.

ll IUIHH IIIIIIIIIQ avwe-wtoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELISA E. ROBERTSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRAY-SUPPORTER- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1905.

Original application filed AugustQQ, 1903, Serial No. 171,266. Divided and this application filed April 18, 190 i. Renewed April 29,

1 1905. Serial No. 258,025.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELISA E. ROBERTSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 233 West Twenty-third street, New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tray-Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in devices for supporting trays and the like, and has more particular reference to that type of such devices which are used in connection with suitable attachments carried by a bed, whereby an invalid or other occupant of the bed can have supported in front of him in a convenient position periodicals, food, or other desirable matter, as shown and described in my application, Serial N 0. 171,266, on which Patent No. 755,699 was granted to me March 29, 190a, and of which this is a division.

My invention is extremely simple, and the primary object thereof is to obviate the defects existing in other devices designed for similar purposes by making the present one light and yet durable and cheap to manufacture.

A further object is to provide means whereby the supported tray can be readily adjusted to diiferent inclinations without causing the patient discomfort or causing the detachment of the tray from the supporting means provided therefor on the bed-rails.

Further, the invention consists in so constructing the tray-supporting means that the same can be easily and quickly attached to beds of varying widths.

Further objects and ad vantages will be more fully set forth in the following specification and those features upon which I base my claim for protection specifically defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure l is a view in top plan of a bed provided with a tray which is supported in position by my improvement. Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation thereof; and Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one of the tray-supporting devices, there being two employed.

1 indicates a bedstead, which is preferably of the well-known metal type, and to the side rails thereof I provide suitable attachments, as A. I lay no claim to these attachments in the present application,but.on the other hand, claim the supporting means, which are in the form of brackets, although it will be obvious that a support in the form of suitable'upright attachments will be required when my brackets are employed as illustrated, and when thus used I prefer the attachments now shown. I do not wish, however, to have it understood that my brackets cannot be placed in service in connection with other forms of supporting elements, as any device in which a rail or bar is employed, the same being disposed in an approximately horizontal plane, will suflice.

2 indicates the tray, which is provided adjacent its opposite side edges with apertures, through which pins, to be referred to in the following, are inserted.

3 indicates the body portion of the bracket, the same being approximately semicircular in cross-section and having its lower edge out inwardly on an arc'of a circle, so as to snugly hug the curved exterior of a rail, as illustrated in the drawings.

4 indicates a strengthening-piece secured to the inner face of the body portion and into which project the ends of the props or legs 5, whereby the latter are enabled to swing, and thus bear different inclinations with respect to the body portion 3. The lower ends of the props are provided with a curved cross-bar 6, which engages the supporting-rail.

7 indicates asst-screw for holding the prop in its adjusted position.

Formed integral with the body portion at the inner edge thereof is a strap 8, and on this strap one end of the tray is placed. The pins 9 are then inserted through their respective tray-openings and then through the openings 10 of the straps. Thus the tray is securely. held, and as the pins are inserted from the tray side it will be obvious that the patient or other occupant of the bed can readily manipulate the same.

I provide the strap with a number of openings which extend throughout its length, whereby provision is made for the application of the brackets to beds of different widths.

In the foregoing description I have described but one of the brackets, as they are both similarly constructed, and hence the single description is sufficient.

While in the present description I have set forth a construction capable of carrying out the functions assigned to it, yet I do not desire to be restricted to the minor details, and

I therefore reserve the right to make such alterations and changes as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a device of the type set forth, a bracket comprising a body portion, a supporting-leg pivotally attached thereto, and a laterally-projecting strap formed integral with said body portion, said strap being formed with a plurality of openings.

2. A bracket comprising a body portion having its lower end cut inwardly on a curve, a leg pivoted to said body portion and being provided at its lower portion with a curved cross-bar, a set-screw carried by said leg, and a strap formed integral with said body portion at one of its edges and being formed with a plurality of openings, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

said rails, said brackets each comprising abody portion and a leg secured thereto, said body portion and legboth having their lower ends formed to snugly embrace the rails, a tray, and means whereby said tray is supported on said brackets.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELISA E. ROBERTSON.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR B. LEFFLER, HAROLD GRAHAM.

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