IMPROVEMENTS IN CRADLES, COTS, BEDSTEADS, OR COUCHES FOR INVALIDS AND OTHERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Howard, of Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CRADLES, COTS, BEDSTEADS, OR
COUCHES FOR INVALIDS AND OTHERS."
Sealed the 22nd August 1879, and dated the 7th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Howard at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th March 1879.
SAMUEL HOWARD, of Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan.
CRADLES, COTS, BEDSTEADS, OR COUCHES FOR INVALIDS AND OTHERS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
The objects of my Invention are to provide means for turning patients in bed
when too weak to turn themselves from side to side without being touched or
lifted in any way, thus saving the patient much pain and saving manual labour, for
by the ordinary method of turning on sheets two, three, or four persons are necessary,
and at the same time the operation is often painful to the patient, whereas by my
Invention I accomplish with one attendant where it has heretofore been necessary
to employ at least two, and suffering to the patient is by my plan materially reduced.
The bed linen may be changed and renewed without the patient being lifted off the
bed. The patient can recline in any desired position from lying to sitting, and may
without being touched be gradually raised or lowered without pain or noise, and
that by one attendant.
The bed consists of a sort of cradle suspended between suitable frames; it is
supported at each end by a rod or shaft, to which a toothed wheel is keyed, geared
into at one end by a worin operated by a handwheel or equivalent means; thus by
turning the latter the cradle, cot, or bed may be set inclined at any desired angle,
and there retained so long as required. The head portion of the bed is provided
with a rising bottom, which is raised by means of a lever underneath it to any
desired angle, and there retained; this may be accomplished by a rod running
under the cradle, having a toothed wheel keyed thereto; into this a worm gears,
SPmine hdr

page_text: operated by a handwheel or equivalent. The cross arm has a rod connected to it
provided at the other end with supporting roller or guide, on which that portion of
the cradle or cot to be raised rests. By turning the handle or worm wheel the
movable portion of rising bottom of cot is consequently raised or lowered as desired,
and retained in position. A bed pan is provided below, which can be slipped in
and out when necessary without interfering with the patient.
When it is necessary to change the bed linen the patient is turned on one side,
as before explained, as far as he can be conveniently turned. When in this position
the half of the dirty sheet he is not lying on can be folded up close under him and
replaced by the clean sheet, also folded in half, with folded part close to patient.
He is then to be turned right over onto the clean half of the sheet, when the other
half of the dirty sheet can be taken out, and the other half of the clean sheet
unfolded out.
There is a great saving of labour in this method, as only one person is required
to do all the above-work, as the cradle is very easily turned and will stay at any
angle: The cradle is fitted with a mattress, which may be fixed to it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Samuel Howard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
September 1879.
SAMUEL HOWARD, of Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CRADLES, COTS, BEDSTEADS, OR COUCHES FOR INVALIDS AND OTHERS."
The objects of my Invention are to provide means for turning patients in bed
when too weak to turn themselves from side to side, without being touched or lifted
in any way, thus saving the patient much pain, and saving manual labour, for by
the ordinary method of turning on sheets two, three, or four persons are necessary,
and at the same time the operation is often painful to the patient, whereas by my
Invention I accomplish it with one attendant, where it has heretofore been necessary
to employ at least two, and suffering to the patient is by my plan materially
reduced. The bed linen may be changed and renewed without the patient being
lifted off the bed. The patient can recline in any desired position from lying to
sitting, and may without being touched be gradually raised or lowered without
pain or noise, and that by one attendant.
The bed consists of a sort of cradle suspended between suitable frames; it is
supported at each end by a rod or shaft, to which a toothed wheel is keyed, geared
into at one end by a worm operated by a hand wheel or equivalent means; thus,
by turning the latter, the cradle, cot, or bed may be set inclined at any desired
angle, and there retained so long as required. The head portion of the bed is pro-
vided with a rising bottom, which is raised by means of a lever underneath it to
any desired angle, and there retained; this may be accomplished by a rod running
under the cradle, having a toothed wheel keyed thereto. Into this a worm gears
operated by a hand wheel or equivalent. The cross arm has a rod connected to it,
provided at the other end with supporting roller or guide, on which that portion of
the cradle or cot to be raised rests. By turning the handle or worm wheel the
movable portion of rising bottom of cot is consequently raised or lowered as desired,
and retained in position. A bed pan is provided below, which can be slipped in
and out when necessary without interfering with the patient.
Figure 1 shews a side elevation of this bedstead or cradle; Figure 2, a plan of
underside; and Figure 3, an end elevation. b is the cradle suspended between the
frames A, A, of the bedstead; it is at each end supported by the shafts or spindles a
fixed to the cradle b, and working in bushes on the frame A. One of the shafts a
carries a wheel sector or quadrant c, into which gears a worm d on a shaft e.
At one end of this shaft e is a hand wheel p, and by turning the latter the
cradle b is turned on the centres a to any desired angle.
At the head or upper end of the cradle I hinge a rising bottom or platform f, to
which is attached the mattrass. I raise or lower this part of the bed to any desired
angle by the following means-At each side of the bedstead I attach bearings g,
through which passes a shaft h, carrying at its centre a lever k firmly keyed upon
it. This lever is forked at one end, and receives a grooved roller l, which runs on
a rail (or other suitable device) on the underside of the bed.
The spindle has keyed on to it a wheel sector or a quadrant m, into which
gears a worm n. This worm receives motion from a hand wheel q conveniently
placed at the end of the bedstead. By this it will be seen that the part fis con-
trollable, and will remain at any desired angle to which it may be set to suit, the
convenience of the patient.
At or about the centre of the bed I hinge a part of the mattrass g, which
may be turned when required to the position shewn by dotted lines on Figure 1 of
the accompanying Drawing, and then firmly held by buttons o. A bed pan can then
be inserted in its place.
The cradle is fitted with a mattress which may he fixed to it.

page_text: .
When it is necessary to change the bed linen the patient is turned on one side,
as before explained, as far as he can be conveniently turned. When in this position
the half of the dirty sheet he is not lying on can be folded up close under him, and
replaced by the clean sheet, also folded in half, with folded part close to patient.
He is then to be turned right over on to the clean half of the sheet, when the other
half of the dirty sheet can be taken out, and the other half of the clean sheet
unfolded out.
.
There is a great saving of labour in this method, as only one person is required to
do all the above work, as the cradle is very easily turned and will stay at any angle.
The cradle is fitted with a mattrass, which may be fixed to it.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this my Invention I declare
that I claim, the combination of parts forming my improved swinging adjustable
cradle bedstead, with rising adjustable bottom at the head end, substantially as and
for the purposes herein set forth.
hand
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Howard, have hereunto set my
and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
SAMUEL HOWARD. (L.S.)