IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL BEDS FOR INVALIDS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO TABLES FOR ANATOMICAL OR SURGICAL OPERATIONS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Davies, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn,
in the County of Middlesex, and No. 28, St. Enoch Square, in the City
of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL BEDS FOR INVALIDS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO
TABLES FOR ANATOMICAL OR SURGICAL OPERATIONS."-A communication
from abroad by Charles Augustin de Beriot, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 22nd August 1861, and dated the 26th February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Davies at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th February 1861.
.
I, GEORGE DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of
Middlesex, and No. 28, St. Enoch Square, in the City of Glasgow, Civil
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL BEDS FOR INVALIDS, APPLICABLE
ALSO TO TABLES FOR ANATOMICAL OR SURGICAL OPERATIONS," (a communication to
me from abroad by Charles Augustin de Beriot, of Paris, France,) to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to the peculiar construction of a mechanical or easy
chair bedstead, capable of being placed at various inclinations for the use of
invalids.

page_text: The very simple mechanism of this bedstead dispenses entirely with the use
of toothed racks for such purposes; and further, the weight of the two moving
parts is balanced like a scale beam. This easy chair bed allows of any degree
of movement of the invalid, either slight or otherwise, without occasioning the
least trouble or fatigue. The bedstead is divided into three distinct parts,
which are arranged as follows, namely, a fixed or immoveable part at the
centre, and a moveable part at each end, which latter parts are moved simul-
taneously by a lever, the part at the head rising, and that at the foot lowering,
and vice versa. When it is desirable to fix the bed in any position assumed
by the invalid, this is done by means of a cord fixed to the head of the bed,
passing over a pulley, and furnished with several rings, one of which is
hooked on to a fixed point.
.
The principal novel feature in the Invention consists in connecting the two
moving parts of the frame together by levers, so that they shall balance each
other, and move simultaneously when the cord is pulled, and in providing the
levers connected to the foot piece with hinges, so that when desired the foot
piece can, by slight pressure, be inclined without raising the head or body.
It will be evident that a modification of the same arrangement is applicable to
operating tables for surgical or anatomical purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME; I, GEORGE
DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
and No. 28, St. Enoch Square, in the City of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and 2
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS, Her most Excellent Majesty, Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the. Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our Lord!
One, thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Davies, Her special licence, that I, the said George Davies,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Davies, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no, others, from time to time, and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,

page_text: and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ME-
CHANICAL BEDS FOR INVALIDS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO TABLES FOR ANATOMICAL OR
SURGICAL OPERATIONS," being a communication to me from abroad by Charles
Augustin de Beriot, of Paris, France, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said George Davies, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Davies, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
5 formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings, that
is to say :-
This Invention relates to the peculiar construction of a mechanical or easy
chair bedstead capable of being placed at various inclinations, for the use of
O invalids.
The very simple mechanism of this bedstead dispenses entirely with the use
of toothed racks for such purposes; and further, the weight of the two moving
parts is balanced like a scale beam. This easy-chair bed allows of any degree
of movement of the invalid, either slight or otherwise, without occasioning the
5 least trouble or fatigue. The bedstead is divided into three distinct parts,
which are arranged as follows, namely, a fixed or immoveable part at the
centre, and a moveable part at each end, which latter parts are moved simul-
taneously by à lever, the part at the head rising, and that at the foot lowering,
and vice versa. When it is desirable to fix the bed in any position assumed
by the invalid, this is done by means of a cord fixed to the head of the bed,
passing over a pulley, and furnished with several rings, one of which is
hooked on to a fixed point.
The principal novel feature in the Invention consists in connecting the two
moving parts of the frame together by levers, so that they shall balance each
> other, and move simultaneously when the cord is pulled, and in providing the
levers connected to the foot piece with hinges, so that, when' desired, the foot
piece can by slight pressure be inclined without raising the head or body.
It will be evident that a modification of the same arrangement is applicable
to operating tables for surgical or anatomical purposes.

page_text: Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for "Improvements
in Mechanical Beds for Invalids, applicable also to Tables for Anatomical or
Surgical Operations," I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the
same is to be or may be performed or carried. into practical effect. And in
order that the same may be distinctly understood, I have annexed hereunto
one Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same with
figures and letters of reference. corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof, that is to say,―
Figure 1 in the annexed Drawing represents a longitudinal section taken
through about the centre of the bed when at rest; Figure 2 shews the same
transformed into an easy chair; Figure 3 shows the method of lowering.the
foot only of the bed when required.
This easy-chair bed, as already described, is divided into three parts, the
first is formed by the frame A, strengthened by a rod a, the whole turning on
the axis B, which serves as its centre.
The second part is composed of a second frame C, also strengthened by a
rod c, and is balanced as regards its weight, by the former.
The third part M in the centre remains fixed.
The lower extremity of the frame A is attached to that of the frame C by
two levers D, D¹, which are united by a hinge at E. It is by means of this.
hinge that either of the parts A and C can be be moved without disturbing the
other. A cord F attached to the head of the bedstead by the ring o passes
over a pulley P fixed to any suitable point of support. The extremity of this
cord is furnished with rings, which can be easily hooked on to a nail or pin
provided for that purpose. From the preceding description it will be evident
that if the cord F be pulled, the whole of the frame A (Figure 1) will oscillate
on the point B, and assume the position shewn in Figure 2, and as the second
frame C is connected to the former by the levers D, D', it follows that this
frame also assumes a corresponding position. It will also be equally evident
that if the foot of the bed be pressed downwards, the head part will be raised.
By raising the frame A still higher, as shewn in red lines in Figure 2, the bed
can be caused to assume still nearer the form and position of an easy chair.
It is well to observe that in all cases the third or central part M remains fixed.
If, however, the patient should wish to incline the feet only, all that is
necessary is to apply slight upward pressure to the hinge E, and thus to incline,
the levers D and D' towards each other, more or less, as may be required
(see Figure 3). Under the head part of the bed there is a bracket G, which
receives and supports the moveable part A when it is at rest or in the
horizontal position. This bracket is fixed and supported on a lower frame,

page_text: furnished with castors to facilitate the moving of the bed to any part of the
room.
In order to reduce as much as possible the space necessary for this easy-
chair bed, it is proposed in some instances to dispense with this bracket G and
the back part of the lower frame, and, to substitute therefor an inclined, or
diagonal spring, fixed to the other part of the frame, and serving to support
the head of the bed when in the position of rest. It is also intended to furnish
the exterior of this bed with a casing more or less ornamental according to
taste or fancy, the external casing also acting as a preventative of accidents by
enclosing all the mechanical parts of the frame.
The fixing of this easy-chair bed in, any desired position may also be effected
by means of a rack, in the teeth of which gears, a spring lever, which may be
easily worked by the patient. In this case the cord F furnished with rings
as above described may be dispensed with. A case arranged within the sides
of the bed also allows of the use of a spring mattress, which adds greatly to
the comfort.
Figure 4 shows a longitudinal external view of an easy-chair bed furnished
with a rack and lever, one side of the casing being supposed to be removed.
In this Figure will be found the same mechanism as described with reference
to the preceding Figures, consisting of curved levers A, pivoting on points a.
Other levers B, moving on centres b, are attached to the former by rods C,
which, with the levers, form a parallelogram. The points of support a and b,
are fixed to the sides which may be prolonged the whole length of the bed.
The lower part E, which forms the base of the whole arrangement, is supported
on casters R.
The mechanism which retains the bed in any desired position is composed
as follows: A flat lever D, forming a rack by means of the indentations d, is
hinged to one of the rods C at the point c. In the indentations of the rack
gears the lower end of an oscillating lever e, which is guided at its upper end
by a rod f. The lower end of the lever e is acted upon by a coiled spring,
which keeps it always in gear with one of the indentations d. In order to
find the position which may seem most convenient or comfortable, it will be
necessary for the person to pull slightly at the upper end of the lever e, in
order to release the lower end from the indentations d; the desired position
may then be assumed, and upon releasing the lever e its lower end falls into
the rack, and locks it in that position. The mattress, and also the pillow X,
are retained on the moveable part by small rings x. The case S, which is
placed between the two sides of the bed, will contain a
the person using the bed should desire one.
spring mattress S¹ if

page_text: I may here observe that the application of this Invention to operating tables
for surgical and anatomical purposes, as above-mentioned, is so obvious as to
need no further description.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention, for
"Improvements in Mechanical Beds for Invalids, applicable also to Tables for
Anatomical or Surgical Operations," together with the manner in which the
same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would
remark, in conclusion, that I claim as the Invention communicated to me by
the said Charles Augustin de Beriot,-
Firstly, the general arrangement and construction of mechanical beds for
invalids, as above described, without limiting the same to the particular form
or dimensions indicated on the annexed Drawing.
And, secondly, I claim the application of the system of equilibrated or
balanced levers to operating tables for surgical or anatomical purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Davies, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.