IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR RAISING PATIENTS FROM THEIR BEDS, AND SUPPORTING THEM IN A RECUMBENT, AN INCLINED, OR A SITTING POSTURE
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frederick Robert Augustus Glover
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th June 1881.
66
FREDERICK ROBERT AUGUSTUS GLOVER, of Brading, in the Isle of Wight, Master
of Arts. IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR RAISING PATIENTS FROM THEIR BEDS, AND
SUPPORTING THEM IN A RECUMBENT, AN INCLINED, OR A SITTING POSTURE"
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of apparatus to be applied to the
bedsteads of invalids for enabling the attendant without assistance to lift a helpless
patient from his bed and support him while various duties requisite for his comfort
are being performed, such for example, as the making of the bed or the removal of
Boiled sheets therefrom.
Suppose that it is desired to apply the Invention to what is known as a French
bedstead, I fit to the tranverse rails at the head and foot of the bedstead, a pair of
Bockets formed with hooks to hook upon the rails, and also guide pulleys for the
purpose to be presently explained.
Into each of these sockets I fit a hollow metal rod, and these rods at their upper
ends I fit with sockets which carry guide pulleys (one for each supporting rod).
The upper ends of these rods incline to a central point, and they are held in position
by a central four-fingered clip piece which takes hold of the several sockets.
Over each of the raised pulleys I lead a wire rope, which ropes pass through their
respective hollow rods to the guide pulleys of the sockets first mentioned, and
below these pulleys the ropes are connected to counter weights.
These ropes are intended to carry a cruciform or other flame from which depend
four chains that are capable of being attached to and readily detached from a
lifting board or narrow supporting frame underlying the body of the patient, the
board or supporting frame at its four corners having eyelets to receive slip hooks
pendent from the chains.
The board or supporting frame will form a seat for the patient when his body
is raised to a vertical or an inclined position, and a support may be provided for
his back by fitting to the back edge of the board a skeleton metal frame covered
with a strip of carpet or canvas. For maintaining this back frame in position it
is fitted with chains to hook into links in the supporting chains. There may be
also attached to the supporting chains in the same manner, arms furnished with
hooks at their opposite ends, which arms when in place will be parallel with the

page_text: sides of the board. If desired a table may be carried by the arms, it being laid
upon them at right angles thereto.
In order to put this apparatus into action it is necessary, first, to placo under
the body of the patient the supporting or frame and then to attach the chains
thereto. By a slight exertion of the attendant the patient may then be raised
sufficiently to allow of the back frame being applied as above mentioned, the
patient can then be raised clear of the bed, his legs being supported by a leg rest
hooked to the front of the supporting board or frame, and connected by tension
chains to the main supporting chains. The patient being thus clear of the bedding
it may be rearranged or changed as desired.
The supporting frame before mentioned will be used in place of the board when
it is required to introduce a utensil into the bed for the accomodation of the
patient.
The supporting chains may be provided with rings for receiving bearing poles
by which means the patient may be transferred from one apartment to another
without being handled and subject to pain from the exertions of the attendants.
To facilitate the raising of the patient from his bed it may be convenient to
connect the counterweights of a couple of the wire ropes by a rod for receiving the
pressure of the attendants' foot.
When it is desired to support the patient in a recumbent position it is only
necessary to run out the chains of the back frame until that frame takes a
horizontal position, and similarly to hook up the chains of the leg frame to such a
height as will bring the leg frame to a horizontal position.
In cases where the top guide pulleys can be attached to the ceiling, the four
supporting tubes above mentioned may be dispensed with.