Folding bed guard

Feb. 26, 1952

J. B. DES ROCHERS

2,587,291

FOLDING BED GUARD

SHEETS—SHEET 1

Filed

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INVENTOR

ATTORNEYS.

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Feb. 26, 1952 j, _B. des rochers 2,587,291

FOLDING BED GUARD

Filed Oct. 25, 1948 2 SHEETS—SHEET 2

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BY

INVENTOR

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ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 26, 1952

2,587,291

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,587,291

FOLDING BED GUARD

Jean B. Des Rochers, Kerrville, Tex.

Application October 25,1948, Serial No. 56,414

Claims.

This invention relates to folding bed guards. More particularly, the invention has reference to bed guards adapted to serve as attachments for conventional beds to protect the occupant of the bed from falling therefrom.

By way of background, it may be noted that bed guards are useful under many circumstances. Poi· example, all children go through a period of transition during which they are changed over, .so to speak, from cribs to the conventional bed having unguarded sides. Since the child is still quite small, the tendency to fall from the bed still exists, and accordingly, widespread use is made of beds equipped with side guards, and commonly known as “youth beds.” However, in many instances, parents do not desire to incur the special expense of purchasing a bed of this type, and hence, there is need of a removable bed guard that can be attached to any conventional bed, and in such manner as to be removed whenever desired, or collapsed out of sight.

Other important uses of an attachment of the character described may also be noted, as for example, certain types of patients require guards. An example of these can be noted among the chronic invalids, restless convalescents, and delirious patients. Many other uses of such attachments can also be enumerated, and it is accordingly the main purpose of the present invention to provide a bed guard which is attachable to a Conventional bed; is readily secured to or removed from the bed; is readily collapsed out of sight, so as not to interfere with the normal appearance of the bed when not occupied; and is readily extended to its upright operative position.

Another important object is to provide a bed guard of the character described that can be readily fabricated from inexpensive materials, will be portable, and simple in operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a bed guard constructed in accordance with the invention, said guard being illustrated in operative position mounted upon a bed, portions of the bed being broken away.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the bed guard being shown collapsed.

(Cl. 5—331)

Figure 3 is a detail section on line 3—3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse section through the side frame member of the bed, illustrating a clamp whereby the bed guard is secured to the ⁵ bed.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of said clamp.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the clamp.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the clamp members.

1⁰ Figure 8 is a perspective view of a cooperating clamp member.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary transverse section through a, side frame member of another form of bed, illustrating the means for mounting the at1⁵ tachment on said other form.

Figure 10 is a front elevation of the mounting means of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 5 is a side frame member of a bed, said side frame member 20 being of angle iron material, this being a common form of construction used for a great many beds, as for example hospital beds and folding steel cots.

Supported on the bed frame is the conventional 25 spring 6, which in turn supports the conventional mattress 7.

Referring now to the bed guard, this embodies two or more supporting bars 8, three being illustrated in the present instance. These are readily fashioned from flat bar material, and are adapted to support the longitudinal guard members 9. Extended transversely between the longitudinal guard members 9 are the cross bars 10. The members 8, 9, and 10 are all secured together 35 pivotally by means of a pivotal connection including the rivets 11 and the washer 12 that is interposed between the connected members as best shown in Fig. 3. Thus, by the use of these pivotal connections throughout the assembly, the bed ₄₀ guard is adapted to collapse as best illustrated in Fig. 2. When so collapsed, it has its highest point disposed well below the upper surface of the mattress 7, so that it is invisible, and it will be readily noted that since the highest point of the bed 4₅ guard is disposed even below the level of the upper surface of the spring 6, no difficulty will be experienced in making the bed, and after the bed is made, the spread covering the bed can cover the bed guard also, so as to make the arrange50 ment entirely invisible during the daytime or other occasions when the bed is not occupied by the person to be protected.

Formed in the respective uprights 8 adjacent their lower ends are the longitudinal closed slots

13, through which extend the pivot bolts 14, that are secured against removal by means of

2,587,291 the nuts 15. The pivot bolt 14 extends through opening 16 formed in one arm of a clamp member Π formed substantially in the shape of a right angle, said member 17 including the horizontal arm ί 8 that overlies the side frame member 5 of the bed, and clamping bolt 19 extends through longitudinal slot 20 formed in said arm

18.

The clamping bolt 19 also extends through opening formed in the angle member 21, one end of which is adapted to engage the undersurface of the side frame member 5, and the other end of which has formed in it the opening through which the bolt 19 passes.

The lower end of the bolt 19 extends through longitudinal slot 22 formed in the clamping bar 23, and wing nut 24 holds all the parts assembled and tightly clamped to the side frame member.

Extended laterally from the lower end of the clamp member 17 are the two lip members 25 spaced to define the open ended slot 26, and received in slot 26 is the neck 27 of a fiat tongue .28, having the opening 29 into which is adapted to be removably inserted the finger 30 extended from the lower end of the supporting bar 8.

Assuming that the clamps have all been secured to the side frame member of a bed, it becomes apparent that the bed guard is brought to an upright operative position simply by grasping any of the component members thereof, whereupon the entire assembly is pivoted on the bolts 14 and elevated, this elevation being permitted by the slots 13. Then, it is necessary only to allow the fingers 30 to drop into the openings 29, whereupon the bed guard is securely held in its upright position. When being raised or lowered, it does not interfere with any of the bed clothes, as can readily be noted, and can be used for various types of beds including hospital beds having means for adjusting one end of the bed upwardly.

For collapsing the bed guard, it is necessary only to lift the bed guard to a sufficient extent to permit the fingers 30 to clear the openings 29, whereupon the bed can be collapsed to the position illustrated in Fig. 2, in which position it is below the upper or body-supporting surface of the bed, does not interfere with the making of the bed, and is invisible and out of the way to all practical purposes.

With respect to the securing or removal of the clamps, it may be noted and this is readily accomplished by removal of wing nut 24, whereupon the fiat clamping bar 23 is permitted to swing downwardly for ready removal of the clamp from the side frame member 5. The reverse operation permits securing of the clamp to said side frame member.

Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10, I have here illustrated a mounting means whereby the bed guard can be secured to a bed having wooden side boards. In this instance, there can be screwed into the side board 3t, in vertically spaced alignment, the lag screw 32 and screw eye 33. Lag screw 32 provides a pivot bolt for the supporting bar 8, corresponding to the pivot bolt 14 of the first form, while the screw eye 33 is adapted to receive the finger 30 depending from the lower end of the supporting bar. It may be readily observed that in this from also, the operation of raising or lowering the bed guard is quite simple.