Improvements in or relating to Beds, Bath-chairs, or the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Beds, Bath-chairs, or the like.
J, THÉODORE ARNOLD ALBERT SIMONIS of 40 Rue St. Merri, Paris, France
Gentleman 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 :-
This invention relates to hinged or adjustable beds mainly intended for invalids
and adapted for automatic action, the object being to enable patients for whom it
is impossible to leave their beds, to comply with certain exigencies of nature,
without getting up or indeed materially altering their position. This is effected by
means of two mechanisms, one of which is gently to raise the invalid to a sitting
posture, and the other to introduce and conveniently dispose the utensil, the latter
mechanism being enclosed in a box or case arranged underneath the bed and
provided with a double door.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which like letters refer to like parts.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of
my invention.
complete bed constructed in accordance with
Figure 2 is a detail view, the box which contains the utensil-operating mechanism
being shown in section.
Figure 3 is a plan of the same with the two doors open.
In this bed the mattress consists of three parts a b and c the central or inter-
mediate of which preferably consists of a frame fitted with springs and covered
with soft leather which in that part may fulfil the purpose of the sheet. In this
central part of the bed is provided an opening d of oval shape, for the passage of
the utensil. This opening is closed by a plug or lid d¹ also fitted with springs and
covered with leather. The two terminal portions of the mattress a and c are
covered with wool, and rest upon two frames e and e¹ linked to one end of each at f
and. The other extremity of frame e at the foot end of the bed is retained by a
strap g passing over a small pulley h and wound on a shaft i, on to which is mounted
a ratchet wheel i¹ fitted with a pawl ". The frame e¹ rests upon two cross-bars j.
Under this frame are arranged two bell-crank levers k pivotted respectively
at kk. They are connected at the part kl by a small rod to which is secured a
strap which is wound on the spindle m carrying the ratchet wheel m¹ operating
conjointly with the pawl m¹.
To lower or raise the two frames it is only necessary to rotate the two ratchet
wheels by handles keyed when required on to the end of the shafts or spindles i
and m.
The utensil containing case or commode which is the main feature of the
invention is closed by two doors o o¹ which in opening or closing operate the
mechanism consisting of a carriage p upon which is placed the utensil p' and where
the plug or lid closing the opening d is placed beforehand. This carriage is
connected with the door o by an arm u and is adapted to slide in a basin q arranged
under two rods q¹ to receive any overflowing matter.
The basin is arranged upon
a shelf supported by a cross-piece adapted to slide vertically between two
grooves serving to guide it, and also two other grooves s preferably of inclined
or angular shape, formed on two slides adapted to move each between two
cheeks and connected by a cross-piece v to the central part of which is secured
one end of a pivotted telescoping arm v', the other end of which is fixed to the
door o. The telescoping arrangement of this arm enables it to be extended or
contracted at will according as it is desired to raise or lower the vessel more
or less.

page_text: To place the vessel in a convenient position for use, it is sufficient first to open
one door o¹, which in causing the slides s to advance causes the plug or lid d',
shelf r, basin g and carriage p to descend, then to open the other door o whereby
the carriage p carried away by the arm u advances until it leaves the box or
commode, the plug being removed. Then the utensil p' is put in position, the
door o is closed, the slide p moves to the right of the opening d; the door o' is next
shut whereby the slides are pushed. These force the cross-piece to slide
within the inclined grooves s and cause the shelf, basin q, and vessel p¹, to rise, so
that these latter articles take up the position left vacant by the plug or lid. To
withdraw the utensil the operation to be performed is the same as for removing the
said plug or lid.
It will be understood that a box or commode fitted with the same mechanism
may be arranged in connection with bath-chairs or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,―
The self adjusting invalid bed bath-chair or the like characterized by the
arrangement underneath the bed or chair of a box or commode for holding the
utensil and containing mechanism automatically operated by the mere act of
opening or closing the doors of the box substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of February 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Of London, Liverpool, Nottingham, and Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.