US2410181A

US2410181A - Stretcher

Info

Publication number: US2410181A
Application number: US419594A
Authority: US
Inventors: Malcolm R Peters
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-11-18
Filing date: 1941-11-18
Publication date: 1946-10-29
Anticipated expiration: 1963-10-29

Description

Oct. 29,1946. MEET-5R5, 2,410,181

STRETCHER Filed Nov. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-$het 1 INVENTOR Ma/ca/m ,Q. Pe/ers Z V WM! ATTORNEYS Oct. 29; 1946. -M. R. PETERS STRETCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 18, 1941 INVENTOR.

Ma/co/m F. Pe/ers Z ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 29, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STRETCHER Malcolm R. Peter s,San'Matemdalif. Application November 18, 194 1, Serial No. 419,594

11 Claims.

.Thi invention relates to stretchers, and has for -objects the provision of a compact, light weight,strong and rigid stretcher that is economical to make, and which stretcher is provided with means for securing an injured person thereon for carrying horizontally in the usual manner, or for hoisting the stretcher when in horizontal, vertical or in inclined position, suspended from a hoist line.

' Another object of the invention is a stretcher provided with float means. for supporting a person thereon in the water in inclined position with the head of the person well above the water level. Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and drawings annexed hereto.

On shipboard and in mines, industrial plants, and in many other places, it frequently happens that persons are incapacitated by injuries, or are overcome by some agency or illness, when such persons are in places where their removal on ordinary stretchers is impossible, or is extremely difficult even though no particular difliculty may be encountered in getting the stretchers' to such places. For example, in a tank, or in thehold of a ship where the sole access by a person into such tank or hold is through an overhead opening not much larger than the thickness of the body of such person, it is of no value to pass an ordinary stretcher into such opening, since the stretcher with the person thereon cannot be removed through said opening.

The ordinary practice heretofore, has been to either pass a rope around the-injured persons body below the arms and to then pull him or her through the opening, or another person may carry the injured one to the opening, but in either case, the injured person frequently receives further injuries due to being improperly handled.

' My stretcher is capable of being secured to a single rope and lowered through anopening of substantially the thickness of the body of a person, and theinjured person may be then laid on the stretcher'andsecured thereto after which the stretcher is hoisted by said rope through the opening,;and "the weight of the personon the stretcheris supported principally on bands enclosing the lower limbs. Also, the means for securing the person to the stretcher may pass over the upper arms, or under the upper arms, as desired, so that the arms may be held down or left free, according to the character of the injury, and when left free, the weight of the person-may be supported on the stretcher by the band passing below the armpits, should any reason exist for leaving-the legs unsecured.

In hoisting a person from on board a ship to another ship or boat, a single line may also be used, and means "is provided for supporting the stretcher horizontal, or inclined, or vertical, whichever position is most comfortable for the injured person, and in any position the injured personmay be substantially immovably secured to the stretcher so as to guard against injury during the transfer, andbefore or after the transf r is effected.-

In the event' of shipwreck or where circumstances make it imperative that the ship be abancloned, the stretcher is provided with float means so positioned as to support the injured person on the stretcher in inclined position in the water with'the head of such person well above thewater level.

In the drawings:

Fig; his a plan View of my improved stretcher, with the ropes indicated in single line forclarity, and in which concealed or covered elements are indicated in dot-dash lines while stitchingis indicated in short dash lines. Also, where one rope passes over the other, conventional crossing symbols as used to indicate crossing pipes or wires are used. Parts of the figure are broken away to reveal normally concealed structure.

Fig, 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken along line 2-2 ofFig. l. q i

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of lesser enlargement than that of Fig. 2, taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig; 4 is a sectional View taken along line A-& of Fig. 1.

Fig.5 is-a perspective view showing my stretcher in use being swung in one position in which the stretcher is inclined relative to horizontal.

. Fig.6 is a perspective View showing my stretcher I in use being-horizontally supported.

Fig. 7 is a front view of my stretcher in use when vertically; supported with a person thereon.

In detail, my stretcher comprises an elongated frame preferably formed from a metal tube for lightness and strength. This frame is enclosed ina canva covering providing an upper side 2 and a lower side 3 spaced apart by the end and side members ofthe frame. Thiscanvas covered frame forms the main body of the stretcher. The side members of the frame extend divergently from one of the end members to the other, and the end members are parallel. The narrower end ofthe frame is the foot, while the wider end is the-head, and the degree of; divergence of the.

sidemembers corresponds generally to the progressively increasingwidth or a persons body fromv the f eet;to the shoulders of such person,

and which divergence is suflicient to enable the arms of such person to rest on the stretcher along the side frame members when the arms extend along the sides of the person and substantially against the body.

The elements secured to the upper side of the canvas covering will be described first.

On the head portion of the frame are secured a pair of spaced, parallel bands 4 extending longitudinally of the frame, between which bands the head of an injured person on the stretcher is adapted to rest on the top side 2. Bands 4 are secured centrally between their ends to the upper side 2 by stitching 5, or any other suitable means, and are secured by similar stitching B to sid 2 at their opposite ends, thus providing for passing a bandage, handkerchief or other like means between the bands 4 and side 2 at either ofthe sides of stitching 5, and then over the forehead of a person to hold the head against side 2.

Below the lower ends of bands 4 (which ends are nearest the foot of the frame), is a relatively wide band 1 of flexible material extending transversely across the stretcher and extending equal distances outwardly of the side members of the frame. This band secured to side 2 by stitching 8, or by any other suitable means in a position so that the upper edge adjacent bands 4 will be at about the level of the arm pits of a person on the stretcher, and the width of the band is such that the opposite end portions, when brought around the body of such person will substantially enclose the upper portion of said body with the outer ends of the band spaced slightly apart, as best seen in Fig. '7.

Enclosed in the opposite ends of band I are rigid strips 9 (Fig. 3) of wood or of any other relatively light material, which strips are preferably flat on their sides adapted to be adjacent the body of a person on the stretcher when the bands are brought-over such body. The opposite sides of said. strips may be rounded, as indicated in Fig. 3,

Secured to one end of band I is a pair of sp d loops ll) of flexible, tape-like material, while at the opposite end, is a pair of similarly positioned straps l l of the same material. These straps and loops may be of double thickness so as to extend over opposite sides of the band I at one of their ends, and also over opposite sides of the stiffener strips 9, as indicated in Fig. 3, with the double layers stitched together securing marginal portions of band I therebetween.

Spaced below band I is another relatively wide band i2 of flexible material, such as canvas. This band l2 may be slightly wider than band I, so as to extend from about the knees of a person on the stretcher, to about the widest portion of the hips. The opposite end edges of band l2 extend divergently upwardly from the lower edge, or from the edge of the band nearest the foot of the stretcher, and its length is preferably slightly less than that of band 1.

Along the opposite edges of band l2 are stiffener strips 9, secured adjacent said edges the same as the stiffener strips 9 on band I, as indicated in Fig. 3. At one of the ends of band l2- are a pair of loops Ill secured to the band in the same manner as the loops l0, which loops ID are also of tape-like, flexible material, while at the opposite end of the band is a pair of straps II that are substantially identical with straps II.

It is pertinent to note that the band I? is stitched or secured to side 2 of the stretcher along lines l3 extending divergently in direction from the foot of the stretcher toward the head.

Below band I2 is a third band l4 that is relatively short, and which band is secured to side 2 along substantially parallel lines inwardly of the sides of the frame, as by stitching I 5. Secured to the opposite ends of this band are strips 9", corresponding to the stiffener strips 9, band 7, while at one end edge a loop of tape-like material l0" positioned about midway between the longitudinal edges of band l4, while a strap II is secured to the opposite edge of the band about midway between said longitudinal edges. This band I4 is positioned to substantially encircle the lower limbs of a person on the stretcher between the feet and knees.

Figs. 5 to 7 illustrate the positions of the bands 7, I2, l4 in position securing an injured person It on a stretcher, in which the head is secured by a flexible strap i! or any similar means passing between the upper portion of bands 4 and the stretcher. If the person were shorter, the strap ll would be passed between the lower portion of the bands and the stretcher, below stitching5.

The covering of the stretcher is preferably of canvas, as are the bands 1, l2, I4 and the various loops II], II), Ill and straps H, II, H", as well as bands 4 may be of softer and more flexible fabric.

In securing a person on the stretcher, the straps H, H, H" are'passed through loops H1, H3, Ill, respectively, and are drawn up as tightly as may be desired, after which the free end portions of the straps are tied at the loops in any conventional, quickly releasable knot.

The lengths of bands 1, l2, M are such that the end edges at

stiffener strips

9, 9' and 9 will be spaced slightly apart, Where a relatively small adult is on the stretcher, so as to permit the bands to be drawn tightl around the body of such person or any larger person. It is pertinent to note that the bands 1, l2, l4 are stitched or secured to the top side 2 of the stretcher at points spaced inwardly from the side frame members of the stretcher so as -to permit considerable latitude in accommodating the bands to various sized persons, any of which can be securely held on the stretcher.

Where it is desirable to secure a child, or an extremely small adult to the stretcher, I secure a pair of loops l8to the side 2 adjacent one of the side edges of the frame, which loops are spaced to correspond to the spacing between loops Iii. One of the ends of each of said loops is secured to the side 2 by the same stitching that secures band "I to said side.

A similar pair of auxiliary loops l9 are secured below band l2 and are secured at one of their ends to the side 2 by the same stitching that secures band 12 to side 2.-

Thus, when a child is placed on the stretcher, the ends of bands 1, I 2 that carry loops l0, H! are brought over the body of the child, and the opposite ends of said bands then overlap the ends carrying said loops ID, ID. The straps H, l l are then passed through loops l8, l9, respectively and are then tightened and tied.

The foregoing description is complete with respect to the elements carried solely by the top side 2 of the stretcher, and the following description is to the elements carried by th lower side 3.

Between

sides

2, 3 and on side 3 are a plurality of elongated stiffener slats 20 that are spaced apart and that extend longitudinally of the stretcher from the foot portion to the head portion, terminating :at .theirends short of- :the ends .of the stretcher .frame.

Extending over the ends ofthese iS1atiS,Whl0h may be of hardwood, .or of any. other suitable. material, are-canvas'strips 2| (Fig.3) that. are stitched toside 3 beyond the ends of the slats and between the slats, as well. as adjacent the opposit outermost edges of the outerslats, thus. forming individual pockets in which the ends oftheslats are positioned. Thus, when the stretch-5 'er is laid flat onthe floor .or other supporting surface with a person on thetop side 2, the slats will support the. body of such person elevated slightly-abovethe floor, and will also support thebody, in conjunction with the side 42, when thestretcher is supported elevated from the floor soas to prevent outward bulging of the lower side of the stretcher in its tendency to .conform to the contour of the. person thereon.

Also secured to lower side .3, .I provide a pair of -cylindrical shaped float members 22, which may be made of any desired buoyantmaterial enclosed in canvas. These cylindricalfloats are disposed below band 1, and are used where the possibility is imminent that injured persons may have to be placed in water, as where such persons are on shipboard and the ship must be abandoned before assistance is at hand to effect a transfer to another ship. Also, even where transfers are tobemad from one ship to another or to a boat, etc., the float function to keep'the person on the stretcher afloat in the event of accident in effectingthe transfer, and the stretcher is dropped into the water.

These-floats 22 may be secured to the side 3 in any suitable manner, as by tape members 23 that may b sewed to the ends of the floats and to the side 3. The ends that are secured tothe floats may extend under the coverings of the ends of the floats (Fig. 6). The position of these floats is adjacent the side frame members of the stretcher below the band I, in which position, when the stretcher is in the water, the floats will support the body of the person on said stretcher in inclined osition, about that indicated in Fig. 5, in which the head of theperson is well above the water level.

The foregoing completes the description of the elements secured to, or solely carried on the bottom side 3 of the stretcher.

The following description relates to elements principally secured to the frame of the stretcher.

At'the foot of the stretcher and adjacent the side frame members, the

sides

2, 3 are formed with registering

openings

24, 24 reinforced by grommets or in any suitable manner. The

numerals

24, 24, each pair of registering openings, and in all openings in the top and bottom canvas sides hereinafter referred to for securement of elements, or parts of elements, to the frame, each pair of registering openings have reinforcing I grommets or other reinforcing means around the edges of the openings.

A rope 25 is secured at one end to theframe,

extending at said end through registering openmember or the, frame. that is adjacent openings; '24 at-spaced points 26, "21, 28, 29, 30 in directlon from the foot of the stretchertowardthe head.

Thelengthtll of said rope that extendsbetween points 24,26 is relatively slack, while the length extending from points 26 to 29, and

past points

21, 28, isstraight and close alongside the side frame member. Between

points

29, 30 the rope 251s again relatively slack, as at 32. At each of the points 2 6 to30, the'rope is lashed to the frame, or otherwise secured thereto, by lashings extending through registering openings in

sides

2, 3 of the stretcher alongside the stretcher frame. These openings areireinforced the same as opening- 24.

Theopposite end of rope 25 is secured to the side frame member that is across from openings 24, as at 24 and said ropeis similarly secured to said frame member at points 26', 21', 28', 29' and 30', which points are directly across the stretcher from openings .26 to 30. Slack portions 3| and 32' are provided between

openings

24', 26 and 29', 30, corresponding to slack portions 3|, 32.

From openings 30, 30' the rope 25extends over the head end .of the stretcher in a slack portion 33. Thus, upon securing a hoist rope 33' (Fig. 7) to portion 33, the stretcher with a person thereon can be hoisted in vertical position through a relatively small hole of a diameter substantially the maximum width of the stretcher.

A second rope 34 is secured to the side frame member of the stretcher adjacent openings 24, as at point 35, in the same manner as one end of rope 25 is secured to said member at 24. Openings 35 are positioned relatively close to openings 24, between

openings

24, 25.

From openings 35 the rope 34 extends freely along the side frame member of the stretcher U openings 35' the rope extends freely along the said opposite side frame member and through the loop formed by slack portion 32 of rope 25.

The rope 34, after passing through the loops formed by slack portions '32, 32, extends across the opposite ends of a rigid bar 31, to which ends the rope is secured by lashing or in any other desired manner. This bar 3'! is parallel with the end frame member of the stretcher at the head of the latter, and is of a length to enable the rope 34 to clear the stretcher upon swinging the bar across said end frame member to the forward or rear side'of the stretcher.

c stretch'er.

; When the rope 34 is in use for supporting-the str etcher -in inclined position, I prefer'to connect the rope at opposite sides of" the frame'by a rela- From the ends of bar 31 the rope 34 extends 'convergently outwardly relative to the stretcher, and is formed with a bight 38 for securing to a hook or hoist rope 39 (Fig. 5).

When a hoist 39-is secured to bight 38, and the stretcher is hoisted, the rope 34 will support the stretcher in inclined position (Fig. 5) by reason of its passing through the loops formed by the portions 32, 32' ofrope 25. The principal weight of the stretcher, and person thereon, will be carried from the bottom of the stretcher, however, as'rope 34 is secured directly to the foot end of the stretcher.

When the rope 34 is not in use for hoisting,

bar 3'! may be tied to the head end of the stretcher frame by cords or tape-like pieces 40 (Fig. 1) that are carried by the head end of the tively wide-band 4| '(Fig. 5), which band'may be permanently secured at one end or the otherto thelength of rope at one side of the frame, on which length it maybe rolled, and secured by tie strips 42 secured to the opposite free end of said hand. These tie-strips are then used, when the band is unrolled, for securing to the rope 34 as indicated in Fig. 5. Band 4| is positioned to extendzacross the chest of a person on said frame, and'functions to stabilize the rope 3 4 during hoisting, as well as prevent the possibility of the frame incorrectly supporting the injured person ini'iimproper inclined position in the event of rough, handling, since the stretcher otherwise might accidentally pass between the parallel runs of rope 36 'tothe side opposite that shown in Fig. 5.

In hoisting the stretcher horizontally, as seen int-Fig. 6, the bar 31 is slipped over the head of the stretcher to below the head of the injured person thereon, and then the parallel runs of rope 34 are brought together about centrally of their ends and are secured to hoist rope 39 by a non-slipping knot.

In the event the stretcher is to be carried horizontally, the loops or slack portions 3|, 3! and 32; 32' at the root and head of the stretcher provide hand grips for attendants to carry the stretcher.

From the foregoing description, it is seen that the stretcher can be carried by attendants in horizontal position the same as any stretcher, or it can be hoisted horizontally, vertically or in inclined position, as desired, all by means of the rope arrangement, and in the event it is in the water, the stretcher will properly support a per-' son thereon in a relatively safe and comfortable position until the stretcher is removed from the Water, which removal is readily accomplished by means of a hoist rope connected to 'bight 38 or to portion 33, the latter being exposed at all times for connecting the rope thereto, or for manual grasping.

'The specific details herein described are not intended as limitations, but are illustrative of a structure adapted scribed.

Having described my invention, I claim:'

1. An elongated stretcher having a head end and a foot end respectively at its opposite ends; means for securing the extended body of a person thereon; a rope having opposite end portions respectively extending along each of the longitudinal edges of said stretcher/and a central portion of sufficient length to project outwardly beyond the head end of said stretcher for suspending the stretcher vertically from the latter; the opposite ends of said'rope being secured to said stretcher adjacent saidfoot end and a pair of eye'members secured to said stretcher adjacent the head end thereof and adjacent the opposite side edges through which said rope is slidable, said rope being of a length to enable swinging of said end portions at points respectively between the said eye members and the ends of said'rope for engagement at a point aboutcentrallyover said stretcher when said end portions of the rope are drawn taut with the central portion ofthe rope below the head end of the stretcher for sus-' 2. An elongated, relatively flat stretcher adapted to support the extended body of a person thereon with the head adjacent one end thereof maths ie t dia en l e p o ed; flex b to accomplish the results de-' "8 means securedto the stretcher at points adjacent the opposite longitudinal edges of the latter and relatively close to the foot end of the stretcher; saidrmeans extending longitudinally of the stretcher along said edges toward the, head end of the stretcher and projecting outwardly beyond said head end; means spaced from the head end of said stretcher connecting the projecting ends of said flexible -means; said flexible means being free'for swinging about their points of securement to the root end of said stretcher transversely of the plane of the stretcher to one or the other sideof said stretcher; means for secur ing the projecting ends of said flexible means at a single point to a single hoist rope for suspending said stretcher in generally vertically extending position; and means limiting said movement of said flexible means about their said points of securement for supporting said stretcher, inclined relative to vertical when said stretcher is suspended: by said flexible means from such hoist rope.

3. In a construction as defined in claim 2, said flexible means comprising a first rope; the means for limiting the movement of said flexible means comprising a second rope connecting between said first rope and the head end of said stretcher.

'4. An elongated stretcher adapted to support the extended body of a person thereon with the head adjacent one end thereof and the feet adjacent the opposite end; asingle rope secured at opposite ends to the foot end of said stretcher adjacent the longitudinal side edges of the latter; said rope extending along said side edges to the head portion of said stretcher and outwardly of said head portion to beyond and over the latter for securement of a hoist rope to the projecting portion of'said rope for hoisting said stretcher; a second rope secured to said stretcher along said edges of the latter, a portion of said second ropeladjacentsaid edges and adjacent the head and foot portions of said stretcher being relatively-slack for grasping of said slack portions by an operator for-carrying said stretcher horizon tally;- means-comprising the slack portions of saidsecond' rope that are adjacent said head portion of the stretcher limiting the swinging of said singlej rope about its ends that are secured to said footportion' whereby said stretcher, when hoisted by such hoist rope, will be suspended in inclined-position with the head portion uppermostr 1 v 5; Anelongated stretcher adapted to support the-extended body of a person thereon with the feet adjacent one end thereof and the head adjacent the opposite end; means secured to said stretcher and projecting therefrom for suspending said stretcher in generally vertically extend-- ing position with the head end of said stretcher uppermost; float means secured to said stretcher adjacent said head portion for'supporting said stretcher in the water in inclined position with. the head portion thereof above the water level for supporting a person secured on said stretcher with his head above said level; means for securing a person onsaidstretcheryand the means for'suspending said stretcher being secured to said stretcher adjacent the foot end of the latter and extending past said float means to a point beyond the head'end of the stretcher.

6. A stretcher including a pair of elongated side frame members, and 'a pair of end frame mem bers; respectivelyconnecting between correspond-- ing 1 ends of said side"? frame members providing" ant-elon a ed?' en rally penf e, a d a she t.

of fabric secured to said side and end frame members and extending therebetween for supporting a person thereon; a first rope secured to said frame at a pair of spaced points adjacent one of said end members and freely extending therefrom along each of said side frame members and outwardly beyond the opposite end member; a second rope secured to said frame at a pair of spaced points respectively positioned adjacent said first mentioned pair of points and extending therefrom along each of said side frame members and outwardly beyond said opposite end member; said second rope being formed with a pair of loops adjacent each of said end members and projecting from said side frame members, and the rope forming each of said loops being secured at the ends of each loop to said side frame members; said first rope at each of said side frame members being in a position extending through the respective loops that are adjacent said opposite end frame member whereby said latter loops will limit the lateral movement of said first rope; said first rope being arranged and adapted for securement to a hoist rope positioned outwardly of said opposite end member.

7. An elongated, relatively flat stretcher adapted to support the extended body of a person thereon with the head and feet adjacent 0pposite ends thereof; means for securing such body thereon; a rope secured at one end to the foot portion of said stretcher and extending therefrom along one longitudinal edge of said stretcher and over the head portion of the stretcher and back to the said foot portion along the opposite longitudinal edge of said stretcher and the opposite end of said rope being secured to said foot portion; means securing said ends of said rope to said foot portion at points adjacent said edges for swinging the remainder of said rope about said points to opposite sides of the plane of said stretcher; a bar secured at its ends to the lengths of said rope that extends along said edges; said bar being positioned adjacent the head end of said stretcher outwardly thereof and spacing said lengths apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the stretcher; the portions of said rope between said bar and their points of securement to said stretcher being free for swinging to positions over one side of said stretcher when said baris positioned across at the opposite side of said stretcher, whereby said portions may be secured to a hoist rope for hoisting said stretcher in horizontal position with said bar supporting one end of said stretcher during such hoisting, means to prevent shifting of the bar toward the foot of the stretcher.

8. In a construction as defined in claim 7, the portion of said rope extending beyond said bar outwardly of said stretcher being slack for engagement with a hoist rope for hoisting said stretcher in substantially vertical position when said bar is positioned outwardly of said end portion.

9. A stretcher including a pair of elongated side frame members and a pair of end frame members, respectively connecting between corresponding ends of said frame members providing an elongated, centrally open frame; an envelope of fabric enclosing said frame providing top and bottom sides for said stretcher spaced apart by said frame; a plurality of elongated slats between said 7 sides extending longitudinally of said frame and secured to one of said sides only; said stretcher being formed to provide a head portion at one end for supporting the head and upper body of a person on said upper side, and to provide a foot portion at the opposite end for supporting the feet and lower body of such person; means for securing the body of such person on said upper side; means secured to the foot end of said stretcher extending longitudinally of said stretcher and projecting from the head end thereof for suspending said stretcher in generally vertically extending position from the projecting portion of said last mentioned means.

10. An elongated stretcher having a head end and a foot end respectively at its opposite ends; a relatively slack length of rope extending along each of the longitudinal edges of said stretcher, means securing each of said lengths at their ends to the head and foot ends of said stretcher adjacent the ends of said longitudinal edges; said lengths between their said ends being slack and sufiiciently long to enable swinging of the central portion of said lengths for engagement at a point substantially centrally over said stretcher for suspending the stretcher in a generally horizontal position by said lengths from said point; a section of rope connecting said lengths at the head end of the said stretcher for suspending said stretcher in a generally vertical position by said section.

11. An elongated relatively flat stretcher having a head end and a foot end respectively at its opposite ends; a centrally open frame defining the edges of said stretcher and a canvas sheet secured to said frame and stretched across the central opening of the frame; means at said head end for suspending the stretcher vertically therefrom; a flexible band extending transversely across said stretcher about centrally between its ends and positioned to substantially encircle the portion of such body below the hips and above the knees; means securing said band to said canvas sheet along lines spaced inwardly from the longitudinal edges of said stretcher and spaced from each other a distance less than the normal width of the body of a person whereby said band will snugly fit around such body below the hips thereof and will substantially support said body against sliding toward the foot end of the stretcher when the latter is suspended generally vertically from above said head end; means for securing said band around said portion of such body; rigid means secured to said band and extending transversely thereof for stiffening said band against wrinkling; the means for securing said band around said portion of such body including a strap secured to one end of said band and a loop element secured to the other end thereof; and said rigid means comprising strips of rigid material secured to opposite ends of said band said means for suspending said stretcher comprising a rope extending across the head end of said stretcher and along the longitudinal edges thereof outwardly of said lines; means for securing said rope to said canvas at the foot end of said stretcher, and loops connected with said stretcher adjacent the head end thereof through which said ropes extend to said head end.

MALCOLM R. PETERS.