Improvements in Invalid Bedsteads.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug.. 1:94-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Invalid Bedsteads.
I, GEORGE ELMER GORHAM, of Number 160 Hamilton Street, in the City of
Albany, County of Albany, and State of New York, United States of America,
Physician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in and relating to
invalid bedsteads, and is designed to furnish a construction thereof of such a
character that the invalid may, when desired, be placed in a sitting position, or,
while still prone upon the surface of the bed, may be tilted with it so as to assume
an inclined position of suitable degree, or even to be raised entirely from the bed
surface and suspended upon a stretcher while the bed clothes are being changed or
ventilated, the necessary manipulations for these various purposes being adapted to
be exercised with safety by a single attendant without discomfort to the invalid
and with the expenditure of but little power.
These capabilities of my improvement I have embodied in a structure of
substantial strength and stability, of comparative cheapness in point of manu-
facture, and of such simplicity that its mode of manipulation can readily be
comprehended and practised by persons having but a moderate familiarity with or
aptitude for mechanical operations. Minor features of my invention relate to the
detail construction of the several parts, as will hereinafter more fully appear.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the bed and its principal accessories, in
an inclined position;
Figure 2 represents a like view of the upper portion of the structure, showing
the stretcher in its elevated position ;
Figure 3 represents a side elevation of the bed and stretcher-frame, illustrating
further, by the aid of dotted lines, the manner of using the stretcher ;
Figure 4 represents an end elevation and partial section of the parts shown in
Figure 3 ;
Figure 5 represents a side elevation, partly in section, of the removable seat
rest;
Figure 6 represents a front elevation of a suitable form of shoring device to
assist in the operation of raising the invalid from the bed mattresses and supporting
him above the same upon the stretcher; and
Figure 7 represents a plan view of a portion of the stretcher frame illustrating
its employment in applying extension to a broken leg.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring to the drawings, it will be noted that the superstructure upon which
the tiltable bed bottom is supported consists preferably of stout metallic side
pieces a of general triangular contour, connected and braced to form a stable
support by means of the cross pieces a¹. To the summit or apex of each side piece
of this superstructure is attached a rock-pin b, upon which is adapted to rock the
corresponding triangular side piece c of the frame to which the bed bottom is
attached, said side pieces being connected to form said frame by means of the cross
piece c', which serves as a support for the springs 2 whereby the center of the
woven wire mattress d is prevented from sagging.
The woven wire mattress is secured in any suitable manner within the bed
bottom frame, which is preferably made up of side pieces d' and connecting end
pieces. At the corners of this frame are fixedly attached the upright angle-iron

page_text: posts or standards f, connected at their upper ends, if need be, by the bent rods f
whose ends are adapted to enter the perforated lugs f², and to be secured therein,
at the convenient vertical adjustment-desired, by means of set screws as shown.
The standards are also provided with a series of lugs or bosses e each of which is
apertured longitudinally, the apertures extending entirely through the standard at
the angle thereof, so that a pin (as e², connected to the standard by a chain) may
be passed through any of said apertures, so as to project within the angle for a
purpose hereinafter described.
The bed bottom is adapted to support the usual hair mattress sections 9, which
are held in place by a vertically movable frame consisting of the tubular side
pieces g¹, having end caps 92 which enter the angles of the corner standards and
which are perforated so as to be connected by cross rods g³ whose bent ends pass
through the caps, and into the tubular side pieces wherein they may be secured by
means of set screws m³.
The frame thus serves to retain the mattress sections in place and is particularly
useful for that purpose when the bed is tilted. It also constitutes the frame of a
stretcher whereby the invalid may be raised from the mattresses, as will hereinafter
more fully appear. For convenience I will therefore refer to it as the stretcher-
frame.
The stretcher-frame is provided with a foot-rest consisting of a transverse piece
supported upon the sliding standards which may be fixed in place at the desired
adjustment by means of the set screws ². The foot-rest may also be provided
with a groove ³, within which are adapted to engage the hook-shaped projections n
of a seat rest, whose construction is shown in Figs. 1 and 5. It consists of the
bent tubular bars n¹ connected by the cross pieces n³, n³, the latter of which may
have an aperture, as shown, so as to be employed in connection with the usual
insertible bed-pan shown in dotted lines at n in Fig. 5.
When the bed is in the
inclined position, the buttocks of the invalid may rest upon the seat n³ and his feet
upon the cross-piece n². The engagement of the hooks n within the groove (" is an
efficient safe-guard against danger of displacement or fall of the seat rest, while at
the same time the construction and relationship of parts is such as to permit higher
or lower adjustment of the seat rest with respect to the foot-board to be effected
quickly and with safety.
A table rest may also be provided, consisting of a removable board m² adapted
to rest upon the jointed strips m, m', the former being pivoted to the side piece d',
and the latter engaging with a ratchet 9 upon the inner face of said side piece.
When the table rest is not in use the board m³ is removed and the strips m released
from engagement with the ratchets 9, and the joint straightened out so as to
dispose both strips alongside of the side bars of the stretcher-frame, as indicated in
Figs. 2, 3 and 4. It is obvious that the seat rest and table rest can be used
conjointly as indicated in Fig. 1. Where it is impracticable to use the seat rest,
the body may be partly supported by the foot-board 1, when the bed is tilted, and
the table rest may be used without the seat rest.
The main characteristic feature of my invention is that I am enabled by its use
to bring the invalid into the various positions contemplated without making any
break or joint in the bed bottom frame, and by the aid of mechanism which
remains set in the position of adjustment in which it is placed, without liability of
accidental derangement. To this end, the bed bottom is mounted upon the sub-
structure or support at or near the center, and the mechanism acts simultaneously
from both sides of the bed by reason of the connecting gearing used, and is of such
a character that it can only be actuated by means of the hand wheel or the like
employed for the purpose. Thus, as shown in the drawings, scroll wheels A
provided at their peripheries with gear teeth r and with a volute r³, are mounted
in suitable bearings upon the side pieces, and are geared together by a cross shaft
and pinions ². A pin for each wheel A engages with the volute of said wheel,
so that by turning either wheel, the bed bottom is caused to be correspondingly
tilted, the power, to whichever wheel applied, being thus distributed to both sides

page_text: of the bed simultaneously and insuring the regular and steady movement of the
bed bottom, without jar to the invalid, and with the strains properly equalized
upon the structure as a whole. I do not wish to be understood as
limiting myself
to the employment of scroll gearing, as broadly considered my invention includes
as well the employment of other gearing adapted to transmit the power to both
sides of the bed simultaneously, while imparting a tilting motion thereto.
I will now describe the manner of utilizing the stretcher-frame for lifting the
invalid clear of the bed bottom, in order that the mattress and bed clothing may
be changed or ventilated. The bottom of the stretcher is constituted by the
sections of stout canvas s having folded edges as indicated in Figure 2, for the
reception of the insertible rods &¹. These folded edges are provided with cut-away
portions as indicated, so that the side bars g' of the stretcher-frame may be readily
connected to the insertible rods by means of the S-shaped hooks and buckle
straps. It is evident that if the condition of the invalid will admit of it, these
sections of canvas s may be drawn under him, the connection made between the side
bars g' of the stretcher-frame and the insertible rods s', and if a sufficient nuniber
of attendants are at hand the stretcher-frame may be raised bodily within the
corner standards and suspended in the elevated position by inserting the pins e¹
through the perforated lugs or bosses e. My invention, however, affords facilities.
for thus lifting and suspending the invalid, by the aid of a single attendant and
with great facility. To this end the attendant is provided with a shoring piece
preferably of the kind illustrated in Figure 6, and consisting of a rod s having
forked arms sa notched at their ends in such manner as to be adapted to engage
with the end bars 9³ of the stretcher-frame. While the bed-bottom is in the
horizontal position, the attendant places the shoring piece beneath one of the end
bars of the stretcher-frame in the manner indicated in Figure and thereupon,
by means of the scroll wheel, causes the bed-bottom to tilt toward the shoring
piece. During this first tilting operation the end of the stretcher-frame supported
by the shoring piece remains stationary, and when the tilting operation is completed,
pins el are inserted through the perforated bosses e and the shoring piece is removed
whereupon that particular end of the stretcher-frame remains suspended at the
desired height from the angle-iron corner supports. The bed-bottom is thereupon
tilted in the reverse direction and at the appropriate time the shoring piece is
inserted beneath the opposite end bar of the stretcher-frame and the tilting further
continued until said opposite end of the stretcher-frame is also raised from the
level of the bed bottom and supported by the pins e' of the appropriate angle-iron
corner posts, all as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. The bed may then be
tilted back to the horizontal position indicated in Figure 2, whereupon the invalid
remains suspended upon the stretcher above the bed clothing and mattress.
the mattress and bed clothing have been changed or ventilated, the invalid may
be returned to the surface of the bed by lowering the stretcher-frame in a
succession of operations, the reverse of those just described, as will be readily
understood. It will be evident that in inserting the canvas stretcher sections
beneath the invalid, that operation can be facilitated by inserting the upper
sections of fabric at the time that the bed is tilted in such manner as to throw
the weight of the body upon the lower part, and that the lower section of the
fabric may be inserted in place when the bed is tilted in such manner as to throw
the weight of the body upon the upper part, and if necessary the seat rest and
foot rest may be employed to facilitate or render more comfortable to the invalid
the operation of inserting these sections of canvas beneath him. It will, of
course, be understood that when the S-shaped hooks are connected to the insertible
rods so as to join said rods to the proximate side bar g', the buckle straps
on the opposite side bar a' of the stretcher frame are utilized to bring the
canvas into a state of tension suitable to support the invalid as firmly as
possible.
When
By loosening the set screws m³, partially pulling out the end rods g³, and again
tightening the set screws, the stretcher-frame becomes elongated and the end rods

page_text: are thus more readily accessible when the stretcher is to be lifted. Furthermore,
this feature of extensibility of the end rods enables the stretcher-frame to be
usefully employed in applying extension to a broken leg. As illustrated in
Figure 7, this may be done by attaching a coil spring scale m to the end rod, and
to the properly applied adhesive straps as shown; the end rod is then pulled out
or extended until the spring scale registers the number of pounds corresponding
to the extension desired, whereupon the set screws are tightened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. An invalid hedstead, comprising a supporting stand, a bed bottom tiltable
longitudinally thereon into planes oppositely inclined with respect to a horizontal
plane, means for tilting the bed bottom into the one inclination or the other, a seat,
and means for removably securing the seat in place upon the bed bottom; whereby
the tilting motion of the bed bottom may be utilized, first, to facilitate the insertion
of the seat beneath the invalid, and then to bring him into the sitting position ;
substantially as described.
2. An invalid bedstead, comprising a supporting stand, a bed bottom tiltable
longitudinally thereon into planes oppositely inclined with respect to a horizontal
plane, means for tilting the bed bottom into the one inclination or the other, and a
stretcher made up of a frame, and independently insertible and removable body-
supporting cross strips; whereby on tilting the bed bottom forward the insertion
of one of the cross strips is facilitated, and on tilting the bed bottom rearward,
the insertion of the other cross strip is facilitated; substantially as described.
3. An invalid bedstead, comprising a supporting stand, a bed bottom centrally
mounted upon the stand and located entirely above the stand and adapted to be
tilted longitudinally thereon, and gearing intermediate of the staud and bed
bottom and connecting the two, said gearing being of a character that can be
freely operated in either direction by the attendant, and which will remain
automatically set at any adjustment to which the attendant may operate it;
whereby the bed bottom may be tilted longitudinally upon the stand into any
desired position and will remain automatically fixed therein, substantially as
described.
4. An invalid bedstead, comprising a supporting stand, a bed bottom mounted
upon the stand and adapted to be tilted longitudinally thereon, and gearing
intermediate of the stand and bed bottom and connecting the two, said gearing
being of a character that can be freely operated in either direction by the
attendant, and which will remain automatically set at any adjustment to which the
attendant may operate it; substantially as described.
5. An invalid bedstead, comprising a supporting stand provided with a pin
projection, a bed bottom mounted to tilt upon the stand, and a scroll wheel
connected to the bed bottom and having its spiral engaged by the pin projection;
substantially as described.
6. An invalid bedstead, comprising a supporting stand provided ou opposite
sides with a pin projection, a bed bottom mounted to tilt upon the stand. scroll
wheel connected respectively to opposite sides of the frame and each having its
spiral engaged by one of the pin projections, and connecting gearing uniting the
scroll wheels; substantially as described.
7. An invalid bedstead, comprising a supporting stand, and a bed bottom
mounted to rock upon the stand, opposite sides of the bed bottom being geared to
the stand and to each other; substantially as described.
8. In an invalid bedstead, the combination with a longitudinally tiltable bed
bottom provided with standards, of a stretcher frame resting upon the bed bottom,
and means for supporting the stretcher-frame from the standards; substantially as
described.
9. In an invalid bedstead, the combination with the longitudinally tiltable bed

page_text: bottom provided with standards at its corners, of a stretcher-frame having its side
bars extending within said corner standards, and adjusting pins for supporting the
stretcher frame from the standards; substantially as described.
10. In an invalid bedstead the combination with the tiltable bed bottom having
ratchetted side bars, of a table rest consisting of a removable top and a pair of
jointed rods each pivoted at one end to a side bar of the bed bottom, and adapted
to engage at the other end with one of the side bar ratchets; substantially as
described.
11. In an invalid bedstead, a stretcher-frame having an end bar extensible with
respect to the side bars and means for connecting said end bar to the invalid's leg,
said means including a registering scale; substantially as described.
12. In an invalid bedstead, the combination with the tiltable bed bottom and
stretcher frame, of a seat rest and means for supporting the seat rest upon the
stretcher frame; substantially as described.
13. In an invalid bedstead, a seat rest consisting of a frame made up of a seat,
a cross piece for the feet and side pieces connecting the seat and cross piece, said
side pieces having adjusting projections at their lower ends, in combination with
a supporting piece mounted upon the bedstead and with which said adjusting
projections are adapted to engage; substantially as described.
14. In an invalid bedstead, a seat rest consisting of a frame made up of a seat,
a cross piece for the feet, and side pieces consisting of bent bars, connecting the
seat and cross piece, and provided with adjusting projections at their lower ends,
in combination with a supporting piece, mounted upon the bedstead and with
which said adjusting projections are adapted to engage; substantially as
described.
15. In an invalid bedstead, a foot rest having a longitudinal groove in combina-
tion with a seat rest having at the lower ends of the side bars of its frame,
downwardly and forwardly projecting hooks adapted to engage within said groove;
substantially as described.
16. In an invalid bedstead, the combination with the stretcher-frame, of a tilting
bed bottom having corner posts of angle-iron apertured at the angle, and pins
adapted to be inserted through the apertures so as to afford supports for the
stretcher frame; substantially as described.
1904
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.