Improvements in Bedsteads for Invalids, and Appliances connected therewith.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 21st Dec., 1894-Accepted, 20th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bedsteads for Invalids, and Appliances connected
therewith.
I, ANNA MARIE DOUGLAS, of Dalkeith House, Leamington, in the County of
Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in bedsteads for invalids and
appliances connected therewith by which great convenience is afforded to nurses
in moving patients and in making and changing their beds and other parts.
My bedstead is constructed in such a manner that a roller or bar may be
mounted at each end thereof at any convenient height above the level of the
mattress to give sufficient leverage for lifting. Preferably at the foot of the bed
I mount a winding drum with ratchet and pawl and having a suitable square at the
end of the shaft to receive a handle. One end of the bedstead and the drum are
supplied with suitable buttons hooks or other projections. A webbing having a
set of eyelets at each end is then placed along the bed over the mattress and is
fastened to the bedstead frame say at the head and passes over the head roller or
bar and along the upper face of the mattress and rising at the foot passes over the
friction roller there and then downwards to the drum to which it is secured.
The bed is made on the webbing so that when it is required to turn or change the
mattress the occupant is raised upon the webbing by means of the drum upon
which one end of the webbing is wound so as to lift the occupant without disturbing
the position in any way. When the occupant is so elevated the mattress may be
withdrawn and turned or changed. I prefer to slit the webbing at each end_so
that it may be doubled over and removed and a sound one placed in its stead. By
these means an invalid may be moved about with great convenience.
Dated this let dow of December 1804
GEORGE BARKER,
77 Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Bedsteads for Invalids, and Appliances conneoted
therewith.
I, ANNA MARIE DOUGLAS, of Dalkeith House, Leamington, in the County of
Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 has for its object improvements in bedsteads for invalids and
appliances connected therewith by which great convenience is afforded to nurses in
moving patients and in making and changing their beds and other parts.
My bedstead is constructed in such a manner that a roller or bar may be
mounted at each end thereof at any convenient heighth above the level of the
mattress to give sufficient leverage for lifting. Preferably at the foot of the bed
I mount a winding drum with ratchet and pawl, and having a suitable square at

page_text: the end of the shaft to receive a handle. One end of the bedstead and the drum
are supplied with suitable buttons, hooks or other projections. A webbing having
a set of eyelets at each end is then placed along the bed over the mattress, and
is fastened to the bedstead frame say at the head and passes over the head roller
or bar & along the upper face of the mattress and rising at the foot passes over
the friction roller there, and then downwards to the drum to which it is secured.
The drum is made under the webbing so that when it is required to turn or change
the mattress the occupant is raised upon the webbing by means of the drum upon
which one end of the webbing is wound so as to lift the occupant without
disturbing the position in any way. When the occupant is so elevated the
mattress and sheeting may be withdrawn and turned or changed. I prefer to slit
the webbing at each end so that it may be doubled under and removed and a
second one placed in its stead. By these means an invalid may be moved about
with great convenience.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have appended hereunto a double sized sheet of drawings upon
which I have fully illustrated the nature of my said invention together with the
mode of carrying the same into effect.
Figure 1., is a general view of one form of
my
bedstead.
Figure 2., is a longitudinal section through Figure 1.
Figure 3., is a similar section to Figure 2 but showing a modified arrangement.
Figure 4., is an elevation of the foot of the bedstead with the drum and top roll
or bar not shown.
Figure 5., is a sectional plan of Figure 4.
Figure 6., is a view of the ratchet wheel and pawl for the drum.
Figure 7., is a view illustrating the connection between the back and front drum
in cases where two drums are used.
Figure 8., is a view of a sheet for covering the webbing.
In carrying my invention into effect the bedstead A is provided with the rollers
or bars R & R which are mounted at each end at any convenient or suitable
heighth above the mattress P. At one end of the bed the winding drum B is
provided and has a suitable ratchet K and pawl k' arrangement the spindle of the
drum having a square end to receive the handle E. The webbing C is attached
to the bedstead at a² and passes over the friction roller or bar R¹ at the one end
and is carried along the mattress around the rollers D and over the friction
roller R down to the winding drum B to which it is secured by which means the
patient may be gradually raised by the winding of the webbing on to the drum
sufficiently for the sheeting mattress or bed P to be changed or turned as may be
required & without disturbing the position of the occupant of the bel.
The
attachment of the webbing C to the drum B and bedstead A is so arranged by
studs and eyelets or other suitable means as to be easily capable of being detached
and attached so that when not being used for the purpose of making the bed or
other uses the ends can be released and tucked under the mattress thus allowing
the bed clothes or sheet to hang down or be tucked under at the foot and head in
the usual way and when required for elevating purposes the ends can be readily
withdrawn and attached to the drum and bed respectively. The friction rollers D
and D' may be fixed at a certain heighth above the mattress as shown at Figure 3
by which an excessive bellying of the webbing is prevented or they may be placed
at the bottom as shown at Figure 2 in which case they are mounted to slide up
against the resistance of a spring or springs during the time the webbing is being
wound around the drum thus retaining the webbing in a taut and straight condition
as shown by dotted lines c². These rollers D and D' may be mounted in blocks a¹
sliding in grooves formed on the side of the pillar against the resistance of the
spring M or the spindles of the rollers may be mounted to slide in grooves formed
in the pillars against the resistance of coiled springs N contained within the pillar
itself or by tension springs connected with the bottom of the bedstead and the
rollers. Drums may be mounted at each end of the bedstend as shown by dotted

page_text: I
lines B' Figure 2 and in such cases may be connected together by the web band F
Figure 7 which engages with projections 6 formed upon the drums so that both
drums would wind simultaneously and thus retain the webbing centrally on the
bed. The webbing is slit at c¹ for the purpose when raised of convenient
application of a bed pan or any medical appliance to the patient which may be
required. The webbing is also slit at c³ at each end so that it may be doubled
under when loose and more readily removed without interfering with the occupant.
may make the covering sheet H and H₁ in two parts with straps h³ to retain
them in position by which means the two halves may be drawn away from each
side, the invalid remaining in the centre. The straps or tapes 2 would not be
necessary in cases where the spring rollers D are used as such rollers would retain
the sheeting in position. The webbing may be weaved of a woollen base having a
cotton or linen surface which would render a separate sheet unnecessary. I may
dispense with the use of the friction rollers D although in most cases 1 find it
preferable to use them. In the case of the rollers D being used I may provide a
catch whereby one at the foot may be retained down while the one at the head can
be raised by which means the patient may be retained in an inclined position.
The drums B and rollers D and R may be made with suitable supports or bearings
having clamping or bolting arrangements whereby such rolls and drums may be
attached to existing bedsteads the details of which only required to be altered to
suit the varying shapes of bedsteads and other conditions to be met with.
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 :-
1st. The improvements in bedsteads for invalids and appliances connected
therewith substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and shown upon the
accompanying drawings.
2nd. In bedsteads for invalids the webbing C, winding drum or drums B, and
friction rollers R in combination and operated, substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth and shown.
3rd. In bedsteads for invalids the webbing C, winding drum B friction rollers R
and D substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and shown.
4th. In appliances connected with bedsteads for invalids the slit c¹ in combination
with means for elevating the webbing substantially as and for the purpose herein
set forth and shown.
5th. In appliances connected with invalid bedsteads the divided sheet H and H¹
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and shown.
Dated this 20th day of December 1894.
GEORGE BARKER,
77 Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.