Improvements in or connected with Bedsteads or Couches having a Portion capable of Angular Adjustment.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Oct., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Bedsteads or Couches having a
Portion capable of Angular Adjustment.
I EDWARD ROWCLIFFE BILLINGTON, of Cambridge Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Spring Mattress Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to that type of bedsteads or couches in which a portion
or portions of the bottom is capable of being raised or lowered and adjusted to any
desired angle in relation to the horizontal plane. This kind of bedstead or couch is
principally used by invalids and are usually called invalid bedsteads or couches.
A bedstead or couch provided with improvements according to this invention is
constructed and adapted to be operated as follows:-
The portion of the hedstead or couch capable of angular adjustment is mounted on
and hinged to the frame of the bedstead or couch, and consists in itself of a frame
having a suitable metallic meshwork or other bottom fixed and supported therein.
This frame is supported at or near one end on the bedstead frame; and about this
support it is moved, and its angular adjustment made. The adjusting mechanism is
provided with and is actuated by a wheel, or a reciprocating ratchet lever and device,
disposed at the side of the bedstead or couch and in such a manner that an invalid
whilst lying in bed, or on a couch, can, with ease, grasp the adjusting wheel or lever,
and by simply rotating the wheel by its rim, or other convenient part, or by working
a reciprocating lever of a ratchet gear as the case may be, he can adjust the movable
frame.
The operating wheels or levers are mounted on a horizontal shaft or spindle and by
their operation, in connection with, or through suitable gear, such as hereinafter
described, the frame is raised or lowered and its angle altered and adjusted. This
intermediate gear disposed between the operating wheels or levers, and the adjustable
frame, may consist of a rod working in a tube and having a right and left hand thread
thereon. Then on this threaded rod, two nuts are provided; and these project
through a slot in the tube and are connected by means of cords or chains to elevating
bars on the frame, the cords and chains being guided and directed by pulleys. The
action is, by revolving the threaded rod by means of the hand wheel or lever above
specified, the nuts on such shafts being thereby caused to approach, or recede from each
other, and consequently the cords or chains are hauled in or slacked out and the
elevating bars, and with them the frame, raised or lowered. Or according to a
modification the screwed rods may be connected directly to the adjustable frame and
worked up or down through a bevel or spur gear, the nuts in this case being disposed
in one of the bevel or spur wheels. It is to be understood that the details of con-
struction and arrangement will be varied to suit different forms of bedstead or couches
and the different uses to which such bedstead or couches may be put, and also
according to other conditions of the application of the invention or any special
requirements.
Dated this 20th day of J
1000
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Bedsteads or Couches having a
Portion capable of Angular Adjustment.
1, EDWARD ROWCLIFFE BILLINGTON, of Cambridge Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Spring Mattress Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention has reference to that type of bedsteads or couches in which a portion
or portions of the bottom is or are capable of being raised or lowered and adjusted to
any desired angle in relation to the horizontal plane. This kind of bedstead or couch
is principally used by invalids and are usually called invalid bedsteads or couches.
A bedstead or couch provided with improvements according to this invention is
constructed and adapted to be operated as follows:-
The portion of the bedstead or couch capable of angular adjustment is mounted
on and hinged to the frame of the bedstead or couch, and consists in itself of a
frame having a suitable metallic meshwork or other bottom fixed and supported
therein. This frame is supported at or near one end on the bedstead frame: and
about this support it is moved, and its angular adjustment made. The adjusting
mechanism is provided with, and is actuated by a wheel, or a reciprocating ratchet
lever and device, disposed at the side of the bedstead or couch and in such a
manner that an invalid whilst lying in bed, or on a couch, can, with ease, grasp
the adjusting wheel or lever, and by simply rotating the wheel by its rim or
other convenient part, or by working a reciprocating lever of a ratchet gear, as
the case may be, he can adjust the movable frame.
The operating wheels or levers are mounted on a horizontal shaft or spindle and
by their operation, in connection with, or through suitable gear, such as herein-
after described, the frame is raised or lowered and its angle altered and adjusted.
This intermediate gear disposed between the operating wheels or levers, and the
adjustable frame, may consist of a rod working in a tube and having a right and
left hand thread thereon. Then on this threaded rod two nuts are provided, and
these project through a slot in the tube and are connected by means of cords or
chains to elevating bars on the frame, the cords and chains being guided and
directed by pulleys. The action is, by revolving the threaded rod by means of
the hand wheel or lever above specified, the nuts on such shafts are thereby caused
to approach, or recede from each other, and consequently the cords or chains are
hauled in or slacked out, and the elevating bars, and with them the frame, raised
or lowered.
In the drawings which serve to illustrate this invention I shew a bedstead with my
improvements applied thereto. These drawings illustrate one example, being an
arrangement of parts for carrying out the invention.
The various letters and figures of reference marked on the views correspond with
those used in the following explanation, like letters and figures being used to denote
the same parts wherever they occur.
Figure 1 shews parts of a bedstead in side elevation with its adjustable frame, and
the mechanism for operating same:
Figure 2 is a plan of the arrangement shewn in Figure 1:
Figures 3 and 4 are details of same; and
Figure 5 is a general detail drawing, shewing the raising and lowering mechanism
on a larger scale.
With reference to the drawings, a designates the frame of a bedstead: is the
frame which is capable of the angular adjustment: c are curved bars connected at one
end to the frame and projecting down below the same, and to which the cords or
chains for raising and lowering such frame are connected, one of such bars being fixed
to each of the side members of the frame b: d is a pin which passes through the web
of the frame b, and a bracket e supported by the bedstead frame a, and upon which the
frame is supported and moves, one of such pins and supports being provided on

page_text: с
each side of the bedstead frame: fis a threaded rod supported in the ends of the tube
hereinafter specified, and by which motion is given to the frame as hereinafter
described: gare nuts working on said rod f: h are cords connecting the nuts g with
the lower ends of the elevating and lowering bars c of the frame b, such cords being
passed over and guided by the pulley blocks : i is a tube supported from the
bedstead frame a by the brackets f¹, and surrounding the rod f, and provided with a
longitudinal slot or aperture, through which the lugs g' of the nuts 9 pass, the edges
of the metal enclosing this aperture forming a support and guide for the lugs. kare
the wheels by which the rod is actuated, said wheels being fixed upon the ends of such
rod, and disposed at the side of the bedstead frame as shewn. 2 are eyes fixed on the
outside of the tube i, and by which the pulley blocks h¹ are carried.
The rod is rotated by the wheels k, and is provided with a right and left hand
thread as shewn; and the nuts g are worked backwards and forwards thereon, alternately
receding from each other and approaching each other, accordingly as the frame b is to
be lowered or raised, the motion being transmitted to the bars c of the frame by the
cords . These wheels it will be seen, as stated above, are so disposed at the side of
the bedstead frame that they can be easily rotated, and even operated by the occupant
of the bedstead or couch as the case may be.
The meshwork of which the bedstead bottom is made and the frame b filled, consists
of the ordinary chain and spring type, of which designates the spring and m the
chains. The springs and chains of the bedstead frame and the adjustable frame are so
arranged longitudinally in relation to each other, that those of the one lie opposite the
spaces between those of the other, and pass through such spaces.
It is to be understood that as regards the details of construction and arrangement,
the example herein illustrated may be modified in various respects according to
circumstances and requirements, and to other conditions of its application. As an
illustration of such a modification, the screwed rod f may have a thread running in one
direction only, and a single nut working thereon, in which case one cord would be
led to one of the frame bars c from such nut over a pulley in the same manner as those
shewn in the figures, whilst the other cord for raising the other side of the adjustable
frame would have to pass over a pulley on the opposite side of the bedstead, that is
close to the first mentioned pulley, and then back over another pulley on the side
opposite such two pulleys. This arrangement would cause the two cords to be
taken in and paid out in the desired manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The herein described improvement connected with bedsteads or couches having a
portion capable of angular adjustment, consisting in effecting the elevation or lowering
of such adjustable portion through a hand wheel, or lever, disposed at the side of the
bedstead or couch, and working a screwed rod by which, through suitable mechanism
substantially as described, the frame is elevated or lowered.
2. In a bedstead or couch having a portion capable of angular adjustment, a screwed
rod adapted to be worked by band wheels or levers, and having thereon a sliding nut
or nuts, such nut or nuts being connected by cords or chains to the adjustable frame,
or a part connected therewith; operating substantially in the manner and for the
purposes set forth.
3. The improved arrangement and combination of parts set forth more particularly
with reference to the drawings, by which the adjustable frames or parts of bedsteads
or couches of the kind herein referred to are raised and lowered.
Dated this 20th day of October 1890
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.