IMPROVEMENTS IN BED-CLOTHES ELEVATORS FOR SUPPORTING BED-CLOTHES FROM THE BODIES OF PATIENTS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Ward Cousins, of Southsea, Portsmouth, in the
County of Hants, Doctor of Medicine, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BED-CLOTHES ELEVATORS FOR SUPPORTING BED-CLOTHES FROM THE BODIES OF
PATIENTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ward Cousins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th March 1880.
JOHN WARD COUSINS, of Southsea, Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, Doctor
of Medicine. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BED-CLOTHES ELEVATORS FOR SUPPORTING BED-
CLOTHES FROM THE BODIES OF PATIENTS."
The object of the Invention is to provide a better and more convenient bed-
clothes elevator to support part or all of the bed-clothes from the body of a patient
than the old bed frame now generally used.
For this purpose I form a bed-clothes elevator of an upright, having a spike at
its lower end to hold to the floor, and also provided with a clamp by which it can
be clamped to the side or end of any bedstead; the clamp being moveable along
the upright so that it can be adapted to bedsteads of any height.
The clamp is by preference formed of a large headed screw bolt and nut, the
screw stem of which passes through a longitudinal slot formed through the lower
part of the upright. To clamp the upright to the bedstead the bolt is slid upwards
along the slot until part of the head of the bolt comes at the back of the side. or
end horizontal rail of the bedstead; the nut is then screwed upon the screw stem
and caused to bear against the upright and hold it to the bedstead.
The upright may be divided into two lengths connected by a joint, which allows
of the upper length being turned or swivelled whilst the lower part is clamped to the
bedstead; it also allows of the upright being separated into two lengths for
convenience of packing. Through the upper part of the upright holes are formed,
into any one or other of which the end of a horizontal arm can be inserted, and
also if desired secured by a nut. A stay or bracket is also jointed to the arm, and
holes or notches are provided in the upright, into which the end of the stay or
bracket may be inserted. The outer end of the arm is divided longitudinally with
a vertical slit, so that if the arm is to be above the bed clothes a portion of the
clothes may be drawn up between the two parts, and the parts then drawn together

page_text: by a clamp screw so as to nip and hold the clothes. The arm has also horizontal
holes formed through it, so that when the arm is used below the bed-clothes rods
may be passed through the holes, and the clothes allowed to rest on the arm and on
the rods.
In some cases the bed-clothes elevator in place of being made with one upright
only is made with two uprights, so that the uprights may be fixed to the opposite
sides or ends of a bedstead, and a bar passed across the bed from one upright to
the other.
It will be seen that with bed-clothes elevators, formed as above described, part or
all of the bed clothes may be raised from the body of a patient, and that the
readiness with which it can be applied and adjusted to any part of the bed renders
it far more convenient both for hospital and private practice than the old fashioned
bed frame.
In addition the elevator possesses the advantages that it never touches the patient
and never rests on the bed, and can be used either outside or inside the bed clothes
as desired.
The elevator also can be fixed to any bedstead in an instant; at the same time it
can be used at the foot or either side of the bed, and can so be made to support
any part of the clothes in any required position, and can also be adjusted to raise
the clothes any convenient height from the patient.
The elevator is very portable and can be conveniently folded up for carriage.
SPECIFIČATJON in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Ward Cousins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
September 1880.
JOHN WARD COUSINS, of. Southsea, Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, Doctor
of Medicine. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BED-CLOTHES ELEVATORS FOR SUPPORTING BED-
CLOTHES FROM THE BODIES OF PATIENTS."
The object of the Invention is to provide a better and more convenient bed
clothes elevator to support part or all of the bed clothes from the body of a patient
than the old bed frame now generally used. For this purpose I form a bed clothes
elevator of an upright, having a spike at its lower end to hold to the floor, and also
provided with a clamp by which it can be clamped to the side or end of any
bedstead, the clamp being moveable along the upright so that it can be adapted to
bedsteads of any heights. The clamp may be formed of a large headed screw bolt
and nut, the screw stem of which passes through a longitudinal slot formed through
the lower part of the upright. To clamp the upright to the bedstead the bolt is
slid upwards along the slot until part of the head of the bolt comes at the back of
the side or end horizontal rail of the bedstead; the nut is then screwed up on the
screw stem and caused to bear against the upright and hold it to the bedstead.
The upright may be divided into two lengths connected by a joint, which allows

page_text: Sometimes I provide uprights a at both sides or ends of the bed, and then the
arm & inay extend from upright to upright, as is seen in the Figures 7 and 8; or where
the bed is wide two separate arms & may be employed, and they may be connected
by a lath, the ends of which enter the slits in the arms, and are fixed by pins or by
the insertion into their places of the cross bars e. The bars & may in some cases be
made to receive other bars g at right angles to themselves, as is represented in
Figure 8, so as to give when necessary a wider support to the bed clothes.
The apparatus is applicable to a variety of medical and surgical uses, as the
Figures on Sheet 2 of the Drawings indicate; Figure 9 shows the apparatus in use
to support a tray upon which an inhaler is fixed, and it serves also as a support to
the patient whilst accommodating the position of the head to the direction of the
jet of spray; Figure 10 shows the application of the apparatus to support a vessel,
from which a syphon leads water or liquid to a porous pad laid upon the leg of a
patient.
Figure 11 shows the apparatus applied for suspending straps or collars, by which
support may be given to various parts of the body by slinging and supporting them
over the bed. In Figures 12 and 13 the apparatus is shown supporting arm or leg
rests and iron wire splints, and and in one of these Figures an apparatus for spraying
the limb is also indicated. The apparatus is further useful in treating fractures,
diseases of the joints, wounds, &c., and for other like purposes. The upright is
sometimes fitted with sliding collar and extension pulley for the application of the
treatment of extension by weight, as is shown by the Figure 14, which it is
unnecessary to indicate in detail, as they will at once suggest themselves to the
surgeon, physician, or nurse.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim my improved bed
clothes elevators, substantially as described and represented in the annexed
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ward Cousins, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
J. WARD COUSINS. (L.S.)