Improvements in Devices for Use in connection with Hospital, Invalids' or other Bedsteads.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Devices for Use in connection with Hospital,
Invalids' or other Bedsteads.
A communication by GIOVANNI VILLA, of Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy,
Builder.
I, BONOMO MAGRINI, of 12-13, Lombard Chambers, Bixteth Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Knight of the Italian Crown, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to devices for use in connection with hospital, invalids'
or other bedsteads, and is designed to enable the patient to be raised into a sitting
or reclining position as may be required, thus dispensing with the use of the
large number of pillows hitherto required for propping the patient up.
In carrying the invention into effect, the plan preferred is to provide a pair of
frames each a little wider than the extreme width of the bed, and hinged so
as to fold. These frames lie permanently on the bedstead under the mattress
and bed clothes at the head of the bed. To one of them is pivotted preferably at
each end, a toothed segment, and the other frame has at each end a pinion mounted
on a longitudinal shaft with a handle for turning, which pinions gear into the
toothed segments. By turning the handle therefore in one direction one of the
frames (preferably the one having the segments) will be raised into the required
sloping position, or upright, together with the mattress and bedding thereon, or
by turning it in the other direction the frame can be lowered. Thus the patient
can be brought into a sitting posture by turning the handle, or into a reclining
position as required, it being possible to effect the exact adjustment to a nicety.
At one end of the frame having the pinions, there is a pawl or click engaging
in the teeth of one of the segments, or in large bedsteads the pawl or click may
be in duplicate so as to engage the segment at each end. These pawls or clicks
are so arranged that they offer no obstruction to the frame being raised upwards,
but prevent it being lowered again, until they are raised by hand out of engage-
ment with the teeth. This prevents the frame falling back accidentally which
would result in a severe shock to an invalid. In the arrangement preferred, the
rising and falling frame has guides at the ends to prevent lateral play of the
segments, together with rollers underneath to keep the said segments in gear
with the pinions. The invention will be found a most useful article of furniture
for bedsteads, as by the use of the invention, the patient may be propped up or
supported at any required angle that will secure the greatest comfort or con-
venience, while when not required for use, the adjustable frame can be lowered
flat on to the other frame.
Dated this 05th den of A1 1000

page_text: Improvements in Devices for Use in connection with Hospital,
Invalids' or other Bedsteads.
A communication by GIOVANNI VILLA, of Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy,
Builder.
I, BONOMO MAGRINI, of 12-13, Lombard Chambers, Bixteth Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Knight of the Italian Crown, 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 devices for use in connection with hospital, invalids'
or other bedsteads, and is designed to enable the patient to be raised into a sitting
or reclining position as may be required, thus dispensing with the use of the
large number of pillows hitherto required for propping the patient up.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawing which shows my invention applied to a bed-
stead.
A B is a pair of frames, each a little wider than the extreme width of the
bedstead C, and hinged together at D so as to fold. These frames lie permanently
on the bedstead under the mattress and bed-clothes at the head of the bed. lo
one of them is pivoted, preferably at each side, a toothed segment E, and the
other frame B has at each side a pinion I mounted on a longitudinal shaft. G
with a handle H for turning, which pinions gear into the toothed segments of
the frame A. By turning the handle H therefore in one direction, one frame
in the pair, namely the one having the segments, will be raised into the required
sloping position as shown in the drawing, or upright, together with the mattress
and bedding thereon, or by turning it in the other direction the frame can be
lowered. Thus the patient can be brought into a sitting posture by turning
the handle or into a reclining position as required, it being possible to effect the
exact adjustment to a nicety. The frame A has stretched in it, a web or network
of wires a with springs a forming a wire mattress for supporting the bedding
which rests thereon.
At one end of the frame B having the pinions, there is a pawl or click I engaging
in the teeth of one of the segments. For large bedsteads the pawl or click may
be in duplicate so as to engage the segment at each end. These pawls or clicks I
are so arranged that they offer no obstruction to the frame being raised upward,
but prevent it being lowered again. This prevents the frame falling back
accidentally, which would result in a severe shock to the invalid. By raising
the frame A, however slightly by the handle, the pawl I can be easily taken
out of engagement with the teeth of the segment E and the frame then gently
lowered. In the arrangement shown, there are guides J at the sides, to prevent
lateral play of the segments together with rollers K to keep the segments in
gear with the pinions."
The invention will be found a most useful article of furniture for bedsteads,
as by the use of the invention the patient may be propped up, or supported at
any required angle that will secure the greatest comfort or convenience, while
when not required for use the frame A can be lowered flat on to the other frame,
but need not be removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is;-
-
1. A device for use in connection with bedsteads, comprising a frame adapted

page_text: to lie permanently flat on the bedstead at the head under the mattress and bed-
clothes, and another frame hinged thereto at one end in such a manner that the
latter can be raised into the required sloping position, or upright, together with
the mattress and bedding which rests and is supported thereon. whereby the
patient can be brought into a sitting posture, or into a reclining one as required,
thus dispensing with the use of the large number of pillows hitherto required
for propping a patient up, substantially as described.
2. A device for use in connection with bedsteads, which consists of a pair of
hinged frames, toothed segments pivoted to one of said frames, rotary pinions
secured to a shaft mounted in the other (with a handle for rotating) and means
for keeping the segments in gear with the pinions, whereby by turning the handle
in one direction, one of the frames will be raised upright, or into the required
sloping position, together with the mattress and bedding, which rests or is sup-
ported thereon, or by turning it in the other direction the said frame can be
lowered, substantially as described.
3. In the device set forth in Claim 2, the combination with the toothed
segments that are pivoted to one of the frames, of pawls or clicks pivoted to the
other frame, and so arranged as to engage when required in the teeth of the
segments to prevent the frame falling back accidentally, substantially as set
forth.
4. The device for use in connection with hospital, invalids or other bedsteads,
constructed, arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to, and shown in, the drawings annexed.
Dated this 25th day of January 1900.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London.