GB2214424A

GB2214424A - Rotating seat device

Info

Publication number: GB2214424A
Application number: GB8812437A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alexander Feldmann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-01-28
Filing date: 1988-05-25
Publication date: 1989-09-06
Also published as: GB8812437D0

Abstract

The apparatus consists of permanent, portable and/or detachable embodiments which will enable a frail person to either sit on a seat or lie in a bed, in a required position. In some of the embodiments the apparatus consists of a circular seat resting firmly on either a flat base. In all embodiments, the seat either rests on rolling members 9 attached to a recess in the seat, or the rolling members are attached to a seat's projection so that the seat is able to rotate relatively to the base, the usual requirement of the turn being 90 degrees. The seat may be mounted on a chassis 14 on which the base is slidable and which can rest on a mattress with the bottom rails on the bed frame under the mattress. <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS FOR ASSISTING ELDERLY and/or DISABLE PERSONS The present invention relates to apparatus for assisting mostly elder -ly or disabled persons and may include persons who are bed-ridden by re -ducing or even eliminating nurses or other persons help.

Such elderly or disabled persons often have difficulty in, for example sitting themselves in the right direction, sitting in the direction requi -red as a front passenger in a car,next to a driver,or being a driver, sitting themselves in an armless chair in the right direction,with their legs ,say under the tableswhilst having a meal.

Such persons may find it easy by means of the invention to sit them -selves,on a chair located next to a table sideways,sit on the apparatus turn 90 degrees,and thus locate their legs under a table,during the meal.

Thereafter to reverse said procedure without having to push the chair away from the table,or twisting their body,or having to use nurses or other persons help,and so to be able to get up,and away from said table.

Other difficulties arise for bed-ridden persons who cannot help them -selven into and out of bed,and thus require nurses to lift them,which can subject the nurses to considerable bach-breaking physical strain;Another common worry from which bedridden persons suffer,are bed-sores.Whilst lying skin irritation leading to bed-sores can arise from creases formed in the patients under-clothing at pressure points caused by their body weight.Such creases in their underwear can be readily formed by the patient having to twist their body from a sitting position on the edge of the bed to a 1 lying position along the middle of the bed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide appa -ratus for assisting elderly or so disabled persons,which will help such persons to overcome some of the aformentioned difFiculties.

Acoordingly,the present invention consists in an apparatus for assis -ting elderly or disabled persons, said apparatus comprising a base inten -ded to be supported in a substantially horizontal position and a seat supported on an upper surface of said base be a plurality of rolling mem -bers,er ball bearings to enable said seat to be rotated relative to said base,normally of not more than 90 degreese The upper surface of the base is formed with a frusto-conical,or cylindrioally shaped recess and the underface of the seat is formed with a projection for location within said recess.

The rolling members may be mounted at equidistantly spaced inter -vals around the periphery of said projection within the recess.

In one embodiment,the apparatus includes means for permanently or detsch- -abl securing said base to a substantially horizontal supporting surface such that the base remains stationary during rotation of the seat .A handle may be connected to the base to render the apparatus portable as shown in Fig.14c.

In another embodiment,the apparatus includes a support frame upon which said base is mounted for linear movement and which is arranged to be removably attached to a bed,such that said base can be moved relative to said frame across an upper,substaatially horizontal surface of the bed.

The support frame may be provided with two substantially parallel,spaced apart guide rails intended to be positioned acress the bed and said base may be provided with a plurality of guide wheels for movement along said rails.The support structure may include stopping members to limit the extent of movement of said base .In a particular construction,the frame has two substantially parallel spaced-apart portions,between which a mattress of the bed is intended to be located.

A skirt board is at right angle to the base,mounted to abut against a side edge of the bed when the base is moved over to the edge of the bed.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood,it will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying dras- -ings,wherein : Fig.1 shows in perspective,a plan view of a seat of an apparatus, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig.2 shows ,in perspective,an underplanview of such seat.

Fig.3 shows,in perspective,a plan view of a base for the apparatus, shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure.4 shows in perspective an underplan view of such base.

Figure 5 shows an elevational side view of the apparatus.

Figure 6 shows a vertical cross sectional view of the apparatus.

Figures 7 and 7a show,in perspective,a support frame for the appa -ratus,in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

Figures 8 and 9 show,respectively,underpian and plan views,in per -spective of a base,in accordance with the second embodiment.

Figures 10 0 and 11 show,respectively,underplan and plan viet,in perspective,of a seatsin accordanoe with the second embodiment.

Figure 12 shows a psrtial side view of the apparatus,in accordance with the second embodiment.

Figure 13 Showaga partial vertical cross-sectional view,of the apparatus in Figure 12.

Figurel4a,14b and 15 show,respectively plan viess,from top and from underneathsand the section through a fourth embodiment Figure 14c ahows,the underplan of the base dish,of an embo -diment, fitted with a carrying handle.

Figure 14d shows,the underplan of an embodiment,fltted with four "velcro" pads,for temporary attachment to a horizontal surface,such as for example a flat top of a chair.

Figure 145 shows,the underplan of the base dish, of a shape fitted to the surface supporting the basessaid base dishthich can be screwed to either nat topfor example of a chair,or to two diagonal supporting mem -bers crossing each other at right angles on the top of a four legged chair.

Figures 16 and 17 showrespectively two bed mattresses for use with apparatus of the second embodiment of the invention.

Figures 18 and 19 show,the third embodiment ,in two alternatives of and in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figures 1-6,a base dish 1 has a cylindrically-shaped outside wall 6 D frust-conical inside wall 5 and a centrally-located hole2 through which a bolt 3 is assembled to hold together both the base dish 1 and the seat 4.The top of seat 4 is normally softly cushioned.A washer and nut7are holding the base 1 and seat 4 together.The underside of seat 4 has a cylindrical projection 8,around the periphery of which a number of small wheels 9 or of other roll ing members are mounted at equidistant in -tervals enabling the seat 4 to rotate relative to the base dish 1,normal rotation not exceeding 90 degrees.The bolt 3 protrudes through the hole 10.

The location of the wheels 9 on projection 8 is such that gaps 11 and 12 are formed to prevent the base dish 1 and the seat 4 from rubbing against each other.Instead wheelswhich are less expensive,ball bearings may be used. The apparatus of the invention ought be light in weight ana of mini -mal height,when assembled.The apparatus is intended to be resting on, or be attached to a horizontal surface upon which it is to be used.Different attachment means (not shown),such as straps,or strep,clamp or clamps, and etc,may be used.If a portable type of the apparatus is to be used,a carry -ing handle 59,(Fig.14c ) is to be used,attached to the underside of the base dish.

An example of the application of the invention is as follows, for a meal,a chair would normally be placed next to a table.The apparatus in accordance with the invention,is to be placed or attached to the top upper surface of the chair.An elderly and/or disabled person would sit on the chair on the apparatus sideways to the table,and then rotates hiwselves through 90 degrees,thus placing his legs under and at right angle to the table,without making twisting manoeuvres of his body to accomplish the same task, or requiring help of moving the chair as required.

Said procedure is to be reversed for the person to rise and get away from the table.The same procedure can be applied to a driver of a motor car,or to a person wanting to sit next to a driver of a motor car.The car door is opened,the apparatus according to the invention,is preferable at -tached to the car seat,( portable apparatus,fixed say with " Velcro" pads can be used )the elderly and/or disabled person sits himself with his legs at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the car,lifts his or hers legs and bending the knees turns 90 degrees,thus achieving a sitting po -sition so that the car door can be closed and said person faces theright direction of travel.The same procedure applies to an elderly and/or dis -abled driver of a motor carOTo get out of the motor car,the reversed pro -cedure is applied.

Figures 7 to 13 show another embodiment of the present invention, which basically consists of apparatus as in Figures Ito 6, which is sup -ported for linear movement on a support frame intended to be mounted onto a bed's mattress.The support frame is in the form of a cradle chasis 13, which is sufficiently strong for its purpose and made preferably from a light metal,and is shaped as shown in Figure 7.The cross section of the cradle chassis section is made in this example in form of a rectangle 14 as seen in Figure 12.The guide rails are made of such a section 14.0n guide rails 14 of the cradle chassis,there are four fixed steps 15,or 15a asseen in Figure 7a,to which two cross members 16 are attachedThese members 16 prevent base 17 from becoming detached from the cradle chasis.The horizon -tal clear spacing between the two parts of the cradle chassis is indica -ted by dimension 18.The clear height of the cradle chassis is indicatet by dimension 19.To the underside of the base 17 there are attached as shown for clearness by crosses 2021front and rear guide wheels 32 respectively.

These guide wheels can glide horizontally on top of the guide rails 14 but the distance of travel is limited by the staps 15.In the middle of base 17 is formed a frusto-conical dish or recess 23,as in the first embodiment and with its outer wall 6 the diameter 39 is smaller than the dimension 18.The inside height of the recess 23 is shown in Figure 9.In the centre of the flat part 22 a hole 10 is provided to house a bolt 25.The bolt 25 will lo -cate cylindrical projection 26 of seat 27 inside the frusto-conical recess 23 and the seat can be made to turn by means or wheels 28 (or ball bearings not shown ) equidistantly mounted on the periphery of the cylindrical pro -jection 26.The wheels are of such diameter and so arranged that the under -side 24 and 45 of the seat 27 will just clear the top 46 and 47 of base 17.

Figure 12 shows in elevation how guide wheels 32 travel on top o rails 14.

There are many ways the seat 27 can be formed.Shown also is how the top guide rail 14 rests on top of mattress 29 of 9 bed.(The underside of the mattress is not shown in Figures 12 and 13,but can be seen in Figures 16 and 17.) The top of neat 27 will normally be soft cushioned.Dimension 30 shows the width of the rectangular section of the frame which is prefer -red.Figure 13 shows how the wheels 28 enable the small gaps 24 and 47 and 45 and 46 to be formed between the base 17 and seat 27.It also shows the small gap between the bottom 48 of the base 17 and the top of the mattress 29.That gap permits the base part 17 to travel just above the top of mat -tress 29.

The apparatus shown in Figures 7 to 13 operates as follows first it is necessary to place the apparatus near the middle of the length of a bed,at mattress height and press the cradle chassis 13 onto the bed's mattress so that the top rails 14 rest on top of the mattress 29,as shown in Figure 12.Bottom rails 40 are tight between the bottom of the mattress 49 and the frame of the bed.The cradle chassis is thus firmly clamped and attached to the mattress of the bed.The next step is for the nurse to move the base 17 so that the facia skirt board 31 fitted with hinges 50,is on the edge of the length of the bed.That action brings the seat 27 on the base 17 to the edge of the bed.The patient is then seated on the seat,with his clothing underneath his body thoroughly nattened out.The patient's legs are then raised into a horizontal position by the nurse or by the pat -ient himselves if he is physically able to do so.The patient,on the seat and thus on the base,is then pushed towards the middle of the bed by linear movement relative to the cradle chassis 13 the guide wheels 32 enabling this.The stops 15 halt the guide wheels 32,and at that time the seat is located at the middle of the bed.The nurse then,still holding the patient's legs horizontally, swings them over the bed,by rotation of the seat relative to the base,and so the patient can be laid down in the middle of the bed, and it only remains then for the nurse to lower patient's shoulder and head onto pillows.Patient's underclothing remains undisturbed during the whole action of moving the patient from a sitting position on the edge of the bed to a lying position in the middle of the bed.If a nurse is not available,and the patient is strong enough,the patient can with the help of arms and lifting his legs follow the same operation ,provided the pil -lows are priorly placed in the proper position.As shown in Figure 16 the patient's bed may in another example be provided with one or more additio -nal nat mattresses 33,their thickness being just a little greater than the projecting height of the apparatus,in accordance with the invention, above the top of the mattress 29.The shape of such mattress should fit the outer shape of the bed and on the side on which the apparatus will be attached to the bed's mattress and operated the shppe will follow with a small clearance space the plan shape of the cradle chassis atta -ched to the mattress.The rectangular packing flat mattress 41 can in one example be attached to the facia skirt board's31 hinges 50 and pivot on them.On linear movement of the apparatus towards the middle of the bed, it will follow the apparatus,or precede it if it moves toward the edge of the bed.Being hinged to the facia skirt board,once the apparatus is pla -ced close to the edge of the bed, said packing mattress 41 will drop and hang on the hinges,along the edge of the bed.The patient while sitting on the edge of the bed will then feel that the back of his hanging legs lean against a softish packing mattress.These mattresses together with the seat of the apparatus thus form one composite flat surface,when the seat is placed in the middle of the bed.It is constructionally desirable that the height of the apparatus is as flat as possible.

Should the patient lying on the bed have the need to get out of the bed,the procedure for placing the patient into the bed is reversed, the body is raised to a sitting position,a 90 degree turn is taken,and the base with the seat thereon is pushed towards the edge of the bed.The patient's legs will hang over the edge of the bed,and he will be in a sit -ting position,ready to get out of the bed.Normully a nurse will help him to do so.

Figure 17 shows an alternative mattress 34 which has a reces 35 to accomodate the apparatus,in accordance with the invention,in a similar manner to that in Figure 16.

In another embodiment,as seen in Figures 14a,14b and 15,the apparatus includes means for permanenet or detachably securing the base dish 36 of the apparatus to a substantially horizontal supporting surface 38 such that the base remains stationery during limited rotation of the seat 37,underside of which rests on a plurality of rolling members 52,which in this embodiment are attached( as the cross section of Figure 15 indi -cates ) to the inside of the vertical recess 53 of the cylindrical "U" shaped in cross section base dish 36,the arises of the rolling members 5t located at such a height that the flanges of the rolling members are just projecting above the rim of of the base dish 36.Such construction enables the seat 37 to rotate on said rolling members relative to the base dish 36, the rolling members spaced equidistantly on the inner periphery of the base dish,and the gap formed above the rim of the base dish prevents rub -bing of the rim against the underside of the seat 37.

Centrally located holes 54 are both in the base dish 36 and in the seat 37 through which holes a bolt 55 with a washer and nut 58 is assembled to hold together both the base dish 36,the spacer ring 56 and the seat 370The top of the seat 57 would normally be soft cushioned.The relative angle of rotation between the base dish and the seat would normally not exceed 90 degrees,The base,in accordance with any embodiments may slso be of any suitable shape 51 ,instead of being circular.Additionally,ex- -cept for the embodiment used on a bed,the other ones can be used on an ordinary or on a chair on which the arm-rests can temporarily be lifted in amanner described hereinafter.

Figures 18 and 19 show,two other embodiments of the invention.In these embodiments base 39 having a recess 41,is either mounted on or in -corporated in the horizontal part of a chair 42 and has a seat 43 rota -tably mounted thereon by wheels or other rolling members.0ne or both of the armchair rests 44 ,which may be pivotally connected to the chair, so that a frail person requiring to take a meal at the table,will sit him -selves or be seated by a helper, sideways to the table on the apparatus of the invention,turn or be turned 90 degrees,and be then able to enjoy his meal with his legs under the table.(The rests are not a part of the invention.)This process,if reversed will enable such frail person to move away from the table ,without an effort of moving the chair away from the table, In accordance with another embodiment of the invention,the appa -ratus,comprising the base dish and the seat,may be,by the underside of the base,firmly fixed to the upper end of a vertical post.Such embodi -ment may be used in a coffee or other type of bar.

Figures 14d and 14e show alternatively the undersides of the base dishSwhich may be temporarily attached to a nat top of a chair,by means "Velcro" pads 60. Or be used in either front seats of a car.Figure 14f shows another underside of the base dish permanently screwed 61 to the top part of a chair,or to two diagonally crossing members at top of a chair.

In some instances the top seat being best covered with soft mate -rial,may be on request moulded to the exact shape of such bed-ridden persons bottoms,and knowing the position of any pressure bed-sores,pro -vision in the seat can be made in the shape of the top of the seat, suitable identations,(not shown in the drawings)so that their body weight would not be resting on such bed-sores,decreasing if not relieving pain.

Claims

C L A I X S

1. Apparatus for assisting mostly frail,elderly and/or disabled persons said apparatus comprising a base intended to be supported in a sub -stantially horizontal position and a seat supported on a upper surface of said base by a plurality of rolling members to enable said seat to be rotated relative to said base normally the turn being of not more than about 90 degrees.

2. Apparatus for assisting mostly frail elderly and/or disabled per -sons,said apparatus comprising a base intended to be supported in a horizontal position, and a seat under-surface of which is supported by a plurality of rolling members to enable said seat to be rotated rela -tive to said base normally the turn being not more than about 90 degrees.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upper surface of the base is formed with a frusto-conically or cylindrically shaped recess and the under-surface of said seat is formed with a cylindrically sha -ped projection for location within said recess.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the base is in form of a shallow cylindrical pot and the seat is in form of a plate with its rim bend down ,the inside of the rim forming a gap with the outside dia -meter of the base pot when the seat rotates relative to the base.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and 3 wherein said rolling members are mounted equidistantly around the periphery of said projection wit -hin the recess of the base and at such a height that the seat can free -ly rotate relative to the base.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 ann 4 wherein Sd id rolling members are mounted equidistantly around the inner periphery or the base's wall at such a height that the seat plate above can freely rotate relative to the base pot.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim,including means for de -chably securing said base to or over a substantially horizontal surface such that the base remains stationery during rotation of the seat.

8. Apparatus an claimed in any preceding claim,wherein a handle is con -nected to the base,to render the apparatus portable.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim,wherein the rolling members used comprise either wheels or ball bearings

10. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim,wherein the under -side of the base and the substantially horizontal supporting plane forms one unit,in plan other then of a circular shape.

Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6,including a support frame upon which said base is mounted for linear movement and which is arranged to be removably attached to the bed, such that said base can be moved relative to said frame across an upper, substantially horizon -tal surface of the bed.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11,wherein said support frame is provided with two substantially parallelsspaced-apart guide rails int -ended to be positioned across the bed and said base is provided with a plurality of guide wheels for movement along said rails0

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim il and/or 12,wherein said support frame includes stopping members to limit the extent of linear movement of said base.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claimes II to 13,wherein said support frame has two substantially parallel,spaced-apart portions, between which a mattress of the bed is intended to be located0

15. Apparatus as claimed in any claim li to 14,wherein a skirt board with hinges at each end is attached to said base.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15,by which the nurse or the helper can,easily prior to person sitting on the seat,take great care to see end arrange that the linen and/or the underclothing of p person to be on his or hers buttocks on the seat ,is not only flat,but will remain so during the whole moving process,snd creaseless,so as to prevent if not eliminate a common formation there of pressure bed-sores.

16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15,wherein a packing flat mattress is pivotally mounted to hinges attached to the base's skirt board0

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14,wherein said mattress will fit the outside shape of the bed and of the base and its seat,and its upper surface will form one flat horizontal plane with the apparatus's seat.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any one claim 1 to 6,wherein said base, can be located on a top part of a chair,or on a front seat of a car.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any one claim 1 to 6,wherein said base rests firmly attached to the top part of a post.

20. Apparatus for assisting frail elderly and/or disabled persons, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures (1-6,1a-15), ( 7-1316 and 17) and in FiRNres 18 and 19.

21. A method of providing an apparatustfor assisting or enabling frail elderly and/or disabled persons,to perform otherwise thEn to twist their frail bodies+so as to be able to obtain the same objeottve in a sitting position on the seat of the apparatus,and making normally an usual turn,of not more than about 90 degrees.Said turn can be rever -sed if so required.

22. A method of providing an apparatus for assisting or enabling frail1 elderly,disabled and/or bedridden persons to perform a physically tedious for them task of placing themselves,or with the assistance of a helper, into a lying position along the middle of the bed,from a sitting posi -tion on the edge of the bed,and this method is performed in following mannersthat the base mounted on the support frame with the patient sit -ting on the seat,on the edge of the bed,is moved from there across and to the middle of the bed,which seat is then rotated about 90 degrees re -lative to the base and then the patient is laid down to a lying posi -tion in the middle of the bed.This method is reversed,if a lying patient has to get up,and place himselve into a sitting position at the edge of the bed,likely to get away from the bed.

23. A method of getting aboard onto a front driver or other front motor car seat,depends in the first instance whether a portable or permanent apparatus is in use,as claimed in claim 8 and 10 respectively.herwise the getting aboard is the same.The door of the car is oppened,the passan -ger or driver then has to sit on the apparatus's seat sideways,with the legs on the ground,he then bends his knees,rises his legs and makes an about 90 degrees turn, so as to face the car's travel direction.To dis -nount the car,said method is reversed.The car door is oppened,an about 90 degrees turn is being made and the passenger or car driver will now sit sideways,to the car's direction,now ready to rise away from the car.

24. A method for a frail,elderly and/or disabled person,who finds the convenience of using the portable type of apparatus of the invention use -ful,because of otherwise found obstruction for such person to sit,into a wanted direction,said method consists firstly of sitting on the seat cf the apparatus facing a direction about 50 degrees of the one desired,and then makes the turn of about 90 degrees.Said method is reversible.

25. A method of sitting a frail,elderly and/or disabled person on a chair placed next to a table,using the apparatus of the ir.vention as clai -med in claim 8 or in claim 10 respectively,is as follows,the person first sits,or be seated,on the apparatus sideways,then lifting his legs1makes an about 90 degrees turn, and as a result,the person then faces,the right direction,for example to consume a meal,or say write a letter.Said method is reversable,for the person to get sway from the tableThe placing of the chair next to a table,prior to the person sitting on it sideways is esE*ntialand normally this would be done by a helper or nurse.

26. A method for mostly frail,elderly and/or disabled persons,to ex -ploit fully the use of the apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and claim 10 respectively, is to enable them,while sitting on the seat of the appa -ratus,and facing already the right direction,to be able,as alternatives without any extra effort to turn slightly one way or the other, to reach for example,on the table for sslt or pepper,which was placed on said table not directly in front of such seated persons.

27. A method of constructinb and using various embodiments of an appa -ratus as particularly described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 and 14a to 15,and Figures 7 to 13 and 16 and 17,and in Figures 18 and 190 CLAIMS What I claim is : 1.In the first alternative,an apparatus comprising two parts loosely joined together having a common vertical arise circular in plan flat bottomed container with a a shallow frusto-conical or vertical wall and an upright standing on a number of small wheelsbut clear around within the wall of the oontainer,a solid but very shallow cylinder block whose upper part is transformed into a wide flange forming a seat to be used mostly by frail,elderly and/or disabled persons,desiring whilst sitting on it,to face and turn themselves or with help of others into another required direction.The small wheels axes are horizontally and perpendicularly attached to the circular in plan curved surface of the lower part of the cylinder bleck,all fixed st the same level and are also equidistantly spaced around its circular periphery.Every's wheel surfacethen the seat is at rest,is vertical and the size of the wheel's diaueter,the level at which their axes are attached to the cylinder block are such that a predetermined vertical gap is formed,between the upper nat surface of the bottom of the container and the bottom cir -cular flat part of the cylinder block, said vertiCal gap permitting an angular movement about the vertical axis of the seat and block cylinder as ne unit,relative to the container,if an external tangential force is applied to the seat.1n such instance all the small wheels turn in the same tangential direction and each wheel turns the same length of an arc of a wheel'8 circle.

2. In the second alternative,an apparatus comprising of three parts all having a common vertical axis,are at their centres loosely joined together, firstly a circular in plan a nat bottomed container,with a shallow vertical tallsecondly a circular plate forming a seat pre -tersbly with downward facing bent flange ,the diameter of the cirou -lar plate exoeeding in length slightly the container's external dia -meter and thirdly oi a spacer cylindrical block,located on the common vertical axis,in between the seat and the upper flat part of the bottom of the container.Around the inside of the container's wall attached are equidistantly and at the same level axes of small wheels.Each wheel is able to turn only in a vertical plane.The size of each of the wheels diameter and the level at which their axles are attached to the inside of the container's shallow wall,are such that the top arc's part of all circular wheels project just over the rim of the container wall permit -ting the outside circular part of the flange of the seat to sit on multiple number of these small arcs of the wheels.The inner part of the seat near its centre rests on the spacer block.When an external tangen -tial force is applied to the seat,angular movement occurs and all small wheels then turn into the same tangential direction,each wheel indivi -dually tanning in a vertical plane with the Bale length of an arc of the wheel's circle.Such design forms two gaps,a vertical between the rim of the container and the underside of the seat and a horizontal gap between the inside of the flange of the seat and the outside of the container' a vertical wall,thus preventing any rubbing between the seat and the contai -ner when angular movement occurs.

3. Alternative apparatusessas described in Claims 1 and 2,for sssis -ting frail,elderly and/ or disabled pereon6ssubstantially as shown with reference to Fig.1 to 6 and EIg*14a to 15 inclussive of the Drawings.

4. Apparatuses as claimed in Claims I and 2,wherein a handle is atta -ched to the oontainer,to render the apparatuses portable.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any Claims I to 3,including a support frame upon which said base is mounted for linear movement and which is arranged to be removably attached to the beds mattress such that said base can be solved relative to said frame across an upper, substantially horizontal surface of the bsd' mattress 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5,wherein said support frame is provided with two substantially parallel,spaced-apart guide raile inten -ded te be positioned across the bed and said base is provided with a plurality of guide wheels for movement along said rails.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claims 5 and/or 6,wherein said support frame includes stopping members to limit the extent of linear movement of said base.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any claims 5 to 7,wherein 9 akirt board with hinges at each end is attached to said base.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein a packing flat pillow is pivotally mounted to hinges attached to the base's skirt board.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any preceeding paragraphs,wherein said support frame has substantially two parallel,spaced apart portions, between which vertically 9 mattress of the bed is intended to be located.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claims 5 to SOtherein raid bed's mattress in plan will fit the outside shape of the bed and of the base and its seat,and its upper surface will form one horizontal plane with the appa -ratus's seat.

12e Apparatus as claimed in any claims 1 to 3,wherein the portable Apparatus can be located on a top part of any seating device.

13. Apparatus for assisting frail elderly and/or disabled persons, substantially as herein described winh reference to Figures 7 to 13,16 and 17.

14. An Apparatus as claimed in claim 2,wherein the weight of a person sitting on the seat,normally being distributed through his or her buttocks and the underside of thighssis direotly transferred and distributed onto the top of the periphally spaced vertical small wheels attached to the inside wall of the base container,preventing thus a formation of complex bending stresses in the vertical axis's belt joining the three parts of the Apparatus' 5 together and minimizing the rubbing stresses between the packing part,the seat and the base container.

15. A method of providing means for assisting 9 frail and elderly person,to perform a task of placing himselve or herselve,or with the assistance of a helper from a sitting position on the edge of the bed, on the apparatus's seat and to move ,or be moved along the frame attached to the mattress,across the bed,and so to enable said person to be placed into a lying position in the middle of the bed.This method can be re reversed.