US2932038A - Couch - Google Patents

Description

A. J. SPRAGUE April 12, 1960 COUCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22, 1957 April 12, 1960 Filed Aug. 22, 1957 A. J. SPRAGUE COUCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States PatentO COUCH Arthur J. Sprague, Spring Valley, Calif.

Application August 22, 1957, Serial No. 679,647

9 Claims. (Cl. -62) 1 This invention. relates to couches, and more particularly to a couch which permits the user to recline comfortably in an inclined head-down position as for therapeutic purposes.

The invention is an improvement upon the couch shown in my copending application Serial No. 497,263, filed March 28, 1955, for Couch, now abandoned, among the several objects of the invention being the provision of an improved construction for a couch of the general, type shown in said copending application, comprising a pivoted platform or cradle which is tiltable to an inclined position for permitting the user to recline comfortably in an inclined head-down position, the construction being such that once adjusted so as to be balanced for a particular user, the cradle may be tilted to a generally vertical position and the user may take a standing position thereon and then easily effect tilting of the cradle to any desired inclination; and the provision of a construction such 'as described which is readily adjustable to provide for balancing in the case of users of different height and different weight distribution. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

thereof in a generally upright position;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the couch with the cradle thereof in the generally upright position in which it is shown in Fig. 3;

The bushings 9 serve for the pivotal mounting of a cradle carrier generally designated 11 and comprising a pair of sector-shaped frames 13 joined by a torque bar 15. Each sector-shaped frame 13 (hereinafter referred to as a sector) comprises a pair of flat bars 17 and 19 which are joined together at and which diverge from the apex 21 of the sector, and an arcuate bar 23 which joins the ends of the bars '17 and 19, being curved on an are centered in the apex of the sector. The torque bar 15 consists of a length of pipe or thin-walled conduit having its ends welded to bars 25 which are bolted to the bars 17 of the sectors. Each sector 13 has a pivotpin 27 fixed thereto at one end of itsarcuate bar 23 (the end where bars 23 and 19 meet) extending outward through the respective bushing 9. The outer end of each pivot pin 27 is threaded and receives a stop nut 29.

The-cradle 1 comprises a generally rectangular board 31 having a width somewhat less than the spacing of the A-frames 5 (and suflicient comfortably to support a person), and a length somewhat less than the height of the average person. Side boards 33 are provided at opposite sides of the board 31. It will be understood that padding may be provided on boards 31 and 33. Fastened to the bottom of the board 31 adjacent its side edges and at a distance from one end of the board which 'constitutes its foot about one-fourth the length of the board are short lengths of angle iron 35 (see Fig. 3). The cradle 1 is pivotally mounted with respect to cradle carrier 11 by means of bolts 37 which extend through bolt holes in these angle irons and bolt holes in the sectors 13 located at the sector centers. The bolts 37 for pivotally mounting the cradle with respect to the cradle carrier or sectors are axially aligned and define an auxiliary horizontal axis identified as axis B which is parallel to the primary axis A- As shown, auxiliary axis B and the plane of cradlel are located below primary axis A when the cradle is in a horizontal position.

' Means is provided for holding the cradle 1 in various positions of adjustment relative to axis A (these positions being obtained by swinging the cradle relative to the eradle carrier 11 on axis B). As shown, the arcuate bar 23 of each sector 13 is provided with'a series of pinreceiving holes 39 which are spaced at equal intervals.

4 Secured to the bottom of. the cradle board 31 ancl ex- Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the couch-with the cradle Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3; v

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and, 7

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corre sponding parts throughout the several views of the draw- -.1ngs.

Referring to the drawings, a couch of this invention tending completely across the bottom of this board is an angle iron 41. Extending from the ends of this angle iron on the outside of the side boards 33 are flat bars 43 (see Figs. 2, 4 and 6). Securedto these bars 43..are U-shaped members 45 which straddle the arcuate bars 23 of the sectors 13. I

Fastened to the angle iron 41 at its center is a guide 47 comprising a short bar having outwardly projecting end ears 49. Looking pins 51 for entry in the holes 39 .in the arcuate sector bar 23 are axially slidable in holes in the bars 43, the inner legs of the U-shaped members 45 and the end ears 49 of guide 47. These locking pins are formed from rods which are bent to provide handle portions 53 at the inner ends of the pins extending at right angles to the pins. Compression springs 55 which is shown to comprise a cradle generally designated 1 pivotally carried by a base generally designated 3. The

base comprises a pair of side supports each generally designated 5 joined by crossbars 7 and 8. Each side support 5, as shown, comprises an A-shaped frame, made for example of pipe lengths or lengths of thin-walled conduit. At the apex of each of the side frames 5 is a horizontal bushing 9, welded in place in a hole in the frame, extending transversely with respect to the base. The two bushings 9 in the two frames are axially aligned and define a primary horizontal axis identified as axis A. I

surround the pins 51 react from the ears 49 of guide 47 against washersv57 on the pins 51, these washers abutting against cotter pins 59 received in holes in the pins 51. These springs 55 bias the pins 51 outward to their locking positionill'ustrated in Fig. 3 in which theouter end of each pin 51 is entered in a hole 39 of a respective arcuate sector bar 23 and engages the outer leg of the respective U-shaped member 45. Tdrelease the pins 51 from holes 39, the handles 53 are grasped and 3 squeezed toward one another to slide the pinse'l inward against the bias of springs 55. Guides such as.indicated at may be provided on the cradle side boards 33 for guiding the arcuate sector bars 23. v

" guides 63, 75 and ears '73. formed from rods which are bent to provide handle portions 79 at the inner ends of the pins extending at right boards 31 and 33.

'guide 85 is a U-shaped pin guide 101.

hastened to the bottom of the cradle board 31 adjacent opposite sides thereof and extending longitudinally of the board from the foot of the board are tubular guides 63 which may be of rectangular cross section. Slidable in these guides are tubular bars 65 which may also be' of rectangular cross section and dimensioned for a sliding lit in the guides 63. Spanning the lower end of the bars 65 is a foot rest 67 which extends generally at right angles to the length of bars 65 and the cradle board 31 back across the foot of the board 31. Bars 65 which carry the foot rest are'slidable'in the guides 63 to adjust the foot rest longitudinally with respect to the era- Means is provided for locking the foot 'rest'67 in various'positions of adjustment relativeto the cradle 1. As shown, each bar 65 has a series of holes 69 inits' inside wall. fastened toth e bottomof the cradle board 31at the center thereof and"closely adjacent'its foot is a'pin guide 71 comprising a 'short bar having outwardly'pr ojctingend ea r's73. Fastened to the bottom of the board adjacent the inside ofguides 63 and in line with guide 71 are angle-section guides 75. Locking pins 77 for entry in the holes 69 are axially slidable in holes in the These locking'pins are angles to the pins. Compression springs 81 which surround the pins 77 react from the ears 73 of guide 71 against washers 83 on the pins 77, these washers abutting against cotter pins 84 received in holes in the pins 77. These springs 81 bias the pins 77 outward to their locking position illustrated in Fig. 3 in which the outer end of each pin is entered in a hole 69 of a respective bar 65. To release thepins 77 from holes 69, the han- 'dles 79 are grasped and squeezed toward one another to slide the pins 77 inward against the bias of springs 81.

Fastened to; the bottomofthe cradle board 3l extending longitudinally'and centrally thereof under the angle iron 41is a tubular guide 85 of rectangular cross section. Spacers 87 are provided under the angle iron 41 on opposite sides of the guide 85. Slidable in guide 85 is a tubular bar 89 also of rectangular 'cross section and dimensioned for a sliding fit in the guide 85. Bar 89 extends out of the guide beyond the head end of the board. At its outer end is-a gooseneck member 91 to which is fastened the headboard 93 of a head and shoulder rest designated in its entirety by the reference character 95. Fastened m ne headboard 9 3 at the inner corners thereof and 'proje cting laterally outward therefrom are shoulder rests 9 7. It will be understood'that"the head and shoulder rest maybe padded like the cradle The bar 89 which carries the head and shoulder rest is slidable' in guide 85 to adjustthe head and shoulder rest 95 longitudinally with respect to the cradle 1. Means 'er'107 which: abuts a, cotter pin 109. Pin 193 has its outer end formed asaneye 111 to serve as a handle.

A handle 113 is provided on bar 89. For steadying bar- 89, it has ajcross bar 115 (see Fig. 3) which has grooves at 117 receiving runners 119 fastened to the bottom of thecradleboard 31. Circular hand rests 121 have chords 123 welded to the upper ends of the A- frames.5. Spring latch means such as indicated at 125 may be-provided forlatching thecradle 1 in the Fig. 4

7 position. As shown in Figs. 24 and 7, this latch means comprises a spring' clip -127 mounted at -the center "of crossbar 7, anda detent 129 mounted on the bottom of the cradle engageable in the clip.

The credle 1 is balanced for a particular user in the following manner: With the cradle in the generally upright position such as is shown in Fig. 4, and latched therein by the latch means 125, the locking pins 51 for the sectors 13 are released to allow the cradle 1 to rotate on axis B, and the cradle is rotated to an approximate position of adjustment and locked therein by entry of the locking pins in the appropriate holes in the arcuate sector bars. For example, the cradle may be adjusted to a position wherein the board bisects the sectors. With this approximate adjustment made, the user stands on the foot rest 67, leans back against the cradle, and an assistant swings the cradle to the horizontal position in which the cradle is shown in Fig. 2. Then the user shifts his body 'toward 'one'end or the other of'the'cradle, as may be required,'to a position of balance, i.c., to a position wherein thece'nter of gravity of the user with his arms at his sides and the cradle is in a vertical plane including the axis A. Then the foot rest 67 is adjusted to contact the users feet and the head and shoulder rest 95 is adjusted for the shoulder rests 97 to contact his shoulders. Thus, the foot rest and shoulder rests are located to determine the longitudinal position which the user must assume on the cradle for equilibrium in respect to axis A. Then the cradle is returned to the generally upright position of Fig. 4, and a final swinging adjustment of cradle 1 about axis B is made, if needed, for equilibrium in this position about axis A, i.c., a final adjustment is made to bring the center of gravity of the user with his arms at his sides and the cradle in the line of axis A.

Thus, the cradle is adjusted so that with this particular user thereon, with his feet against the foot rest and his shoulders against the shoulder rests, and his arms at his sides, the combined weight of the user and cradle is nicely balanced with respect to axis A, so that the cradle may be swung on axis A to any desiredposition (including a position wherein the users head is down) without appreciable effort and will remain in any position in which it is stopped. Swinging of the cradle may be accomplished, for example, by lifting the arms to change the location of the center of gravity or by grasping the hand rests 121 and pulling or pushing.

'In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageOus results attained.

As various changes could be made in the, above constructions without departing from thescope of theinvention, it is intended that'allmatter contained'in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted" asillustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim: 7

1. A couch comprising a pair of side supports, a cradle carrier pivotally mounted on said side supports for pivotal movement on a primary horizontal axis, a cradle carried by said cradle carrier for pivotal movement relative to said cradle carrier toward and away from said primary axis on an auxiliary horizontal axis parallel to the primary axis, said auxiliary axis and the plane of said cradle being located'below said primary axiswhen said cradle isin a horizontal position, and means for holding the cradle locked to the cradle carrier-in various positions of angular adjustment relative to said cradle carrier.

2. A couchcomprisinga pair of side supports, a. cradte carrier, pivotally mounted on said side supports for pivotal movement on a primary horizontal axis and located between said side supports, said cradle carrier comprising a pair of fiat carrier members having pivots extending outward therefrom journalled in the side supports, and means interconnectingsaid'fiatcarrier members-for conjoint rotation-of said'pivots, a cradle carried by and between said-carrier-membersfor pivotal movement-relative to said cradle carrier toward and away from said primary axis on an auxiliary horizontal axis parallel to the primary axis, and means on the cradle engageable with said carrier membersfor holding the cradle locked thereto in various positions of angular-adjustment relative to said cradle carrier.

3. A couch as set forth in claim 2 further comprising I a foot rest at one end of said cradie mounted for adjust ment in longitudinal direction relative to the cradle, and a head and shoulder rest at the other end of the cradle mounted for adjustment in longitudinal direction relative to the cradle.

4. A couch comprising a pairof side supports, a

cradle carrier pivotally mounted on said side supports for pivotal movement on a primary horizontal axis and located between said side supports, said cradle carrier comprising a pair of sectors having pivots adjacent one outer corner thereof extending outward therefrom and jonrnalled in the side supports, a bar interconnecting the sectors for conjoint rotation thereof on said pivots, a cradle carried by and between said sectors for pivotal movement relative to said cradle carrier toward and away from said primary axis on an auxiliary horizontal axis parallel to the primary axis and located at the centers of the sectors, and means on the bottom of the cradle engageable with the sectors for holding the cradle locked thereto in various positions of adjustment relative thereto.

5. A couch as set forth in claim 4 wherein the said means for holding the cradle locked to the sectors comprises a pair of pins mounted on the bottom of the cradle for transverse sliding movement, the outer ends of the pins being engageable in holes in the sectors, each sector having an arcuate series of pin-receiving holes located on an are centered in the said auxiliary axis, the pins being biased in outward direction.

6. A couch as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a pair of tubular guides on the bottom of the cradle extending longitudinally thereof from one end thereof, bars slidable in said guides and extending beyond said one end of the cradle, a foot rest spanning the bars at their outer ends, and means on the bottom of the cradle 6 for locking the bars in the guides at various positions of longitudinal adjustment.

7. A couch as set forth in claim 6 wherein the said means for locking the bars comprises a pair of pins mounted on the bottom of the cradle for transverse sliding movement, the outer ends of the pins extending through holes in the tubuiar guides and being engageable in holes in the bars, each bar having a longitudinal series of pin-receiving holes, the pins being biased in outward direction.

8. A couch as set forth in claim 7 further comprising a tubular guide on the bottom of the cradle extending longitudinally thereof, a bar slidable in said guide and extending beyond the other end of the cradle, a head and shoulder rest cmried by said bar, and means on the bottom of the cradle for locking the bar in the guide at various positions of longitudinal adjustment.

9. A couch as set forth in claim 8 wherein the said means for locking the'bar comprises a pin mounted for movement toward and away from the bottom of the cradle, the inner end of the pin extending through a hole in the tubular guide and being engageable in a hole in the bar, the bar having a longitudinal series of pinreceiving holes, the pin being biased inward toward the bottom of the cradle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,401,027 Adler Dec. 20, 1921 2,176,342 Hoppe Oct. 17, 1939 2,179,085 De Rose Nov. 7, 1939 2,308,747 Froelich Jan. 19, 1943 2,366,972 Lawrence Jan. 9, 1945 2,446,275 Glasin Aug. 3, 1948 2,475,289 MacGregor July 5, 1949 2,515,261 Poskin July 18, 1950 2,562,339 Socol July 31, 1951 2,574,091 Eaton Nov. 6, 1951 2,630,800 Voss et al. Mar. 10, 1953 2,735,738 Berne Feb. 21, 1956

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