IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDS OR COUCHES FOR SICK PERSONS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Findlow, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Joiner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDS
OR COUCHES FOR SICK PERSONS."
Sealed the 29th September 1853, and dated the 4th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Findlow
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th April 1858.
I, JAMES FINDLOW, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Joiner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BEDS OR COUCHES FOR SICK PERSONS" to be as
follows:-
My improvements consist in constructing beds or couches so that a
portion or portions thereof may be moved from beneath the patient
for the purpose of adapting a convenience, or for the performance of
operations, or for other purposes. For instance, I form a circular
orifice in the bed or couch and fill the space with a detached piece,
stuffed so as to constitute a part of the bed or couch, and covered with
a portion of sheet, &c., if desired; this detached piece I support by
suitable apparatus, and upon which, therefore, the patient may lie; such

page_text: supports, however, are capable of being withdrawn at pleasure, so as to
allow the detached part of the bed to be lowered, and to be replaced
by a pan or any proper convenience, which, being then raised to the
former situation of the moveable part of the bed, will be brought to
the use of the patient without the necessity of raising him. In like
manner, other moveable portions may be adapted for the purpose of
gaining access to other parts of the body, or they may be applied
in sufficient number to enable an entire change of the bed or couch to
be made by removing them one after the other, and substituting.at each
removal a fresh portion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Findlow, in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 4th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES FINDLOW, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Joiner,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said James Findlow, Her especial licence that I, the
said James Findlow, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said James Findlow, 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 BEDS OR COUCHES
POR SICK PERSONS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Findlow, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and

page_text: 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 James Findlow, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying drawing (that is to
say):
My improvements cousist in constructing beds or couches so that a
portion or portions thereof may be moved from beneath the patient
for the purpose of adapting a convenience, or for the performance of
operations, or for other purposes. For instance, I form a circular
orifice in the bed or couch, and fill the space with a detached piece
stuffed so as to constitute a part of the bed or couch, and covered with
a portion of sheet, &c., if desired; this detached piece I support by
suitable apparatus, and upon which, therefore, the patient may lie.
Such supports, however, are capable of being withdrawn at pleasure,
so as to allow the detached part of the bed to be lowered, and to be
replaced by a pan, or any proper convenience, which, being then raised
to the former situation of the moveable part of the bed, will be
brought to the use of the patient without the necessity of raising
him. In like manner, other moveable portions may be adapted for the
purpose of gaining access to other parts of the body; or they may be
applied in sufficient number to enable an entire change of the bed
or couch to be made by removing them one after the other, and
substituting at each removal a fresh portion. And in order that my
Invention may
be fully understood, I have appended to this my Speci-
fication a drawing, shewing a method by which the same may be
carried into practical application. Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section
of the bed; Fig. 2, a plan view of the framework of the same; and
Fig. 3, a transverse section; in all of which Figures similar letters of
reference denote the like parts. The framework of the bedstead of any
ordinary construction is shewn at a, but provided with an orifice at V,
surrounded by a metal casing c, secured by a flange to the laths
or framework, a similar orifice being also formed through the bed or

page_text: mattrass. Attached to the under side of the bedstead is a bracket d,
to which is fixed a vertical rod c, and upon it is mounted, so as to be
capable of sliding up or down, an arm f. To this arm is attached
a cord g, which; after passing over a guide pulley h, and another i,
carries a weight j. Upon the outward end of the arm f, is mounted
a table , corresponding in shape to the orifice a; by placing the hand
therefore under the bedstead, the arm f, and with it table; may be
raised, so as to cause it to occupy a position within the orifice a, and
by which means anything may be raised so as to constitute a portion of
the surface of the bed. According to the position shewn in the
drawing, the arm f, has been lowered, and a portion 7, of the bed
carried away with it; if it be now desired to adapt a pan or other
convenience for the use of the patient, the portion of bed 1, is
removed from the table k, and the pan placed there in its stead, in
order to facilitate which the arm f, is turned upon its centre rod e, so
as to bring the table from underneath the bed. The pan having been
applied, the arm f, is turned back and then raised, by which means the
pan will occupy a place within the orifice a, formerly supplied by the
portion 7, of the bed, and become adapted for the patient's use without
the necessity of removing him; the weight, and pressure exerted
by the arm f, against the rod e, being sufficient to retain the parts in
this situation. In order to regulate the turning back of the arm f, to
the proper distance, a rod m, is adapted to the bracket d, so as to act as
a stop. When the pan has been used,. the arm f, may be lowered, and
the portion 1, of bed again adapted, raised within the orifice a, and
complete the surface of the bed. If it be desired to gain access to the
patient for the application of plasters, or for other such purposes, then,
of course, it will not be necessary to remove the portion 1, of the bed
from the table. In the accompanying drawing, I have shown a
method of raising the head of the patient, which I have found of
advantage. The head part of the bedstead is a moveable part n, framed
together, and turning upon centres o; to this framework are attached
quadrants p, their lower end being connected to cords 7, which, after
passing over guide pulleys 1, are fastened to a shaft s. Upon one end
of this shaft is a ratchet wheel t, to the teeth of which is adapted a

page_text: detaining click u, and it is also provided with a winch handle ;
by turning this, therefore, the cord g, will become wound upon the
shaft s, and the quadrants, together with the head part of the bed,
raised to any desired height, the position shewn in the drawing, for
instance; and it will be retained in that situation by the click u.
A turning of the shaft in the reverse direction (the click being removed)
will, of course, lower the quadrants, and the portion of bed attached
thereto.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I desire
it to be understood that although I have, for the sake of illustration,
described a certain arrangement and construction of apparatus, I do
not confine myself thereto, as many modifications and extensions of the
principle may be adapted, some of which I have mentioned in the
introduction to this my Specification. The shape of orifice shown
is that adapted for a pan, but it is evident it may be of any form,
according to the object intended in gaining access to the patient; and
the particular part of the bed to be provided with the orifice will also
be regulated thereby. And although I have shown a mechanical
apparatus for removing a portion of the bed, such apparatus is not
indispensable, as the moveable part might be applied and removed
by hand, and secured in its place by tying or other simple means.
In conclusion, I desire it to be understood that I claim, as secured to
me, so constructing beds or couches that a portion or portions thereof
may be moved from beneath the patient for adapting a convenience,
for the performance of operations, or for other purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Findlow, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Third day of October, in the year of
our Lord.One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JAMES FINDLOW. (L.S.)