IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH BEDSTEADS AND COUCHES FOR INVALIDS AND FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I THOMAS WILLIAM STIDOLPH of High Street Dartford in the county of Kent
Upholsterer and Bedstead Manufacturér do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH BEDSTEADS AND COUCHES FOR
INVALIDS AND FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES " to be as follows:-
"
The object of this invention is to arrange certain appliances to bedsteads or.
couches that the body or parts of the body of an invalid or patient can be raised
and set at any desired angle for surgical operations or for the relief or comfort of
an invalid or patient..
For the purpose of my invention I attach to the side frames of say a bedstead
a couple of levers on pivots. The lower ends of the levers are connected by a cross
bar and toggles or links to which rods are hinged and capable of being drawn or
raised by means of screw bevil or other wheels governed by a winch. The opposite
ends of the two side rods have a sacking or sheet attached upon which a pillow or
cushion can be arranged.
The appliance can be attached at the head or to the foot portion and the frame
to which the sacking is affixed can be in two pieces to have an independent action
if desired.
If the appliance is affixed to the head or the foot portion of a bedstead it folds.
up like a flap which when down rests upon the ordinary sacking or bottom but if
affixed to about the centre of the bedstead it can be raised vertically.
The application of the appliance to a conch is modified in shape and arrangement
to suit.

page_text: I THOMAS WILLIAM STIDOLPH of High Street, Dartford in the County of Kent,
Upholsterer and Bedstead Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for E
IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH BEDSTEADS AND COUCHES FOR
INVALIDS AND FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES," and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of this invention is to arrange certain appliances to bedsteads or
couches that the body or parts of the body of an invalid or patient can be raised
and set at any desired angle for surgical operations or for the relief or comfort of
an invalid or patient.
For the purpose of my invention I attach to the side frames A. of say a bedstead
a couple of levers B B on pivots C C. The lower ends of the levers B B are
connected by a cross bar D and toggles E or links E¹ to which rods F F are
connected and capable of being drawn or raised by means of screw (bevil or other)
wheels G governed by a winch H this being on the outer end of a transverse shaft
or spindle H'. The opposite ends I, I, of the two side rods B B have a sacking
or sheet J attached upon which a pillow or cushion can be arranged said ends I I
may be hoop shaped at the top.
The appliance can be attached at the head as shown at Figure 1 of the annexed
drawings or to the foot portion as at Figure 2 and the frame A to which the sacking
is affixed can be in two pieces to have an independent action if desired.
If the appliance is affixed to the head or the foot portion of a bedstead it folds
up like a flap which when down rests upon the ordinary sacking or bottom but if
affixed to about the centre of the bedstead as shown at Figure 3 of the annexed
drawings it can be raised vertically.
The application of the appliance to a couch is modified in shape and arrangement
to suit.
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are enlarged views of the mechanism G for moving the
apparatus, which is effected in the following manner. On turning the handle H,
and shaft H, the bevil pinion G operates the bevil wheel G₁ causing it to revolve
and draw the rod F backward or forward by means of the screw thread on the
said rod F which passes through the centre of the bevil wheel G³.
The rod F is connected with the bar D by any connection.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. The improved appliances fitted to a bedstead or couch and acting as
described for the purpose or purposes set forth.
Secondly. The wheel gear G H and threaded rod F for adjusting by raising or
lowering to any desired angle a flap like appliance for supporting the head
or other part of the body as described.