How to disassemble an Electric hospital bed

Working in a hospital or having a close relative bedridden at home will require more than just providing them with the needed care and attention; some situations may require more than doing just that. Some situations may arise where you may have to relocate or your patient is being transferred to another ward; all these may require knowledge of how to disassemble the bed for easy transportation.

You are not an engineer, and neither are you an expert at making hospital beds, so it is normal not to have this knowledge. But regardless, I feel this knowledge may come in handy to you someday, which is why I am writing this helpful article to teach people “how to disassemble an Electric hospital bed.”

Can Hospital beds be disassembled?

Yes, Hospital beds can be disassembled. Hospital beds are not constructed with rigid frames; they are modularly designed, which means they can be assembled or constructed in different ways. This makes it easier for health workers to be able to disassemble them when transporting them and also assemble them when they reach their new location.

How to dismantle an Electric hospital bed

1. Disconnect the bed from the power supply and roll up the cable

Just like every other electrical equipment, before you start dismantling the components of an electric hospital bed, make sure it is disconnected from its power supply. All you may have to do is to remove the plug from the wall socket and roll up the cables and keep them in a dry place.

2. If the Hospital bed can be folded, fold it up.

There are two ways Hospital beds can be prepared for transporting; one of them is by folding them, and the other is by disassembling them. If your hospital bed can be folded, it will make your job easier because this type of bed usually has built-in folding functions, which is a form of control that allows you to fold and store them away.

Usually, this type of bed will come with a user manual guide that will take you through the folding process. So read through and make sure that you understand the whole process. If your Hospital bed can not be folded, then your best bet will be to disassemble them because if you try to fold them, you will end up destroying the bed parts.

3. Remove the mattress

It isn’t going to be easy for you to disassemble the hospital bed with a mattress on it, so it would be best that you remove them and put them somewhere safe where they cannot easily get damaged. The ideal place to store the mattress would be a clean, dry place where it cannot be wet or exposed to fire.

4. Remove the wing nuts with a plier

The parts of a hospital bed are connected with bolts and nuts; therefore, for you to get these components detached, it is normal for you to remove these nuts & bolts with pliers starting from the wings of the bed. Once you’ve completely removed all the nuts, store them in a plastic bag or a container to prevent them from getting lost.

5. Remove the Rails

Normally, rails are attached to hospital beds in two ways: either with a spring mechanism or with screws. If yours is attached with screws, all you have to do is to unfasten these screws and detach the rail from the electric hospital bed.

If your bed is designed with a spring mechanism, then you just need to push the spring, and the rails will come off. You can also check the instruction manual of your bed for more information on how the rails can be removed.

6. Turn the bed to one side

Once all the rails are completely removed, turn the bed to one side so you can access other parts that need to be removed. While doing this, make sure it is done as gently as possible to avoid causing damage to any of the bed components.

7. Remove the drive shaft

Once the bed is on its side, detach the drive shaft from the electric hospital bed by pressing it and pulling it out from under the hospital bed frame. Once the shaft is removed, it will become easier for you to remove other components.

8. Remove the Coupler

Hospital beds usually have a coupler right at the foot end; remove it so that it can be easier for you to disassemble the footboard.

9. Remove the footboard

Since you have removed the coupler at the foot end of the bed, it will be easier to detach the footboard, remove it and store it somewhere secure.

10. Remove the Coupler at the Head end

Electronic hospital beds have two couplers, one at the foot end and the other at the head end. You have to remove the first coupler in the last step, now is the time to remove the second one, which is at the head end of the bed, and proceed to the next step.

11. Remove the headboard

Remove the headboard just like you did for the footboard and place it in a secure place.

Note: Electric hospital beds are designed differently, and it is very important to disassemble them based on their design. For example, instead of the couplers that we talked about here, some beds will have springs which means for you to disassemble this type of hospital bed, you will be looking for the springs to remove and not couplers.

How to assemble an Electric hospital bed

1. Interconnect the frames

To do this, ensure that the center mounting hooks are on your right side, and the head spring section is placed on your left.
Then the foot spring section should be laid on its side facing your right, and fasten the head frame pull tube to the top of the foot spring. While doing this, make sure that the center mounting rivets are directed toward the left.
Join the top center mounting latch (head-end section) and the top center mounting rivet (foot-end section) to attach the frame to the bed.
Affix the bottom center mounting latch (bed head section) and ask one other person to help you hold the top section together, then interlink the bottom center mounting rivet (bed foot section).
Open the spring as gently as possible into a straight position after interlinking the head and the foot springs. Leave the spring on their sides while this is going on and ensure that the interlinks remain connected to the rivets.
Place the bed down, facing the spring upward.

2. Interconnecting the spring fabric

Lift the head spring section upward, leaving the bed laying flat to relax the fabric. Join the spring fabric together afterward with the links.
Adjust the bed frame.

3. Install the casters

You will find two locking casters; place them diagonally at each other while the bed remains flat on the floor
Locate the caster socket on each of the bed legs to ensure that the stem is properly connected to the socket.
Press down on the caster lock to secure the two locking casters. This will ensure that the bed remains stable throughout the assembling process.
To unlock the two casters, just pull the caster lock.

4. Install the headboard and the footboard

Make sure the headboard and the headframe are as close as possible.
Adjust the head frame height to enable it to fit perfectly into the headboard corner lock.
Return the headboard to the upright position to secure it in place.
Repeat step III for the foot end section too.

5. Connect and adjust the head spring extension tube

First of all, attach the head spring motor and the head extension tube. Ensure that the connection between the black plastic, motor shaft, and the tune end is firm.
Insert the extension tube into the frame.
Connect the lift arm of the head spring to the clevis pin to interlink the lift arm and the pull tube assembly. Reconnect the washer and the grommet afterward and confirm that the cotter pin is firmly secured.

6. Assemble and install the Driveshaft

Driveshafts have two parts: the outer and the inner shafts. The inner shaft has a positioning spring button, and the outer shaft consists of 2 positioning holes with a single storage position hole. After getting an idea of what you are working with, then you can proceed with the coupling.

Depress the spring button, and after doing that, the inner shaft should be inserted into the outer shaft.
Position the inner shaft properly.
The Driveshaft has two ends; attach any of the two to the headboard gearbox to connect the shaft to the box.

7. Connect the junction box

Assemble the cables in line with the proportionate receptacles on the junction box, then push them in.
Use the cable securing strap to secure the wiring and see to it that the cables are properly connected.
Once you confirm that everything has been securely connected, attach the patient’s hand control with the cable-securing strap.