IMPROVEMENTS IN InvALID BEDSTEADS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Jack, of 118, Culford Road, De Beauvoir
Town, in the County of Middlesex, Surgical Instrument Maker, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN InvALID BEDSTEADS."
Sealed the 22nd January 1875, and dated the 30th November 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Jack at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th November 1874.
I, WILLIAM JACK, of 118, Culford Road, De Beauvoir Town, in the
County of Middlesex, Surgical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN INVALID BEDSTEADS,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the construction of invalid bedsteads
in such a manner as to afford increased facilities for raising and lowering
the patient, also for using a commode and an invalid table, and for
purposes the
turning the patient on either side. For these
frame
upper
of the bedstead is divided into three parts, whereof the centre part is
fixed to the lower frame, and the two end parts are jointed so as to be
r

page_text: capable of being raised or lowered as required by means of the mechanism
herein-after referred to. On the said upper frame are supported threo
cushions hinged or connected together so as to admit of the two end
cushions rising or descending with the end parts of the said upper
frame. The centre part of the frame and the centre cushion have cach
an aperture, under which may be brought a commode when required,
but which at other times may be covered by a cushion by means of the
mechanism herein-after referred to.
The mechanism for raising the head part of the upper frame and
cushion or bed and lowering the foot part consists of a screw mounted
in fixed standards, on which screw is a screwed nut on the end of a
lever jointed to a bar, which is connected at one end to the under side
of the said head part, while the reverse end of the bar rests against a
projection from the under side of the said foot part. By means of this
arrangement on turning the screw one end of the bar is caused to raise
the said head part, while the other end is withdrawn from the projection
on the foot part, allowing the latter to descend as required. By turning
the screw in the reverse direction the bar is caused to raise the said foot
part and allow the said head part to descend.
By the combination of the screw and lever sufficient power is obtained
to admit of the above motions being effected by the invalid himself if
necessary.
The commode and the cushion are respectively brought under and
removed from the aperture in the centre part of the bed as required by
their being supported on a moveable plate or board, which is capable of
being turned by means of a lever on a pivot fixed underneath the frame,
and the cushion is so mounted as to admit of its being raised into the
said aperture by means of the lever acting on two inclined surfaces, one
on the end of the lever and the other on the under side of the cushion.
By means of this arrangement the cushion may be removed and the
commode or bed pan brought under the aperture, or vico versâ, as
required, the lever being worked by the patient if necessary.
The invalid table or desk consists of a board supported on two rods
pivoted to the sides of the head part of the upper frame so as to admit
of the table folding back at the head of the bed, and being brought
forward as required so as to rest on the bed on two legs jointed to the
board. The said rods are made capable of being lengthened in order to

page_text: place the table or desk at the required distance in front of the patient.
A moveable frame or cradle is fixed to the centre part of the said upper
frame, which frame or cradle is capable of being raised on either side in
order to turn the patient on to his side if required. The said frame or
cradle is raised at either side by being turned on a central bar by means
of a lever, and can be retained in any position required by means of a
rack fixed to the said upper frame.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Jack in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th May 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JACK, of 118, Culford Road, De Beauvoir Town, in the County of
Middlesex, Surgical Instrument Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Jack, Her special
licence, that I, the said William Jack, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Jack, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN INVALID BEDSTEADS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
|said William Jack, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Jack, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :—
My Invention of "Improvements in Invalid Bedsteads" has for its
object the construction of invalid bedsteads in such a manner as to
afford increased facilities for raising and lowering the patient, also for
using a commode and an invalid table, and for turning the patient on
either side.
The bedstead can be constructed with either all or only a portion of
the improvements adapted and applied to it.
For the purpose of raising and lowering the patient lying on the bed
the head part of the upper frame of the bedstead can be raised and the
foot part lowered simultaneously by turning a screw, which with a nut
acts on a lever and bar connected with the said parts respectively, as
herein-after described.
For the purpose of using the commode an aperture formed in the
centre part of the bed is filled up and covered by a cushion, which can
be withdrawn and a commode brought under the aperture by working a
lever, as herein-after described.
For the purpose of providing an invalid table convenient for use by
the patient this table is made to fold back at the head of the bed, and
can be brought forward and placed at the required distance in front of
the patient by the means herein-after described.
And for the purpose of turning the patient on either side as required
there is a movable frame or cradle fixed to the centre part of the
bedstead, which can be turned on a centre so as to raise the patient on
to his side, by the means herein-after described.
In order however that my Invention may be fully understood and
readily carried into effect I will proceed to describe it more particularly
by the aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which is represented a
bedstead with all the improvements above referred to adapted and
Ha thunt

page_text: part of the frame on the side opposite to that shewn in Fig. 1; and
Fig. 4 represents detached the frame or cradle for raising the patient on
to his side. In all these several figures the same letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts.
A is the upper frame of the bedstead, which is divided into three
parts, whereof the centre part is fixed to the lower frame and the two
end parts are jointed so as to be capable of being raised or lowered as
required by the mechanism herein-after described. On the said upper
frame A are supported three cushions B (forming a mattress), hinged or
connected together so as to admit of the two end cushions rising or
descending with the end parts of the frame A when they are moved.
The centre part of the frame A and the centre cushion B have each an
aperture P (sec Fig. 2), under which may be brought a commode S
when required, but which at other times may be filled up and covered
by a cushion P*, and these requisite movements arc effected by means
of the mechanism herein-after described.
.
The mechanism for raising the head part of the frame A with its
cushion B and lowering the foot part with its cushion consists of a
screw C mounted in fixed standards D, D, which screw works in a
screwed nut E (shewn by dotted lines) on the end of a lever F jointed to
a bar G, which is connected at one end to the under side standard H of
the head part of the frame A, while the reverse end of the bar rests
against a projection J from the under side of the foot part of the
frame A. By means of this arrangement on turning the screw 0 (by
the handle K or otherwise) one end of the bar G is caused to raise the
head part of the frame A into the position shown by dotted lines in
Fig. 1, while the other end of the bar is withdrawn from the projection J
on the foot part thereof, thereby allowing the latter to descend into the
position shewn by dotted lines. By turning the screw C in the reverse
direction the bar G is caused to raise the foot part of the frame A and
allow the head part thereof to descend, thereby returning the parts to
their original positions.
By the combination of the screw C and lever F sufficient power is
obtained to admit of the above motions being effected by the invalid
himself if necessary.
C¹ is a rack for adjusting the foot part of the
frame A to any required position: E¹ is an adiustable footboard.

page_text: The commode S and the cushion P* are respectively brought under
and removed from the aperture P as required by their resting on a
movable plate or board L, which is capable of being turned by means
of a lever on a pivot fixed underneath the frame of the bedstead, and the
cushion P* is so mounted as to admit of its being raised into the
aperture P by means of the lever M (worked by the handle M*), `being
caused to act on two inclined surfaces Q and R in contact with one
another, one being on a portion of the lever M and the other on the
under side of the cushion P*; or these movements may be otherwise
effected. By means of the above-described arrangement the cushion P*
may be removed and the commode or bed pan S brought under the
aperture P, or vice versâ, as required, the lever M being worked by the
patient if necessary.
The invalid table consists of a board T supported on two rods V, V,
pivotted to the sides of the head part of the frame A so as to admit of
the table folding back at the head of the bed, and being brought forward
as required so as to rest on the bed on two legs W, W, jointed to the
board T. A desk U is adapted to the board T, as shewn. The rods V, V,
are made capable of being lengthened by one part thereof sliding within
the other in order to place the table or desk at the required distance in
Fig. 4 is a transverse view of the centre part of the
frame A with the movable frame or cradle X fixed thereto, which frame
or cradle X is capable of being raised on either side, as represented by
dotted lines in the Figure, in order to turn the patient on to his side if
required. This frame or cradle may be raised at either side by being
turned on a central bar Z by means of a strap or lever, or otherwise,
and can be retained in any position required by means of a rack fixed to
the frame A.
front of the patient.

page_text: Thirdly. The adaptation and application thereto of the means described
for bringing a commode or bed pan into position and withdrawing it, as
herein-before described.
Fourthly. The adaptation and application thereto of an invalid table
and desk, with the means described for placing the same in a position
convenient for use by the patient, as herein-before described.
And, Lastly. The adaptation and application thereto of a movable
frame or cradle, by means of which the patient can be turned on to his
side, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Jack, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM JACK. (L.S.)