US3423057A - Brackets for mounting on a bedside table or the like - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 21, 1969 R. N. IVERSON 3,423,057 I BRACKETS FOR MOUNTING ON A BEDSIDE TABLE OR THE LIKE Sheet Filed Jan. 27, 1967 INVENTOR 'PoLANb N. lvatzsou ATTORNEYS 'Jan. 21,1969 Nv 3,423,057

BRACKETS FOR MOUNTING ON A BEDSIDE TABLE OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 27, 1967 Sheet 2 of z- FIG? United States Patent 3,423,057 BRACKETS FOR MOUNTING ON A BEDSIDE TABLE OR THE LIKE Roland N. Iverson, 2424 Converse St, Dallas, Tex. 75207 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 458,200,

May 24, 1965. This application Jan. 27, 1967, Ser. No.

629,041 US. Cl. 248-296 2 Claims Int. Cl. A47f /13 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Brackets for mounting of communications equipment or the like including a rod-type support, the bracket and rod being pivotally related to one another and the bracket having spring-biased detent means for holding the rod in selected relation to the bracket.

Cross reference to related application This application is a continuation-in-part of prior United States application Ser. No. 458,200, filed May 24, 1965, and now abandoned.

Background of the invention Field of the inventi0n.'l'his invention pertains to a bracket, and more specifically to a new and novel communication unit in the nature of a nurse call, embodying a bracket assembly in combination with a vertical support and an electrical communication unit.

Description of the prior art.lt has been previous practice in hospitals, nursing homes, and similar establishments, to provide communication units in patients quarters in proximity to beds, the units usually being imbedded in a wall adjacent the bed in fixed location. Wall mounted units require that the bed be positioned with its head portion adjacent thereto, and access for servicing, repair, or replacement is difficult.

Summary of the invention It is an objective of the present invention to provide a call unit and brackets of a construction such that the unit is adapted for convenient positioning adjacent the head portion of the bed, but is readily removed from that position when desired. Another object is to supply units as aforesaid adapted for attachment to a bedside table or the like, whereby the unit may be positioned at any convenient location within a room.

Another objective of importance herein resides in the provision of laterally swingable supports, including a bracket with changeable stop means, the bracket including spring means to maintain the support in selected position. A related advantage is the provision of stop means of the type described which is yieldable on impact to prevent damage thereto.

A still further object is to provide a laterally swingable support, and means to prevent full rotation of the support. By this expedient, twisting and/ or breakage of electrical lines associated with the support is avoided.

Additional objects include the provision of a bracket of the type described supra which is noncompletx in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture, and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings.

3,423,057 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a bracket and call unit constructed and assembled in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, disassembled perspective view of the bracket hereof;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the apparatus, foreshortened;

FIGURE 4 is a detail sectional view, taken substantially on the section 44 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is another detail view, in cross section on line 5--5 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view showing details on line 66 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 7 is a disassembled perspective view of a modified form of the invention wherein the elements are oriented in a manner somewhat varied from FIG- URES 1 through 6;

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of the arrangement of elements of FIGURE 7 in assembled condition; and

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view on the line 99 of FIGURE 8, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Description 0 the preferred embodiments With more specific reference to FIGURES 1 through 6 of the drawing, the overall unit hereof is generally characterized by reference numeral 10 therein. The unit 10 is, as set forth above, adapted specifically for application to an upright support 12, such as the side of a bedside table 14. The table 14 is located adjacent a bed 16 and preferably at a convenient position near the head 18 thereof.

The unit 10 comprises a mounting bracket assembly 20 including a substantially U-shaped main body portion 22 having an elongated, substantially rectangular back plate 24 attached in vertically extending attitude to the side 12 of the table by screws 26, or the like. Upper and lower arms 28, 30, respectively, extend from the ends of the plate, and the arms have coaxial openings 32, 34 formed therein, each having an entry slot 36 and 38.

The lower arm 30 has opposite top and bottom faces 40, 42, and substantially semicylindrical ridge members 44 project upwardly from the face 40 at lateral, diametrically opposite locations on each side of the opening 34. A pair of substantially cylindrical, upright posts 46 project upwardly from the face 40 at locations between the ridge members 44 and the body portion 22, for a purpose described below.

The unit further comprises an elongated, tubular, substantially cylindrical, hollow rod 48 having an upper end portion 50 and lower end portion 52. A lateral arm 54 also of hollow form, is fixed either integrally or otherwise to the upper end portion 50 and has a rectangular housing 56 at its outer end containing electrically powered communications equipment 58. An electrical cord 60 extends from the equipment 58 through the arm 54 and rod 48 for connection in a communications system or network (not shown). As indicated in FIGURES 1 and 5, the arm and rod are swingable in the bracket to selected locations, the swinging movement being limited as hereinafter set forth.

An annular base collar 62 is connected about the end 52 of the rod 48 and maintained thereat by a transverse set screw 64, and a coil spring 66 is retained between the base collar and the roller face 42 of the arm 30. An annular stop collar 68 is mounted on the rod 48 between the arms 28 and 30 and has upper and lower sides 70 and 72 respectively. The collar side 72 has a plurality of spaced apart, radially arranged grooves 74 therein, positioned in diametric pairs, selectively engageable on the ridge members 44 of the arm face 40.

The spring 66 urges the rod 48 downwardly, thus resulting in seating of the grooves of the stop collar on the ridges of the arm. A lateral pressure on the arm 54 of sutficient force will, however, cause the groove to be cammed upwardly against the ridges and permit partial rotation of the rod 48. Full 360 rotation is prevented by a laterally extending screw 76 projecting from the stop collar and adapted to abut the posts 46. Thus, twisting and breaking of the cord 60 is avoided.

Referring to FIGURES 7 through 9, the basic components of the invention are therein disclosed in a modified arrangement having similar operating characteristics and advantages. In this form of the invention the unit a comprises a bracket 100 having a back plate 102 and upper and lower arms 104, 106, respectively. These arms have coaxial openings 108 therein with entry slots 110 and the rod 112 of the unit extends therethrough.

The upper arm 104 has a bottom face 114 with a pair of post elements 116 depending therefrom and also has semispherical detent engagement members 118 arranged on diametrically opposed sides of its opening 108 forwardly of the posts 116. A stop collar 120 of annular form is secured on the rod 112 between the arms and has an upper side 122 with a plurality of spaced apart radial grooves 124 therein positioned in diametric pairs. The detent engagement elements 118 of the arm lower face 114 are selectively engageable within the grooves 124, the stop collar being fixed in selected position by a set screw 126 or similar means. The set screw further serves to limit rotation of the rod with respect to the bracket by its contact with the posts .116.

Constant engagement of the upper arm and stop collar is assured by a spring contact assembly 128 comprising a coil spring 130 engaged about the rod and bearing against the upper side 132 of the lower arm 106 and against a base collar 134 of annular form. The collar 134 is also engaged on the rod 112 and held in place by screw means 136, or the like.

Operation of this form of the invention is essentially the same as that described above. In this instance, all detachable components of the assembly are mounted within the confines of the arms of the bracket and are therefore protected from loss during installation or repair of the unit.

Having described and illustrated an embodiment of this invention in some detail, it will be understood that this description and illustration are offered only by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited in scope only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An assembly for mounting on an upright support comprising:

a bracket, including a substantially U-shaped main body portion having a back plate affixed to the upright support, and outward upper and lower arms;

said upper and lower arms having coaxial openings formed therein, and slots extended to the openings;

the lower arm having top and bottom faces, and having lateral, diametrically opposite ridge members projecting from its top face;

at least one post projecting outwardly from the top face to a height greater than that of the ridge mem bers;

an elongated, substantially cylindrical rod extending through the openings;

a lateral arm secured to the rod and having sound transmission and reception equipment mounted thereon, the rod and arm being laterally swingable in the openings with respect to the support;

a base collar releaseably secured about the rod below the lower arm;

a spring about the rod between the base collar and the bottom face of the lower arm, spring urging the collar and rod downwardly;

a stop collar releaseably secured about the rod above the lower arm adjacent its top face, the stop collar having plural, radially arranged grooves formed in one side thereof selectively engageable with the ridge members of the top face; and

an outward set screw arranged to abut the post to limit rotation of the rod with respect to the bracket.

2. An assembly for mounting on an upright support comprising:

a bracket, including a substantially U-shaped main body portion having a back plate afiixed to the upright support, and outward upper and lower arms;

the upper and lower arms having coaxial openings formed therein, and slots extended to the openings;

the lower arrn having top and bottom faces;

the upper arm having top and bottom faces;

at least'one post projecting downwardly from the bottom face of the upper arm to a given depth;

an elongated, substantially cylindrical rod extending vertically through the opening;

a lateral arm on the rod and having sound transmission and reception equipment mounted thereon, the rod and arm being laterally swingable in the openings with respect to the support;

a stop collar releaseably secured about the rod and secured thereto between the upper and lower arms, the stop collar having a plurality of radially arranged grooves formed therein on one side thereof;

the bottom face of the upper arm having a plurality of detent engagement elements thereon engageable with the grooves of said collar, selectively, and the collar having an outwardly extending element engageably against said post;

a base collar releaseably secured about the rod between the lower arm and the stop collar; and

a spring about the rod between the base collar and the lower arm, the spring urging the collar and rod upwardly whereby the engagement elements of the lower face of the upper arm are engaged with the grooves in the stop collar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 759,926 5/1904 Smith 248278 1,046,479 12/ 1912 McPherson 248226 1,933,333 10/1933 Morgan 248276 X 3,345,470 10/1967 Hoffmann 179-150 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 248-283, 285

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