US3016275A - Medical examination table - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 9, 1962 Filed Feb. 19, 1960 R. 5. GRANT MEDICAL EXAMINATION TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Eafierf J. ran t g Arm/W59 Jan. 9, 1962 R. 5. GRANT 3,016,275

MEDICAL EXAMINATION TABLE Filed Feb. 19, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VE N TOR EoZert 45! Grant y gg-e-wbw.

ATTUR/Vi Y United States Patent 1 3,016,275 MEDICAL EXAMINATION TABLE Robert S. Grant, 3725 Pace Blvd, Lincoln, Nebr. Filed Feb. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 9,749 4 Claims. (Cl. 312209) This invention relates to equipment used in-the exami nation and treatment of various conditions of the human anatomy to facilitate and simplify such examination and treatment and to provide implements or toolsof the trade in a conveniently available location;

The invention relates particularly to medical examination tables employed in the practice of pediatrics, including the basic tools needed by the physician during the examination of a child or adult and capable of accommodating a new-born infant, an adult of intermediate or above average height.

Heretofore equipment used in the examination of patients by doctors, especially pediatricians, has been clumsy and awkward and has determined to a great extent the time required for such examination. Also, there has been little provision for. the holding of equipment and materials, with the result that the capacity for treatment has been limited.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved examination table having a telescopic slide, a guard rail which can be raised and lowered as required and which blends into the contour of the table when not used, an in-built shelf on which scales can be supported for weighing an infant and eliminating the necessity for taking the infant to another location, a second in-built portion which can be wholly or partly withdrawn from theconfiguration of the table to serve as a seat or step, and with the table provided with compartments for medical equipment and accessories including a drawer and a measuring stick which fits into a recess in the table.

Other objects and advantages-of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in con-Z one end of the table illustrat- FIG. 5, an enlarged fragmentary detail on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4. I

Briefly stated, the invention is an examination table which is a cabinet having a top constituting a supporting surface with a top side rail having an upper surface which can be disposed well above or flush with the upper surface of the table and with a telescoping slide which can be pulled outwardly to form a shelf, a slide-out step or stool, and a scale-supporting drawer. The table is a generally rectangular structure, with a step or seal, a slide-out drawer for scales for Weighing, a shelf slide, an adjustable top side rail, a solid front panel, a cabinet having a pair of doors in the front and a drawer above the same.

With continued reference to the drawings, the table of the present invention includes a top 10, a bottom 11, a front 12, a rear :13, ends -.14 and 15 and supporting legs 16.

The top surface may be of plastic with a cushioning material 17 thereon and at the front there is a recess 18 in which is disposed an adjustable guard rail 19 mounted on guide rods 20* to which such guard rail is fixed, said guide rods 20 being disposed in openings 21, 22 and 23 in which the guide rods are slidable.

Latches 24 are engageable with the guide rods 20 for A we fastening the adjustable guard rail 19 at the desired elevation, the latches 24 being connected to rods 28 slidable in bores 26, the rear ends of such rods being attached to uprights or handles 27 for moving the latches to release the rods, springs 29 being disposed against pins on members 24 while the other end of the springs bear against a shoulder in the bore 26 for retaining them in projected or latching position. The adjustable guard rail is of a thickness corresponding to the recess or cutaway portion in which it is disposed. The two handles 27 aredisposed at opposite sides of the center guide rod in a groove 30- along the front of the structure be neath the adjustable guard rail when it is in its lowermost position.

The end 15 has an opening 33 therein in which is mounted a shelf slide 34 with a pair of dovetailed slots 35 to provide a gripping knob 36 so that the slide 34 may be withdrawn sufficiently to provide a shelf or support.

Beneath the slide 34 is a drawer space 37 in which is mounted a drawer front composed of upper and lower portions 38 and 39 connected by concealed hinge means 40 (FIG. 4) so that the upper portion 38 may be swung outwardly and downwardly to a depending position to afford free access to a shelf 41. The shelf 41 has a channel 42 depending from each side and is adapted to move in and out of the cabinet on rollers carried by cooperating slides 43 mounted on guide members on the front and rear sides of the cabinet. The upper drawer front portion 38 has a slot 47 in which is received an inset drawer pull 48 secured by any desired means within the slot 47.

The end 15 of the cabinet is provided with an opening 50 for the accommodation of the front 51 of a step or stool having sides 52 and 53 and a top 54.

The side members 52 and 53 of the step or stool ride upon tracks formed of spaced parallel members connected to the front and rear of the cabinet and are retained therein by guide members engaging the top 54 as shown in FIG. 5. The step or stool may be pulled I out by engaging the lower end of the front 51.

Half of the front of the'cabinet beneath the table in place.

It will be apparent that the medical examination table of the present invention is such that it can be used to facilitate the examination of patients, and where the patient is a young infant the guard rail is readily available,

as well as a pair of scales, and where the patient is taller the table can be readily extended in length to accommodate such patient, and a drawer is provided accessible to accommodate such patient, and a drawer is provided accessible from the front of the cabinet in which medicines and supplies are kept and below which drawer a compartment is located for the reception of other articles which are accessible through a pair of readily movable doors.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

, What is claimed is:

1. An examination table having a top providing an elongated supporting surface, a front side wall, end walls and a rear side, a vertically adjustable guard rail above said front side Wall end extending along the length of and adjoining the front edge of said top so that in the lowered position it isflush with said top supporting surface and constitutes the upper front corner of the table, means supporting said guard rail for vertical movement, means for securing said guard rail at the desired elevated position .sothat it may prevent objects from lOlliIlg off the table top and exposed handle means below the guard rail for operating said securing means.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the lower surface of the guard rail in its lowered position is spaced from the upper surface of the front side wall thereby providing a groove and wherein the handles for said securing means ex tend into said groove whereby the operator has easy access to the guard rail and handles for raising and lowering said guard rail.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein one end wall has i a narrow opening directly below said table top, a slide shelf substantially the width of said top slidably mounted directly under said. table top between said guard rail and said rear side and movable in and out of said narrow opening from a concealed position to an exposed operative position to provide an extension of the supporting surface of the table for adjusting the table to patients of diflerent heights.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein the supporting means for said guard rail comprises a plurality of vertical guide rods slidable in openings in said front side wall and wherein said securing means comprises pins mounted in bores in said front side wall and engageable with said guide rods.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 658,999 Scannell Oct. 2, 1900 877,104 Meier Jan. 21, 1908 1,184,299 Bargreen May 23, 1916 1,649,053 Allison Nov. 18, 1927 1,705,851 Bukoit Mar. 19, 192-9 2,340,762 -Lundin Feb. 1; 1940 2,853,719 Levin Sept. 30, 1958 2,891,258 Reichert June 23, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 20,149 Great Britain 1914

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