US2931084A - Sheeting holder - Google Patents

Description

April 5, 1960 H. vK. DE WITT SHEETING HOLDER Filed Feb. 14, 1955 United tates Patent SHEETING HOLDER Harry K. De Witt, Wilmette, Ill., assigner to American Hospital Supply Corporation, Evanston, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 14, 1955, Serial No. 487,961

2 Claims. (Cl. Ztl-72.5)

This invention relates to a sheeting holder, and is particularly useful as a means for holding elastic sheeting or the like on a hospital bed, etc.

In the use of rubber sheeting, and the like, on patients beds in hospitals, it has .been the practice to stitch to the sheets pieces of muslin on each side so that the muslin could be tucked under the mattress to secure the rubber sheeting in position. The muslin, however, becomes dirty and it is necessary to send the entire sheet to the laundry for cleaning. Further, the muslin becomes torn and is unsatisfactory for use vlong before the sheeting is worn out. Further, it is easy for the muslin to work loose .and thus to fail to provide the support necessary for maintaining the rubber sheeting in a taut condition. If means could be provided for maintaining the rubber sheeting constantly in a taut condition while at the same time permitting the sheeting to be cleaned when desired with a cold detergent, etc., the need for sending the piece to the laundry would be eliminated and at the same time the sheeting could be preserved in better condition.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for eliminating the muslin heretofore required and to provide effective means for constantly holding the sheeting in taut and even condition. A further object is `to provide simple and inexpensive means which may be employed for gripping rubber sheeting and securing it under tension while at the same time permitting ready release of the sheeting for cleaning, etc. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown, in an illustrative embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of a bed provided with rubber sheeting and with securing means embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a side elevational view, shown partly in section, and on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the sheeting holder or securing means; Fig. 4, a top plan view of the clamp employed, the view being taken as indicated at line 4 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a longitudinal sectional View of the clamp shown in Fig. 4, the clamp being in released position; and Fig. 6, a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the clamp in engaging position.

In the illustration given, designates a bed frame equipped with a spring rail 11. Since the bed and spring vrail are of well-known construction, a detailed description herein is believed unnecessary. A- mattress 12 is supported over the spring rail 1'1 and the spring 13- carried thereby. Over the mattress 12 extends sheeting 14, which may be formed of rubber, plastic, or any other suitable material. The sheeting may extend over the entire bed or only over a portion thereof. In the illustration given, I provide clamps 15 which engage the corners of the sheet 14 and the clamps are secured by a rubber or elastic belt 16 to a hook 17 engageable with the spring rail 11, as illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be understood that the hook or fastening member 17 may be engaged with any suitable ledge carried by the bed or spring frame.

The belt or strap 16 extends through a loop 18 carried by the hook 17, and at its other end extends through a slot 19 Awith which the rear portion of the clamp 15 is provided. Buckles 2.0 and Z1 are provided to permit lengthwise adjustment of the resilient strap 16.

The clamp 15 is formed of two spring metal plates 22 and 23, the plates being securedV together at their rear by rivets 24. The plates 22 and 23 have diverging forwardly-extending spring portions so as to provide normally open forward jaws 25. The jaw portions 25 are preferably bent inwardly so as to provide normally parallel front surfaces equipped on their inner sides with superficial roughening or knurling 26. I prefer to have the knurling in the form of transverselyeextending ribs or ridges for effectively gripping the sheeting edges.

Each of the plates 22 and 2.3 is provided With an aligned longitudinal slot 27 adapted to receive a pin 28 provided at its ends with circular flanges or buttons 29. As the buttons 29 are moved rearwardly to the position shown in Fig. 5, the jaws of the clamp are opened and when the buttons are moved forwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the jaws of the clamp are urged together to grip the sheeting 14 therebetween.

Operation In the operation of the structure, the sheeting 14 is placed in position upon the top of the bed and the side portions of the sheeting are engaged by the clamps 15. The hooks 17 may then be engaged with the spring ledge or other suitable ledge on the bed frame for anchoring the sheeting 14 firmly in position. The adjustable straps permit the location of the sheeting 14 centrally upon the bed or toward one or the other side, as desired. Even though the sheeting 14 is temporarily moved or twisted out of position, the resilient straps 16 instantly draw the sheeting back into taut iiat condition when the sheeting is released. The flat clamp devices lying adjacent the edge of the bed occupy a minimum of space and present substantially no obstruction, while at the same time they draw the sheeting to its desired flat and taut condition. If desired, the sheeting 14 may be extended for the full width of the mattress and the clamps may be utilized solely in a vertical position, gripping the edge portions of the sheeting 14 which extend beyond the top of the bed.

The strap or webbing 16 may be formed of rubber, artificial rubber, plastic such as nylon, or any other suitable plastic or material.

While, in the foregoing specication, I have set forth a specific structure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be understood that such details of structure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

l. A sheeting holder adapted to secure sheeting and to maintain the same taut upon a bed having a ledge, comprising a flat clamp having a pair of jaws, said jaws comprising a pair of elongated spring sheet metal plates each of substantially uniform width and having rear end portions connected to each other, intermediate portions extending forwardly and outwardly, and flat front end portions normally spaced from each other, said fiat front portions each having a width at least as great as the length thereof and being provided with knurled opposing surfaces for gripping sheeting therebetween, means extending between the intermediate portions of said plates for drawing the intermediate and flat front end portions of the paired plates towards and away from each other, an elastic strap secured at one end to said clamp, and a hook carried by the other end of said strap for connecting said holder to the ledge of a bed.

2. ln a sheeting holder having an elastic strap equipped at one end thereof with a hook for attachment to the ledge of a bedfrarne, a clamp secured to said elastic strap Vat the opposite end thereof, said clamp comprising a pair of flat elongated sheet metal plates ofsubstantially unirform width having rear end portions secured to each other and having intermediate portions extending forwardly and in normally diverging relation, said clamp also having flat forward end portions extending normally along spaced parallel planes, said end portions each having a width at least as great as their length and having ribbed opposing surfaces for gripping sheeting therebetween, and means extending between the intermediate portions v of said plates for drawing the normally spaced and References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 318,914 Kiam ,May 26, 1885 696,302 Bassett Mar. 25, 1902 1,095,564 Engelsman *May 5, 1914 1,167,040 Blake Ian. 4, 1916 1,328,621 Dennison Ian. 20,' 1920 1,365,169 Goldberg Ian. 1l, 1921 1,913,965 Van Vechten June 13, 1933 1,987,592

Bodmer Jan. Y15, 1935

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