IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDS OR COUCHES For INVALIDS, AND IN APPLIANCES FOR USE THEREWITH
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Lowry, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDS OR COUCHES For
INVALIDS, AND IN APPLIANCES FOR USE THEREWITH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Lowry at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th January. 1881.
GEORGE LOWRY, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BEDS OR COUCHES FOR INVALIDS, AND IN APPLIANCES FOR USE
THEREWITH."
My said improvements have for their object to afford increased facilities for
enabling invalids to lie in various positions upon a bed or couch and turning them
over when required, so arranged that a bed pan or other utensil may be placed
under the patient, and also increased conveniences for the use of invalids by fitting
up a suitable table lamp or gaslight in a novel and improved manner.
My improvements in beds or couches consist of the following arrangements:-
To an ordinary rectangular frame standing upon four legs I fit, at the head thereof
and at a sufficient height above the bed stock or frame, a transverse roller with a
handle and ratchet wheel and pawl attached thereto. At the foot of the bed stock
or frame I fit another transverse roller; two more transverse rollers are also fitted
under or partially under the bed stock. Two longitudinal side rollers, capable of
being raised, lowered, and turned round, are also fitted thereto.
An endless sheet of canvas or other suitable material is stretched in such a
manner that it surrounds the two end transverse rollers, and impinges against the
sides of the intermediate transverse rollers. In like manner another sheet is
attached to the longitudinal rollers on each side of the bed stock from head to
foot. The ends of these longitudinal rollers are respectively supported by suitable
arms attached to the bed stock or endless sheet, and capable of being raised and
lowered. A suitable handle is attached to one or both of the longitudinal rollers,
and by wheels and chains thereto the turning of one of such longitudinal rollers is
made to actuate the other in a similar manner. The operation of this my said
Invention is such that an invalid can be raised or lowered and turned to any

page_text: required position by an attendant without any exertion on the part of the patient
or invalid, so that he may be enabled to sit up or lie down in any manner
required.
My said improved appliances for the use of the invalid while sitting, reclining,
or lying upon the said improved couch or bed, consist of a suitable arrangement of
table fixed to or connected to the frame of the couch or other convenient position,
and also a lamp to be used therewith; the lamp may be suspended from an arm
projecting from the said frame, or fixed in a recess or holder made in the frame,
and in the case of a sliding lamp the sliding lamp or gas jet are fitted with india
rubber rings to allow of a telescopic expansion in the required direction, and is made
gas tight all round.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Lowry in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th July
1881.
" IMPROVE-
GEORGE LOWRY, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
MENTS IN BEDS OR COUCHES FOR INVALIDS, AND IN APPLIANCES FOR USE
THEREWITH."
My said improvements have for their object to afford increased facilities for
enabling invalids to lie in various positions upon a bed or couch and turning them
over when required, so arranged that a bed pan or other utensil may be placed
under the patient, and also increased conveniences for the use of invalids by fitting
up a suitable table lamp or gas light in a novel and improved manner.
-
My improvements in beds or couches consist of the following arrangements:
To an ordinary rectangular frame standing upon four legs I fit, at the head thereof
and at a sufficient height above the bed stock or frame, a transverse roller with a
handle and ratchet wheel and pawl attached thereto. At the foot of the bed stock
or frame I fit another transverse roller; two more transverse rollers are also fitted
under or partly under the bed stock. Two longitudinal side rollers, capable of
being raised, lowered, and turned round, are also fitted thereto.
An endless sheet of canvas or other suitable material is stretched in such a
manner that it surrounds the two end transverse rollers, and impinges against the
sides of the intermediate transverse rollers. In like manner another sheet is
attached to the longitudinal rollers on each side of the bed stock from head to foot.
The ends of these longitudinal rollers are respectively supported by suitable arms
attached to the bed stock or endless sheet, and capable of being raised and lowered.
A suitable handle is attached to one or both of the longitudinal rollers, and by
made to
wheels and chains thereto the turning of one of such longitudinal rollers
actuate the other in a similar manner. The operation of this my said Invention is
such that an invalid can be raised or lowered and turned to any required position
by an attendant without any exertion on the part of the patient or invalid, so
that he may be enabled to sit up or lie down in any manner required.
My said improved appliances for the use of the invalid while sitting, reclining,
or lying upon the said improved couch or bed, consist of suitable arrangements of
table fixed to or connected to the frame of the couch or other convenient position,
and also a lamp to be used therewith; the lamp may be suspended or fixed in any
convenient manner, and in the case of a sliding lamp, the same or gas jet are
fitted with india rubber rings to allow of a telescopic expansion in the required
direction.
And in order that my said Invention may be readily understood, I will proceed
to describe the same by the aid of the annexed Drawings, wherein Figs. 1, 2, and 3
are side elevations; Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, and Figs. 4 and 6 are plans of
my improved couches or bed stocks, and consists of rectangular frames A mounted
on four legs as in ordinary use. To this frame are affixed the rollers B, C, D, the
roller E being supported by the lower part of the sheet, and being used to act as a
spring for the bed and support for the occupant, the roller C being used to
tighten the sheet by means of the nut and screw F. Over these rollers is placed
an endless sheet of canvas or other suitable material G. The rollers H, I, Fig. 4,
are attached by a rod to the canvas at i, and is guided up the incline by means of
the rods A', Fig. 2, and Fig. 3, the other end of the rollers being supported by the
levers K, L. By turning the handle in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, the longi-
tudinal rollers H, I, would be elevated from the bed at the same time as the occupant
would be drawn upwards in a sitting position, and on these rollers H, I, I place a

page_text: board H to be used as a table to enable the occupant to partake of food,
medicine, &c. Over the rollers H, I, as shewn at Fig. 3, I place a sheet of canvas
or other suitable material transversely, as shewn at M, Fig. 4, and on which is
placed the occupant, in cases of great prostration first winding a few turns of the
sheet M on each roller, and by turning the handle M the sheet M is wound
transversely on either roller, they being actuated by means of the wheels and
chain N, so that the occupant may be rolled on either his or her right or left side
as required, and at the same time is elevated from the bed for commodė or other
purposes by turning the handle O. Fig. 5 shews another mode of raising the bed
by means of the handles P, Q, and levers R, S, the lever R being used to raise
the head, and the lever S to raise the knee part of bed, the handles P, Q,
keeping the levers in position by means of the straps or chains T, U. I form this
couch of endless metallic tapes V which are kept in position by means of any
number of transverse tapes W, X, the tapes V being provided with springs Y
supported on the bottom part of the endless tapes V, and arranged to be tightened
by means of the wedges V1, V2, the foot and head rails V³ being made to slide
out as required.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention, I declare that
what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The application of an endless sheet for the purpose of enabling invalids or
others to lie in, or be raised to any required position, substantially as herein before
described and shewn on the Drawings.
Secondly. The application of transverse sheets for the purpose of turning such
persons to or upon either their right or left sides as required, substantially as herein
before described and shewn on the Drawings.
Thirdly. The application of metallic tapes as supports or bearings for beds, and
for raising the occupants by means of levers, substantially as herein before described
and shewn on the Drawings.
Fourthly. The application of springs or elastic rollers between such tapes to give
the amount of elasticity required, thereby preventing the bed from being unduly
depressed in the centre.
Lastly. The general combination and arrangement of the several parts respectively,
together forming my improvements in beds or couches for invalids, and in appliances
for use therewith, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the
several Drawings or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Lowry, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.