U.S. patent number 3,832,742 [Application Number 05/335,480] was granted by the patent office on 1974-09-03 for end support for anterior bed frame.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Stryker Corporation. Invention is credited to Homer H. Stryker.
United States Patent |
3,832,742 |
Stryker |
September 3, 1974 |
END SUPPORT FOR ANTERIOR BED FRAME
Abstract
An end support for the anterior frame of a rotatable hospital
bed having opposed, relatively movable anterior and posterior
patient supporting frames. The end support has a bar which extends
between spaced, parallel and generally upright side rings of the
bed. The ends of the end support bar are secured to the side rings
by lock units. When the lock units are in their unlocked condition,
they can slide along the corresponding side rings for adjusting the
distance between the end supports, hence, the anterior frame and
the posterior frame of the bed. The lock unit includes pin means
engageable with the side rings and resiliently urged to remain in
any of several selected positions therealong. The end support bar
is mounted on the lock units for limited pivotal movement around an
axis parallel with the rotational axis of the bed. The end support
bar is resiliently biased toward one pivotal limiting position
wherein said end support bar overlaps the end of said anterior
frame. In a modified embodiment, the end support bar is not
resiliently held but is pivotable on the lock unit through an
extended angular range, between a limit position determined by an
adjustment screw wherein the end support is engageable with the
anterior frame, and a second limit position thereabove and wherein
a support lock pin automatically locks the end support bar against
pivotal movement in an upwardly extending intermediate
position.
Inventors: |
Stryker; Homer H. (Kalamazoo,
MI) |
Assignee: |
Stryker Corporation (Kalamazoo,
MI)
|
Family
ID: |
26947945 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/335,480 |
Filed: |
February 26, 1973 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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260367 |
Jun 7, 1972 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/610 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61G
7/001 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61G
7/00 (20060101); A61g 007/10 (); A61g 007/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;5/60-62,63,66-68,81R,86
;128/24,33 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nunberg; Casmir A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Woodhams, Blanchard and Flynn
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part application of
co-pending application Ser. No. 260,367, filed June 7, 1972 by
Homer H. Stryker, entitled "End Support for Anterior Bed Frame,"
and now abandoned.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. An anterior frame end support apparatus for a hospital bed of
the type having a coaxial pair of upstanding, spaced side rings
rotatable on a supporting base and normally spaced, substantially
diametrally extending posterior and anterior frames between said
rings for supporting a patient to allow rotational orientation of
the patient about an axis transverse to his body, comprising in
combination:
an elongate support extending between said rings and having ends
positionable adjacent corresponding ones of said rings and a
central portion securable to the anterior frame adjacent one end
thereof;
a lock unit slidably supported on each of said rings and connected
to a corresponding one of said support ends for adjustably mounting
said support on said rings;
means defining a plurality of circumferentially aligned openings
circumferentially spaced along said rings;
manually actuable plunger means on each of said lock units normally
engageable in said ring openings for positively locking said
anterior frame support on said rings and releasable for allowing
selected repositioning of said anterior frame support at a
plurality of positions along said rings corresponding to the
location of said openings in such rings.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said lock unit includes a
block having a first opening therethrough adjacent one end thereof,
the axis of said opening lying substantially in the plane of the
adjacent ring, said adjacent ring being slidably receivable through
said first opening, means defining a second opening in said block
adjacent the other end thereof and spaced from said first opening,
the axis of said second opening being transverse to said plane of
said adjacent ring, the adjacent end of said support being snugly
but rotatably received in said second opening, means defining a
third opening in said block communicating with said second opening,
said plunger means comprising an elongate plunger slidably
supported on said block within said third opening.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 including an elongate sleeve extending
through said first opening and means fixing said sleeve to said
block, the sleeve being linear and of inside diameter exceeding the
thickness of said ring sufficiently as to allow snug sliding
reception of said ring therein, said ring engaging each end of said
sleeve at a point on the side of said sleeve facing internally of
said ring, plugs fixed inside said sleeve adjacent the ends of said
sleeve, said plugs being spaced on opposite sides of the plane of
said ring and being located on the half of said sleeve furthest
from the center of said ring, said ring slidably contacting each
end of said sleeve at said point and said plugs for slidably
supporting said block on said ring.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said third opening extends
longitudinally of said block, the axis of said third opening lying
transverse to and intersecting the axes of said first and second
openings, said plunger means including a casing snugly received in
said third opening, said plunger being slidably received in said
casing, an opening in said support end alignable with said third
opening of said block and loosely receiving said casing
therethrough for allowing limited pivotal movement of said support
about the axis of said support end with respect to said block, said
central portion of said support being radially offset from the axis
of its ends and engageable with the adjacent end of said anterior
frame, whereby pivotal movement of said support allows the anterior
frame to be alternatively supported on said support central portion
and to move therepast.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, including spring means on said block
engageable with said support ends for shifting said central portion
of said support away from said rings.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, in which said spring means comprises a
leaf spring, said leaf spring having one end engaging said support
end outside said block and an opposite end spaced from said support
end and extending along said block, abutment means on said block
engaging said other end of said spring and maintaining a bending
force on said spring for resiliently and pivotally urging said
support away from said rings.
7. The apparatus of claim 2, in which said third opening extends
from said other end of said block through said second opening and
into said first opening, said plunger means further including a
casing snugly receivable within said third opening, said third
opening having a shoulder intermediate said first and second
openings and facing toward said second opening, said casing being
axially fixed in said third opening in contact with said shoulder,
a compression spring within said casing, said plunger being
slidably located within said casing and compression spring and
extending axially therebeyond, an enlarged head on one end of said
plunger slidably located within the reduced diameter portion of
said third opening defined by said shoulder and adjacent end of
said casing, a sleeve in said first opening for slidably receiving
the adjacent ring therethrough, a hole in said sleeve coaxial with
the third opening for receiving said head therethrough, said head
being receivable in a selected one of said openings in the adjacent
ring when said selected opening is in alignment with said hole in
said sleeve and said third opening for locking said block in fixed
circumferential location on said ring.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, including overlapping means adjacent
the outer end of said casing and extending radially inwardly
thereof in radially overlapping relation with said compression
spring, said overlapping means guiding said plunger, said head
radially overlapping said compression spring so that movement of
said head into said casing is resisted by compression of said
compression spring, a knob on the end of said plunger opposite said
head and extending out of said third opening for manual engagement
to retract said plunger head into said casing and out of contact
with said spring.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 including circumferential pivot limit
means on at least one of said lock units for positively limiting
pivotal movement of said support on said lock unit.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, in which said pivot limit means
comprises a pivot lock pin on said one of said lock units
positively engageable with an adjacent portion of said support for
positively locking said support in a rest position pivotally remote
from its normal position with engagement of said anterior
frame.
11. The apparatus in claim 10, including means locating said pivot
lock pin for axial movement on said one lock unit and so as to
extend substantially upwardly therefrom and including means
limiting axial movement of said pivot lock pin, said adjacent
support portion having a hole therein for receiving the inner end
of said pivot lock pin when aligned therewith and in response to
gravitational attraction of said pin.
12. The apparatus of claim 9, in which said pivot limit means
comprises first and second stop bars fixed to said one lock unit
and spaced circumferentially with respect to the axis of the
adjacent support end and a third stop bar fixed to said support end
in longitudinally overlapping relation with said first and second
stop bars, whereby interference between said third top bar and said
first and second stop bars establishes first and second
circumferentially spaced pivot limiting positions of said
support.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, including an adjustment screw on
said third stop bar engageable with said first stop bar to
adjustably establish one of said circumferential limiting positions
wherein said support is securable to said anterior frame.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, in which each of said lock units
comprises a tube closely conformed to and slidably surrounding a
corresponding one of said rings, a cross tube affixed to said tube
and extending transversely thereof for telescopically receiving
therein the adjacent end of said support, a tubular boss extending
from said tube adjacent said cross tube in substantially transverse
relation to said tube and cross tube, said plunger means being
carried by said tubular boss.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, including a stop bar on said support
engageable with an opposed end of said cross tube for limiting the
extent of penetration of said support end in said cross tube.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, including coacting stop bars on said
cross tube and the adjacent portion of said support for interacting
to define positive limits to pivotal movement of said support with
respect to said lock unit, means for adjusting at least one of said
limits and gravitationally actuated limit means responsive to
assumption of an intermediate pivotal position of said support with
respect to one of said lock units for positively preventing pivotal
movement of said support out of such intermediate position.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improvement in a bed having anterior
and posterior frames for engagement of a patient and, more
particularly, to an end support for the anterior frame of a
hospital bed having upstanding, circular and rotatable side members
enabling end-for-end rotation of a patient supported between said
frames.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U. S. Pat. No. 3,034,152, assigned to the assignee of the present
invention, discloses a hospital bed of the general type involved.
It is contemplated that the present invention could be applied to
other bed constructions of more or less related type, even though
said invention was developed in connection with the bed of the type
disclosed in said U. S. patent.
Briefly, a bed of the type disclosed in said U. S. patent includes
a pair of spaced circular and coaxial rings arranged in vertical
planes and connected to each other by cross bars. The rings are
supported upon a wheeled base for rotation about their common axis.
A posterior frame extends diametrically across and between the
rings to support a mattress which normally engages the patient's
back. An anterior frame extends across and between the rings on the
mattress side of the posterior frame and is spaced therefrom. The
anterior frame is equipped with a mattress or the like.
The anterior frame is movable toward and away from the posterior
frame and it may be adjusted so that the patient can be held snugly
between the two frames during rotation of the rings whereby the
posterior and anterior frames are rotated through approximately
180.degree. and the patient is moved from a face down position to a
face up position, or the reverse. Such a bed is particularly useful
where, for example, the patient is in traction or requires
treatment which necessitates frequent changing of the patient's
position.
Adapting the anterior frame to movement toward and away from the
patient has in the past been accomplished by pivotally mounting the
foot end thereof between the rings and frictionally clamping a
support for the head end of the anterior frame to the rings by
means of releasable friction clamps. Repositioning of the head end
of the anterior frame may thus be utilized to adjust for
differences in the thickness or girth of different patients to be
supported by the bed and to facilitate insertion and removal of the
patient from the bed. It has been found, however, that careless
readjustment of clamping force by the hospital personnel or others
may interfere with proper operation of the clamps, for example,
resulting in excessive operating effort or reduction in clamping
force below desired levels.
Thus, the objects of this invention include provision of:
1. An improved end support for the anterior frame of a hospital bed
of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 3,034,152 and having a
support member secured by positively locking but releasable lock
units in any of several predetermined positions circumferentially
spaced along opposed portions of the side rings to adjust said
anterior frame relative to the head end of the posterior frame.
2. An end support, as aforesaid, in which the lock units positively
engage the rings both for circumferential movement therealong and
for locking against circumferential movement with respect thereto
and in which the occurrence of such locking is automatic upon
movement of the lock unit to any of several preselected positions
along the adjacent ring.
3. An end support, as aforesaid, in which accidental
circumferential displacement of the lock units and hence of the
head end of the anterior frame with respect to the rings in
precluded and in which manual force is required to unlock such lock
units and enable circumferential adjustment of said support member
with respect to said rings.
4. An end support, as aforesaid, in which the head end of the
anterior frame is adapted to be fastened in overlapping relation to
a central, offset portion of the end support bar, the ends of which
are connected to said lock units for limited pivotal movement
relative thereto. This pivotal movement permits displacement of the
central portion of the bar out of overlapping relation with the
head end of the anterior frame to allow noninterfering movement
thereof with respect to the end support bar.
Other objects and purposes of this invention will become apparent
to persons acquainted with apparatus of this general type upon
reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a rotatable hospital bed
including an anterior frame having an end support embodying the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragment of FIG. 1 substantially as viewed
from the line II--II.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view substantially as taken on line III--III
of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view substantially as taken on the
line IV--IV of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view substantially as taken on line
V--V of FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view substantially as taken on line
VII of FIG. 3.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view substantially as taken on line
VII--VII of FIG. 3.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view substantially taken on line VIII--VIII
of FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 is a fragment of FIG. 2 disclosing a modification.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary, partly exploded, sectional
view substantially as taken along the line X--X of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view substantially as
taken along the line XI--XI of FIG. 9.
FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view substantially as
taken along the line XII--XII of FIG. 9 and showing, in broken
lines, alternate pivotal positions of the end support bar.
FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view substantially as
taken along the line XIII--XIII of FIG. 9 and showing the end
support bar pivoted upwardly to its normal out-of-use position,
corresponding to its intermediate position of FIG. 12.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objects and purposes of the invention, including those set
forth above, have been met by providing an improved end support for
the anterior frame of a rotatable hospital bed having opposed
relatively movable anterior and posterior patient supporting
frames. The end support has a bar which extends between the spaced,
parallel and upright side rings of the bed. The ends of the end
support bar are secured to corresponding ones of said side rings by
lock units. When the lock units are in their unlocked condition,
they can slide along the corresponding side rings for adjusting the
distance between the end support, hence the head end of the
anterior frame, and the posterior frame of the bed. The lock unit
includes pin means engageable with the side rings and resiliently
urged to remain in any of several selected positions therealong.
The end support bar is mounted on the lock units for limited
pivotal movement around an axis parallel with the rotational axis
of the bed. The end support bar is resiliently biased toward one
pivotal limiting position wherein said end support bar overlaps the
end of said anterior frame. In a modified embodiment, the end
support bar is not resiliently held but is pivotable on the lock
unit through an extended angular range, between a limit position
determined by an adjustment screw wherein the end support is
engageable with the anterior frame, and a second limit position
thereabove and wherein a support lock pin automatically locks the
end support bar against pivotal movement in an upwardly extending
intermediate position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIGS. 1 through 3 disclose a bed 10 having an anterior frame
support embodying the invention. The bed includes a substantially
rectangular base 12 (FIG. 1) preferably supported by casters 14.
Two pairs of spaced rollers 16 are rotatably supported on the base
12, and a motor 17 is carried by said base for rotatably driving at
least one roller 16.
A pair of spaced, circular, coaxial and vertically disposed side
rings 21 and 22 are connected together by circumferentially spaced
transversely extending cross bars, one of which is shown at 23
(FIG. 2), to define a rigid cylindrical unit. The rings 21 and 22
are supported on and between the rollers 16 for rotation with
respect to the base 12 as seen in FIG. 1.
A posterior frame 26, preferably of rectangular plan, extends
substantially diametrically across the rings 21 and 22 and is
disposed transversely therebetween. The ends 25 of the posterior
frame 26 are removably secured, preferably by nut and threaded stud
connections 27 (FIG. 2) to adjacent ones of the cross bars 23. The
posterior frame includes a patient support 29 for supporting the
back of a patient, and may for example include a mattress, not
shown. If desired, the patient support 29 may be articulated to
allow either flat or flexed support of the patient.
The rings 21 and 22 are preferably of two piece construction. Each
ring includes a lower semicircular portion 31, here extending
through slightly more than 180.degree. of arc, which carries and
terminates above the posterior frame 26. The ends of the upper
semicircular portion 32 of each ring are removably fixed to the
ends of the corresponding lower portion 31. To this end, plugs 34
(FIG. 4) fixed within the ends of the lower ring portions 31 are
snugly but slidably received in the opposed ends of the
corresponding upper ring portions 32 and fixed thereto by a nut and
bolt connection 36, the bolt extending through suitable coaxial
openings in the plug and upper ring portion end. In consequence,
the upper ring portions 32 can be removed to enable free access to
the patient supported on the posterior frame, as for treatment,
operations and the like without removing the patient from the bed
10.
An anterior frame 41 (FIG. 1) extends substantially chordally
across the rings 21 and 22 and is disposed transversely
therebetween. The anterior frame is disposed in spaced opposition
to the posterior frame 26 and is carried by the upper ring portions
32 in a manner hereinafter described. In the particular embodiment
shown, the anterior frame 41 comprises spaced side members 43 and
44 (FIG. 3) which at their foot or rightward ends and for the
majority of the length thereof are relatively widely spaced lying
just inside planes of the rings 21 and 22. The head or leftward
ends of the side members 43 and 44 are more closely spaced and are
joined to the foot ends of the side members 43 and 44 by angled
portions, one of which is indicated at 46. The head or leftward end
of the side members 43 and 44 are joined, here integrally, by a
head element 48 extending transversely therebetween. The rightward
or foot ends of the side members 43 and 44 are joined by a
transverse foot element 49. The central portions of the head and
foot elements 48 and 49 are pivotable with respect to the end
portions thereof for purposes appearing hereinafter. Intermediate
elements 51 and 52 join the side members 43 and 44 intermediate
their ends and are preferably of inverted U-shape. A mattress or
the like, not shown, is preferably carried by the anterior frame in
opposed relation to the posterior frame.
As seen in FIG. 3, the foot element 49 of the anterior frame 41
rests on and is releasably secured to another one 53 of the cross
bars connecting the rings 21 and 22. The cross bar 53 extends
between the upper ring portion adjacent and above the rightward
ends of the lower ring portions 31. A threaded stud 54 (FIG. 5) is
fixed to and extends upwardly from the central portion of cross bar
53 and is received through a diametral opening 56 in the foot
element 49. A nut 57, here held captive to the foot element 49 by a
chain 58, threadedly engages the free end of the stud 54 to fixedly
but releasably secure the central portion of the foot element 49 of
the anterior frame to the cross bar 53.
The head or leftward end of the anterior frame 41 is carried by an
end support bar 61 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) adjustably positioned on the
upper portions 32 of rings 21 and 22 by lock units 63 and 64
described in more detail hereinafter.
The support bar 61 has coaxial ends 66 (FIG. 2) which engage the
lock units 63 and 64. The central portion 67 of the support bar
parallels but is radially offset from the ends 66 and integrally
connects thereto by divergent angled portions 68. In its position
of use indicated in FIG. 1, the central portion 67 of support bar
61 depends from and is outwardly angled from the lock units 63 and
64 supporting same. Further, the head element 48 of the anterior
frame is supported on the central portion 67 between the angled
portions 68 and is affixed thereto by a stud and nut connection 71
which is preferably generally similar to that used at the foot end
of the anterior frame and shown in FIG. 5.
If desired, accessory mounting devices such as that shown at 72
(FIG. 2) may be fixed to the support bar 61.
The lock unit 63 and 64 are preferably mirror images of each other.
Thus, a description of lock unit 64 will suffice for both. The lock
unit 64 comprises a block 74, here substantially rectilinear in
form. A transverse opening 76 (FIG. 6) extends through the block 74
adjacent the rightward end thereof. A cylindrical sleeve 77 is
snugly received within and extends through the opening 76 and its
ends extend beyond the upper and lower faces 78 and 79 of the block
74, each by a distance here approximating the thickness of the
block. A rivet 82 extends through coaxial openings in the interior
end 83 of the block 74 and side wall of the sleeve 77 for fixedly
securing the sleeve to the block. The rivet 82 is preferably
aligned diametrically of the sleeve and located on the central
length axis of the block.
The upper ring portion 32 is slidably through the sleeve 77. The
sleeve 77 is preferably linear in contrast to the arcuate character
of the ring extending therethrough. The inside diameter of the
sleeve 77 exceeds the thickness of the ring portion 32 so that the
ring directly contacts the sleeve wall only at the interior portion
of the sleeve ends, as indicated at 86 and 87 (FIG. 6), and
centrally of the sleeve at the exterior side facing zone 88
thereof. The ring portion 32 is elsewhere spaced from the sleeve 77
and at least slidably clears the adjacent end of rivet 82.
A pair of plugs 91 are provided adjacent each end of the sleeve 77.
The plugs are conveniently rivets extending through the wall of
sleeve 77 and having heads therewithin. The plugs 91 of each pair
of each spaced by more than a quarter circle, for example
110.degree., circumferentially of the sleeve from the rivet 82. The
plugs 91 of each pair are thus circumferentially spaced from each
other in a symmetrical manner on opposite sides of the radial plane
of the ring 22. The heads of the plugs 91 slidably contact the
exterior surface of the ring 22 so that each end of the sleeve 77
engages the opposed surface of the ring 22 at three
circumferentially distributed points around the perimeter of such
sleeve end, thereby reducing any tendency for the sleeve to more
with respect to the ring except along the circumference of such
ring. On the other hand the surface contact between the ring and
sleeve is relatively small easing movement of the sleeve along the
ring.
A transverse opening 94 extends through the exterior (leftward in
FIG. 6) end portion of the block 74. The opening 94 is spaced
exteriorly from the opening 76 and extends through the side walls
of the block. As seen from the exterior end 95 of the block, the
axes of openings 94 and 76 appear substantially perpendicular. The
end 66 of support bar 61 extends snugly but pivotally into the
opening 94.
An elongated lock opening 98 (FIG. 6) extends along the central
longitudinal axis of the lock block 74 from the exterior end 95
thereof diametrally through opening 94 and diametrally into opening
76. The portion of lock opening 98 communicating with opening 76 is
of reduced diameter to form a step 99. A hole 101 through the
sleeve 77 coaxially communicates with the longitudinal lock opening
98 and corresponds in diameter to the adjacent portion of the
opening 98. A plurality of holes 103 are spaced, preferably evenly,
along the exterior face of the ring 22 (and correspondingly of ring
21). As seen in FIG. 2, the series of holes 103 extends from the
connection 36 upwardly along the upper portion 32 of ring 22 for a
distance corresponding to the desired range of circumferential
placement of lock unit 64.
The end 66 of end support 61 is provided with a diametral opening
106 normally in coaxial alignment with lock opening 98 but
exceeding the diameter thereof, for example by 0.050 inch to 0.090
inch, for purposes appearing hereinafter.
A lock plunger assembly 108 (FIG. 6) is housed in the lock opening
98. The plunger assembly includes a lock sleeve or casing 110
snugly but slidably received in the opening 98 against the step 99.
The interior end of the sleeve 110 has a radially inwardly
directed, annular flange 109. A snap ring 112 removably located in
a groove in the leftward end of the opening 98 retains a washer 111
and the sleeve 110 coaxially within the opening 98. The lock sleeve
110 thus extends through opening 106 in the end 66 of the end
support 61 and with sufficient clearance as to allow limited
pivotal movement of the offset end support with respect to the lock
block.
A coil spring 114, under compression, lies coaxially within the
sleeve 110 and is retained therein at one end by the flange 109 and
an intervening washer 113 and at the other end by the washer
111.
A lock pin or plunger 116 includes a shank 117 slidably received
within the spring 114 and sleeve 110 and which is guided for
reciprocation by the washer 111. An enlarged, substantially
cylindrical head 119 extends coaxially rightwardly from the shank
and is guided for reciprocation within the flange 109. The head
abuts the washer 113. In the locking position of the plunger
assembly 108 shown in FIG. 6, the head extends rightwardly past the
shoulder 99 through the sleeve hole 101 and a desired one of the
ring holes 103 into the ring 22 for preventing movement of the lock
block 74 circumferentially along the ring, and hence for positively
locating the end 66 of end support 61 circumferentially on the ring
22. The head 119 is preferably grooved at 120 to lightly resist
movement out of the hole 103, so as to prevent removal by
inadvertence and indicate to the user that the plunger has properly
engaged the ring 22. A manually engageable knob 122 is threaded on
the outer end of the shank 117 for pulling the plunger 160 out of
engagement with the holes 103 in ring 22.
One, and preferably both, of the lock units 63 and 64 are provided
with a bias device 124 (FIG. 7) for pivotally urging the end
support 61 away from the rings 21 and 22 out of overlapping
relation with the adjacent end 48 of the anterior frame 41. In the
preferred embodiment shown, the bias device 124 comprises a
substantially L-shaped leaf spring 126, here a resilient rod. The
outboard (leftward) end 131 of the spring 126 extends through an
opening in the peripheral wall of the anterior frame support end 66
into the interior thereof. The other end of the spring 126 is held
beneath a screw 128 extending laterally from the side wall 129,
preferably the interior side wall, of the lock block 74, near the
inboard end wall 83. The intermediate portion of the spring 126 is
at all times subjected to a resilient bending force by the
connection of its ends to support end 66 and screw 128 and so
constantly urges the interior frame support end 66 to the clockwise
limit (as seen in FIG. 7) of its pivotal movement allowed by the
currents between opening 106 and lock sleeve 110 of FIG. 6.
OPERATION
To assemble the anterior frame end support 61 and lock units 63 and
64, the ends 66 of support 61 are inserted in openings 94 in the
lock blocks 74, with the opening 106 of each support end being
aligned with the lock opening 98 in the corresponding lock block
For each lock unit, the washer 113, spring 114, washer 111 and snap
ring 112 are preferably then slid onto the threaded end of the
plunger 117 and the resultant subassembly is inserted into the
sleeve 110. The knob 122 is threaded onto the threaded end of the
plunger shank 117. The resultant assembly is inserted into the
longitudinal lock opening 98 of the lock block 74, the sleeve 110
abutting the step 99 and the head 119 extending into the sleeve 77
of the lock block 74. The snap ring 112 is then snapped into its
groove in lock opening 98 to hold the plunger assembly and sleeve
110 in place as in FIG. 6.
The thus assembled lock units 63 and 64 and support 61 are
installed on the rings 21 and 22 by separating the upper and lower
ring portions 31 and 32 thereof and inserting the free leftward (as
seen in FIG. 6) ends of the upper ring portions 32 into the sleeves
77 of the corresponding lock units. As such as carried out, each
plunger knob 122 is manually pulled to retract the plunger head
119, against the force of the spring 114, further into the sleeve
110 to clear the interior of sleeve 77. The lock units 63 and 64
may then be freely shifted along the upper ring portions 32, into
alignment with the desired one of the holes 103 in each of the
upper ring portions 32. The knobs 122 are then released which in
each case allows the spring 114 to urge the head 119 of the plunger
through such opening 103 into the interior of the adjacent ring
portion 32 as seen in FIG. 6. Alternately, the knobs 122 may be
released as the lock units near their desired locations on the
rings, the plungers automatically entering the holes 103 in the
rings when opposed thereto. In this manner, the anterior frame end
support 61 is positively and fixedly located on the rings.
To move the support 61 along the upper ring portions 32, for
example to raise or lower same from its position of FIG. 1, each of
the plunger knobs 122 is again manually pulled to retract the
plunger head 119 from the engaged one of the holes 103 and the
anterior bar and support 61 and locking units 63 and 64 are then
manually shifted along the circumference of the rings to a desired
new location whereat the plungers are released so that the head 119
of each therof extends into lock engagement with a new one of the
holes 103 in the corresponding ring.
Installation of the anterior frame on rings 21 and 22 is carried
out by placing the foot element 49 thereof over the stud 54 (FIG.
5) and locking the foot element 49 in place on the cross bar 53
with the nut 57. When so positioned, the anterior frame is
pivotable at least through a limited arc corresponding to the
portion of circumference of the rings along which the lock units 63
and 64 are movable and lockable.
The clearance between shell 110 and opening 106 (FIG. 6) permits
the leaf springs 126 to swing the central portion of end support 61
leftwardly, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, away from the rings 21 and 22
to allow the head end of the anterior frame to be pivoted upwardly
therepast. Thereafter, the support 61 is manually displaced
rightwardly toward the rings 21 and 22. The anterior frame is then
placed upon the central portion of the support 61 and secured
thereto by the connection 71.
The pivot range of the support 61 on the lock blocks 74 is
sufficient to accommodate differences in the radial location of the
anterior frame head end, with respect to the rings 21 and 22, as
the lock units are moved along the rings, in addition to the
aforementioned pivotal movement of the support central portion 48
into and out of overlapping relation with the anterior frame.
The head end of the anterior frame may be disengaged from the
support 61 when a patient is placed in the bed between the
posterior and anterior frames so that the anterior frame can be
swung away from the posterior frame to allow the patient to be
freely maneuvered into a position therebetween. On the other hand,
repositioning of the lock units 63 and 64 along the perimeter of
the rings 21 and 22, either with or without attachment of the
anterior frame to the support 61, may be carried out for a variety
of purposes including location of the anterior frame at a spacing
from the posterior frame commen surate with the girth of the
patient to be disposed therebetween or under conditions wherein it
may be desirable to support the patient on his back on the
posterior frame with the anterior frame spaced from him.
MODIFICATION
FIGS. 9 through 13 disclose a modified apparatus. Portions of the
apparatus of FIGS. 9 through 13 corresponding to portions of the
apparatus of FIGS. 1 through 8 above described will carry the same
reference numeral with the suffix "A" added thereto.
The apparatus of FIGS. 9 through 13 differs from that of FIGS. 1
through 8 above described primarily in the construction of modified
lock units 63A and 64A and modified end portions 66A of the support
bar 61A.
The lock units 63A and 64A are preferably mirror images of each
other. Thus, except as otherwise noted, description of portions of
one of the lock units will apply to corresponding portions of the
other lock unit.
The lock unit 63 comprises an elongated tube 201 (FIG. 10) snugly
but slidably receivable over and preferably being curved in
conformance with, the upper ring portions 32A. A tubular boss 203
is, as shown in FIG. 11 with respect to lock unit 64A, secured, as
by welding, to the tube 201, extending outwardly therefrom on a
radius of the ring portion 32A. The outer end of the tubular boss
203 is radially inwardly lipped and the inner end thereof opens
into and is radially coextensive with a hole 205 in the tube
201.
An elongated lock pin 207 extends axially through, and is slidably
within, the tubular boss 203 and includes an enlarged and
preferably tapered head 208. The head 208 is extendable through the
hole 205 in tube 201 and through an aligned one of the holes 103A
in ring portion 32A for positively locking the corresponding lock
unit 63A, or 64A, circumferentially on the corresponding ring
portion 32A. The opposite end of the locking pin 207 extends beyond
the outer, lipped end of the tubular boss 203 and has a hand
engageable pull knob 209 fixed thereto, preferably by threaded
engagement therewith. A coil compression spring 211 surrounds the
central part of the lock pin 207 and bears against the head 208 and
lipped outer end of the tubular boss 203, to urge the lock pin 207
into the tube 201, to the extent allowed by the enlarged pull knob
209 and as shown for example in FIGS. 10 and 11. A manual pull on
the knob 209 retracts the head 208 into the tubular boss 203,
allowing the tube 201 to slide circumferntially on the ring portion
32A.
A linear cross tube 213 (FIG. 9) extends laterally across, and is
fixed as by welding, to the outer surface of the tube 201 for
snugly but pivotally receiving the adjacent end 66A of the support
61A. The cross tube preferably extends laterally inwardly from the
tube 201. The cross tube 213 is preferably located, as seen in FIG.
10, immediately above the tubular boss 203 and is in contact
therewith to provide mutual bracing. Thus, the cross tubes 213 of
lock units 63A and 64A will be coaxially aligned, as seen in FIG.
9, when the lock pins 203 thereof engage corresponding holes 103A
of the left and right ring portions 32A, and will snugly but
pivotally receive the opposed ends 66A of the support bar 61A for
supporting the latter on the rings.
Lower and upper stop bars 215 and 216, respectively, are fixed, as
by wleding, to the periphery of the cross tube 213 and extend
axially inwardly therebeyond in radially overlapping relation with
the exposed end portion 66A of the support bar 61A. As seen in FIG.
10, the stop bars 215, 216 are circumferentially spaced from each
other around the cross tube 213 and are aligned substantially at
right angles to each other. In the preferred embodiment shown, the
stop bars 215 and 216 do not extend radially from the cross tube
213, but rather are circumferentially offset from parallel radii of
the cross tube 213. Both said stop bars lie, in the preferred
embodiment shown, within the same quadrant of the cross tube 213.
The upper stop bar 216 lies substantially at right angles to the
axis of tube 201 and the stop bar 215 is substantially parallel to
such axis.
A further stop bar 218 (FIGS. 9 and 10) is fixed to each end
portion 66A of the support bar 61A, intermediate the extremities of
said end portions, and is preferably welded thereto. With the
support bar 61A installed on the lock units 63A and 64A, as shown
in FIG. 9, each stop block 218 circumferentially overlaps the
corresponding stop bars 215 and 216 on the adjacent lock unit. The
stop bar 218, as seen in FIG. 10, is circumferentially offset from
a radius of the support bar end portion 66A, in a direction
radially outwardly of the rings. However, the stop bar 218
preferably parallels the plane of the generally U-shaped support
bar 61A and extends generally toward the offset central portion 67A
of such support bar. A setscrew 220 (FIG. 10) carries a locking nut
221 at its leftward end and is threadedly receivable through the
stop bar 218 for axial adjustment with respect thereto. The
rightward end of the screw 220 will normally extend rightwardly
beyond the stop bar 218 for abutting the lower stop bar 215 on the
adjacent lock unit, so as to positively determine the lower pivotal
limit position of the support bar 61A. Such lower limit position is
shown in FIGS. 9 and 12 wherein the central portion 67A of the
support bar 61A is properly located for securement to the adjacent
end of the anterior frame 41A, by mean of the threaded stud 54A and
nut 57A as above described with respect to FIG. 5.
The support bar 61A, upon disengagement from the anterior frame
41A, may be pivoted in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 12,
upwardly and past the axis of cross tube 213 through an
intermediate over-center position, indicated in broken lines at
A--A, to a final clockwise limiting position generally indicated at
B--B, the latter position being determined by abutting interference
between the setscrews 220 and the upper stop bars 216 on cross
tubes 213.
However, in normal use it is preferred that the support bar 61A be
positively located in either in lower interior frame engaging
position (indicated in solid lines in FIG. 12) or in its
over-center, intermediate position A (also shown in solid lines in
FIG. 13). In such over-center position, the support bar 61A extends
upwardly from the cross tubes 213 substantially tangentially, and
slightly outboard, of the rings and is thus well out of the way of
any activity such as installation or removal of a patient from the
bed structure, repositioning of the anterior frame 31A, which
allows unobstructed access for inserting emergency airway, stomache
tubes, or head traction apparatus and administration of anesthesia,
etc.
To fix the support 61A in its over-center position AA, a support
bar pivot lock 225 (FIGS. 9 and 13) is provided on either one of
the lock units 63A and 64A, here the lock unit 63A, it being
unnecessary to provide more than one such pivot lock 225. The pivot
lock 225 comprises an internally threaded cup 227 fixed, as by
welding, to the periphery of the cross tube and extending
substantially upwardly therefrom in parallelism with the
substantially downwardly directed stop bar 215. A pivot lock pin
228 is radially flanged intermediate its ends for guided sliding
movement axially in the cup 227. The lower end of the pin 228
normally extends downwardly through suitable coaxial openings in
the bottom of the cup 227 and in the cross tube 213 and drops
automatically, by gravity, into a corresponding hole 230 in the end
portion 66A of support bar 61A when the latter is in its overcenter
position AA of FIGS. 12 and 13. A shouldered, quill externally
threaded, hollow quill telescoped over the upper end of the pivot
lock pin 228 and threadedly engages the interior of the cup 227,
whereby axial motion of the pivot lock pin has spaced limits
established by contact of the flanged intermediate portion thereof
with the bottom of the cup 227 and the inner end of the quill
231.
In summary, the support bar 61A and the attached end of anterior
frame 41A may be adjusted circumferentially on the rings 32A by a
manual pull on the knobs 209 of lock units 63A and 64A,
circumferential shifting of such lock units along the rings to a
new position and release of the knobs to allow the heads 208 of
pins 207 to engage the holes 103A in the rings, thereby positively
fixing the lock units 63A and 64A in a new position
circumferentially of the rings.
To locate the support bar 61 in its upward, over-center position
AA, as for allowing manipulation of the anterior frame 41A for
installing or removing a patient from the bed construction or to
prevent pivotal movement of the support bar 61A during removal or
installation of the upper ring portions 32A with respect to the
lower ring portions shown, for example, at 31 in FIG. 1, the
support bar 61A is pivoted clockwise from its solid line position
of FIG. 12 toward its position AA. Upon reaching the position AA,
the pivot lock pin 228 drops by gravity into the hole 230 in the
adjacent support bar end 66A locking the support bar in its
position AA.
To release the support bar from its over-center position AA, an
upward pull on the pivot lock pin 228 disengages same from the
support bar 61A. The support bar 61A can then be pivoted to its
upward limiting position BB or, more normally, to its anterior
frame support position shown in solid lines in FIG. 12. To
interengage the support bar 61A with the anterior frame 41A, as
shown in FIG. 12, the anterior frame is located above its position
of FIG. 12 and the support bar 61A is pivoted downwardly, in a
counterclockwise direction, stopping when the setscrew 220 contacts
the stop bar 215. Given a suitable prior adjustment of the setscrew
220 of each lock unit, downward movement of the anterior frame 41A
drops the end portion thereof over the stud 54A and onto the
central portion 67A of the support bar, whereafter placement of the
nut 57A completes installation of the anterior frame end on the
support bar.
Although a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has
been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be
recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed
apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the
scope of the present invention.
* * * * *