Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Aug., 1888
Specification Accepted, 28th Sept., 1888
I, OTTO HASS, of Konigsberg in Preussen in the Kingdom of Germany, 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:-
The object of my invention is mainly to provide an improved means by which
weak persons who are confined to their beds may be gently lifted or raised from the
bed without exertion to themselves, and while remaining in the lying down posture.
This may be desirable either merely as a rest for the patients back by easing the
loins, or for the purpose of placing a vessel under the patient when he (or she) in
the ordinary course of nature or otherwise requires the use of such vessel.
The apparatus illustrated in the drawing herewith consists of a folding frame to
which are connected by a movable joint, supporters b. b. The frame consists of the
crossbar d, by which the whole apparatus may be fastened to the ceiling or attached
to a hoisting gear. From each end of the crossbar leads, ropes, straps, or chains &c.
to the lower end of the principal arms a. a. of the frame. These ropes are so
arranged that they may be shifted on the crossbar to give more or less breadth
between them in order to suit various requirements. For the same purpose they are
also adapted for shortening and lengthening either as shewn in the drawing merely
by tying the ropes shorter or longer or by some other suitable means.
The ropes c. c.
are further connected with the arms a. a. by means of the straps &c. e. e. which in
addition to staying & strengthening the frame generally also serve the patient as arm
supports and are therefore fastened in such a manner that they may be raised or
lowered. The straps h. h. which also connect the ropes c. c. with the arms a. a. serve
to increase or lessen the elevation of arms a. a. The band, each end of which is
fastened to one of the arms a. a. serves as a support to the patients back, and is
therefore made to shorten and lengthen and to fasten higher or lower on the arms a. a.
in order to suit Patients of various dimensions. The cross piece g. serves as a
support to the patients head and can in likewise be fastened lower or higher on the
arms a. a. and be narrowed or widened.

page_text: '
The manner in which the contrivance or apparatus which I have now described is
used is as follows:-The arm pieces a. a. are laid one on each side of the patient
while lying down, so that they are behind his arms and shoulders, while the
supports b. b. are placed underneath the thighs. Neither the band f. nor the cross-
piece g. have as yet been fastened and the patient must now be lifted sufficiently to
bring the band f. underneath his (or her) back, and the band is tightened conve
niently. The crosspiece is also fastened and regulated so that it supports the patients
neck. A pillow or mattress &c. may be placed over the band f. and the crosspiece g.
in order to add to the comfort of the patient. The patient's arms are most conve-
niently put over the pieces e. e. so that they are placed outside the frame. If this has
not been done already before the ropes c. c. are attached and regulated as to their
distance on the cross bar, and the straps h. h. fastened, so that when the hoisting gear
to which the cross bar d. is attached is set in motion the whole apparatus with the
patient is gently raised. The crosspiece g. on which the head rests should always be
regulated fairly wide, because by spreading the upper ends of the arms a. a. the
patients body obtains better support and the supports b. b. approach each other more
conveniently. As explained in the opening statement the patient may be raised
sufficiently to place any necessary vessel under his (or her) body and when he (or
she) is not particularly weak he (or she) may even himself (or herself) hold the
hoisting rope. But in addition to the advantage which the apparatus thus affords,
it also affords the most convenient seat imaginable for the patient in bed. He can
sit up or lie down in his bed without resting on his loins or backbone, for the
apparatus may be so fixed as just to keep him raised from the bed, and thereby the
tiredness and soreness arising from a long confinement to bed is greatly obviated.
The connection between the arms a. a. and the supporting hands or supports b. b. is
established by any well known kind of a movable joint or by a short chain or strap
which may be easily fastened and unfastened so that when the apparatus is used
while the patient is lying down in a horizontal position they may be removed if found
more convenient.
I do not confine myself to the making of my apparatus from any particular material
but I generally make the cross bars d. & g. and the arms a. a. from wood, the
supports b. b. from wood, or upholstered on metal ribs, the lines c. c. are generally
made in rope, the straps h. he. e: and f. either from leather or web; but as already
said the materials may be varied to suit various requirements.
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 :-
An apparatus for raising patients having supports b. b. connected with the principal
frame in the manner and for the purpose described.
Data:
"
A A
1200