US829481A - Invalid-bed. - Google Patents

Description

No. 829,481. PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906. 1:". W. MITCHELL.

INVALID BED.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 23, 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

A 1W. J1. WLM E@ No. 829,481. VPATENTBD 111111.28, 1906. F. W. MITCHELL.

INVALID BED.

APPLICATION FILED 111113.23, 1905.

f3fff- FREDERICK W. MITCHELL, OF FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS.

INVALID-BED Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug'. 28, 1906.

Application filed February 23, 1905. Serial No. 246,904.

To all whom, it may concern/.-

Beit known that I, FREDERICK W. MITCH- ELL, a citizen of the United States, residin at Fort Smith, in the county of Sebastian and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Invalid- Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in invalid-beds, in which is included the frame or bedstead proper, the direct supports for the mattress, and the mattress itself.

The special object of my improvements is to produce a bed of this character that can be manufactured economically, that will be easy to operate, and in which provision is made for the comfort of the occupant and the convenience of the attending doctor or` nurse. In carrying out this object and others of general utility I' havedesigned a bed in which the mattress and its direct supporting elements are divided into four movable and adjustable sections, each section being movable and adjustable independently of the complementary sections, in which the moving and adjusting of the mattress-sections are accomplished with a minimum of disturbance to the occupant and in which the attendant may reach for bathing or treatment any part of the anatomy of the occupant without serious'inconvenience to either.

A further object attained by the improvements embodied in my invention 1s the ability to effect radical as well as slight changes in the position of the body and lower limbs of the occupant, thus relieving the pain and tedium usually resulting from long-maintained positions.

Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved bed, taken at the left-hand side. Fig. 2 is an elevation taken at the foot of the bed. Fig. 3 is an elevation taken at the head of the bed. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the bed. Fig. 5 is a top plan view ofthe bedframe and bed-spring-supporting elements. Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of the bedpan which forms an essential part of my bed, and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail of a fastening device used in connection with one of the vital elements of my bed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A represents a tubular metal head-piece A a corresponding foot-piece; A2, the side rails,

which ponnect the head-posts to the footposts, and A3 the cross-rails, which connect the headosts with each other and the footposts with) each other, said head and foot pieces and rails constituting the main frame of my bed. Along the right-hand side of the `bed above the raiI A2 is a rail B, the ends of which are secured to the head and foot osts, respectively. Said rail B-is connectedpwith the rail A2 by vertical bars b3, thus forming a rigid and continuous frame for that side of the bed. On the opposite side of the bed above the rail A2 is a rail b, one end ofwhich is connected with the head-.post A, and the opposite end is bent downwardly and secured to the rail A2, and said rail extends about one-half the length of the bed. A rail b2 is secured at one end to the foot-post A and has its other end bent downwardly and secured to the rail A2 and extends about one-fourth the length of the bed, thus leaving a gap between the vertical portionsof the two rails b b2. This gap is filled by a drop-section b', consisting of a rail bent in the the form of an inverted U with its ends connected .by a bar b4, which extends at each end sufliciently to ass through the adjacent vertical portions ofp the rails b b2, and thereby serve as a hin e or pivot for said section. spring-catch F5 of Well-known form is connected with the upper part of the drop-section vand engages suitable openings in the rails b b2 to lock the section in its vertical or closed osition. Extending transversely of the be and j ournaled in the said rails A2 and in guide-plates c3 is a rod c, on which are fixed gears c and on one end of which is secured a crank c2. The gears are mounted on the rod between the side rails and the guideplates, thus forming slideways for the curved rack-bars d3 als, the teeth of which engage said gears. The up er ends of the rack-bars are pivoted on t e sides of the mattress-frame D. This frame is rectangular in form, made of angle-iron or other suitable material, and has extending thereacross flat metal straps d2, whichl support the springs d?, upon which the mattress-section c rests. AAt two corners of the mattresssup orting frame are secured angular plates d di?, in the upper corner of each of which is iixed a pin d5, which enters a suitable hole in the bars B b, respectively, forming pivots or pintles on which the frame is hung at said IOO points and supported in connection with the curved rack-bars d2. The mattress-section e is preferably detachably connected with the springs d* in any convenient or Wellknown manner, so that when the frame D is raised, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 4, the mattress will be held in its proper relation to the springs and frame. The frame is locked in its adjusted position by a pawl c4, which is pivoted on the rail A2, so that'its hooked end may engage the teeth of the adjacent pinion c.

To facilitate changing thesheeton the mattress e or beating up'the latter in thefusual manner I providea sheet E, made of strong material, to which are secured straps e2, adapted to en age ,the head-post, and other straps e3, whic maybesuitably securedlto the rails B b. These straps are equipped with sna s @tand staples@5 for holding the ends of t e straps and ermitting thesheet E to be drawn and held) in the position indicated in Fig. .1, thus raising from thel mattress the body of the occupant of the-bed. When not so used, the sheet Will hangdown behind the head-piece out of theway ormay be placed on the mattress under the ordinary sheet with the straps e3 projecting in position to be grasped at any time lit is-desired to raise the body of the occupant.

A rodf has its ends secured in alug on the vertical portion of the rail b2, `and in one of the posts b3 on the op osite sideoi` thebed and pivotally mounte on said rod are two independent y-operating frames FF of corresponding size and Jform. These frames are l supported in a horizontalposition by barsf 2,

pivoted on a rod f4, the ends of which are ixed in the side rails A2 and have -notches at their outer ends to engage the corresponding outer portions of the-frames, as indicated in Fig. 4. Metal straps f5 connect the side ieces of the frames F and supportthe coil bed-s ringsf2, which in: turn support and are detacllably connected with the l mattress-sections g g 1n the same manner as .the section e. It will be apparent that b, disconnecting the bars f2 from the frames F. the latter may be dropped down, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 4. As these-sections Aare adapted to-support the feet andlegs of theoccupant -of the bed, if vit be desired to:.raise him to a sitting posture the sections will be dropped, as described. As the sections are independently. adjustable, the limbs of the occupant may be placed on one section while the other is being made up, thus ermitting change of sheets or slips with but ittle disturbance of the invalid. .In practice it will be preferable to have Aall of the mattress-sections of my bed covered with sli s instead of sheets, an ad vantage to Whic they lend themselves becauseof their comparative small size. By

lacing notches at different points along the Ears f2 provision is made for holding the frames F at different angles, as will be readily apparent. l

Inclinedbars h2 h2 extend from the righthand rail A2 forwardly to the left-hand rail A2 and are rigidly secured thereto. Resting on the upper part of the inclined portions of these bars is a metal frame H, rectangular in form, the front end of which is supported by pivoted braces h, the free ends o which are hooked and engage pins h3, which project inwardly from the -vertical portions of the rail 1f, whereby as'the gate *formed b saidrail is swung on its hinge the lframe will be moved outwardly and downwardly, the :rearend sliding on the inclined bars h', so thatzit will-be held in a horizontal plane at all times. Thisframe supports bed-springs and a;.mattress.section h4 inthe same manner as the other frames described, and asit canlbe movedindependentl Aof the other. frames adjustment, change o bedclothes, and .work onthepatient or invalid are all. facilitated.`

Arranged under the frame Hand-removably supported on the bars h2 and the rails A2 isa bed-pan J, made of any suitable metal and formed with an inclined bottom .-y" and overhan ing sides i2, -Which are adapted to rest on t ebars h2 and rails A2. The pan has secured to its underside a bracket j?, which is adapited to receive a suitable alcohol-stove (not s own) for heating the contents of the pan. If it be desired to use the pan when the bed is occupied, the gate is swung outwardly on its hinges and the mattress-section h4, with its frame H, removed, or if the pan is required at the feet of the invalid the frames F Ff, with their mattresses, are dropped to a Vertical position and the an inserted with one side resting on the rai A3, its ends suported on the rails A2 A2 and one corner supported by the pivoted latch-f, shown in dotted lines, Figs. 1 and 5, as mounted on one of the side rails A2.

It will be 'seen that my improved bed has as important elements a head-section comprising a pivoted frame supporting springs and mattress and means for adjusting said frame at different angles, a sheet detachably secured to the head-frame and adapted to be stretched at an angle over the head-section, a middle section comprising a frame supporting springs and mattress and ada ted to be swung outwardly and downward y from the bed, two foot-sections.comprising frames independently hinged and adjustable, and a bed-pan adapted to be supported at the middle-section or the foot-section of the frame.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Let-l ters Patent, is-

1. A bedstead comprising a main frame and head and foot boards, said frame havin a hinged middle section on one side, an means for supporting said section in a hori-4 zontal position, an auxiliary middle-section roo' mattress-supporting frame removably and slidably supported on said main frame, in combination With a bed-pan, removably and slidably supported on said main frame and below said auxiliary frame.

2. A bedstead comprising a main frame and head and foot boards, said frame havin a hinged middle v"section on one side an means for supporting said section in a horizontal position, an auxiliary head-section mattress-supporting frame hinged at its lower end on the main frame and adapted to be adjusted at dierent angles above and below its normal horizontal osition, means for adjusting said frame and olding it in its adjusted positions, an auxiliary middle-section mattress-supporting frame removably and slidably supported on said main frame, auxiliary foot-section mattress-supporting frames independentlg hinged at their upper ends on sald main ame and independent means for adjusting said frames at different angles relative to each other and to the main frame.

In. testimony Whereoi` I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses. y

FREDERICK W, MITCHELL.

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