US2617117A - Electrically operated invalid's bed - Google Patents

Description

1952 J. D. PUTTERBAUGH ELECTRICALLY OPERATED INVALIDS BED 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1949 Q {@JNVENTOR. JOHN D PUTTERBAUGH Nov- 1 1952 J. D. PUTTERBAUGH T C E L E INVENTOR. Jog/v D. PUUERBAz/GH Nov. 11, 1952 J. D. PUTTERBAUGH ELECTRICALLY OPERATED INVALID S BED 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 15. 1949 INVENTOR. JOHN D. Pu TTERBA UGH Patented Nov. 11, 1952 I ELECTRICALLY OPERATED INVALIDS BED John D. Putterbaugh, Troy, Ohio, assignor to Campbell and Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a

partnership Application February 15, 1949, Serial No. 76,596

2 Claims.

This invention relates to hospital or invalids beds and more particularly relates to an invalids bed having power operated elevatable head and foot sections which can be controlled by a patient in the bed.

An object of this invention is to provide power operated means controllable by the patient for raising and lowering head and foot sections of a hospital bed.

A further object of this invention is to provide independent power actuated means for independently and selectively raising and lowering the head and foot sections of a hospital bed.

A further object of this invention is to provide power actuated means for raising and lowering sections of a bed and manual means for raising and lowering the sections which manual and power operated means may be actuated independently.

A further object of this invention is to provide power operated means for raising and lowering the sections of a hospital bed which means is located beneath the bed and out of the way.

A further object of this invention is to provide power operated means for raising and lowering sections of the bed which means is wholly enclosed.

The above and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a hospital bed provided with power operated means for raising and lowering head and foot sections thereof arranged and constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing details of construction of a handle mechanism for use in manual operation of one of the movable sections of the hospital bed.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the underside of the bed illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view, partly broken away and in section, showing details of the power drive for actuating a bed section.

Fig. 5 is a view in section showing details of construction of the handle mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along a line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a View in side elevation partly in section showing one of the telescopic actuating members.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view in section showing details of the telescopic member illustrated in Fig. 7.

In the detailed description and the drawings, like reference characters are used to indicate like parts.

In Figs. 1 and 3, a hospital bed is shown which has a head frame In and a foot fram I2, each supported by suitable casters I3. A main frame 14 of usual form is supported by brackets [5 on the head and foot frames of the bed. Th main frame is supported by lug l6 which fit into brackets 15 secured to the head and foot frames.

A movable head section I! and a movable foot section l9 are supported respectively on the main frame by hinge brackets 2| and 22 attached to the main frame. The movable head and foot sections support springs (not shown) in the usual manner. Head section I! comprises a single unit and is of U-shape, the opposite legs of which are pivoted to hinge brackets 2|, while foot section l9 includes two units, an inner portion 23 pivoted to hinge brackets 22 and an outer portion 24 supported at one end by rollers 26 and pivoted at its opposite end 27 to inner portion 22. Hinge brackets 2| and 22 are carried by the main frame of the bed. A head support or actuator frame 28 is pivoted to hinge brackets 2|, and push bars 29 extend between frame 28 and head section 11 serving to raise and lower the head section. A foot support or actuator frame 3| is pivoted to hinge bracket 22 and push bars 32 extend between frame 3| and inner foot portion 23 serving to raise and lower the foot section of the bed. The construction of the parts described to this point is well known.

The head and foot sections of the bed are raised and lowered by actuator assemblies indicated at 33 and 34 (Fig. 3) respectively. Head actuator assembly 33 includes an extensible shaft or telescoping tube member 36, a crank 31 (Figs. 2, 5, and 7) at an end of rod 36, a bracket or reach member 38 (Figs. 3 and 4) running between the other end of member 36 and actuator frame 28, and a motor 39 mounted adjacent bracket 38. The motor 39 is a part of the telescoping member 36 and moves and swings with the telescoping member. Foot actuator assembly 34 similarly includes an extensible rod or telescoping member 4 l, a crank 42 at an end of rod 4 I, a bracket or reach member 43 running between the other end of rod 4| and foot actuator frame 3|, and a motor 44 mounted adjacent bracket 43. The actuator assemblies are positioned below the bed where they in no way interfere with normal use of the bed. The cranks are located at the foot of the bed in the usual position and may be turned for manual raising and lowering of the head and foot sections in the usual manner. The motors provide power for automatic operation of the assemblies and the motors may be of a reversible type so that each motor can both raise and lowe the section of the bed with which it is associated. Since both assemblies are of substantially the same construction and operate in the same manner, only head assembly 33 will be'described in detail.

As shown in Figs. 4, 7 and 81 the extensible rod or telescoping member 38 includes an elongated screw 46 disposed within a tubular drive sleeve M. A nut 48 fixed within sleeve M is threaded onto screw 46.

Sleeve i! is connected to .a stub drive shaft d9 by means of rotatable inner and outer bearing sleeves indicated at 50 and SI respectively. Inner bearing sleeve 50 fits inside drive sleeve 41, while outer bearing sleeve fits around drive sleeve 4? and inner bearing sleeve 50. A. pin 52 passes through bores in sleeves' ll, 58, and 5| to hold the sleeves in assembled relation. Inner bearing sleeve 50 fits over stub shaft A9. A radial set screw 53 in sleeve 58 bears on a flat side of stub shaft as to cause the shaft and sleeves to turn together.

The bearing sleeves form supports for outer retainers of bearings 5-; and 55. A block 51 fits about the sleeves, and opposite ends of block 5 form supports for inner retainers of the bearings. Block 51 in turn is firmly bolted to reach member 38.

The drive shaft 39 is driven by motor 39 through reduction gearing (not shown in detail) in a gear box 5%. As will be understood, the gearing may include a worm driven by the motor shaft and a worm wheel on drive shaft d5) meshing with the worm so that, when the motor is not in operation, the gearing locks shaft ii against rotation. Motor 39 is carried on a plate 6 I. Plate El in turn is pivoted to a support arm 62 which is welded or otherwise firmly fixed to an actuator arm 63 of head actuator frame 28.

Reach member 38 is made up of two rigid arms 64 which fit on either side of and are attached to block 5?. An end of each arm is firmly attached to block 5'1. The opposite ends of the arms converge and are pivotally linked to a lower end of arm 63 by pivot pin 65. As shown in Fig, 3, pivot pin 66 may be aligned with extensible rod .36. When the head portion of the bed is raised or lowered, reach member 38 takes the thrust from the extensible rod and transmits the thrust to arm 63. Motor 39 can turn sleeve Li! and nut 48 about screw 46 for changing the effective length of the extensible rod. However, the thrust is transmitted directly through bracket 38; and motor 39 and the reduction gearing are supported to swing with reach member 38 but do not receive the thrust.

Details of construction of the crank end of rod 36 are shown in Figs. 2, 5, 6 and *7. As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, crank 3? has flat head surfaces H, only one of which is shown, which define an integral head plate 52. Head plate '52 is slotted as shown atl3 in Fig. 5. The outer end of screw 46 may be bifurcated to form jaws M which fit about crank head plate 12. A pin it through the bifurcated jaws links screw 55 to crank 31 for turning together.

A protective and supporting sleeve ll fits about the head portion of screw 15. Screw 46 is held against axial movement within sleeve Tl and with respect to main frame Hi by a collar 18 and pins 19 which are integral with collar 18 and pivotally support the collar and sleeve for swinging with respec'ttothe main frame. Collar .IBfits' between bearings 8i and 82. Collars 83 and 84 are attached to screw 46 on either side of bearings 8i and 82. As shown in Fig. 6, pins T9 are pivotally supported by bracket flanges 86. Flanges 8B in turn are attached to the main frame of the bed. Flanges 86 form a part of a bracket which is of usual construction and is similar in structure to a bracket 81 (Fig. 3) which supports the outer end of rod 4 i.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, a cap at fits over the outer end of sleeve 77 and about the bifurcated end of screw 46. A lug 89 is fixed to head plate '82 of the crank, and lug 89 is engageable with a slot 91 in cap 83. When lug 89 is engaged with slot 9|, handle 3'1 is looked against turning, and the nut can be rotated about bolt 36 by motor 39 to raise or lower head section ll of the bed. When the head portion is to be raised or lowered manually, crank 31 is swung about pivot pin 76 and positioned to the left as shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 7 to disengage lug 89 from slot 91, whereupon screw 45 can be turned with crank 3'1. During manual operation of the bed, it is unnecessary to lock drive sleeve 4". and nut :38 against rotation for the reduction gearing in gear housing 59 automatically acts to lock the nut and the drive sleeve against rotation as long as motor 35 is not turn As shown in Figs. 3, 4, '7 and 8, a protective sleeve or guard tube 92 fits about drive sleeve A? telescoping over sleeve l! as the efiective length of extensible rod 35 is varied. Guard tube 9.2 is attached to a cap 92 which fits about block 51 and is attached thereto. During raising and lowering of the head section of the bed, neither sleeve l"! nor guard $2 rotates; and as extensible rod 35 is lengthened or shortened, sleeve 7? and guard 52 telescope.

As shown in Fig. 1, controls for the motors may be mounted in a control box 93 carried on a post 94 attached to movable head section ll. Appropriate cables 93 lead from switch box 93 for controlling the motors. Control switches 9? in switch box d3 preferably are of a spring release type so that the motors remain stationary except when one of the switches is held in closed position.

Limit switches 93, 99, W8, and ill! may also be provided. The limit switches may be connected in the motor circuits to prevent overrunning by the motors. The limit switches may be attached to the main frame of the bed and are mounted in boxes H2 in position to be actuated by the actuator frames when the head and foot sections are fully raised or fully lowered. The limit switches may operate to stop the motors and prevent overrunning in the event that one of the control switches 92 is closed after a movable bed section is fully raised or fully lowered. In Fig. 1, parts of the bed are shown in raised position in dot-dash lines and in lowered position in full lines. The parts of the raised bed have been given the same numbers as parts of the lowered bed with the addition of a prime to each number.

When the foot section reaches the position shown in dot-dash lines, limit switch 93 may be actuated to prevent further raising of the foot section by motor 44. Similarly, when the foot section reaches the position shown in full lines, limit switch 99 is actuated to prevent further lowering of the foot section. Limit switches I69 and NH similarly may be arranged to stop motor 39 when the head section reaches the limits of its movement.

In addition to the electrical limit switches,

positive mechanical stops may be provided to protect the bed and an occupant of the bed if the electrical limit switches fail. The mechanical stops further act to prevent manual raising and lowering of the bed sections beyond desired limits. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, screw 46; includes an unthreaded tip on guide I02 which' ican fit inside nut' 48. When the screw is fullygretracted in nut 48 and the head section is i'ully raised, the threads of the screw come free from the nut, whereupon further rotation of the nut or screw causes no further raising of the: head of the bed. However, when the rotation is; reversed, the weight of the head of the bed causes the screw and nut to re-engage and lowery'the bed, and the guide tip 102 directs the screwfinto the nut to cause the threads to re-engage;

Downward movement of the head section of the bed is halted by a stop sleeve 103 which fits about the shank of screw 46. The stop sleeve I03 may be fixed to collar 83 or may be free to' slide along the shank of the screw. An annular guide bushing i0 1 is fixed to the inside of drive sleeve 41 adjacent the free end thereof. The guide bushing fits about the shank of screw 46, and as the head section of the bed is lowered, bushing I 04 advances along the shank of screw 46ffand abuts stop sleeve 103 when the head of the bed has reached fully lowered position. 7

The mechanical stops illustrated in Fig. 8 may be used in conjunction with the electrical limit switches, or if the motors have appropriate windings to permit the motors to stall, the mechanical stops can be used alone without need for the electrical limit switches. It will be understood that the telescoping member 4| may include mechanical stops similar in construction to those just described in member 36.

The sections of the bed of this invention can be raised or lowered by a patient in thebed without help through the operation of control switches 91, or the bed sections can be manually raised and lowered by an attendant in the usual manner. It is unnecessary to disconnect the drive to either motor to permit manual raising and lowering of bed sections. All parts of the operating mechanism are enclosed and located below the main frame of the bed where they are out of the way.

The embodiment of the invention described above and illustrated in the drawings admits of modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hospital bed comprising a main frame, a

movable section mounted on said main frame,

an actuator frame pivotally attached to the main frame and linked to the movable section to raise and lower the movable section, an actuator arm attached to said actuator frame and adapted to swing said actuator frame for raising and lowering said movable section, a reach member pivotally connected to said actuator arm, a hollow tubular guard sleeve rigidly connected to said reach member, a drive sleeve coaxial with and rotatably mounted inside said guard sleeve, a motor pivotally mounted on said actuator arm and connected to the drive sleeve in driving relation thereto, a nut mounted inside said drive sleeve, a screw in threaded engagement with said nut, another guard sleeve surrounding said screw, one end of said other guard sleeve being in telescopic engagement with the first mentioned guard sleeve, a bearing inside said other guard sleeve at the other end thereof and supporting the shank of the screw, means pivotally connecting said other guard sleeve at the bearing to said main frame, and means for locking said screw against turning in said bearing, whereby operation of the motor raises and lowers the movable section.

2. A bed in accordance with claim 1, characterized by the fact that the nut is spaced between the ends of the drive sleeve, that a hearing thimble is disposed inside the free end of the drive sleeve, the screw turning inside of and spaced from the bearing thimble when in engagement with the nut, that a guide tip projects axially from the free end of the screw, the guide tip and the bearing thimble supporting the screw when out of threaded engagement with the nut, and that the actuator arm swings in direction to hold the free end of the screw in engagement with the nut when the nut and screw are turned out of threaded engagement and the movable section of the bed is weighted.

JOHN D. PUTTERBAUGH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,092,563 Tucker Sept. 7, 1937 2,150,813 Ball Mar. 14, 1939 2,261,980 Drexler Nov. 11, 1941 2,337,284 Urie Dec. 21, 1943 2,349,701 Buttikofer May 23, 1944 2,373,018 Deckert Apr. 3, 1945 2,500,742 Taylor Mar. 14, 1950

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