IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE BEDS, Couches, aND CHAIRS FOR ÎNVALIDS AND OTHERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Richard, of Pulford Street, Pimlico, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ADJUSTABLE BEDS, Couches, aND CHAIRS FOR ÎNVALIDS AND OTHERS.”
Sealed the 11th May 1880, and dated the 17th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Richard at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th November 1879.
JOHN RICHARD, of Pulford Street, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE BEDS, COUCHES, AND
CHAIRS FOR INVALIDS AND OTHERS.'
"
This Invention has reference to beds, couches, and chairs in which the frames or
structures carrying or supporting the mattress or cushions are so made that different
portions in the length thereof may be caused to assume various angles relative to
one another and to the horizontal, and according to my Invention I effect the
adjustment of these parts by eccentrics.
These eccentrics are mounted on suitable shafts, and provided with straps con-
nected to the portions of the frame or structure which is to be adjusted, and the
shafts carrying the eccentrics are rotated through spur or other gear by hand
wheels arranged so as to be accessible to a person reclining on the bed, couch, or
chair, and furnished with ratchet wheels and pawls so arranged as to retain the
parts in any relative positions to which they may have been moved by the turning
of the hand wheels.
By putting the pawls out of gear when the parts of the frame or structure are
in a more or less elevated position the same may be lowered as required.
By my Invention the adjustment of the relative angles of the various connected
parts of the frame or structure carrying or supporting the mattress or cushions of a
bed, couch, or chair may be readily effected even by an invalid reclining thereon,
and the movement is of a gradual and easy kind, which will not shake or distress
the occupant of the bed, couch, or chair.
In some cases levers may be substituted for the wheels, and spring catches and
quadrants may be employed for keeping the parts in the positions to which they
are moved.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Richard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th May
1880.
JOHN RICHARD, of Pulford Street, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE BEDS, COUCHES, AND
CHAIRS FOR INVALIDS AND OTHERS."
This Invention has reference to beds, couches, and chairs in which the frames or
structures carrying or supporting the mattresses or cushions are so made that
different portions in the length thereof may be caused to assume various angles
relative to one another and to the horizontal, and according to my Invention I
effect the adjustment of the parts by eccentrics.
These eccentrics are mounted on suitable shafts, and provided with straps
connected to the portion of the frame or structure which is to be adjusted, and the
shafts carrying the eccentrics are rotated through spur or other gear by hand wheels
or handles arranged so as to be accessible to a person reclining on the bed, couch,
or chair, and furnished with ratchet wheels and pawls so arranged as to retain the
parts in any relative positions to which they may be moved by the turning of the
hand wheels or handles. By putting the pawls out of gear when the parts of the
frame or structure are in a more or less elevated position the same may be lowered
as required.
By my Invention the adjustment of the relative angles of the various connected
parts of the frame or structure, carrying or supporting the mattresses or cushions
of a bed, couch, or chair may be readily effected even by an invalid reclining
thereon, and the movement is of a gradual and easy kind, which will not shake or
distress the occupant of the bed, couch, or chair.
In some cases levers may be substituted for the wheels, and spring catches and
quadrants may be employed for keeping the parts in the positions to which they
are moved.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 shews in longitudinal vertical section part
of a couch according to my Invention; Fig. 2 is a part cross section of the same,
shewing the operating gear for raising a portion of the frame supporting the
mattress; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the ratchet wheel and pawl arrangement
for keeping the said portion of the frame in an elevated position.
a is the framing of the couch; b, b, are coiled springs; c is the mattress; d is a
moveable portion of the frame supporting the mattress pivotted at d¹; e is a shaft
carried by the framing, and a bracket f fixed to the couch; e¹ is a handle for
turning the shaft e; g is a small pinion fixed to the shaft e, and gearing into a
spur wheel h which is carried by the bracket f, and gears into a toothed sector i
likewise carried by the bracket f. To the sector i and on the same centre or
shaft is fixed an eccentric j, having an arm k formed on its strap k¹. The
moveable portion d of the frame has attached to it near its back end a bracket 7,
which rests upon and is pivotted or jointed to the arm k, so that on the arm k
being raised by the rotation of the eccentric; the moveable frame d will be also
raised. m is a ratchet wheel fixed on the shaft e, and into which gears a pawl n,
kept normally in gear by the spring o; n¹ is a continuation of the pawl n formed
at its end with a knob or handle p, which upon being pressed down raises the pawl
out of gear with the ratchet wheel, thereby allowing the said wheel and its shaft
to turn in the contrary direction.
To raise the moveable portion d of the couch it is merely necessary to turn the
handle e¹ in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 (which may be done by
a person on the couch), thereby operating through the gearing g, h, and i,
eccentric j, and its strap ³, the arm k connected to the bracket 1, and so causing
the part & turning on its pivot d¹ to rise to any required angle (as indicated in
d

page_text: dotted lines in Fig. 1) in which it will be retained by means of the ratchet wheel m
and pawl n. To lower the part d the knob p is pushed down, disengaging the
pawl n from the wheel m, and so allowing the shaft e to turn or be turned in the
contrary direction. Care should be taken (by retaining hold of the handle e¹) to
prevent a too sudden descent of d. In some cases it may be convenient to rigidly
connect the arm k (made longer than shewn) to the sector i, providing the free
end of the arm with an antifriction wheel bearing against a suitable rail or way
fixed to d.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a couch, having the back portion of its frame raised
by a similar arrangement of apparatus to that shewn in Fig. 1, but operated by a
hand wheel e¹ instead of a handle, and with the addition of an eccentric for raising
the mattress in its middle. Like letters of reference apply to similar parts as in
Fig. 1.
In the centre of the length of the frame a and on each side, of the couch is fixed
a guide q; in each of these guides slides a vertical guide piece 7. The guide pieces
are connected at their upper ends to a horizontal cross piece 8 running underneath
the centre of the mattress. In the centre of the cross piece 8 is jointed at 8¹ an
arm t connected with the strap of an eccentric u, centred on the shaft u¹, and
operated by the handle v. In the Figure the mattress is shewn in its raised
position, and to lower it the handle v and with it the eccentric u is turned, thereby
lowering the cross piece 8, and with it the mattress to the level of the framing a;
Fig. 5 is a back view of part of the raising gear of the portion d of the frame.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a holding device to be used in lieu of the ratchet
wheel and pawl arrangement before described for keeping the raised portions of
the frame at any desired angle; Fig. 7 is a plan of the same. w is a grooved
wheel fixed on the shaft e, into which fits the doubly bevilled periphery of an
eccentric brake piece or cam x centred at x¹. To x is fastened a lever or handle y,
having connected to it a springs fixed to the frame of the couch. The brake
piece x allows the wheel w to revolve in the direction for raising the portion of the
frame required, keeping it at any angle by preventing the wheel turning in the
contrary direction for lowering until the handle y be moved in the direction
indicated by the arrow, when it removes the brake piece from the wheel w and
allows the said wheel to turn in the direction for lowering the frame, but as soon
as the pressure is taken off the handle the spring z brings the brake piece back
against the wheel and prevents it turning any further in that direction.
Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a chair with its framework jointed so that it can be
used as a couch.
In this arrangement a cam is employed for raising or lowering the back portion d
of the framework, and also another for raising or lowering the front portion d³.
Each of the cams is operated by gearing similar to that described in reference to
Figs. 1 and 4, and like letters of reference denote similar parts, so that the Figure
needs no further description. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion
of a couch, and Fig. 10 is a plan of the same shewing a different arrangement for
operating the lifting eccentric. The operating shaft e is driven by the hand
wheel e, and has fixed on its other end a bevil pinion 1. This pinion gears into
another bevil pinion 2, fixed to a vertical shaft 3, formed with a worm 4 thereon.
This worm 4 gears into a worm wheel 5, centred on a short shaft 6, carried by a
bracket f. On to this shaft and connected to the worm wheel 5 is fixed the
eccentric j, which in its revolution raises the arm k and with it the moveable
O portion d of the couch frame, as in the previous arrangements.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and explained in what
manner the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I
desire it to be distinctly understood that in carrying out my Invention the details
may be more or less modified to suit particular applications, as, for example, the
number of jointed parts of the frame may be varied according to circumstances, as
may also the number of raising arms k, and such arms with their operating
mechanism may be arranged at the respective sides of the couch, bed, or chair;

page_text: furthermore, I declare that I do not claim as of my Invention or the exclusive use
of any of the mechanical parts hereinbefore described or referred to, considered
separately and apart from the combination or application thereof, substantially in
manner and for the purposes specified; but what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me under the Letters Patent herein-
before in part recited is, the constructing and arranging mechanism for adjusting
the frames or structures carrying or supporting the mattresses or cushions in beds,
couches, and chairs, substantially as herein before described (as to the adjustment of
frames d) with reference respectively to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, to Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7,
to Fig. 8, and to Figs. 9 and 10 of the accompanying Drawings.
I also claim the combination with a hinged or pivotted frame in a bed, couch,
or chair of an eccentric operating gear and locking gear, the whole so combined
and arranged as by the turning of a hand wheel or handle to adjust the angular
position of the hinged or pivotted frame, and automatically lock or secure it in the
position to which it has been raised, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Richard, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN RICHARD. (L.S.)