An Improved Bed Pan for the Use of Invalids and Apparatus in Connection therewith.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 12th June, 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bed Pan for the Use of Invalids and Apparatus in
Connection therewith.
We, ALBERT EDWIN WHITLOCK, Painter, and EARNEST WALTER STAGG, Builder,
both of No. 2, Staggs Buildings, High Street, Eastleigh, in the County of Hampshire
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The object of our invention is the production of a bed pan, that may be applied to
a suitably arranged bed in such a manner that an invalid may be relieved in most
cases without requiring the assistance of an attendant, and the avoidance of all smell
and annoyance is obtained.
In carrying our Invention into effect we prefer to employ an air or water bed,
suitably perforated, and a lid or cover provided to cover said perforation, said lid
being hinged, or otherwise jointed to the bed. We further provide a pan, placed
under the bedstead, opposite to the perforation above mentioned, said pan being
furnished with a suitable trap communicating with the soil pipe of the building.
Said trap is fitted with a telescopic nozzle, or a tube, gland, and stuffing box, so that
the pan may be raised up within the orifice formed in the bed when required to be
used, without disturbing said trap, or allowing any foul gas to be emitted. We may
employ a rack and pinion for raising said pan, or any device of a like nature for this
purpose. Two levers are placed upon each side of the bed, so that the invalid, when
perfectly recumbent, may easily grasp them, and, by their aid, raise himself into an
upright sitting position. The slight movement of said levers, incidental to the move-
ment of the patient, causes the lid or cover to fall back, opening the orifice, and at
the same time raises the pan sufficiently high to enable the invalid to be relieved.
When he is again recumbent, and releases the levers, the pan descends by means of a
counterweight, or an equivalent device, and the lid or cover returns to its normal
position. We also provide a flushing arrangement, consisting in a flexible pipe
connected to the water supply of the building, and leading into the pan. A suitable
cock or valve, with a cord or other arrangement allows the patient to flush the pan in
the ordinary way. after it is lowered out of the orifice in the bed.
In order to meet the requirements of cases in which connection to the soil pipe or
water main cannot conveniently be mado we provide a sealed pan or receptacle in
connection with the improved bed pan and appliances hereinbefore described, for the
reception of the soil, and we may also adapt the device according to our invention
to chairs or couches, when this is desirable.
Dated this 10th day of March 1000
FREDK. WALKER & HYDE,
4, Little Moorfields, London, E.C., Agents for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bed Pan for the Use of Invalids and Apparatus in
Connection therewith.
We, ALBERT EDWIN WHITLOOK painter, and EARNEST WALTER STAGG, builder,
both of No. 2 Stagg's Buildings, High Street, Eastleigh, in the county of Hampshire
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 :-
The object of our invention is the production of a bed pan, that may be applied to
a suitably arranged bed in such a manner that an invalid may be relieved in most

page_text: casos without requiring the assistance of an attendant, and the avoidance of all smell
and annoyance is obtained thoroby.
In order that our invention may be the better understood, we have appended the
accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Figure i represents a right-hand ofovation
of the bed, with a portion of the casing thereof broken away to shew the internal
arrangements. Figure 2 is an end elevation of the foot of said bed, also broken away
to shew the mechanism. Figure 3 is an elevation of the left hand side of the bed,
and Figure represents an end elevation of the head theroof. Figures 5 and 6 aro
plan views, showing two positions as hereinafter described. Similar letters of reference
indicato corresponding parts thronghout the several views.
In carrying our invention into effect, we prefer to employ an air, water, or other
suitable bed or mattrass A mounted upon a sliding frame a which rests upon the
bed frame B as shown. Suitable rollers or other antifriction dovico may be inter-
posed between said sliding frame a and the bed frame B, and the latter inay or may
not be casod as shown by the drawings, although this is preferable.
A circular or elliptical orifice C is formed in the mattress A, which is closed by
a binged flap b, when the sliding frame a and mattress A are in the normal position
indicated by Figure 1. Said flap is preferably covered upon the upper surface with
similar material to that composing the mattress, and is retained so as to close the
orifice by means of a crunk, c, a weight being attached to the under side so that
the flap may fall when said crank is moved from under it, and the orifice C thus
uncovered. A lever d provided with a spring stop, is mounted upon the projecting
end of a transverse spindle e carrying a crank arm inside the bed frame B.
A link serves to couple said crank arm with a bell-crank upon the shaft or
spindle of tho crank c. A bracket i, or an equivalent arrangement, causes the
sliding frame a to participate in the forward movement of the lever d, so that the
whole bed, upon said sliding frame a, carrying the patient, may bo moved to the position
indicated by the dotted lines, Figure 1, this change of position being effected by said
patient when necessary. When the frame a and mattress A are in the position shewn
by said dotted lines, the lever d, crank arm and link g have moved the crank c
and released the hinged flap b, also shawn by dotted outlines, and said flap falling
by reason of the weight hereinbefore referred to uncovers the orifice C, which, by
the further movement of the frame a and mattress A, is brought exactly over the
pan D, this being furnished with a trap, or other device, connected to a fixed soil pipe
by means of a telescopic tubo m, allowing said pan D to be raised or lowered at will
by the rack, pinion k, and hand wheel. In cases where it is desirable to arrango
the bed, and appliances so as to be portable, we employ a closed vessel, into which
the telescopic soil pipe m, may descend, so that the excrota may be removed without
offence, or detriment to health. A flexible tube n may be connected to the ordinary
waler service, or to a tank or funnel, for the purpose of flushing the pan D when
required.
The plan views, Figures 5 and 6 shew the conditions of the orifice C when the
flap is closed or opened, respectively.
In order to assist the patient in rising from a recumbent to a sitting position, and
to enable said patient to retain this position without fatiguo, we hinge or pivot a part
of the framo a nt o, and employ a transverse spindler Figures 3 and 4, said spindle
carrying a crank or equivalent dovice p which boars against the hinged part of the
frame a before mentioned. A stop lever q is attached to the end of the spindlor in
such a manner as to cause the hinged portion of the frame a to be raised to any desired
degree of elevation, and there retained by means of the ratchet stop s. The extreme
elevation, and corresponding position of the lever q is shown by the dotted outline
Figures 3 and 4. We may make use of wheels, rollers, or other antifriction device in
connection with the crank p or equivalent, so as to reduce the power required to be
applied to the lever "q" in order to raise the head of the bed.
We may adapt the general arrangement, or any part thereof, to either a permanent
bed, such for instance as a bed in a hospital ward, or may make the same portable,
in the manner herein before referred to.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is,
First. The application to a bed of a sliding frame a, orifice C, flap 6 and moveable
pan D Figures 1 and 2, with or without the raising appliance shewn by Figures 3
and 4, substantially as and for the purposes herein described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
•
Second. In a bed for the use of invalids the employment of the lever q, crank p,
spindle and ratchet stop s, for raising the head portion thereof substantially as
herein described and shewn.
Third. In a bed, as referred to in the preceding claims, the employment of a pan D,
telescopic tube m rack and pinion j k, with or without connection to a fixed soil
pipe, substantially as herein described and shewn, and for the purpose as set forth.
Fourth. In a bed as above referred to, the employment of stop levers d and q
within reach of the patient, for operating the mechanism in the manner and for the
purposes herein set forth, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of June 1889.
FREDK. WALKER & HYDE,
4, Little Moorfields, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicants.