AN IMPROVED COMBINED BED, COUCH, AND CHAIR FOR THE USE OF INVALIDS
Year: 1867

page_text: (This
This Invention received Provisional Protection only!)<
Ozil quired in 19
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Christopher Fabian Bower at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th August 1867.
'
I CHRISTOPHER FABIAN BOWER, of Brighton, in the County, of Sussex,
Cabinet Maker; do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention; for,
"AN IMPROVED COMBINED BED, COUCH, AND CHAIR FOR THE USE OF INVALIDS,"
to be as follows:
This Invention relates to a pecular construction, arrangement, and com-
bination of bed; couch; and chair for the use of invalids, whereby the patient
may be removed from his bed, placed in any required posture or position, and
conveyed to another apartment if desired without; being touched by the
attendants:
My improved combined bed; couch; and chair consists according to one
arrangement (as I propose to vary the construction, according to requirement
and price) of a strong: rectangular frame supported on four legs provided with
castors; to one end of which frame there is coupled by a hook-or otherwise a
carriage for supporting an invalid's chair, as herein-after described, such
carriage being provided with the usual pair of hand; propelling, wheels, in front,
and a swivel wheel behind. The flat top or surface of the main framing is
made to rise and fall bodily in a horizontal position by the aid-of-an-elevating
screw and stationary nut, or by a rack and pinion, or otherwise, such top
being guided in its ascent and descent by suitable vertical slides working
in fixed guides secured to the main framing; this flat top is made, in

page_text: two parts, the smaller one being hinged to the greater, so as to be capable of
being raised to any desired angle by a lever arm or arms secured to a rocking
shaft passing transversely across the frame. Suitable stops or pins inserted
into one or other of a series of holes in the heads of one of the lever arms to
maintain the hinged end of the top or surface of the frame in any elevated
position required; upon this surface there is placed the seat and hinged back of
an invalid's chair provided with hinged arms which rise up or close down by the
act of elevating more or less the hinged back to which the arms are jointed at
one extremity, whilst their other extremity is hinged to an upright, which is
again hinged to the base of the seat; pins or stops are here employed also for
fixing the arms in any position, and thereby holding the back at the most
comfortable, or suitable position for the patient. The object of the hinged
portion of the top of the frame is simply to raise the back of the chair, and
when this back has been raised and fixed to the desired position the hinged
flap may be lowered again. To the front of the chair seat are hinged two leg
rests, one for each leg, each rest being capable of being fixed either horizon-
tally or at any angle required for the patient. The chair seat runs on small
antifriction rollers along the top or surface of the main frame for the purpose.
herein-after described. By extending or folding down the chair back, and
raising the two leg rests to a horizontal position or flat down upon the surface
of the table and the chair frame the combined apparatus may be used as a
bed either for an invalid or for a nurse..,If it' be desired to remove an invalid'
from his bed the top of the apparatus is to be elevated bodily in a horizontal
position until it is level with the bed of the patient, when the latter may be
readily placed upon it by simply drawing the under blanket and that on to ther
couch: The patient thus deposited may then have his head and back raised
by elevating the chair back as before described, when the arms of the chair,
will be simultaneously raised and afford lateral rests or supports. The;
reclining couch 'thus formed may with the patient upon it be run forward
along the top of the main framing or support until the seat is brought;
on to the detachable support for the chair, when the leg rests being allowed":
to hang vertically a transportable invalid's chair is obtained, which. may be run,
on its wheels to any part of the apartment after the support or carriage has
been uncoupled from the main frame. In the interior of the seat of this chair
are concealed two carrying handles, which are to be drawn out when required:
for use; two other handles hinged to and partially concealed in the chair!
back being also opened out, thereby affording facility for lifting the chair.and
patient bodily from off the support or carriage frame and carrying him to
another room. Should the patient require the knees to be elevated-when

page_text: using the apparatus as a couch the part where the leg rests are jointed may.
be elevated by the attendants and maintained at any desired elevation or
angle by engaging the lower ends of the leg rests in notches made at intervals
along the surface of the carriage or chair frame. In some cases I form a
trap in the seat of the chair and provide a pan beneath for the reception of
excreta. I sometimes dispense with the use of the mechanism for elevating
the bed or couch horizontally, and in lieu of mounting the chair frame or
support upon propelling wheels I make it with four legs after the manner of
an ordinary arm chair.