GB2135250A - A hospital or like patient-transporting trolley - Google Patents

Abstract

A hospital or like patient-transporting trolley having an upper surface 1 on which a patient-carrying table 2 is mounted for transfer between the trolley and another trolley having an upper surface at substantially the same level. The table and the trolley have interengageable parallel guideways, and the other trolley also has guideways registrable in longitudinal alignment with the guideways of the first trolley to enable the table 2 to be guided for transfer between the two trolleys. Latches 17 are provided to lock the two trolleys together before and during transfer of the table 2. Stop pins 19, 20 which prevent movement of the table 2 on the trolley are withdrawn from engaging the table when the two trolleys are latched together. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A hospital or like patient-transporting trolley The invention relates to a hospital or like patienttransporting trolley having a table thereon by which a patient carried on the table can be transferred on the table from the trolley to another trolley or supporting structure. It is important that the table can only be moved from the trolley when the trolley has been moved to a position with respect to the other trolley or supporting surface in which the transfer can be safely effected and also that the transfer is smoothly performed to avoid causing discomfort to the patient. An object of the invention is to provide a trolley by which these conditions are fulfilled.

According to the invention, a hospital or like patient-transporting trolley has an upper surface on which a patient-carrying table is mounted for transfer movement between the upper surface of the trolley and an adjacent surface at substantially the same level as said upper surface, the table and the trolley having interengageable parallel guideways and the guideways on the trolley being registrable in end-to-end alignment with like guideways on said adjacent surface, whereby the table will be guided during said transfer movement, the trolley and means supporting said adjacent surface having interengageable means thereon, whereby the trolley is interengaged with respect to said adjacent surface when the guideways on the trolley have been registered in end-to-end alignment with those on said adjacent surface, thereby to enable said transfer of the table between the trolley and said adjacent surface to occur, the trolley also having withdrawable stop means which are normally engaged with the table to prevent its transfer but are withdrawn when the guideways and the trolley are aligned and the trolley has been interengaged, as aforesaid, thereby to permit said transfer of the table to occur.

The trolley may be used in combination with a second like trolley of which the upper surface is said adjacent surface, whereby a table on one of the trolleys is transferable to the other of the trolleys when the two trolleys are positioned adjacent each other with the respective guideways therein in registration in end-to-end elignment and the two trolleys are interengaged.

Preferably, the parallel guideways extend transversely of the or each trolley with respect to the fore-and-aft direction thereof.

The trolleys may each have their upper surfaces mounted for swivelling upwardly and downwardly about a transverse axis on an undercarriage therefor, whereby the table is transferable from one trolley to the other when the trolleys are horizontal or are inclined about said transverse axis.

The interengageable means may comprise latching means operable manually after two trolleys have been positioned adjacent each other with the respective guideways in registration in end-to-end alignment, the latching operation effecting automatic withdrawal of the stop means to permit the transfer of the table from one trolley to the other. Alternatively the interengaging of two trolleys may be effected automatically with simultaneous withdrawal of the stop means on interfitting two trolleys together with the respective guideways in registration in end-toend alignment.

The table may be mounted on leading and trailing pairs of wheels, the wheels of either or both pairs being interconnected by rotatable axles, whereby the leading and trailing wheels respectively rotate in unison as the table is moved on the upper surface of one or each trolley under the guidance of the guideways.

Corresponding leading and trailing wheels may be interconnected in pairs buy a pair of endless belts which engage the upper surface of one or each trolley and so are able to move from one upper surface to the other as the transfer is being effected.

By way of example, two embodiments of a trolley in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of one end portion of the first embodiment of the trolley with the aforesaid table thereon and also showing part of a second like trolley latched to the first trolley; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the end portion of the first trolley shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of the first trolley and part of the second trolley as shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 in plan, to a larger scale, a portion of each of two aligned trolleys latched together preparatory to effecting transfer of the table; Figure 5 is an end view of the portion of each of the two aligned trolleys shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is an end view to a larger scale of one of a pair of withdrawable stop means shown in Figures 4 and 5;; Figure 7 is an end view to a larger scale of the other of a pair ofwithdrawable stop means shown in Figures 4 and 5; Figure 8 is a plan view of parts of two adjacent trolleys positioned side-by-side for transfer of the table from one trolley to the other and showing an alternative automatic interlocking and stopwithdrawing means, and Figure 9 is a section on the line IX-IX in Figure 8.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the trolley may be of any known wheeled kind having an upper surface.

This may be a frame 1 in Figures 2 and 3 providing a pair of flat surfaces extending transversely of the fore-and-aft direction of the trolley adjacent each end thereof or a complete flat deck. In accordance with the invention the upper surface of the trolley carries a flat table 2 extending oversubstantiallythe whole length and breadth of the upper surface of the trolley. The table 2 may have any kind of bed or mattress thereon. In this example it carries two mattress portions 3, 4 which are bevelled at their adjacent transverse edges 5 to enable one portion to be inclined relatively to the other, where a patient on the mattress is required to be in a partly raised position.The table has upstanding side rails 6 and a pair of longtitudinally-extending handles 7 whereby the whole table carrying the mattress portions and the patient can be moved transversely of the trolley.

The table 2 is supported adjacent its front and rear ends on a pair of wheels 8 aligned for movement transversely of the trolley. Each pair of wheels 8, one pair adjacent the front end and one pair adjacent the rear end of the trolley carries an endless belt 9 of rubber or other non-slip material by which the table can be moved smoothly transversely of the trolley.

One pair of wheels 8 at each end of the trolley are connected together by a rotatable axle 10, to maintain the geometry of the endless belt drives 9 and thus to prevent the table from slewing during its movement on the upper surface 1. The wheels 8 and endless belts 9 do not, however, run on guide rails.

Instead, the underneath surface of the table 2 carries a pair of parallel guide rails 11 which co-operate with flanged rails 12 upstanding from the surface 1.The rails 11 and 12 extend transversely of the table 2 and trolley respectively and so when the table is pulled or pushed transversely of the trolley by means of the handles 7, the pairs of rails 11 and 12 will guide the table 2 and also the flanged rails 12 will hold the table 2 from moving vertically with respect to the trolley.

The purpose of the trolley and table provided by this invention is to enable the table 2 to be transformed from one trolley to another. To enable this to be done two trolleys are moved together side-byside. In order to transfer the table smoothly, the guide rails 12 of one trolley must be aligned end-to-end with corresponding guide rails 12 of the other trolley. To enable this to be accurately achieved, the guide rails 12 on the trolley extend beyond the sides thereof and are mounted respectively on a pair of interfitting wing-like blocks 13, 14 (see Figure 1). The outer end 15 of one of the blocks 13 on one trolley fits into a channel-shaped outer end 16 of the other of the blocks 14 on the other trolley.Thus if two trolleys are positioned side-byside, as indicated in Figures 1 and 3, and are manoeuvred until the blocks 13 near to each end of one trolley are fitted or docked into the channels 16 of the blocks 14 on the other trolley, the pairs of rails 12 will automatically be aligned and brought into engagement end-to-end. Latching clips 17 pivotally mounted at each end of one trolley are engaged with respective pins 18 on the ends of the other trolley to hold the two trolleys together side-by-side. The docking and latching of two trolleys A and B is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. When the two trolleys have been latched together, the table 2 can be smoothly moved on the two endless belts 9 from one trolley to another under the uninterrupted guidance effected by the aligned and abutting rails 12.The endless belts 9 enable the table to bridge between the two trolleys during this transfer movement and also accommodate any difference in height of the two upper surfaces 1 due to uneven or non-level ground or irregularities in the trolleys.

It is important that the table 2 cannot accidentally roll off or be pulled off the trolley except when two trolleys have been docked and latched together. To prevent this, upstanding stop pins 19, 20 are located near the outside of the trolley to engage stops 29, 30 on the table 2. These pins 19, 20 are shown in their stop positions in Figure 3. When docking and latching have both occurred the stop pins 19,20 will have been withdrawn downward automatically as indicated in Figures 4 and 5. The raising and lowering of the stop pins 20 is performed by the mechanism shown in Figures 6 and 7 respectively.

Referring to Figure 6, the pin 20 at each of the trolley is moved up and down by the engagement of its lower end with an oblique face 21 on a slot in a push-rod 22 extending transversely of the trolley from the side thereof remote from that to which the latching clip 17 is mounted, so that it will be engaged with a co-operating fixed pin 23 on the other trolley extending from the side thereof adjacent the latching clip 17. The push-pin 22 is urged buy a return spring 24 to the normal position, shown in Figure 6, in which the pin 20 is held in its raised stop position.

Thus the operation of correctly docking two trolleys together will cause the push-pins 22 on one side of one trolley to be pushed in by the respective fixed pins 23 on the other trolley, thereby permitting the pins 20 to fail in their withdrawn positions.

Referring to Figure 7, the pin 19 at each end of the trolley is moved up and down on turning a rotary cam 25 against the periphery of which the pin 19 is urged to act as a follower by a spring 26. The cam 25 is rotated by a shaft 27 on which the latching clip 17 is mounted. The shaft 27 is rotatable in block 28 which also houses the cam 25 and the pin 19 and is mounted at each end of the trolley adjacent the fixed pin 23 at the side of the trolley opposite that on which the corresponding push-rod is mounted.

Turning of the clip 17 from its open position to its latched position turns the shaft 27 and the cam 25 and therefore allows the spring 26 to withdraw the pin 19 from its stop position to its withdrawn position. Turning of the clip 17 from its latched position to its open position conversely pushes the pin 19 upwardly against the spring 26 to its stop position. Thus after the correct docking of two trolleys together and the consequent withdrawal of the pins 20 on the first trolley, the pins 19 at each end of the second trolley are withdrawn on the latching of the clip at each end of the second trolley to engage the respective pin 18 on the first trolley.

Now that both the pins 20 on the first trolley and the pins 19 on the adjacent side of the second trolley have been withdrawn, the transfer of the table 2 between the two trolleys can be performed. The pins 19 on the opposite side of the first trolley and the pins 20 on the opposite side of the second trolley remain raised in their stop position, thereby preventing the table 2 from rolling offthe opposite sides of either trolley. After the transfer of the table 2 from one trolley to the other has been completed, the latching clips 17 are opened and the trolleys are moved apart to undockthe blocks 13 from the respective blocks 14. The pins 1Sand 20 on the respective adjacent sides of the trolleys are thereby raised to their stop positions.

In the second embodiment shown in Figures 8 and 9, the trolley has a frame 1 and supports a table 2 as in the first embodiment shown in Figures 1-5. The differences in the second embodiment reside in the docking and interengaging of the trolley alongside a second like trolley to which the table 2 is to be transferred by transverse movement, as in the first embodment, and also in the arrangements for releasing the stop pins at adjacent sides of the two trolleys.

Referring to Figures 8 and 9, the two trolleys, indicated at 1, 1' have respective side frame members 40,41 which have extending therefrom one adjacent each end thereof, a pair of plates 42,43, which are of a trapezium shape, as viewed in plan.

The plates 42,43 of the respective trolleys are at different heights so that when the trolleys have been correctly aligned side-by-side, the respective plates 42,43 will partially overlap, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. One of the plates 43 carries a right-angles bracked having an upright longitudinal limb 44 and an upright transverse limb 45 and beneath the other of the plates 42 there is a similar bracket extending from the frame member40 and comprising an upright transverse limb 46 and an upright longitudinal limb 47. The two brackets face in opposite directions so that on relative opposed movements longitudinally of the trolleys in the directions of arrows X,X', the two longitudinal upright limbs 44 and 47 will slide one behind the other as shown in Figure 8. In this way the two trolleys when docked together side-by-side are held from sideways separation one from the other.

Each of the upright limbs 44 and 47 carries on its laterally outer face a block 48,49 which has a leading bevelled edge 50,51, as shown in Figure 8, Each of the trolleys 1,1' art a position laterally aligned with the respective plate 42,43 carries an upright stop pin 52, 53 which is slidable upwardly and downwardly in a bush 54,55. The upper end of each stop pin, when raised, engages against a bracket 56 fixed beneath the table 2. The stop pins 52,53 are equivalent to pins 19,20 in the first embodiment.The lower end of each of the stop pins 52, 53 is pivotally connected to a respective bellcrank lever 57, 58 which is also pivoted at 59, 60 respectively to the respective trolley frame member 40, 41. The bell-crank levers 57, 58 are also pivotally connected to respective transverse plungers 61,62 which are slidable in bushes 63, 64 in the respective frame members 40,41.Each of the plungers 61,62 carries at its outer end a roller 65, 66, which are respectively engaged on relative docking movement between the trolleys in the directions X, X' by the bevelled edges 50,51 of the respective blocks 48,49 and so are forced laterally inwardly towards the respective frame members 40, 41. This movement occurs automatically on relative docking the trolleys in the opposed directions X, X' and results in the respective plungers 61,62 effecting pivoting of the bell-crank levers 57, 58 and thus downward withdrawal of the pins 52, 53 at each end of the adjacent sides of the respective trolleys. When this has occurred, the table 2 can be moved transversely in the direction of arrow Y from trolley 1 to trolley 1'.

After transfer, the trolleys are separated by relative longitudinal sliding in directions opposite to arrows X, X' to disengage the limbs 44,47 of the respective brackets. As this movement occurs, the plungers 61, 62 are permitted to move outwardly, under the action of return springs (not shown) and so the pins 52,53 at each end of the respective sides of the two trolleys 1, 1' are raised to their stop position and so the table 2 is secured safely in the position 2' on the trolley 1'.

The trolleys may be of the kind in which the upper frames thereof can be inclined about a transverse axis, whereby a patient lying on the bed 2 supported on a trolley can be moved into an inclined position.

As the docking between the two trolleys, as described with reference to Figures 8 and 9, requires relative longitudinal movement, the upper frames of the two trolleys must be horizontal before docking and undocking can be effected. However when the trolleys have been correctly interengaged by engaging the limbs 44, 47 of the respective brackets, the upper frames of the trolleys can be swivelled simultaneously as an interconnected pair about their respective transverse axes, which are now co-axial.

Furthermore, the bed can be transferred while the two upper frames are inclined and also, of course, when they are both substantially horizontal. Thus a patient can be transferred on the table 2 from one trolley to the other while being kept in an inclined position or while lying horizontal, as required.

Claims (9)

1. A hospital or like patient-transporting trolley having an upper surface on which a patient-carrying table is mounted for transfer movement between the upper surface of the trolley and an adjacent surface at substantially the same level as said upper surface, the table and the trolley having interengageable parallel guideways and the guideways on the trolley being registrable in end-to-end alignment with like guideways on said adjacent surface, whereby the table will be guided during said transfer movement, the trolley and means supporting said adjacent surface having interengageable means thereon, whereby the trolley is interengaged with respect to said adjacent surface when the guideways on the trolley have been registered in end-to-end alignment with those on said adjacent surface, thereby to enable said transfer of the table between the trolley and said adjacent surface to occur, the trolley also having withdrawable stop means which are normally engaged with the table to prevent its transfer but are withdrawn when the guideways and the trolley are aligned and the trolley has been interengaged, as aforesaid, thereby to permit said transfer of the table to occur.

2. A trolley as claimed in Claim 1 in combination with a second like trolley of which the upper surface is said adjacent surface, whereby a table on one of the trolleys is transferable to the other of the trolleys when the two trolleys are positioned adjacent each other with the respective guideways therein in registration in end-to-end alignment and the two trolleys are interengaged.

3. A trolley as claimed in Claim 2 in which the parallel guideways extend transversely of the trolley with respect to the fore-and-aft direction thereof.

4. A trolley as claimed in Claim 2 or 3 in which the trolley has said upper surface mounted for swivelling upwardly and downwardly about a trans verse axix on an undercarriage therefor, whereby the table is transferable from the trolley to another like trolley with which it is interengaged when the trolleys are both horizontal and when they are both inclined about respective transverse axes.

5. A trolley as claimed in any of Claims 2-4 in which the interengageable means comprises latching means which are operable manually after the trolley has been positioned adjacent a like trolley with the respective guideways in registration in end-to-end alignment, the latching operation effecting automatic withdrawal of the stop means to permit the transfer of the table from one trolley to the other.

6. A trolley as claimed in any of Claims 2-4 in which the interengaging of the trolley with a like trolley together with simultaneous withdrawal of the stop means is effected automatically on fitting the two trolleys together with the respective guideways in registration in end-to-end alignment.

7. A trolley as claimed in any preceding claim in which the table is mounted on leading and trailing pairs of wheels, the wheels of either or both pairs being interconnected by rotatable axles, whereby the leading and trailing wheels respectively rotate in unison as the table is moved on the upper surface of the or each trolley under the guidance of the guideways.

8. A trolley as claimed in Claim 7 in which corresponding leading and trailing wheels are interconnected in pairs by a pair of endless belts which engage the upper surface of the or each trolley and so are able to move from one upper surface to the other as the transfer is being effected.

9. A hospital or like patient-transporting trolley substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1-7 or Figures 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.