IMPROVED COMBINED BED BEDSTEAD AND 'COMMODE THE SAME BEING CONVERTIBLE AT WILL INTO A COUCH OR CHAIR AND COMMODE
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM WEBSTER WATSON of No 1 Temple Gardens in the City of London,
Barrister-at-Law, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for AN
IMPROVED COMBINED BED BEDSTEAD AND 'COMMODE THE SAME BEING CONVERTIBLE
AT WILL INTO A COUCH OR CHAIR AND COMMODE, to be as follows:-
The bedstead consists of three parts head middle and foot connected by hinges
or other suitable means. The head which rests on two legs is moveable upwards
so as to form when upright a right angle with the middle. The middle consists of
two parts an upper and lower part. The lower part which rests on four legs has
at the top a water-closet or cominode seat on which are small balls or rollers.
The
upper part of the middle rests on the commode seat and is moveable from side to
side and can be taken off and away from the under part. The foot can be bent or
moved downwards The mattress corresponds in size with the bedstead. And is in
three parts one resting on the head, one on the middle, and one on the foot, of the
bedstead. Each part of the mattress can be placed in a case resembling a pillow
case, or an ordinary under sheet can be used. When the invalid in bed desires to
use the commode a pau is passed under the middle and is placed under the hole of
the commode the head of the bed is moved upwards and kept in its place by a bolt.
which slips down and fastens the head to the middle or by any other suitable
mechanical contrivance the foot is then moved down and the invalid is in this way
placed on the commode seat When the commode has been used the foot is moved
up and kept in its place by means of a bolt connecting it with the middle part or
by other suitable mechanical contrivance. The head is then moved down. A
moveable water-closet can be used instead of a commode seat and pan.
The
bedstead can be used as a chair by moving the head up and the foot down as
before described the commode being in this way also capable of being used.
Dated this first day of January One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty

page_text: I WILLIAM WEBSTER WATSON of N° 1 Temple Gardens Temple in the City of
London Barrister-at-Law do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"AN IMPROVED COMBINED BEDSTEAD BED AND COMMODE THE SAME BEING
CONVERTIBLE AT WILL INTO A COUCH OR CHAIR, AND COMMODE" 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 an improved combined Bedstead Bed and Commode the
same being convertible at will into a couch or chair, and commode and has for its
especial object to provide a cheap and easily worked arrangement for enabling
invalids and bed ridden persons to perform the acts of nature in a cleanly and
comfortable nanner with a minimum of trouble and exertion both to themselves
and to those in attendance upon them and also to enable patients whom it is
impossible or undesirable to move from the horizontal position to relieve themselves
whilst in that position.
The said invention consists essentially in so constructing the framework of an
invalids (or other) bed chair or couch that when the patient desires to use the
commode, that part of the mattress or cushion on which he may be lying sitting or
reclining which comes next to the posterior may be readily and expeditiously
removed and the patient seated on a water closet seat or on a pad or cushion
thereon underneath which is a pan or vessel and when used the portion of the
mattress which was removed may be as easily replaced.
In carrying out my invention I employ a framework (supported by a suitable
number of legs or supports) made in 3 sections or parts which are hinged or
otherwise suitably connected together i.e a top a centre and a bottom part which
constitute respectively the head, the centre and the foot of the bedstead so that the
head part can be raised to any angle or position that may be desired, and the
bottom part lowered. The centre part remains stationary When the head part
is raised and the foot part lowered the bedstead is converted into a chair or a
couch according to the height & which the raising and lowering is carried Each
of these three parts is provided with a separate mattress which will not be
displaced when the raising or lowering above mentioned takes place.
The middle or centre part of the framework of the bedstead consists of two parts
-an upper and a lower-The lower part of this centre part of the bedstead is
made (preferably) though not necessarily to come up higher than the framework of
the head and foot parts of the bedstead and is provided with an ordinary water
closet or commode seat, on which are placed several rollers or runners so as to
enable the upper part which carries the centre portion of the mattress or the centre
portion of the mattress itself to be easily run on to and readily removed from the
lower part.
The said upper part is made like a tray into which fits the centre
portion of the mattress and may be provided with legs running on castors, so that
when necessary it may be drawn or pushed away from and replaced over the lower
part.
If desired this tray can be entirely dispensed with, and the centre portion of
the mattress itself provided with a wooden or other framework on its bottom side
so as to enable it to run freely over the rollers or runners contained in the lower
part as above mentioned.
By making the lower part of the centre of the framework of the bedstead so
that it comes up a little higher than the framework of the head and footparts of the

page_text: framework I am enabled to employ a much thinner mattress for the centre portion
than the foot and head portions of the mattress, and by so doing the patient does
not have so far to drop when the centre portion of the mattress is withdrawn as he
would if the framework were made of an equal height all through and the three
portions of the mattress of an equal thickness.
This centre portion of the mattress can be made as an air cushion (inflated
rubber or other material) The head and footparts of the mattress could also if
considered desirable be made as air cushions but the entire mattress can be made
in any materials best suitable.
Around the hole of the said water closet or commode seat can be placed an air
cushion or a pad of any suitable material to prevent a chill being given to the
patient by his coming in contact with the wooden seat.
Underneath the water closet or commode seat of the bottom part of the said
centre portion of the bedstead is placed a pan or vessel which may slide in grooves
or rest on a support or otherwise be retained in position under the said water
closet seat. This pan can if desired contain soot liquid disinfectants or powders &
so that the feces passed by a patient are at once rendered inodorous and
innocuous.
The bottom or foot part of the bedstead is hinged or otherwise suitably connected
to the centre part of the bedstead so as to be capable of being lowered and the legs
on which it rests passing under the said centre part when so lowered.
I employ any suitable arrangement of apparatus such as rack and pinion, toothed
wheeled gearing and the like for raising the upper part of the head of the bed and
bedstead as above mentioned (or it may be raised up by hand and retained at the
desired angle or position by means of stops and catches And it may also be so
arranged that the act of raising the top part causes the bottom part to be
simultaneously lowered. I wish it to be understood that the means by which the
parts of the bedstead and bed are raised and lowered form no part of my invention
and therefore I do not consider it necessary to mention them in detail, as it is
obvious that many and varied arrangements of mechanism can be employed for the
purpose.
The action of the bed and bedstead above described, when an invalid or person
who is capable of being moved to a slight extent desires to use the Commode is as
follows
The upper part or tray (carrying the middle portion of the mattress) of the
centre part of the bedstead or the centre portion of the mattress itself is withdrawn
from underneath the patient, thus placing him immediately over the hole contained
in the water closet seat of the lower part, and the pau beneath as above mentioned.
The head part and the lower part of the bedstead are then gently raised and
lowered respectively and the result is that the Patient is situate in the ordinary
natural position.
After use the head and foot parts of the bedstead above mentioned are restored
to their horizontal position and the top part (containing the middle portion of the
mattress) of the centre portion of the bedstead or the centre portion of the mattress
itself as the case may be is pushed back over the water closet seat to its original
position.
In some cases a second centre mattress is used It is made with a hole in it
corresponding in size with that in the Commode-It is used in this way-Tho
Patient is lifted very slightly the centre mattress is then pulled or pushed away
and the second mattress pushed in its place in such a way that the hole in it may
exactly fit the hole in the Commode scat-Then the Patient if moved in the way
before described into a sitting position sits, or if not so moved lies in both cases
with the posterior just over the hole in the second centre mattress-The second
centre mattress is afterwards withdrawn and the centre mattress put in its place-
This second centre mattress could if desired be hinged or otherwise attached to the
tray, or to the centre mattress itself and made to work on rollers and the like in
such a manner that the act of withdrawing the tray and the centre portion of the

page_text: mattress, or the centre portion of the mattress itself as the case may be, would
draw into position the second centre mattress and the act of replacing the first
centre mattress, would displace the second centre mattress. When not in use this
second mattress would be at the side of the bed.
The bed clothes or coverings during the above operation will not if properly
"tucked in" shift from their proper position but if considered necessary 'they could
be secured by means of Straps.
When it is undesirable or impossible for a Patient to bear the movements of 'the
body which take place by the moving of the lower and bottom parts as above
described I make the centre portion of the mattress with a hole right through its
centre of such a size as to comfortably accommodate the posterior of the Patient.
When the Commode is not in use the said hole is filled up with a plug made
to accurately fit the hole so that the Patient may rest upon an equal and level
surface.
This plug is retained in position by means of a piece of wood or other material
which is attached to the under part of the centre portion of the bedstead and may
be made as a flap which will fall by its own weight upon being released from its
catch, or may slide in grooves, or work on a pivot, so as to enable the plug to drop
or be removed from its position when the commode is about to be used-Directly
underneath (and as close to as possible) the hole in the mattress is placed the pan
or vessel In this case the pan or vessel is best retained in position by sliding it in
grooves placed under the framework-By the above means the Patient is able
to relieve himself whilst in a lying down and in many cases also in a natural
position After use the pan is withdrawn, the plug inserted from the underneath
into its hole and the piece of wood or iron or other material slidden or placed so as
to retain it in its proper position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same may be performed I wish it to be
understood that what I claim is :-
1. The construction of a bedstead the centre portion of which is made of two
parts, an upper and a lower, the upper part of which carries the centre portion of
the entire mattress and is capable of being removed when necessary to enable a
Patient to be seated on the lower part or on a second centre mattress, substantially
as herein before described.
2. The employment of a mattress made in three separate parts-a top-a centre-
and a bottom part, in bedsteads used by invalids and others the centre portion of
which is or is not provided with a hole and a plug and is capable of being removed
when necessary substantially as hereinbefore described.
3 The combination in a bedstead used by invalids and others of a middle part
consisting of an upper and a lower part respectively and a mattress made in three
separate parts, the centre portion of such mattress being carried by the upper part
of the upper part framework of the centre portion of the bedstead, or provided
with means to enable it to be slid or run over the top of the lower part of such
middle part of the framework of a bedstead, substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
Dated this 1st day of October 1884