Patent GB-190407105-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Invalid Bedsteads and in Detachable Tables or Stands for use therewith.
Inventor: CHORLTON ISAAC
Filed: 1904-03-24
Granted: 1905-02-23
Abstract: 7105. Chorlton, I., and Smethurst, C. E. March 24. Bedsteads; tables; reading- desks; desks.-Relates to invalids' bedsteads provided with tables and desks &c., and with hinged back-rests. A hinged back-rest A fitted with chains, links, woven fabric, or wire fabric, &c. is pivoted by its side members a to brackets on the bed frame b, the shaft d connecting the lower ends being attached by flexible straps e to another shaft upon which the straps may be coiled by rotating the hand - wheel h controlled by a ratchet i and a pawl k. In this way, the back-rest A may be adjusted to any desired position. The pawl k pivoted on the shaft-supporting bracket f is made with an arm k<2> bent round beneath the side-rail b so that only just sufficient play is allowed to the pawl, and being counterweighted it does not easily slip out of position. If desired, a spring may be used to keep the pawl in gear. The pivots b<2> of the side arms a are arranged as near the plane of the mattress M as possible, so that the lower mesh &c. of the back-rest may be laced to the mattress M by a wire spiral or spirals, or by other convenient means of lacing or attachment, such as a cord, clips, links, &c. Instead of the above means for adjusting the back-rest, the device shown in Fig. 11 may be used. The hand-wheel h' provided with a spherical base h' serves as a nut for the screw spindle l, which is attached to the centre of the back-rest by a ball-and-socket joint m, the hand-wheel being supported in a slotted bracket u secured to the end-rail of the bedstead. A table or stand T provided with a ridge on one or more sides, and, if desired, with means to retain a book, has secured to its under surface a cross-rod, the ends of which are adapted to rest in slots in two cranked arms r, the arms r' having one or more notches engaging with headed pins q on the side arms a, and the arms r' having their lower ends shaped to rest upon the side-rails b. The crossrod beneath the table is clamped to the cranked arms r by means of washers and wing-nuts, so that the table can be secured in any position. The holes through the cranked arms may be coneshaped, and a square or other edge on the ends of the rod may be drawn into engagement with the cone by means of the wing-nuts. Instead of being supported partially by the side-rails b, the cranked arms r may be entirely supported on the side arms a, in this case, the lower end of the arm r<2> also is slotted and engages with a headed pin on the side arm a. In order to prevent the patient from slipping down in the bed, a foot-rest u in the form of a roller is adjustably attached by straps u<1> to the rod d. The Provisional Specification describes a method of raising the back-rest a, whereby the hand-wheel shown in Fig. 11 may be in approximately a vertical plane. Attached to the end member of the bedstead is a swivelling nut in which works a quick-threaded spindle journalled at its upper end in a bracket on the top-rail of the back-rest. The spindle carries a bevel-wheel worked by another bevel carried by the handwheel, which is supported on the aforesaid bracket on the back-rest. The Specification also states that, instead of each cranked arm having two extremities, "the arm may be a single one and " have two slots or gaps engaging two pins so that " the forward end resists downward movement."