IMPROVEMENTS IN INVALID BEDS AND BEDSTEADS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Simon Danischewski, of Willna, in the Empire of Russia,
but at present of 23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN INVALID BEDS AND
BEDSTEADS."
Sealed the 26th Januuary 1877, and dated the 2nd September 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Simon Danischewski at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd September 1870.
SIMON DANISCHEWSKI, of Willna, in the Empire of Russia, but at present of
23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN INVALID BEDS AND BEDSTEADS."
The Invention has for its object improvements' in invalid beds and bedsteads.
For this purpose the mattress and the sheet over it are formed with an opening in a
suitable place therem, and the opening in the mattress is closed when not in use by
means of a plug or flap preferably mounted on a hinge joint on the under side of
the bedstead and opening downwardly.
Under the mattress on both sides of the opening and carried by the frame of the
bedstead there are rails or guide pieces upon which a cupboard or receptacle,
preferably mounted on rollers, is capable of travelling backwards and forwards
towards and from the opening in the mattress. This cupboard or receptacle has an
opening in the top to correspond with the opening in the mattress, and contains the
vase, and its usual position when not in use is a short distance from the opening in
the mattress.
A lever is mounted on the frame of the bedstead and gives motion to the cupboard
or receptacle, in such a manner that a very slight movement of the handle of such
lever causes the cupboard or receptacle to move from its usual position, and in so
doing the cupboard or receptacle by means of suitable connections opens the flap or
plug in the mattress and then slides under the opening so caused.
When the patient has finished with the vase he has but to move the lever handle
in the reverse direction, the cupboard then returns to its ordinary position, and by
its action in returning causes the flap or plug to close the opening in the inattress;
[Price Gd.]

page_text: or the flap or plug may be operated upon to open or close the opening by means of
a separate lever and suitable connections. When the flap or plug is in its closed
position it is securely fastened, so that the invalid may confidently lic upon it
If the patient wishes to recline or sit he can raise himself into such position by
pulling a cord or chain which hangs within easy reach above his head and com-
mmunicates with a moveable frame carrying the pillow. The longer the patient
pulls the cord or chain the higher he is raised in a sitting posture, and should he
leave go of the cord or chain a catch will take into the teeth of a rack and causo
the moveable frame and pillow to remain at the height to which they have been
raised. Should the patient wish to lie down he has but to pull the same cord and
thereby detach the catch from the rack and lower himself into that position.
•
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Simon Danischewski in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd March
1877.
SIMON DANISCHEWSKI, of Willna, in the Empire of Russia, but at present of :
"IMPROVE-
23, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer.
MENTS IN INVALID BEDS AND BEDSTEADS."
The Invention has for its object improvements in invalid beds and bedsteads.
For this purpose the mattress and the sheet over it are formed with an opening in a
Buutable place therein, and the opening in the mattress is closed when not in use by
means of a plug or flap preferably mounted on a hinge joint on the under side of the
bedstead, and opening downwardly
Under the mattress on both sides of the opening and carried by the frame of the
bedstead there are rails or guide pieces upon which a cupboard or receptacle,
preferably mounted on 1ollers, is capable of travelling backwards and forwards
towards and from the opening in the mattress. This cupboard or receptacle has an
opening in the top to correspond with the opening in the mattress, and contains the
vase, and its usual position when not in use is a short distance from the opening in
the inattress.
A lever is mounted on the fiame of the bedstead and gives motion to the cupboard
or receptacle in such a manner that a very slight movement of the handle of such
lever causes the cupboard or receptacle to move from its usual position, and in so
doing the cupboard or receptacle by means of suitable connections opens the flap or
plug in the mattress and then slides under the opening so caused.
When the patient has finished with the vase he has but to move the lever handle
in the reverse direction, the cupboard then returns to its ordinary position, and by
its action in returning causes the flap or plug to close the opening in the mattress;
or the flap or plug may be operated upon to open or close the opening by means of
a separate lever and suitable connections. When the flap or plug is in its closed
position it is securely fastened so that the invalid may confidently lie upon it
If the patient wishes to recline or sit he can raise himself into such position by
pulling a cord or chain which hangs within easy reach above his head and commu-
nicates with a moveable frame carrying the pillow. The longer the patient pulls
the cord or chain the higher he is raised in a sitting posture, and should he leave
go of the cord or chain a catch will take into the teeth of a 1ack and cause the
moveable frame and pillow to remain at the height to which they have been raised.
Should the patient wish to lie down he bas but to pull the same cold, and thereby
detach the catch from the rack and lower himself into that position.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying Drawings more fully
to describe the same.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2 is a plan; Figure 3 is a cross section; and
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are detail views of an invalid bed and bedstead constructed
according to my Invention.
a is the bedstead, and b is the mattress. The mattress and the sheet and other
clothes placed over it are formed with an opening in a suitable place therein, and
the opening in the mattress b is closed when not in use by means of a plug or flap c
preferably mounted on an axis of motion c¹ on the under side of the bedstead and-
opening downwardly. Under the mattress b on both sides of the opening and
carried by the frame of the bedstead are rails or guide pieces d upon which a
cupboard or receptacle e, preferably mounted on rollers e¹, is capable of travelling
backwards and forwards towards and from the opening in the mattress b. This
cupboard or receptacle e has an opening in the top to correspond with the opening
in the mattress b, and contains the vase or utensil, and its usual position when not
in use is as shewn in the Drawings a short distance from the opening in the
mattress b. A lever fis mounted on an axis f¹ on the frame of the bedstead, and
by acting on another lever g mounted on an axis of motion g¹ gives motion to the
cupboard or receptacle e in such a manner that a very slight motion of the handle
of such lever f causes the cupboard or receptacle e to move from its usual position,
aud in so doing the cupboard or receptacle e by means of a hinged catch e acts
upon one end of a lever h, the other end of which acts upon the bolt of a spring
latchi and thus releases the flap or plug c in the mattress, which plug or flap c then
falls, and the cupboard or receptacle c then slides under the opening so caused.
When the patient has finished with the vase or utensil he has but to move the
lever handle fin the reverse direction, the cupboard or receptacle e then returns to
its ordinary position, and by its action in returning it may by suitable connections,
as described in my Provisional Specification, cause the flap or plug c to close the
opening in the mattiess Or as shown in the Drawings the flap or plug c may be
operated upon to open or close the opening in the mattress by means of a separate
handle, which in the arrangement shown is employed to give rotary motion to a
toothed pinion j which takes into and gives motion to a toothed wheel c² fixed on the
axis c of the flap or plug c. When the flap or plug c is in its closed position it is
securely fastened by the spring latch i so that the invalid may confidently lic upon it.
In the return of the cupboard or receptacle e, the hinged catch e² on coming in
contact with the lever is caused to tuin on its pin joint, thereby enabling it to pass
such lever / without interfering with the motion of the cupboard or receptacle e.
If the patient wishes to recline or sit he can raise or lower himself into the
required position by means of a cord or chain which hangs within easy reach
above his head, and is connected to a moveable hinged frame carrying the pillow.
This fiame has pin jointed thereto a curved. 1ack which acts in combination
with a catch or stop on the frame of the bedstead. The longer the patient pulls the
cord or chain the higher he will be raised in a sitting or reclining posture, and
should be leave go of the cord or chain the curved rack will be caused by a
spring to engage with the catch or stop, and cause the moveable frame and pillow
to remain at the height to which they have been raised. Should the patient wish
to lie down he has but to pull the cord or, chain and thereby detach the curved
rack from the stop or catch and lower himself into any desired position.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in which I
prefer to carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise arrangements herein shown and described for giving motion to
the cupboard or receptacle e to the flap or plug c and to the hinged head piece 7,
nor to the precise means for automatically locking or unlocking the plug or flap c
and hinged head frame 7; but what I do claim is providing an invalid bed and
bedstead with a plug or flap c, a cupboard or receptacle e, and a hinged head frame

page_text: capable of being operated in manner and for the purpose substantially as herein
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the .said Simon Danischewski, have hereunto set. my
hand and seal, this First day of March, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
SIMON DANISCHEWSKI. (L.S.)