An Improved Adjustable Bedstead for Facilitating Surgical Operations.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE DIECIFICATION
[Communicated from abroad by LEONARD WATKIN BICKLE, of Mount Barker,
South Australia, Surgeon.]
An Improved Adjustable Bedstead for Facilitating Surgical
Operations.
1, JOHN ARTHUR SMALLBONES, of 11 Vesta Road, Brockley, in the County
of Kent, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved adjustable bed or bedstead for carrying a
bed, and is intended for use in hospitals and similar institutions or private dwellings,
for facilitating surgical operations, and is designed to serve the double purpose of
an operating table, and bed for the patient. before and after the operation has been
performed, and has for its objects-1st. By reason of its adjustability to facilitate
such operations by placing the patient whilst lying down, at such a height from the
floor as may be found most convenient to suit the height of the operator, and at
such an angle horizontally (the declination of which may be from either the head.
or foot end) as may be most convenient according to the nature of the operation to
be performed. 2nd. To obviate the necessity which at present exists, of having
to move the patient, after an operation has been performed, onto another bed, and
may be into another ward, which materially adds to the discomfort of the patient,
and frequently to the retardation of his or her recovery. 3rd. As an invaluable
aid to medical men for general and special use in the treatment of diseases of.
woman.
My improved operating bedstead consists of two frames, the lower of which is
constructed similar to that of an ordinary metallic bedstead, the legs or posts of
which are hollow and cylindrical, and receive the legs of the upper frame, these
being so formed as to slide vertically within or telescope with the legs of the lower
frame, the two frames being so arranged, that by the simultaneous rotation of a
hand wheel or its equivalent mounted upon a threaded spindle or rod at each end of:
the bedstead, the upper frame, with the bed and patient thereon, may be raised or
lowered at will, without this departing from its horizontal position, or by the
rotation of one only of said hand wheels or its equivalent the head of the bed may
be raised without raising the foot, or vice versa, suitable bolts or pins being provided
for retaining the said upper frame in the position of elevation desired.
For the purpose of making my invention more clearly understood I have hereunto
appended two sheets of drawings, in which,
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is a side elevation of my improved bedstead when the upper frame
is at rest upon the lower, and in a position for use as an ordinary bed.
Fig. 2 is a similar view, illustrating how either end may be raised to facilitate
surgical operations without removing the patient.
Fig. 3 is a head or foot elevation of same as viewed from right to left of
Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 Sheet 2 is an inside view of the top head or foot rail of the lower frame,
shewing the position, and the manner in which I prefer to mount, the elevating
screw thereon.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4 with the said screw in section or broken off.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section upon the line A B of Fig. 5.
Figs. 7 and 8 are views of the junction portions of the sides and ends of the upper
or lower frames, or both, the latter being a section upon the lines CD of the
former, illustrating the method and means I employ for fastening them together.

page_text: Fig. is an inside view of the horizontal rail of the head or foot of the upper
frame, illustrating the manner in which I prefer to connect the head of the said
elevating screw thereto.
Figs. 10 and 11 are enlarged views of the ends of the same rail (Fig. 9)
illustrating the manner in which I prefer to hinge or pivot the legs of the upper
frame thereto.
Figs. 12 and 13 are enlarged back elevation and vertical section respectively of
so much of the horizontal rail of the head or foot of the lower frame as will serve
to illustrate an alternative method I may employ for operating the said elevating
screw.
Similar reference letters are used in all the views when referring to the same or
like parts.
I carry my invention into effect by constructing the lower frame A after the
manner of metallic bedsteads generally, with these exceptions, that the legs B
thereof are hollow and cylindrical, and the said frame has no vertical extensions
above the horizontal rails, the whole being mounted upon castors, wheels or rollers
in the usual way. The side rails of A would be connected to the head and foot
pieces C, by tongue and socket joints ab after the manner of metallic bedsteads
generally, and may or may not be retained in connection with each other by the
means of a fly-out or its equivalent D, engaging with a threaded stud fixed upon
the lower surface of the tongues a and passing through holes in the lower surface
of the sockets b. This arrangement will be clearly understood by reference to
Figs. 7 and 8, and its application by Fig. 1.
The upper frame is of the same dimensions as the lower frame, and consists of
side rails E, and end rails F connected together by tongues and sockets a and b,
and retained so connected by nuts D' in the same manner as the lower frame, as
shewn in Fig. 1, the said rails E F being provided with any number of the usual
buttons d, for the reception of cross laths, or the supporting screws of a woven wire.
mattress, in the usual way.
The lower surfaces of the corner pieces a¹ I prefer to so construct as to effect a
pivotted connection at c with the upper ends of legs G, these being so formed as to
slide vertically within the legs B of the lower frame. The upper surfaces of the
corner pieces a' are provided with hollow nosings or sockets a", for the reception of
portable head and foot pieces H, which, when prime cost is a consideration may
be constructed from ordinary gas barrel, and may have any number of cross
rails H'.
I have previously stated, that one of the objects of my invention is, that the
patient, bed, and upper frame of the bedstead may be raised or lowered, or placed
at any desired angle longitudinally to facilitate surgical operations, and I effect.
this by mounting upon and passing through each end piece C, of the lower frame,
a fine pitched threaded spindle or rod J, the upper ends of which may or may not
be fixed, but always connected to the end pieces F of the upper frame, preferably
in the manner shewn by Fig. 9. Upon each spindle or rod J, a hand wheel or its
equivalent K would be mounted between C and F, the rotation of either of which,
in one direction, would have the effect of raising J and that end of the upper
frame, as shewn at Figs. 2 and 3, or by the rotation of both wheels K simul-
taneously, the upper frame may be raised or lowered parallel with the lower frame.
By reason of the rods J being connected to the upper frame, the raising of either
end as at Figs. 2 and 3, would necessarily occasion a certain deviation in the
perpendicularity of the rod J at that end, as shewn in Fig. 6, and to accommodate
this I may mount upon each of the bars C, a carrier L, pivotted upon angle pieces f,
fixed upon the under surface of C, and through a hole in L the rod J would freely
pass, and these would accommodate themselves to any angle assumed by J. This
arrangement will be understood by reference to Figs. 4, 5 and 6.
As an alternative method for effecting the rise and fall of the said elevating
screws J, I may, in lieu of the hand wheels K, mount upon each a mitre wheel M,
and gear these with like wheels N, mounted upon the bars C, and having rivetted

page_text: or otherwise fixed thereto a projection g, formed to receive a handle O, and by
otating N in one direction the wheel M would be rotated and J raised thereby.
This alternative arrangement will be understood by reference to Figs. 12 and 13.
In order to guard against the possibility of the upper frame falling spontaneously
when raised as stated at either or both ends, I may form in the legs G any number
of through holes h, with either of which may engage a pin P, connected by a chain
or cord to the lower frame or other convenient part of the bedstead. Or in lieu
of P, I may mount upon the bars C bolts S, capable of engaging with the holes h..
These arrangements will be understood by reference to Figs. 3 and 4.
The object of the fly nuts or their equivalents D D' especially upon the
upper frame, are to permit that the entire apparatus may be moved about
bodily without fear or danger of these joints becoming disconnected spontaneously..
When my invention is to be used as a bed in the usual way, either or both the
head and foot pieces H may be placed in position as at Fig. 3, but when it is
purposed to convert the same into an operating table, either or both of these may
be removed, and the upper frame, or either end of this, raised in the manuer
described, to suit the requirements and convenience of the operating surgeon,
without removing the patient, and when the operation is over, or before if
necessary, fracture boards may be inserted under the palliasse or mattress, and the
upper frame again lowered into its normal position, and if desired the piece or
pieces H replaced, thus again returning the apparatus to its original use as an
ordinary bed, and upon which the patient may be allowed to remain.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1st. The construction and use of the herein described adjustable bedstead, in
two parts, capable of being used as an ordinary bed, or and in combination with the
methods and means herein provided for raising the whole or either end of the upper
part, capable of being converted into an operating table, and again returned to its
normal position without removing the patient therefrom, substantially as and for
the purposes herein described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In an improved adjustable bedstead for facilitating surgical operations, the
combination of a lower frame A C, mounted upon hollow or tubular legs B, and an
upper frame E F having legs G preferably pivotted thereto, and arranged to slide
vertically within the legs B, and provided with hollow nosings or sockets all for
receiving and holding portable head and foot pieces H. The threaded rods or
spindles J, connected to the bars F and passing through recesses in C, or through
carriers L pivotally mounted thereon, and operated by hand wheels K, or mitre
wheels M, N, for raising and lowering the whole or either end of the upper frame.
The method and means of retaining the upper frame in an elevated position by the
means of pins P or bolts S engaging with holes h in G. The method and means of
fixing the junction of the pieces a b, or a¹ 6, by the means of fly nuts D D' or their
equivalents, the whole connected and operating substantially as and for the purposes
herein described, and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
1 1004
Date HS CE
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.