Automatic step for beds

• US 3,162,867 A
• Filed: 11/14/1962
• Issued: 12/29/1964
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1962
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stuart B. Hoffman
• Original Assignee: Stuart B. Hoffman
• Inventors: Hoffman, Stuart B.
• Application Number:
  US04/237,487
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• US Class Current: 5/507.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/053 Aids for getting into, or out of, bed, e.g. steps, chairs, cane-like supports

Claims

1. A STEP FOR A BED HAVING A BED FRAME, SAID STEP COMPRISING:

A SUPPORT MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID BED FRAME, A PAIR OF SPACED APART SIDE FRAMES PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, A STEP PLATE ATTACHED BETWEEN SAID SIDE FRAMES, SAID SIDE FRAMES AND SAID PLATE FORMING A STEP FRAME ASSEMBLY AND BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN SAID STEP PLATE IS SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AND EXTENDS OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE EDGES OF SAID BED FRAME TO A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN SAID STEP FRAME ASSEMBLY IS BENEATH SAID BED FRAME, FIRST BIAS MEANS URGING SAID STEP FRAME ASSEMBLY TOWARD SAID FIRST POSITION, FIRST MANUALLY RELEASABLE LATCH MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID STEP FRAME ASSEMBLY IN SAID SECOND POSITION, A TUBULAR GUIDE ATTACHED TO AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SIDE FRAMES, A SUPPORT HANDLE MEMBER SLIDABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID HANDLE MEMBER BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN AN EXTENDED WORKING POSITION AND A RETRACTED POSITION, SECOND BIAS MEANS URGING SAID SUPPORT HANDLE MEMBER TOWARD SAID EXTENDED WORKING POSITION, SECOND MANUALLY RELEASABLE LATCH MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID HANDLE IN SAID EXTENDED POSITION, THIRD RELEASABLE LATCH MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID STEP FRAME ASSEMBLY IN SAID FIRST POSITION, AND THIRD ACTUATOR MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID THIRD RELEASABLE LATCH MEANS WHEN SAID HANDLE IS MOVED TO SAID RETRACTED POSITION AGAINST ACTION OF SAID SECOND BIAS MEANS.