US2385067A - First-aid kit and stretcher - Google Patents

Description

Sept' 18, 1945. z. T. EGARDNER 2,385,067

FIRST AID KI T AND STRETCHER Filed April 2, 1943 2 sheets-sheet 1 Sept- 18, 1945 z. T. EGARDNER FIRST AID KIT AND STRETCHER Filed April 2, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 www@ 2% zaden/Z324 fav/men Patented Sept. 18, 1945 UNITED vSTATIS PATENT OFFICE FIRST-Am KIT AND STRETCHER Zachaeus T. Egardner, Chicago, Ill. Application April 2, 19143, serial No. 481,635

4 Claims.

This invention relates to rst aid kits and stretchers and its principal object is to provide comprehensive means for supplying rst aid as Well as comfortable convenient safe means of transport to injured, maimed, ill or temporarily incapacitated persons. A further object is to provide a device of this type that is of sturdy construction, being at the same time comfortable in use, of few parts, compact in assembly, that 1s capable of being readily assembled even by persons without experience and that is conveniently transportable requiring but a very small space in transit and that is of light weight.

A still further object is to provide a novel first aid kit and stretcher that is very readily handled by one person in its folded position and by two persons, or more if desired, when in service. A still further object is to provide a novel rst aid kit and stretcher that in use affords ample protection to the user against inclement weather when in use as a stretcher and that includes effective jolt-cushioning means so desirable in case of shock always present in accident cases; that affords novel and comfortable means of lifting as well as transporting a person suffering an accident or injury and that includes means for safely supporting the limbs temporarily during the transit period so that excess bleeding is often avoided and further displacement or strain to sprained',

dislocated or broken parts oi the body prevented-ewhich might ordinarily occur while the user is being moved as from the point of accident to an ambulance, hospital or to his home.

A still further object is to provide in a device of this type container means for rst aid supplies such as bandages, splints and other material usually required quickly in personal injury cases including surgical instruments, etc., etc. A still further object is to provide a combination first aid kit and stretcher that when not in use may be readily collapsed or dismantled and disposed in a bag or like container for convenient out of the way location in transportation.

A still further object is to provide a device of this type including a stretcher portion for carrying a person selectively either in a very flexible support adapted to sag materially with the weight of the body which is desirable in certain types of injury cases, or which support may be instantly made taut and relatively unyielding in its support of the body which is desirable in cases of different nature.

A still further object is to provide a rst aid kit and stretcher which in assembled position and in use and bearing the Weight of a person is thereby automatically locked against accidental displacement of any of its parts regardless of the movements of the attendants carrying the device or of their possible lack of harmony in motion thus insuring safe carriage.

A further object is to provide novel means for spreading apart the handles of the stretcher While affording support for a limb of the occupant in raised position which means is capable of use also as a splint or traction splint on other occasions. A further object is to provide a iirst aid kit and stretcher wherein the stretcher element provided with handles may, upon removal of same, be adapted for use as an ordinary flexiv ble body lifting device or blanket capable of ready application to and lifting of a body from the ground to a point of elevation such as a waiting ambulance or the like.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter` pointed out and the invention therefore consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts as will be exemplified in the constructiony hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative ernbodiments of this invention,

Fig. l1 is a view in elevation of the type of bag or envelope employed as a container for the first aid kit and stretcher when the same is not in USE.

Fig. 2 is a View in elevation of the first aid kit and stretcher in compact inoperative form ready for disposition in its container.

Fig. 3 is a view of the lirst aid kit and stretcher in partially open position.

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the invention in Wide open position, the carrying poles being shown ln dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a view of one of the sectional carryingpoles employed, the sections being separated.

Fig. 6 is a ViewV of` the combined rst aid kit and stretcher in elevational perspective with one pole spreader shown in place.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the invention illustrating possible applications.

Fig. 8 is a view of a splint employed illustrating one application thereof.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a traction splint generally employed upon the arm, and

Fig. 10.is a like view of the same type of sectional traction splint of the length generally used upon the leg. Y

Like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The reference numeral I denotes the stretcher which is formed preferably of a double thickness of material such as canvas, fabric or the like, suitably lined to provide warmth, which is stout and pliable and which includes the bed portion 2 and the wing or cover portion 3, the two thicknesses of material being stitched together along the lines 4,.the bed portion being formed along each longitudinal edge with a pair of counterpart sleeves 5, 5, the sleeves of each edge being separated by a cut-out portion 6 in the matefree ends of the body straps 8 now being brought together about the body of the person and tied and the straps 9 and IIJ tied together to secure said cover and bed together against accidental separation as might otherwise happen in the event of a high wind in the openr or when the device is being carried in partly vertical position as when descending a stairway or the like. It will be noted that the thongs I2 prevent the poles I3, I4 being withdrawn from the bed unintentionally although the weight of the body upon the .bed will of itself prevent disconnection of the parts of the device.

rial, the portion 6 contiguous to the cover 3 being Y complimentary to a cut-out portion 'I formed in said cover.

Stitched or otherwise secured to the bed 2 with their ends free are the body straps 8, here shown of said cover, the bed 2 with cover 3 serving as protection for the user against the weather or for warmth as in the case of shock, said straps serving also to prevent accidental removal of said cover from over-the-bed position.

The bed 2 is formed with eyelets I I, one at each corner, to receive the leather or like thongs I2 carried in perforations spaced inwardly from the ends of each section of a carrying pole, each pole including sections I3, I4, the section I4 having a reduced termination I5 adapted to be snugly received in the socket IS, preferably formed with an air vent Ia, whereby said pole sections are secured together, said sections having been introduced into remote ends of a pair of sleeves 5, 5 and thereafter said thongs having been passed through said eyelets II and their ends tied together to secure said bed and poles together, said poles beyond said bed forming handles. The cover 3 preferably integral with the bed 2 is adapted to be moved toward and away therefrom into closed and open position selectively along the line I8, the closed position being had when the device is to be folded and rolled up into inoperative position or when the bed is occupied by a person desiring the warmth and protection of the cover. Contiguous to said bed said cover is formed with opposed twin pockets I 9, I9 of deep structure having mouths at their relatively remote ends in the shorter transverse edges of the cover, one of the transverse lines 4 of stitching forming a closed end for each of said pockets, similar pockets 20, disposed along the free longitudinal edge of said cover being also provided.

Located intermediate the pairs of pockets I9, I9 and 20, 20 along the longitudinal central portion of cover 3 are' the pockets 2l, 2| preferably shallower than the aforesaid pairs of pockets and each being provided with a flap 22 adapted to form a closure for its mouth when fastened down thereupon as shown, said flaps also forming indicators in the folded rolled inoperative position of the first aid kit and stretcher enabling a person to instantly locate the position of a pocket with certainty, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

With the bed and cover upon the ground or other support an injured or incapacitated person may be gently placedy upon the bed 2, the poles I3, I4 beingv in the marginal sleeves 5. The cover 3 is now moved or closed down upon the bed and body of the person as protection therefor, the

The free ends of the said poles protruding from the bed ends form handles and are grasped by two persons, one at each end while third and fourth persons, if need be, one upon each side may manually grasp the portions of said poles exposed through the cut-out portions 6, 'I of said bed and cover. While the weight of the person being carried by the device will now cause the bed to sag more or less this in many cases is desirable for the comfort of the person.

However in some cases where it is desirable to keep the bed taut this may be done by applying wooden or metal spreaders 23 to the free ends of opposite poles at points close to the bed as shown in Fig. 6, one at each end of the bed, said spreaders being of elongated bar structure with deep notches 24 extending longitudinally and centrally from each end to snugly receive the pole ends and keep same positively spread apart a predetermined space.

Frequently it is difficult to lift an injured person from the ground to an ambulance or the like or to get him upon a stretcher without causing him further pain or possible additional injury and in such cases the poles may be withdrawn from the bed sleeves with the cover folded down upon the bed and the device becomes a blanket which may be readily worked beneath the prostrate form of the person by a rst air attendant or other person as the blanket so formed may be readily folded and manipulated until it is brought under the person when he may be readily lifted by this blanket to the point desired with little or no additional discomfort.

Each bar 23 in addition to its use as a spreader is also vadapted for use as a splint for all cases of ordinary splinting, or said bars may be secured together in adjusted positions with pins or bolts and wing-nuts 2l, two bars being used to provide a traction splint to be used in all cases of xed traction splinting, or three bars may be used as shown in Fig. 10 in extended form as traction splints in cases of leg fracture and in other instances. Each bar 23 is formedwith perforations 25 in a straight line centrally disposed and each is also formed with offside perforations 25a, two in number, disposed upon the same side of the line of perforations 25 to permit two bars to be secured together at right angles or otherwise by fasteners 2l, one bar being here used, in Fig. 7, as a spreader and the other rigidly supported in upright position to provide leg support through the medium of a cord 28 connected to another bar 23 secured to an injured limb 30.

This procedure is followed in case of traction splinting to maintain the limb in elevation while a person is being transported upon the stretcher. When not in use as a stretcher the sectional poles I3, I4 are withdrawn from the bed sleeves, the stretcher folded and rolled up into the position shown in Fig. 2, the pole sections are then secured together by the thongs I2 and placed back into the sleeves, the body straps 8 are now used to secure the cover and bed together in rolled position and the demounted device may be placed in the container or bag 3| and the open end of same then closed and tied shut with thong 32. When not in use the splints or spreaders are conveniently carried in the pockets I9, I9 and 20, 20. In Fig. 7 it will be noted that the bars 23 are shown as stretcher spreaders and as means for supporting a limb in elevated position.

As numerous possible embodiments might [be made of the above invention, and as various changes might 'be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

2. In a rst aid kit and stretcher, a bed, handles therefor, and a pair of connected notched bars, one of said bars engaging and spreading said handles in its notched portions, the other bar extending upwardly from said last named :'bar to support the limb of a person upon said bed.

3. In a first aid kit and stretcher, a ilexible bed having sleeves formed in its edges, poles removably received in said sleeves forming handles, and two notched bars adjustably connected for disposal at different angles to each other, the notched portions of one bar engaging said handles to spread same, a notched portion of the other bar adapted to anchor a cord to provide means for support for a leg of a patient carried on the stretcher.

4. In a rst aid kit and stretcher including handles, notched bars, said bars being formed with a line of spaced centrally disposed perforations and with perforations offset with respect thereto, pins for disposal selectively in said notches to connect said bars together at different angles, the notched portions of one bar engaging said handles to spread same, and a cord secured at one end in a notch in a second bar to support a patients limb carried on the stretcher.

ZACHAEUS T. EGARDNER.

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