US2352837A - Over-bed table attachment - Google Patents

Description

July 4, 1944.

OVERBED TABLE ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 16, 1945 2 Sheets-She et l w. A. HILLENBRAND 2,352,837

y 4, w. A. HILLENBRAND. 2,352,837

OVERBED TABLE ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16 '1943 v INVENTOR.

BY e;wa.

Patented July 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATE OVER-BED TABLE ATTACHIVIENT William A. Hillenbrand, Franklin county, Ind., assignor to nill-Rom'Gom'pany, Inc., Batesville,

Ind., a corporation of Indiana.

Application January 16, 1943, Serial No. 472,582

3 Claims. (Cl. 31140) This invention relates to an overbed table attachment adapted to be used as an adjunct to a bedside table or other similar article of furniture for hospital use. The invention is particularly concerned with an attachment in which the top is foldable to a vertical position when not in use and adjustable to any height desired.

Attachments of the type of the invention are frequently furnished as an integral part of a hospital bedside table or cabinet. However, the

attachment forms a separable unit in and of itself and may be utilized in conjunction with other conventional articles of furniture used in hospitals and similar places. The invention resides entirely in the construction of the attachment itself and the article of furniture to which it T wood or composition materials. In the preferred embodiment which will be hereinafter described it will be noted that there is almost a complete absence of parts made from metal and other similar materials having priority status at the present time.

Another object of the invention has been to v provide an overbed attachment in which the vertical elevating and lowering means have been so constructed and arranged as to provide an operation which is very smooth and even and at the J same time practically noiseless.

Another object has been the provision of a structure of the type contemplated in which there is little or no friction between the moving parts so that there is no necessity for oiling or other care of the apparatus.

Another object has been the provision of improved means for adjusting and maintaining the table top in a preselected horizontal position, the means employed being simple in construction yet very convenient and secure in operation.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the further and more detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a conventional hospital bedside table, having an overbed table attachment of the preferred type of the invention attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the tab e in operative position-with the support elements extended laterally and the top in horizontal position. v v

Figure 3 is another View similar to*Figure 1 but showing the tabletop'lowered 'toyertical position andthe support elements folded inwardly toward the bedside table. Y

Figure 4 is a'sectional view along the line 4-6, Figure 2, illustrating particularly the construction of the vertical adjustment means.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the upper section of the overbed table shown in the same position as in. Figure '1 and being partially broken away to illustrate particularlythe construction of the top support-means and the manner inwhich it functions in sustaining the top and lowering it to vertical position.

Considering now a further and more detailed description of the construction of thein'vention', an overbed table'atta'chment illustrating the preferred embodiment is indicated at [0, Figure 1. A hospital bedside table is indicated at H Since the construction of this latter table forms no part of the invention, its construction will" not be described in detail.

In operative position the attachment comprises generally a gate I-2 and a horizontal or top'portion I 3 joined and supported'by the elevating arm 14 and connected thereto by the hinges l5. Brackets l6 are secured 'tothe' gate l2 and these in turn may be attached to the bedside table H.

The gate includes vertical post members Hand l8 joined together at their ends by horizontal rail members I9. The vertical post member 11 is hollow as will be later describedin more'detail and the rail members l9 are joined to it by screws and dowel pins indicatedgenerally at 2B; 'This gate is supported in recesses inthe brackets l5 (see Figure 4) by pins 32 journaled in the horizontal surfacesof these recesses.

A vertically adjustable elevating post 21 may be approximately the same height as the vertical post member I! and has its lov'ver end positioned in the hollow opening therein. This post I1 is of generally rectangular construction in cross section and has formed in a side'jedge thereof a rack comprised of a plurality of teeth 22 and notches 23. The inner surface of the latter maybe sub stantially flat as illustrated. A brace 24 is affixed to the upper end of the post 2] and is connected by hinges l 5 to the table top l3. A hand knob 25 is positioned on the extreme upper edge surface of the elevating post 2|. The table top I3 is further aflixed to the brace 24 by means of the elevating arm 14. This arm is secured to the two sections of the arm in rigid position withrespect to each other when the top is in horizontal position. When the top is lowered to vertical position the tension is released and the arm sec-- tions assume the positionsh'owmin the dotted lines in Figure 5. When the table too is in vertical position, also as illustrated in Figure 5, a

stop element 30 holds the top I3 away-from the vertical member l2 and prevents the depending end from catching on the upper edge of the vertical'post-member I of the g'a'te:

The vertical" adEius't'ment mea-n's forthe post Tl are illustrated in Figure 4. As shown, the upper rail-element l9 of'th'e gated iaLs' onecorner 3| somewhat r'ou'n'ded to provide clearance and permit'the: gate to swing" in one 1 cinematon' the pin 32. As previously stated, therair members |9- re'st in-'-recesses'=' in the brackets 'IS'L" These brackets" may berjoined tw the bedside table by bolts 33. Thevertrea post member IFof'tlie gate is generally square insection and 'niay be formed in four sections; includlh 'thefront"or face sectl f 37 the side section's' 3'B"'andthe"back sectiOnRBS'IFi'gure 4 Tlie elevatingpost 21 is fitted intotlie hollow' defined" y'these-"se'c tio'ns and: may" itself be of sectional construction, the elements including-a face-"section 38. sidelsection's' 39 and a rear 'sectibn 40'. All of the various sections,- :both in the elevating post 2| andfthe gate postm'ember 'I-B, maybeset in recesses in adj oining' member's as shown" and "secured bygluing'orrdoweipins (nor-shown). The base of I'the hand 5knob"25 acts* as a cap for the hollow verticali elevating'post 2r and-conceals the opening therein.

The elevation" adjustment means or ratchet compris'esra knob4| and a rod" section 42. A groove: 43 is formed ini'thelatter 'a t a central point for*'the"recepti'on of an end of'the P spring 44; This spring is preferably offlexiblepl'asti'c material and has its *otherendrsecured in a-slot 45 in'the outer edge of the upper r'ai-l? |9 "of'fthe gate. One or morescrews 4! maintain itfirmly in position. The spring is-adaptedI to be fiexed across the aperture 48 as outward pressure "is exerted on the knob 4| 10f the" elevation adjustment means 26. As: this pressure-is exerted the end of the rodsection 42 becomesdisengaged from the notch 23-where'it'would normall yibe held by the spring flvandtheivertical-elevation post 2| is.released,= and byvgravi-tyvnormally 'will drop-into the-hollow in the-gatepost-rnember I! untilit reaches a-pointillustrated:in-Figu-re3 wherefurther' downward progress-is haltedby the abutment of the brace.- 24-on the .upper. surface of themember |9.. Through properadjustmentof ithe elevating-- means a very smooth and even .action canJbe obtainedv as duringthe elevating operation. (which. is. manual) the contact edge of. the rod section. .42. of theelevating means 2 6 tends to slide overv the tapered .uppersurfaces of the teeth 22 (see Figures 1 and 5) with little or no friction and resulting noise. In lowering, the operator conventionally grasps the knob 25 with one hand and then disengaging the contact edge of the elevating means by pulling outwardly on the knob 4| manually lowers the elevating post 2| to the position desired whereupon the knob 4| isreleased and the contact edge again engages the notch selected. As best illustrated in Figure 3, when the post is completely lowered and the gate swung toward the bedside table the entire structure is quite unobtrusive.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, theinvention completely dispenses with all heavytrmetal parts and there is little possibility of wear or breakage in the operative parts necessitati'ng upkeep and repair.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1.. In an overbed table attachment a swingable gate having a hollow vertical post, an elevating post slidable-in said gate post and: supporting a tabletop atthe upper end thereof, said: elevatin post having a rack formed "in aside edge'thereof and elevation adjustment means cooperating with' said rack in supporting said elevating post in a preselected vertical position, saidielevation adjustment means comprising a- .blunt pointed rod inserted through an openinminthe ate post, and spring' means normally actuating said-rod againstsaid' racln. said spring means engaging the red at a point intermediateeits ends;

2. An overbed tableattachment entirely formed from woodor similar materials andcomprising a swingable gate, said gate including ahollow post, an elevating post positioned in' said hollow postand contained thereby, means for manually raising and lowering saidelevating post, a top supported bysaid elevating post, a rack of teeth and notches formed in a side-edge-of said elevating-post, a blunt pointed rod .supportedrby the gate and movable into and out of said hollow post forengaging the notches in the rack,.spr.ing means supported by the gate for engaging-the rod at an intermediate point and-actuatingit toward the notches and means for manually disengaging the rod during a. raising or lowering operation.

3-. An. overbed attachment for a table comprising a frame member, means for pivotally attaching the frame member to a table,. said frame member including a vertical hollow post-and a horizontal rail member secured -to said post, an elevating post positioned in said hollow post and contained thereby, a table top supported by said elevating post, a rack of teeth andnotches positioned on a side edge of the elevatin post, said teeth having inclined edges and said notches having substantially flat faces, a blunt pointed pawl supported in the horizontal rail member of the frame and movable intoand out of the hollow post through an aperture therein, a fiat resilient spring member supported in the horizontal rail member interiorly thereof, said spring member engaging the pawl at a point intermediate its ends and normally-actuating the point of the pawl into engagement with the. notches on the rack, and means at the reverseend of the pawl for disengaging its point from the notches to permit lowering of the elevating post.

WILLIAM A. HILLENBRAND.

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