Accessories for pivoted power column

[54] ACCESSORIES FOR PIVOTED POWER COLUMN

[75] Inventors: L. Dale Foster, Brookville, Ind.;

Timothy A. Kappers, Cincinnati, Ohio;
Cecil R. Lohrey, Brookville, Ind.

[73] Assignee: Hill-Rom Company, Inc., Batesville, Ind.

[21] Appl. No.: 107,528

[22] Filed: Aug. 17, 1993

Related U.S. Application Data

[63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 995,207, Dec. 22, 1992, Pat. No. 5,284,255, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 743,215, Aug. 9, 1991, Pat. No. 5,186,337.

[51] Int. CI.6 A47F 7/00

[52] U.S. CI 211/26; 211/168; 248/131

[58] Field of Search 211/26, 88, 168,

211/190; 248/131, 145, 289.1; 128/205.26, 897; 600/22, 21; 5/658, 503.1; 137/561 A;

361/334; 174/48

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,550,892 12/1970 Probst .

4,714,222 12/1987 Kiesel et al. .

4,750,474 6/1988 Dukhan et al 600/22

4,795,122 1/1989 Petre .

4,809,677 3/1989 Mackin et al 600/22

5,072,906 12/1991 Foster.
5,186,337 2/1993 Foster et al. .
5,284,255 2/1994 Foster et al. .

Primary Examiner—Blair M. Johnson

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Wood, Herron & Evans

[57] ABSTRACT

A power column is a hollow post having six vertical walls and is mounted between horizontal arms pivoted to the floor and ceiling respectively. The pivotal axis for the arms passes through the head end of a hospital bed, enabling the power column to swing from one side of the bed to the other. The electrical outlets are on two walls separated by a front wall so that one or the other of the walls is easily accessible whether the power column is on either side of the bed. Lateral horizontal rails are pivotably mounted on either side of the column. The height of the rails is adjustable. The rails contain one or more gas outlets which are laterally adjustable on the rail and can carry other accessories that are laterally adjustable. The other accessories which can be mounted on the rail include a shelf and a saddle basket each of which are clipped onto the rail and mounted in a cantilever manner. Additionally, a storage basket can be suspended from the rail and clipped to the underside thereof. The position of the rail is adjustable and a knuckle-type joint connecting the rail to a pole mounted on either side of the column has a groove into which the hose for feeding the gas outlet is seated. The knuckle joint permits the hose to pay in and out as the rail and attached gas outlet are re-positioned. The pole is mounted for both pivotal and vertical movement relative to the column.

8 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets