Jan. 19, 1937. A. COMPER LEG SUPPORTING MEANS FOR OBSTETRICAL BEDS I Filed Dec. 27, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES actress 'i OFFME LEG-SUPPORTING MEANS FOR OBSTETRICAL BEDS Application December 27, 1935, Serial No. 56,378
11 Claims.
The invention aims to provide a new and improved, unusually simple, rapidly and easily adjustable leg supporting means for use primarily upon beds designed for the delivery of infants, the construction being such that the legs of the prospective mother, regardless of her size, may be comfortably supported in any of the various positions which may be required, without any parts of the supporting means obstructing the necessary movements of the attending physician.
With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawmgs.
Fig. '1 is a perspective view showing an obstetrical bed or table equipped with the invention.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of the leg supports.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the support shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing portions of the clamping and adjusting means for the saddle which underlies the knee.
Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are side elevations illustrating different positions of adjustment.
Fig. 10 is an end elevation partly in vertical section.
A preferred construction has been shown and will be specifically described, with the understanding however, that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.
The invention is shown upon an obstetrical bed which includes a vertically adjustable and tiltable track frame I2, a frame I3 slidable alon said track frame I2 and carrying a mattress section I4, and a drop frame I5 carrying another mattress section I 6. Before the patient is moved to delivery position, the frame I3 and its mattress section I4 occupy a position toward the head of the bed, the frame I5 and mattress section It being then in a raised position at which they abut the frame I3 and mattress section I 4. As the delivery time approaches, however, the frame I5 and mattress section I6 are lowered as seen in the drawings, and the frame I3 and its mattress section :4 are moved along the main frame I2 to the position shown. The improved leg supports are'carried by theframe 43 and the patients legs may be engaged with said supports before dropping the frame I5 and sliding the frame I3 with the patient lying thereon, to the foot portion of the frame I2.
The corners of the frame I3 toward the foot of the bed, are provided with fixed vertical clamps 5 I! having hand levers or the like I8 by means of which they may be contracted or released. The vertical portions I9 of inverted L-shaped brackets 20 are received in the clamps I! for rotative adjustment, the horizontal portions 2I 10 of these brackets being provided withvertical clamps 22 having hand levers or the like 22 by means of which they may be contracted and released.Vertical rods 23 are received for vertical and rotative adjustment in theclamps 22, the upper ends of these rods being provided withhorizontal bracket arms 24 integrally joined thereto, each of said bracket arms having a longitudinal slot'25.
Leg-supportingsaddles 26 of longitudinally angular, transversely channel-shape form are disposed at the inner sides of thebracket arms 24, and twocontacting plates 21 and 28 are interposed between each bracket arm and the adjacent saddle. Theplates 21 contact with the inner sides of thebracket arms 24 and are provided withlugs 29 received in theslots 25. Each of theplates 2! is also provided with an opening 30 communicating with theslot 25 and with a series of teeth 3i spaced around said opening. 30 Eachplate 28 is rigidly secured by screws or the like 32 to asuitable boss 33 formed integrally with theadjacent saddle 26, and said plate is provided with anintegral stud 34 passing through the opening 30.Plate 28 is provided also with .35teeth 35 engaging theteeth 3|.Suitable clamping nuts 36, preferably having hand levers 31, are threaded upon the outer ends of the twostuds 34 to engage the outer sides of thebracket arms 24. When thesenuts 36 are tightened, the .40saddles 24 are tightly held in fixed relation with thebracket arms 24. When thenuts 36 are loosened however, the saddles may be adjusted longitudinally of thebracket arms 24 and may be tilted vertically about the axes of thestuds 34.
To assist in rigidly connecting theplates 28 with thesaddles 25, said plates may be provided withprojections 38 embedded in thebosses 33. If desired, the.studs 34 could well pass through openings in theplates 28 and be welded to said plates so that the inner ends of said studs would. form theprojections 38.
The lower sides of thesaddles 26 are provided with integral aperturedlugs 39 with whichrods 40 are rotatably and slidably engaged, said lugs being provided with set screws or the like 4| for holding said rods in adjusted position. These rods are adapted to underlie the lower portions of the patients legs, and said rods are provided with foot plates orstirrups 42 to comfortably engage the feet. These foot plates or stirrups are preferably permanently secured to therods 40 and it will be seen that they may be adjusted in any required manner simply by loosening thesetscrews 4|. These foot plates or stirrups, as well as thesaddles 26 are preferably provided withslots 43 to receive suitable straps for securing the patients feet and legs engaged with the supports.
By loosening the clamps i1 and swinging thebrackets 28 so that thearms 2! project in the desired directions, the distance between the twosaddles 26, may be varied as may be required, according to the size of the patient. By loosening theclamps 22, therods 23 may be vertically adjusted to dispose the patients legs at the desired height, and said rods may also be turned about their own axes in saidclamps 22 to dispose thesaddles 26 either in parallel relation or in any desired diverging relations. By loosening thenuts 36, thesaddles 26 may be adjusted longitudinally of thebracket arms 24 or they may be tilted to any required positions. Any adjustments of thesesaddles 26, necessarily adjust the foot plates or the like 42 which are mounted on said saddles by means of therods 40,lugs 39 andscrews 4!. After once loosening these screws and adjusting therods 40 according to the length of the patients lower legs, said screws may be tightened and the foot plates need no further adjustment with respect to the saddles.
Figures 8, 9, and 10 disclose three of the many ways in which the supporting means may be adjusted according tothe requirements of the physician, the exigencies of the case, the ease of the patient, etc. In some cases, if desired, thebrackets 20 may be removed and therods 23 engaged directly with the clamps I! or suitably secured to the bed itself. Also, therods 40 with thefoot plates 42 may be detached from the saddles if required.
I claim:
1. In a leg supporting means for an obstetrical or similar bed, two saddles shaped to underlie the patients knees, supporting and adjusting means mounting said saddles upon the bed, said supporting and adjusting means having portions for adjusting said saddles vertically, for adjusting said saddles longitudinally, and for tilting said saddles about transverse horizontal axes; foot plates to engage the patients feet, and means independent of said supporting and adjusting means and rigidly connecting said foot plates with said saddles for adjustment unitarily therewith.
2. In a leg supporting means for an obstetrical or similar bed, two saddles shaped to underlie the patients knees, supporting and adjusting means mounting said saddles upon the bed, said supporting and adjusting means having portions for adjusting said saddles vertically, for adjusting said saddles longitudinally, for adjusting said saddles laterally into difierent spaced relations, and for tilting said saddles about transverse horizontal axes; foot plates to engage the patients feet, and means independent of said supporting and adjusting means and rigidly connecting said foot plates with said saddles, for adjustment unitarily therewith.
3. In a leg supporting means for an obstetrical or similar bed, two saddles shaped to underlie the patients knees, supporting and adjusting means mounting said saddles upon the bed, said supporting and adjusting means having portions for adjusting said saddles vertically, for adjusting said saddles longitudinally, for adjusting said saddles laterally into difierent spaced relations, for pivot ally adjusting said saddles about vertical axes, and for tilting said saddles about transverse horizontal axes; foot plates to engage the patients feet, and means independent of said supporting and. adjusting means and rigidly connecting said foot plates with said saddles, for adjustment unitarily therewith.
4. In a leg supporting means for a bed, one vertical clamp fixedly carried by the bed, an inverted L-shaped bracket having its vertical portion clamped for rotative adjustment in said one clamp, the horizontal portion of said inverted L-shaped bracket terminating in a second vertical clamp, a vertical rod vertically and rotatively adjustable in said second clamp, the upper end of said rod being provided with an integral bracket arm projecting longitudinally from the foot of the bed, a leg support at one side of said bracket arm, and means adjustably mounting said leg support upon said bracket arm for movement longitudinally of said arm and for vertical tilting.
5. In a leg supporting means for a bed, one vertical clamp fixedly carried by the bed, an inverted L-shaped bracket having its vertical portion clamped for rotative adjustment in said one clamp, the horizontal portion of said inverted L- shaped bracket terminating in a second vertical clamp, a vertical rod vertically and rotatively adjustable in said second clamp, the upper end of said rod being provided with an integral bracket arm projecting longitudinally from the foot of the bed, a saddle disposed at the inner side of said bracket arm and shaped to underlie the knee, means adjustably mounting said saddle upon said bracket arm for movement longitudinally of said arm and for vertical tilting, a rod connected directly with said saddle and projecting therefrom in position to underlie the lower leg,
and a foot stirrup mounted on said rod.
6. In a leg supporting means for a bed, one vertical clamp fixedly carried by the bed, an inverted L-shaped bracket having its vertical portion clamped for rotative adjustment in said one clamp, the horizontal portion of said inverted L- shaped bracket terminating in a second vertical clamp, a vertical rod vertically and rotatively adjustable in said second clamp, the upper end of said rod being provided with an integral bracket arm projecting longitudinally from the foot of the bed, a saddle disposed at the inner side of said bracket arm and shaped to underlie the knee, means adjustably mounting said saddle upon said bracket arm for movement longitudinally of said arm and for vertical tilting, a rod to underlie the lower leg, means connecting this rod directly with said saddle for rotative and sliding adjustment, and a foot plate secured to and projecting upwardly from this rod in fixed relation therewith.
7. In a leg supporting means, a support, a saddle to underlie the knee, means adjustably mounting said saddle upon said support, a rod independent of said support and connected with said saddle in position to lie at the back of the lower leg, and a foot plate mounted upon said rod.
8. In a leg supporting means, a support, a saddle mounted on said support to underlie the knee, the lower side of said saddle being provided with an apertured lug, a rod slidably and rotatively engaged with said lug and projecting longitudinally from said saddle to underlie the lower leg, means for securing said rod in adjusted position in said lug, and a foot plate secured to and projecting upwardly from said rod.
9. In a leg supporting means, a fixed vertical clamp, an inverted L-shaped bracket having its vertical portion rotatively engaged with said clamp, the horizontal portion of said inverted L-shaped bracket terminating in a second vertical clamp, a vertical rod rotatively and slidably engaged with said second vertical clamp, the upper end of said rod being provided with a rigid bracket arm, a leg support at one side of said bracket arm, and means adjustably mounting said leg support upon said bracket arm.
10. In a leg supporting means, a bracket arm having a longitudinal slot, aplate lying against one side of said bracket arm, said plate having an opening communicating with said slot and a lug received in said slot, the side of said plate opposite said bracket arm being provided with teeth spaced around said opening, a leg support provided with a rigid stud extending through said opening and said slot, said leg support having teeth engaging the aforesaid teeth, and a clamping nut threaded on said stud and engaging the side of said bracket arm opposite said plate.
11. In a leg supporting means, a bracket arm having a longitudinal slot, a plate lying against one side of said bracket arm, said plate having an opening communicating with said slot and a lug received in said slot, the side of said plate opposite said bracket arm being provided with teeth spaced around said opening, a leg sup port, a second plate rigidly secured to said leg support and lying against the first mentioned plate, said second plate being provided with a rigid stud passing through said opening and said slot, said second plate being provided also with teeth engaging the teeth of the first mentioned plate, and a clamping nut threaded on said stud and engaging the side of said bracket arm opposite said plates.
ADRIAN COMPER.