US3614795A

US3614795A - Safety sides for beds

Info

Publication number: US3614795A
Application number: US853011A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth Malcolm Agnew
Original assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
Current assignee: National Research Development Corp UK; National Research Development Corp of India
Priority date: 1968-08-29
Filing date: 1969-08-26
Publication date: 1971-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-26
Also published as: GB1286252A; DE1943815A1

Abstract

A SAFETY SIDE FOR A BED, INCLUDING A CLAMP FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A LONGITUDINAL MEMBER OF THE BED, AN ARM PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE CLAMP, AND A FENCE STRUCTURE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE ARM. THE FENCE MAY PIVOT RELATIVE TO THE ARM BETWEEN A POSITION IN WHICH IT PREVENTS A PERSON FALLING OUT OF BED AND A POSITION IN WHICH IT EXTENDS GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE MATTRESS SO THAT IT MAY CONSTITUTE A HAND-HOLD FOR A PERSON ON THE BED AS THE BED IS RAISED FROM A HORIZONTAL TO A VERTICAL POSITION. THE FENCE AND ARM MAY PIVOT RELATIVE TO THE CLAM FROM THE POSITION IN WHICH THE FENCE PREVENTS A PERSON FALLING OUT OF BED TO A POSITION IN WHICH IT IS BENEATH THE BED AND OUT OF THE WAY FOR BED MAKING. SAFETY SIDES ARE PROVIDED AT BOTH SIDES OF A BED AND THE CLAMPS OF THE TWO SAFETY SIDE ARE RIGIDLY INTERCONNECTED.

Description

06!. 1971 K. M. AGNEW SAFETY SIDES FOR BEDS 3 ShcetsSheet 1 Filed Aug. 26, 1969 Oct. 26, 1971 AGNEW SAFETY SIDES FOR BEDS 3 Shcets-Sheot 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1969 Oct. 26, 1971 K. M. AGNEW SAFETY SIDES FOR mans 5 Shcots--$l1eet 5 Filed Aug. 26, 1969 United States at 3,614,795 SAFETY SIDES FOR BEDS Kenneth Malcolm Agnew, London, England, assignor to National Research Development Corporation, London, England Filed Aug. 26, 1969, Ser. No. 853,011 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Aug. 29, 1968, 41,363/ 68 lint. Cl. A47c 21/00; A47d 7/02; A47f /00 US. Ci. 5-331 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE lDllSClUUSURE A safety side for a bed, including a clamp for engagement with a longitudinal member of the bed, an arm pivotally connected to the clamp, and a fence structure pivotally connected to the arm. The fence may pivot relative to the arm between a position in which it prevents a person falling out of bed and a position in which it extends generally perpendicular to the mattress so that it may constitute a hand-hold for a person on the bed as the bed is raised from a horizontal to a vertical position. The fence and arm may pivot relative to the clamp from the position in which the fence prevents a person falling out of bed to a position in which it is beneath the bed and out of the way for bed making. Safety sides are provided at both sides of a bed and the clamps of the two safety sides are rigidly interconnected.

This invention relates to safety sides for beds.

Safety sides, for preventing a person, for example a patient, falling out of bed, are known. Particularly in hospitals, it is a necessity that safety sides should be displaceable to a position or a condition in which they do not interfere with bed making or treatment of a patient on the bed. Among the safety sides which have been proposed are those which consist of a rigid structure which, when not required for preventing a patient falling out of bed, have to be taken off the bed. Such types of safety side evidently present problems of storage whether for short or long periods. Another known form of safety side consists of a fence structure, mounted on the bed frame, and including upper and lower horizontal members with transverse members parallel to one another, extending between and pivotally connected at their ends to the upper and lower horizontal members. Such safety sides may be raised from an in-operative position to an operative position in which they prevent a patient falling out of bed, by moving the upper horizontal member in a vertical plane under the constraint of the transverse members which pivot relative to the upper and lower members. Such safety sides have the disadvantage that they can interfere with bed making even when in the lowered, inoperative position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved safety side for a bed.

According to the present invention, there is provided a safety side for a bed, comprising a clamp engageable with a longitudinal member of a bed, an arm pivotally connected to the clamp for pivotal movement relative to the clamp about a first axis which is generally parallel to the said longitudinal member when the clamp is engaged with the longitudinal member, an elongate fence struc ture pivotally connected to the arm for pivotal movement relative to the arm about a second axis whereby, when the clamp is engaged with the longitudinal member of the bed, the fence structure may be pivoted about said second axis from a first position in which it extends generally parallel to and above the plane of the longitudinal member from a region above the clamp towards the head of the bed, to a second position wherein it extends up- 3,,fildfl Patented Uct. 26, 1971.

wards above the plane of the longitudinal member in a region between the clamp and the foot of the bed, the fence structure being pivotable with the arm about said first axis from said first position to a third position in which said fence structure is disposed beneath the plane of said longitudinal member of the bed.

A lock for preventing pivotal motion of the arm about said first axis may include a manually operable cam pivotally mounted on the arm and adapted to bear against the clamp.

A catch may be provided which is pivotally mounted on the arm and movable between positions in one of which the catch engages the fence structure and prevents the fence structure moving from said second to said first position.

The fence structure may be telescopic whereby, when it is in its first position, the end of the fence structure remote from the clamp may be adjacent the bed head whatever the position, within limits, of the clamp along the longitudinal member.

A bed preferably has two safety sides each in accordance with the present invention.

The clamps of safety sides at the two sides of the bed may be rigidly connected by a member extending transversely of the bed beneath the plane of the longitudinal members of the bed.

The said second axis may be so directed that, when the safety side is operatively associated with a bed, the plane of the fence structure is substantially vertical in said first position and, when in said second position, is inclined to the vertical and extends over the bed.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevation of a bed fitted with a safety side in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 illustrates a view, partially in section, taken on the line III-III in FIG. 1, and on an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a view similar to that of FIG. 3 with parts in different relative positions.

In FIG. 1 there is illustrated a bed including rectangular-section longitudinal side members 1, end transverse members 3, 5 and intermediate transverse members 7. A deck 9 is carried by the side and transverse members 1, 3, 5, 7. A mattress 11 lies on the deck 9.

The end transverse member 5 supports a bed head 13 which is readily removable. The end transverse member 3 is adapted to mount a bed foot (not shown) which is also readily removable.

A safety side 15 in accordance with the present invention is provided at each side of the bed, but for the purposes of illustration and description only one safety side is illustrated and will be described, it being understood that the other safety side is of similar mechanical construction.

The safety side 15 includes a clamp 17 for engagement with the longitudinal side member 1. The clamp 17 (see FIG. 4), which is functionally similar to a G-clamp, comprises an arm 19 extending over the top of the side member 1, and an upright body 21, with which the arm 19 is integral and which extends downwardly from the arm 19 at the side of the side member 1 outboard of the bed. Towards the lower end of the body 21 there is secured, as by welding, to the body 21 a member 23 which extends beneath the side member 1 to the other side of the bed and at its other end the member 23 is secured to the body 21 of the clamp 17 at the other side of the bed. The two clamps 17 are unified by the common member 23.

A turn screw 25, with a manually engageable knurled knob 27, extends through and is threadably engaged with the member 23 and the end of the turn screw 25 remote from the knurled knob 27 is engageable directly or indirectly with the underside of the side member 1. A lock nut 31 is provided on the turn screw 25.

The arm 19 is provided at its underside with a bearing pad 29 which bears directly or indirectly against the upper side of the side member 1. In the present example, the hearing pad 29 bears indirectly on the side member 1 because the margin of the deck 9 extends over the upper side of the side member 1 and downwardly over the outboard side of the side member 1.

As may be seen in FIG. 4, the body 21 of the clamp is close adjacent the outboard side of the side member 1 so that the clamps with their common member 23 cannot move substantially in horizontal directions from positions relative to the bed in which the member 23 is normal to the vertical planes of the side member 1. In this way, the clamps 17 are constrained to maintain positions in which they are both spaced by a substantially common distance from the head of the bed.

At a position inboard of the side member 1 the member 23 carries a pivot pin 33, the axis of which is parallel to the longitudinal side member 1.

An arm 35 is carried by the pivot pin 33 for pivotal motion about the axis of the pivot pin 33, which axis constitutes a first axis for pivotal motion of parts of the safety side.

The lower portion of the arm 35 is bifurcated and its two limbs 37 are disposed one at each side of the clamp 17, that is, one limb 37 is disposed at the side of the clamp towards the foot of the bed and the other limb 37 is disposed at the side of the clamp towards the head of the bed. An intermediate portion 39 (see FIG. 2) of the arm 35 is of channel section adapted to embrace an upper portion of the body 21 of the clamp 17. The limbs 37 of the lower portion of the arm 35 are extensions of the sides of the channel-section intermediate portion 39 of the arm.

When the arm 35 is in the upright position illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the intermediate, channel-section portion 39 of the arm extends upwardly above the plane of the upper surface of the side member. The sides of the channel-section have lugs 41 extending over the upper surface of the side member and at each side of and above the arm 19 of the clamp.

The upper portion 43 of the arm 35 constitutes a trunnion having a pivot pin 44 pivotally mounting a fence structure 45 of the safety side. The axis of pivotal motion of the fence structure 45, which constitutes a second axis of motion, is inclined upwardly in the direction outwardly sideways of the bed and is inclined slightly towards the head of the bed when viewed in plan and considered in.

the direction from the outside of the bed to over the bed.

The fence structure 45 comprises two parallel

tubular members

47, 49 integral or fixedly connected, as by welding, to a member 51 which extends at one end into the trunnion 43. Telescopically disposed in the

tubular members

47, 49 are the limbs of a generally U-shaped member 52. When the fence structure 45 is in a position, as illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1, for preventing a patient falling out of bed, the transverse portion of the U-shaped member 52 is disposed between two parallel, spaced apart, vertically disposed plates 53 secured to the side upright member of the bed head 13. Secured to the plates 53 is a catch 55 spring biassed to a position in which it prevents movement of the U-shaped member 52 away from the bed head 13.

In order to maintain the fence structure and arm 35 in positions above the deck 9, that is, in order to prevent the arm 35 pivoting about the first axis, that is the axis of the pivot pin 33, a lock is provided which consists of a cam 56 pivotally mounted in the lugs 41 for movement about an axis parallel to the side member 1 above the arm 19 of the clamp 17. The cam 56 may be rocked by a lever 57 between a first position (illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 3) in which it engages the upper surface of the arm 19 of the clamp 17 when the arm 35 is upright and prevents rocking movement of the arm 35. about the pivot pin 33, and a second position (illustrated in chain lines in FIG. 3) which allows pivotal movement of the arm 35 about the pivot pin 33.

Pivotal movement about the pivot pin 33 allows the fence structure 45 to be moved between a position (illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1) in which it prevents a patient falling out of bed, and a second position 45" in which it and the arm 35 do not interfere with bed making, i.e. the fence is disposed beneath the plane of the deck 9. A hook 61 is provided to support the fence structure 45 when in this lowered position 45.

Pivotal movement about the pivot pin 33 provides for getting the fence structure out of the way, for example, during bed making. However, the second pivotal movement about the pivot axis of the trunnion 43 allows the fence structure to be moved to an upright position (illustrated at 45 in FIG. 1) which allows unrestricted access to the upper portion of the body of a patient on the bed. However, the particular form of bed illustrated in FIG. 1 is a bed of which the deck may be pivoted about an axis, approximately located at 62, from a horizontal to a nearly vertical position. Such a bed is described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 853,008, filed in the names of Kenneth Malcolm Agnew and Timothy Coward on the same day as this application. The bed is intended for raising a patient from a supine to an upright position. Prior to raising the bed, a special bed foot is attached to the transverse member 3 so that as the patient is raised to the upright position his feet, or remaining foot, in the case of an amputee, may bear on the bed foot which has (a continuous surface rather than an open framework as is customary in a conventional bed foot. When in upright positions 45, the fence structure constitute hand holds for the patient to steady himself as the deck pivots about axis 62.

As described above, the pivot axis of the trunnion 43 is inclined to both a horizontal plane and to a vertical plane normal to the longitudinal side members 1 of the bed, this being considered when the bed is horizontal and the safety side is in an operative position for preventing a patient falling out of bed. Because of these inclinations of the pivot axis of the trunnion 43, while the fence structure 45 is disposed in a substantially vertical plane when in the position for preventing a patient falling out of bed, when the fence structure is in a position (position 45') in which it acts as a hand hold for a patient being raised, the plane of the fence structure is inclined to the vertical so that it extends over the bed and it is also inclined to the longitudinal axis of the side member so that the tubular member 47 is nearer the centre of the bed than the tubular member 49. In this way the portions of the tubular members 49 which will be gripped by a patient are nearer together than the trunnions 43, which provides a more convenient arrangement for the patient because his hands and arms may be nearer his sides.

When the fence structure is in the position 45' in which it constitutes a hand hold, a portion of the member 45 lies on the bed of the trunnion 43, as can be seen in FIG. 2. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pivot pin of the trunnion is located at a position in the trunnion which is nearer the head than the foot of the bed in order to provide a large area of contact between the bed of the trunnion and the member 45. t

The fence structure is held against rocking from the hand hold position towards the position in which it pre vents a patient falling out of bed, by a spring-biassed catch 71 pivotally mounted on the arm 35.

The position of the fence structure, when constituting a hand hold, may be adjusted longitudinally of the bed by releasing the clamping engagement of the clamps on the side members 1, by turning the knurled knobs 27, and by moving the safety sides in unison. The clamps are subsequently re-engaged with the side members 1 by manipulation of the knurled knobs 27. It is because the position of the clamps along the bed may be varied that the fence structure is telescopic. In this way the fence structure may be used to prevent a patient falling out of bed Whatever the positions, within limits, of the clamps on the side members. The fence structure is also made telescopic because its length in the safety side position has to be greater than the length required in the hand hold position. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the member 52 has been telescoped into the

tubular members

47, 49 when the fence is in the hand hold position 45'.

I claim: 1. A safety side for a bed, comprising: a clamp adapted to engage a longitudinal member of a bed;

an arm; first pivot means having a first pivot axis generally parallel to the longitudinal member when the clamp is engaged with the longitudinal member and adapted to pivotally mount said arm on said clamp; an elongate fence structure; second pivot means having a second pivot axis generally horizontal and generally transverse to the longitudinal member when the clamp is engaged with the longitudinal member and adapted to pivotally mount said fence structure on said arm, whereby when the clamp is engaged with the longitudinal member of the bed, the fence structure may be pivoted about said second pivot axis from a first position in which it extends generally parallel to, and above the plane of, the longitudinal member from a region above the clamp towards the head of the bed, to a second position wherein it cants upwards above the plane of the longitudinal member in a region between the clamp and the foot of the bed, said fence structure being pivotable together with said arm about said first pivot axis from said first position to a third position in which said fence structure is disposed beneath the plane of said longitudinal member of the bed. 2. A safety side as claimed in claim 1, including: a lock having: a manually operable cam; and pivot means adapted to pivotally mount said cam on said arm; said manually operable cam being movable between positions in one of which the cam bears on said clamps whereby said lock prevents pivotal motion of said arm about said first axis. 3. A safety side as claimed in claim 1, including: a catch; pivot means adapted to pivotally mount said catch on said arm; said catch being movable between positions in one of which the catch engages the fence structure and prevents the fence structure moving from said second to said first position. 4. A safety side as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said fence structure includes first and second parts; the first part being adapted to telescope into and out of the second part, whereby the distance between the end of the fence structure remote from the clamp and the clamp may be adjusted.

5. A bed including:

longitudinal members disposed one at each side of the bed; and two safety sides each including:

a clamp releasably secured to a respective one of said side members;

an arm;

first pivot means having a first pivot axis generally parallel to the longitudinal member when the clamp is engaged with the longitudinal member and adapted to pivotally mount said arm on said clamp;

an elongate fence structure;

second pivot means having a second pivot axis generally horizontal and generally transverse to the longitudinal member when the clamp is engaged with the longitudinal member and adapted to pivotally mount said fence structure on said arm whereby said fence structure may be pivoted about said second pivot axis from a first position in which it extends generally parallel to, and above the plane of, the longitudinal member from a region above the clamp towards the head of the bed, to a second position wherein it cants above the plane of the longitudinal member in a region between the clamp and the foot of the bed,

said fence structure being adapted to be pivoted together with said arm about said first pivot axis from said first position to a third position in which said fence structure is disposed beneath the plane of said longitudinal member of the bed.

6. A bed as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

each of said fence structures includes:

first and second parts;

the first part being adapted to telescope into and out of said second part whereby the end of said first part remote from said clamp may be adjacent the head of the bed whatever the position, within limits, of the clamp on the longitudinal member.

7. A bed as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said second pivot axis of each of said safety sides is so directed that the plane of the fence sturcture is substantially vertical in said first position and when in said second position is inclined to the vertical and extends over the bed.

8. A bed as claimed in claim 5, including:

a member extending between and rigidly connected to the clamps of said safety sides, said member being disposed transversely of said bed beneath the plane of said longitudinal members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 908,904 1/1909 Thurm 5331 1,255,539 2/1918 Kuderer 297-417 3,195,153 7/1965 Armstrong et al. 5-331 3,290,701 12/1966 Luff 5331 3,336,609 8/1967 Taylor 5331 3,419,922 1/ 1969 Malherbe 5331 1,266,367 5/1918 Wilson 248284 X PAUL R. GILLIAM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

r Sl00; 248-284