Improvements in or relating to Invalids' Beds or the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left. 28th May, 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Invalids' Beds or the like.
I, WILLIAM WEBSTER WATSON, of 1 Temple Gardens in the County of London,
Barrister-at-law, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to invalids' beds and has for its object to enable the
patient to perform the operations of nature without having to be removed from bed
or disturbed or made in any way uncomfortable therein.
According to this invention an aperture is provided in the mattress, below which
is a frame free to slide in fixed guides; in this frame are mounted two screwed or
other spindles and hand-operated mechanism by which they can be raised and
lowered independently of each other. At the upper end of one spindle is a pad to fit
the aperture of the mattress, the upper end of the other spindle supporting a holder
for a pan adapted like the pad to fit the same aperture. By suitably adjusting tho
sliding frame either the pan or pad can be brought in line with the aperture and by
operation of the appropriate spindle, moved into or through it or down out of it as
desired.
The operating handles of the apparatus are brought to the positions in which they
can be easily operated by the nurse or attendant.
If the patient is able to operate the mechanisin himself conveniently the spindle
of the pan to which the handle is secured is made telescopic so that despite the
movement of the sliding frame the handle may maintain a position easily accessible
to the patient. The telescopic parts are so connected that they will slide but not
rotate in each other and where they overhang the frame they can be supported or
journalled in bearings. A convenient tool having say a claw-head may be supplied
to enable the patient to reach over the sido of the bed and himself operate the
sliding frame to and fro; this may however be done by a cord or chain passing
over pulleys, or by any other suitable means.
The spindles are preferably led directly to the gearing operated by them and
may in certain instances lie at an angle to the direction of travel of the
sliding frame, in which case their overhung enda may be carried in slotted
bearings.
11000
Improvements in or relating to Invalids' Beds or the like.
I, WILLIAM WEBSTER WATSON of 1 Temple Gardens in the County of London,
Barrister-at-Law 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 invalids beds and has for its object to enable the

page_text: patient to perform the operations of nature, without having to be removed from
bed, or disturbed or made in any way uncomfortable therein, and is an improve-
ment on the patent previously granted to me No. 15151 dated the 23rd of
August 1892.
In carrying out the invention a suitable aperture is provided in the mattress, below
which is a frame free to slide in fixed guides; in this frame are mounted two screwed
or other spindles, and hand operated mechanism by which they can be raised and
lowered independently of each other. At the upper end of one spindle is a pad to
fit the aperture of the mattress, the upper end of the other spindle supporting a
holder for a pan adapted like the pad to fit the same aperture. By suitably
adjusting the sliding frame either the pan or the pad can be brought in line with
the aperture and by operation of the appropriate spindle moved into or through it
or down out of it as desired.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal view, part in section, part in elevation of the apparatus
with the pan in position in the aperturo in the mattress.
and
Figure 2 is a similar view but with the pad in position.
Figure 3 is a plan of the apparatus when in the position shown in Figure 1,
Figure 4 is a tool to operate the sliding frame.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A is a wire mattress secured to the side bars, A¹, of a bed, a water or other
suitable mattress A, being placed above it as is usual: both A and A are provided
with an aperture A*.
Resting on the mattress A, below the mattress A, is a frame B, with cross bars
B1, to which is hung a casing C by the depending hooks B. A fratne D, with a front
plate D1 and cross bars D2 D3 is arranged to work on the slides C fixed along the
sides of the casing C. On the front side of the cross bar D is a bracket D' carry-
ing an internally threaded nut E, free to rotate within the bracket D', and geared
by the bevel wheel E with the bevel wheel F fixed on the end of the shaft F,
which turns in a bearing in the side of the bracket D'. The shaft Fi
works telescopically, but is of square or other suitable section so as
to prevent it turning, within the hollow shaft F, which is free to
rotate in a slotted bearing in a bracket C² fixed on the casing
C below the side bar A' of the bed. An opening is provided in the front plate D
of the frame D allowing a free passage to the shaft F when the frame is pulled
forward, so that the handle F3 of the shaft F can be conveniently reached by a
person lying on the bed, whatever be the position of the frame D.
A spindle G threaded to work within the sleeve E, rotates within a socket G²,
which carries a plate G, adapted to carry a pan I of any suitable description. A
steadying guide rod H is fixed to the plate Gi and works through guide holes in a
bracket formed on the back of the cross bar D².
The cross bar D is provided with brackets D, D, a nut M and gearing L M
similar to that just described as affixed to the cross bar D2, but the top plate J¹ of
the spindle J in this case carries a pad K, preferably permanently fixed to it,
adapted to fit the bed aperture A and the bevel wheel shaft L works in a bearing
1 in the front plate D of the frame D. The shaft L has a handle L (Figure 3)
with which to rotate it.
A slot is formed in the bottom of the casing C to allow of the passage of the ends
of the spindles G J and steadying rods H. This slot may be covered by a board C,
having holes to receive the spindles and steadying rods and may be connected by
sleeves with the brackets D D. The board would move backward and forward with
the frame D and serve to steady the spindles.
In Figures 1 and 3 the pan is shown in position ready for use. To remove it and
replace it by the pad K, tho handle F is turned and the shafte F F rotated, 4
lowering the pan from the mattress aperture by means of the bevel gear F* E¹ and
threaded nut and spindle E and G. The frame D is then pulled forward till the pad

page_text: K is beneath the aperture A³. The handle L is now in a convenient position for
being reached, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, and by turning it, the pad K is
raised into the aperture A as shown in Figure 2, the rotating shaft L operating the
spindle J by means of the bevel gear and nut. The procedure is reversed when the
pan is required to be placed in position.
The frame D may be pulled forward or pushed back by hand, or a convenient
tool, such as is shown in Figure 4 may be supplied to enable the patient to reach over
the side of the bed and himself operate the sliding frame; or an arrangement of a
cord and pulleys may be provided for this purpose.
. If desired the telescopic shaft F may be dispensed with, and the shaft F' work in
a bearing in the front plate D' in a similar fashion to the shaft L, the position of
the handle F in this case being shown in dotted lines in Figure 8.
The shafts F F and L are preferably placed as shown in the drawings, at an angle
with each other and with the direction of travel of the sliding frame, this position
simplifying the arrangement of the spindles and their gearing.
The aperture A' in the mattress is shown square in the drawings but this may be
round or of any desired shape.
A shallow supplementary pan to be used as a urinal only may be provided, which
will stand on the top of the pan I, when the latter is not within or under the bed
aperture. The patient can himself lower the pad K and draw the supplementary pan
on to the pad below the aperture. The supplementary pan may be provided with an
opening in one end which should always remain over the pan I so that the supple-
mentary pan would empty itself as used. This arrangement is to prevent fatigue
to the patient when without a nurse.
It is evident that the apparatus is capable of being modified in details without
departing from the spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with a bed or the like having an aperture therein of a pan
I and of a pad K carried on separate spindles and capable of being raised
and lowered and moved horizontally substantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. The combination with a bed or the like having an aperture therein and rising
and falling pan and pad of a frame D with cross bars D D and brackets D' Do
movable in a casing C substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The combination with a bed or the like having an aperture therein, rising and
falling pan and pad a casing C and frame D of spindles GJ nuts E M bevel gear
E FM' L' and rods F1 L substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. The combination with a bed or the like having an aperture therein rising and
falling pan and pad and bevel gear operating the said pan and pad of telescoping
shafts FF substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. The combination with a bed or the like having an aperture therein, of a pan
and pad and apparatus so constructed that either the pan or pad can be raised into
or lowered from the bed aperture the moving of either the pan or the pad from
underneath the aperture automatically placing the other in position to be raised into
it the whole substantially as described.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete invalid
bed attachment substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated the 20th day of May DI
W. W. WATSON.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.