CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BEDSTEADS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Parker, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF BEDSTEADS."
Sealed the 9th February 1858, and dated the 14th December 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Parker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th December 1857.
I, JOSEPH PARKER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BEDSTEADS," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in the construction of bedsteads relates
more particularly to bedsteads for the use of invalids and others who require
assistance in moving the body or parts of the body into different positions, as
may be required.
My improvements consist in certain novel mechanical contrivances whereby
these and other similar objects may be effected and conveniences afforded to
or provided for the occupant of the bedstead, without requiring from him any
amount of physical exertion. In carrying out my improvements I remove
some of the transverse laths or supports from that part of the bedstead which
supports the head and upper part of the body, and in place thereof I
adapt a moveable framing, the forward part of which is mounted upon pins
or studs secured to the stationary framing or ordinary side rails of the
bedstead. These fixed pins or studs pass through slots made in the side pieces
of the moveable framing, so that as the latter is raised by the mechanical
contrivances hereafter described, it is moved slightly backward so as to enable
the mattress, which is jointed at this part, to bend and fold with facility when

page_text: the head framing is rising; beneath the moveable frame is mounted a
transverse shaft, which carries at its centre a sector rack which gears into a
pinion on another transverse shaft also mounted in bearings attached to the
fixed framing. This latter shaft also carries a worm wheel which is actuated
by a worm on a longitudinal shaft that extends from the head to the foot rail
of the bedstead, and is provided at one end with a winch or handle whereby it
may be turned for the purpose of raising or lowering the frame.
The head board of the bedstead is also moveable, and is connected to the
moveable head frame by means of arms or levers that turn upon centres fixed
in the moveable head frame. These arms or levers are provided with tails
which project below the moveable franc, and are connected by means of
connecting rods to the transverse shaft which carries the sector rack. By
means of this arrangement the moveablo head frame and also the head board
aro caused to move simultaucously, and the head board is also made to rise
vertically or nearly so between the head posts of the bedstead.
The foot board of the bedstead is also so constructed and adapted as to
admit of its being moved up to the person reclining on the bed, and may be
used either as a flat or horizontal table, on which food or other articles may
be placed when required, or it may be inclined and made to serve as a reading
or writing desk. To this end the foot board is mounted on centres or swivels
in the ends of arms attached to levers that are mounted on the ends of a
transverse rocking shaft, to which motion is communicated by causing a worm
to take into and drive a toothed wheel on the said shaft, the spindle of the
said worin being actuated by means of a winch handle on one end thereof, by
turning which the foot board will be raised in the arc of a circle until
it assumes a horizontal position, when it will of course serve as a table; or as
the board is mounted on pivots it may be turned thereon and secured by.
thumb screws or nuts at any inclination: When the upper part of the body of
the recumbent person is raised, by raising tho moveable head frame, moveable
arm rests may be placed on the table, and being made to extend back to the
head board the patient may, with very little exertion, raise himself while in a
sitting posture by means of his arms so as to ease himself. The mattress is
divided into sections, which may either be connected together by flexible
hinges or it may be used in separate pieces. The bolster is attached to the
bead board by means of straps or other suitable contrivances, which will
prevent it from slipping or falling down and inconveniencing the patient when
the head frame and board is raised up..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Parker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th June 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
PARKER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph Parker, Her special license that I, the said Joseph Parker,.
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Joseph Parker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BEDSTEADS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I. the said Joseph Parker, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Joseph Parker, do hereby declaro
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
-
My Invention of "Certain Improvements in the Construction of Bedsteads,'
relates more particularly to bedsteads for the use of invalids and others who
require assistance in moving the body or parts of the body into different
positions, as may be required.
My improvements consist in certain novel mechanical contrivances whereby
these and other similar objects may be effected and conveniences afforded to
or provided for the occupant of the bedstead, without requiring from him
any amount of physical exertion. In carrying out my improvements it will
be seen, on referring to the accompanying Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a

page_text: longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 2 a plan view of the bedstead, that I
remove some of the transverse laths or supports h, h, from that part of the
bedstead which supports the head and upper part of the body, and in place
thereof adapt a moveable framing i, i, the forward part of which is mounted
upon pins or studs j, j, secured to the stationary framing or ordinary side
rails a, a, of the bedstead. These fixed pins or studs j, j, pass through slots
k. k, mado in the side pieces of the moveable framing, as seen in Fig. 1, so
that as the latter is raised by the mechanical contrivances hereafter described
and shewn in the accompanying Drawings, it is moved slightly backward, so
as to enable the mattress 9 (Fig. 1), which is jointed at this part, to bend
and fold with facility when the head framing is being raised.
In the plan view, Fig. 2, of the bedstead, the bed, mattress, bolster, and
pillows have been removed in order that the gearing and under parts of the
bedstead inay be more clearly seen. The wooden frame of the bedstead, con-
sisting of the side rails and head
vertical corner posts at b, b, b, b.
attached to the bent levers d, d.
attached to the side arms f, f. This board is shown in its place at the foot
of the bed in Fig. 2, but in Fig. 1 its position is only indicated by dotted
lines, the board being represented in Fig. 1 as raised out of its place, so ILS
to serve as a table to the person in bed. The mattress 9 (Fig. 1), is sup-
ported partly on laths h, h, as usual, and partly on the moveable frame i, i,
which is connected to the side rails of the bedstead by the pins j, j, as before
imentioned, so as to admit of the framing being raised into an inclined position,
as shewn by dots in Fig. 1. Beneath the moveable head frame is mounted a
transverse shaft 7, which carries at its centre a sector rack m, which gears
into a pinion n on another transverse shaft o also mounted in bearings attached
to the fixed framing a, a. This latter shaft o also carries a worm wheel p,
which is actuated by a worm q on the longitudinal shaft r that extends from
the head to the foot rail of the bedstead, and is provided at one end, as at 1,
with a square head, to which may be adapted a moveable winch or handle, as
shewn in Fig. 1, whereby the shaft r may be turnod for the purpose of raising
or loworing the frame i, i.
and foot rails, is seen at a, a, a, a, and the
The head board c is made moveable, and is
The footboard e is also moveable, and is
The head board c of the bedstead, which is also moveable, is connected to
the moveable head frame i by means of the curved arms or levers d that turn
upon centres d' fixed in the moveable head frame i.' These arms or levers d
are provided with tails which project below the moveable frame i, and aro
connected by means of the rods 8, s, to the transverse shaft which carries
the sector rack m. By means of this arrangement the moveable head-frame i

page_text: and also the head board c are caused to move simultaneously, and the head
board c is also made to rise nearly vertically between the head posts of the
bedstead, as shewn by the dotted lines.
The foot board e of the bedstead is also so constructed and adapted as to admit
of its being moved up to the person reclining on the bed, and may be used either
as a flat or horizontal table on which food or other articles may be placed
when required, as shewn in Fig. 1, or it may be inclined and made to serve as
a reading or writing desk, as indicated by the dotted lines in the same Figure.
To this end the foot board is mounted on centres or swivels t, t, in the ends of
arms or levers attached to the side arms or levers f, f, that are mounted on the
ends of a transverse rocking shaft v, to which motion is communicated by causing
a worm w to take into and drive a toothed wheel a on the shaft v, the spindle of
the said worm w being actuated by means of a winch handle adapted to the
square end thereof; and by turning this handle and shaft v¹ with its worm w
the footboard e will be raised in the are of a circle until it asssumes a horizontal
position, as shewn in the Figure, when it will of course serve as a table; or as the
board is mounted on pivots t, t, as before mentioned, it may be turned thereon
and secured by thumb screws or nuts at any inclination, as seen by dots in
Fig. 1. The board e is also provided with buttons e", or other analogous
contrivances, which when turned up, as shewn in Fig. 1, will prevent a book
or desk from slipping off when the board is placed at an angle. In the Figures
the arms f, f, are shewn as made of tubes, so as to admit of their being pulled
out and lengthened when required, like the tubes of a telescope. The elonga-
tion of these side arms is effected by means of screws acting internally, as is
well known and in frequent use for an analogous purpose in other articles, or
the arms may be drawn out by hand. When the upper part of the body of
the recumbent person is raised by elevating the moveable head frame i, i,.
moveable arm rests, not shown in the Drawings, may, if required, be placed
on the table c, and being made to extend back to the head board c the patient
may, with very little exertion, raise himself while in a sitting posture by
means of his arms, so as to ease himself by resting on his arms. The mattress
9 is divided into sections, which may either be connected together by flexible
hinges or it may be used in separate pieces.
The bolster y is attached to the head board c by means of straps or other
suitable contrivances, which will prevent it from slipping or falling down and
inconveniencing the patient when the head frame and board is raised up into
the position indicated by dots.
Having now described my Invention of "Certain Improvements in the
Construction of Bedsteads," and having explained the manner of carrying the

page_text: same into effect, I would remark that I am aware that bedsteads have hereto-
fore been made in which parts of the frame have been made moveable, so that
the whole or part of the body of the patient or person reclining thereon may
be raised into various positions as may be required; I do not therefore mean
or intend to claim the exclusive right to use or apply moveable frames to
.bedsteads for such purposes, except when such object is effected in the manner
and by means of the mechanical appliances and arrangements above described
or any analogous contrivances.
In conclusion, I claim under the above in part recited Letters Patent,-
First, the mode herein shewn and described of constructing and operating
the moveable parts of invalid bedsteads; I claim particularly the combination
of tho moveable head board c with the moveable frame i, and also the attach-
ment of the bolster to the head, so as to prevent it from slipping behind the
patient.
Second, I claim the use and application, for the purposes above mentioned,
or for other analogous purposes, of the moveable foot board and the mode of
constructing and operating the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Parker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
MARTIN INGLE,
47, Stanley St., Liverpool.
JOSEPH PARKER. (L.S.)