US2392850A - Stretcher - Google Patents

Description

Janr15, 1946. H, B SON 2,392,850

'STRETCHER Filed Aug. 21, 1942 Jew f J IRENE-m J 4770/2 vsy .and quickly.

ried by; one soldier.

Patented Jan. 15, 1946 Application August 21, 1942, SerialNo. 455,591

Claims. (e1. 5 42) lGranted under the act of March 3 1883,fas amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to stretchers, and more specifically to a stretcher of an adjustable type, adapted to support a person in reclining position or in seated position.

It may be explained that when military forces are operating in mountainous regions, or over any rough, irregular, or treacherous terrain, considerable difficulty has been experienced intransporting injured persons from the area of military combat to hospitals or first aid stations where their injuries may be treated. Also, under such conditionasome difficulty may be encountered in transporting a stretcher over hazardous terrain to reach the location of an injured person.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the pres- :ent invention to provide a novel and improved stretcher including primary and secondary frame members arranged to be shiftably associated with each other, so that an injured person may be comfortably carried in prone or seated position.

Further, it is an object of the invention to provide such stretchers wherein the adjustment of the stretcher to either position may be made easily A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a stretcher designed so thatit may be readily folded into a-collapsed position, to form a compact bundle or pack that may be easily car- A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a collapsible stretcher of lightweight,

rugged construction, and well adapted to economical methods of mass production.

It is also an aim of the present invention to provide a novel stretcher device of such mechanical design and construction that it may be con- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a stretchercon- 'structed in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure, the stretcher being positioned to sup port a personin sitting posture. 7 1

- Fig.2 is a -longitudinal; sectional viewi oiiethe thereof being shown in positionto support a person inreclining position.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of the stretcher, the several parts being shown in collapsed or folded position.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the central hinge on oneof the stretchers side rails.

The stretcher comprises, in general, a primary frame consisting of a pair of joined side rails spaced apart by suitable cross members and including carrying handles at each end of each rail, together with a shiftable secondary frame in pivoted relationshipwith the primary frame and so constructed and arranged as to support avfabric stretcher surface in either of two positions; in one of which the stretcher is adapted to support a person in reclining or prone position, and in the other of which the stretcher is adapted to support a person in seated position.

In the drawing, the fabric stretcher surface has been omitted, or indicated. by dotted lines, in order to more clearly illustrate the frame structure, wherein the novel features of the present invention reside.

Each of the side rails of the main or primary stretcher frame includes a front rail' and a rear rail l2 hinged together by a central hinge l3 and provided with front and'rear handle portions [4 and i5, respectively; The hinge l3 includes an offset pivot pin It, so that the rails H and iZjm'ay be hinged to lie fiat against each other, for reasons that will'beapparent from the following description. The hinge is also preferably provided with registering openings I] and [8, so that a locking pin l9 may be inserted through the hinge to maintain the sections I l and I2 of each side rail in rigid end-to-end relationship.

The two opposite side rails of the primary frame of the stretcher are spaced apart by rigid cross braces 2| and 22 adjacent the front and rear ends of the frame, respectively, and, if desired, transverse webbing straps 23 and- 24 may be stretched between'the side rails to facilitate carrying the stretcher.

The secondary frame ofthe stretcher includes, in general, a back rest and a seat portion. These are pivotally mounted with respect to the primary frame and pivoted to each otherso that the secondary frame maybe shifted into either of the two carrying positions.

The back rest of the stretcher consists of a pair of side members 25, each pivoted on one of therailsl2 of the primary: frame by means of-a stretcher illustrated in Fig. 1, the several.:parts' fixedirivetrt tg; The upper end ofithe side members (as seen in Fig. l) are joined by a cross [6. Thus, when it is necessary to fold the brace 21 and the lower end of each of the side stretcher into a collapsed position, the rivets 33 members includes a spacer structure 28 having may be moved into co-active position with retwo relatively flat supporting surfaces 29 and 30. spect to the king pin it, and the entire stretcher, It will be noted from a comparison of Figs. 1 and 2 5 including the primary frame and secondary that the weight of the stretcher when positioned frame, may be folded simultaneously. When in to support a person in sitting position may be this position, the two frames are quite compactly rested onca surfaceifl, wh le whenlthestretcher is nested together and form a comparatively small in position to'sup'port reclining" person it may be packthat may be carried by one man. rested on the surface 30. l It may be noted, in passing, that the present The S Portion of t Stretcher D S?S device has been specifically designed to meet two side rail 32, each pivoted to the lower end: p present military requirements and that the exof one of the side members 25 by a rivet 33. 'The M is act'structure illustrated in the drawings is beside rails 32 are connected with one of the side V lieved to be i nost satisfactory for the purpose. rails H of the primary frame by a pin and slot Nevertheless, the principles of the invention are connection including a rivet' u adapted to pass i J-beli'eved to 'extendto civilian uses as well as through and slide in the slot 35. A transverse 1 military, and the structure of the device is subknee support 36 extends between the ends of jected to some modification without departing the side rail 32 at the forward end'of .the'seat from the teach s of the present disclosure. It portion. Spacing blocks 3'! are provided so that is accordingly'requested that the scope of the the side rails 32 will'beproperly aligned with invention be regarded as limited only by the the inner surface of the side. members. ,of the terms of the appended claims. seat back. ,1 1 Having thus described my invention, what I ..The stretcheriabric, indicated in dotted lines claim as new and desire. to secure by Letters at 38, is secured to the .cross brace 2| at the for- 25 Patentis:-

'ward'end of the stretcher, and extends across Ina stretcher construction having a main t k Support, .35 and th s oth cross frameincluding a pair of side rails maintained brace 21 so as to provide a full supporting surin paced ionship, each side ai cfl p :face for the entire length of the body oithe n Of hingedly connected sections, a y S ppatienig whether the stretcher isjused in sitting Porting f me co p s g a seat member and a position, such as illustrated in Fig.-l, or"when k r st. member, ,mcans pivotaily connect n theparts are shifted to accommodate th'epatient the back rest member to the side rails of the main in reclining pbsiflon, illustrated-in Fig.2. 7 .frame intermediate the ends of one pair of said e main frame l2 and t side members 25 ;.sections,.means pivo tally connecting the seat ro with drmedopemngs 4| 42, Slmember to the side rails of the main frame inrespectively, so that the-secondary frame may itelmediatei-the h Other P Of said be positively locked in the position shown in'Fig. gsectwnstmeens pivotally connectme t back by bringing these openings into registry and rest member and the seat member, one of said inserting a locking pin, similar to the locking Qivotany connecting means being of the 10st m. I illustrated in g Similar openings 43 tion type whereby said seat member and said back areprovided in the seat slides 32 andthe side rest m maybe moved into angular r618" tails Sop/chaining stretcher assembly may {1e tionship withrrespect to each other and to said inthe :fiositibn mustratedin Fig -main frame or into substantially parallel rela- M h tion to th side rails of themain frame, the use of lockmg pms .mserte mug h fdistancebetween the pivotal connection of the openings. j g

It has been heretofore pointed. oufthat one of backrestmember to each of the side rails and the Objects of the present inventi the pivotalconnection oi the backrest member Visionloia rstretchr': so arranged com to the seat member being substantially equal meted that.cQmdbegmcmy and easily Con: .to thedistance between the hinge connecting position or in seatedjposition; the latter possessing obvious advantages' under certain {stretcher down steep inclines, suchas abrupt :mountain slopes, or when it becomes necessary aimsof the present'invention was a provision of a V collapsible stretcher ,frame so arranged that it ciently small so, that. it could be he carried over position illustrated in Fig; 3,,so that it mayv be the sections of each of the side rails and the pivotal connection of the back rest member to each of the side rails comprising the main frame whereby the main frame and the body supporting frame may be folded to permit easy trans- 55. portation.

- 2. In a stretcher construction having a main frame including a pair of side rails maintained invvspaced relationship, a body supportingframe comprising a seatmember and a back rest member pivotally attached to each other, means piv- -otally connecting the backrest member to the side rails: of the mainframe, lost motion pivot meansconnecting the seat member and the side rails of the main frame, whereby said seat member and said back rest member may be moved into angular relationship with respect to each other and to said main frame or into parallel relation- "siiip to the'side rails of the main frame, lockverted in order tocarry a person either in re conditions; as for examplefin cases" in'which it becomes necessary ,to manually carry the,

to lowe r'the entire stretcher by means of ropes or cables. I 0. 3 al o b en pointed qutthat one offthe could be. conveniently foldedinto a pack Suffidifficult terrain by one man. {If-he presentstruca ture meetsgthis requirement admirab1yr since the entire stretcher maybe easily ,folded into the figa'silyidcarrie-diiiBVFH- m moqntanous country ing means to lock said back rest member and 1 Where transportatmn of "conventlonaltypes Seat mber to the side rails when the said memstretchers by one man iis a practical impossihers are said angular remtionship, dp .billty- In this connectwn ltwluibe noted that ti'onal locking means to lock said back rest memrivet- 3 o h o e members 2 is her and seat member to the side rails when said a dI:afrom -iiiv t 26 equal-$011116 members are in parallel relation to said side -spacihgibetweenzflierrivetidandthe hinge:piri-t- :m1s,:;; :11; j::i

3. In a stretcher construction having a main frame including a pair of side rails maintained in spaced relationship each side rail comprising a pair of hingedly connected sections, a body supporting frame comprising a seat member and a back rest member, the back rest member having a pair of spaced side rails, means pivotally connecting said back rest side rails to the side rails of the main frame intermediate the ends of one pair of said sections, the seat member having a pair of spaced side rails, means pivotally conmeeting the seat member to the side rails of the main frame intermediate the ends of the other pair of said sections, means pivotally connecting the side rails of the back rest member 'and'the side rails of the seat member, one of said pivotally connecting means being of the lost motion type whereby said seat member and said back rest member may be moved into angular relationship with respect to each other and to said main frame or into substantially parallel relation to the side rails of the main frame, the distance between the pivotal connection of the back rest side rails to the side rails of the main frame and the pivotal connection of the back rest side rails to the side rails of the seat member being substantially equal to the distance between the hinge connecting the sections of each of the side rails and the pivotal connection of the back rest side rails to each of the side rails comprising the main frame whereby the main frame and the body supporting frame may be folded to permit easy transportation.

4. In a stretcher construction having a main frame including a pair of side rails maintained in spaced relationship, each side rail comprising a pair of hingedly connected sections, a body supporting frame comprising a seat member and a back rest member, the back rest member having a pair of spaced side rails, means pivotally 40 connecting said back rest side rails to the side rails of the main frame intermediate the ends of one pair of said sections, the seat member having, a pair of spaced side rails, means pivotally connecting said seat member side rails to the side rails of the main frame intermediate the ends of the other pair of said sections, means pivotally connecting the back rest member and the rails of the seat member, one of said pivotally connecting means being of the lost motion type whereby said seat member and said back rest member may be moved into angular relationship with respect to each other and to said main frame or into substantially parallel relation to the side rails of the main frame, the distance between the pivotal connection of the back rest side rails to the side rails of the main frame and the pivotal connection of the back rest side rails to the side rails of the seat member being substantially equal to the distance between the hinge connecting the sections of each of the side rails and the pivotal connection of the back rest side rails to each of the side rails comprising the main frame whereby the main frame and the body supporting frame may be folded to permit transportation.

5. In a stretcher construction having a main frame including a pair of side rails maintained in spaced relationship, each side rail comprising a pair of hingedly connected sections, a body supporting frame comprising a seat member and a back rest member, means pivotally connecting the back rest member to the side rails of the main frame intermediate the ends of one pair of said sections, means pivotally connecting the back rest member and the seat member, means pivotally connecting the seat member and the side rails of the main frame, intermediate the ends of the other pair of said sections, one of said pivotal connections being of the lost motion type whereby said seat member and said back rest member may be moved into angular relationship with respect to each other and to said main frame or into substantially parallel relation to the side rails of the main frame, the distance between the pivotal connection of the back rest member to each of the side rails of the main frame and the pivotal connection of the back rest member to the seat member being substantially equal to the distance between the hinge connecting the sections of each of the side rails and the pivotal connection of the back rest member to each of the side rails comprising the main frame whereby the main frame and the body supporting frame may be folded to permit easy transportation, locking means to lock said back rest member and seat member to the side rails of the main frame when said members are in said angu; lar relationship, and additional locking means to lock said back rest member and seat member to the side rails of the main frame when said members are in substantially parallel relationship to said main frame side rails.

HUGH B. JOHNSON.

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