US3265432A

US3265432A - Hosptical stretcher with drop end

Info

Publication number: US3265432A
Application number: US367384A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul C Tabbert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Midmark Corp
Priority date: 1964-05-14
Filing date: 1964-05-14
Publication date: 1966-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-09

Description

Aug. 9, i966 P. c. TABBERT y HOSPITAL STRETCHER WITH DROP END -5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 14, 1964 rllllQlIlHlllllll INVENTOR. P470/ C fabe/f BY M AT TOE N EY.

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Aug. 9, 1966 P. c. TABBERT HOSPITAL STRETCHER WITH DROP END Filed May 14, 1964 INVENTOR. Pdu/ C, /zbe/ Ai TORN EY.'

wm, Q Vl United States Patent O 3,265,432 HUSPITAL STRETCHER WITH DRG? END Paul C. Tabbert, llridgman, Mich. Filed May 14, 1964, Ser. No. 367,384 6 Claims. (Ci. 296-29) This Iinvention relates t-o improvements in hospital stretcher with drop end. The .principal objects of this slides on its support so that it will be balanced from end to end when the drop section is both down and up so that a patient cannot be loaded onto the stretcher in a position t-o overlbalance `and up-end the stretcher.

Third, to provide a stretcher with .a drop end that is connected to a sliding topv and the support for the sliding top so that lowering or raising of the drop end results in corresponding reverse sliding of the t-op to a balanced position on the support in all positions of the drop end.

Fourth, to provide a stretcher having the foregoing characteristics Whic-h may also be elevated or tilted endwise without interfering with the drop end structure or its operation.

Fifth, to provide .a stretcher having the foregoing characteristics which may be mounted on a wheeled carriage.

Sixth, to provide a wheeled stretcher with a drop end which permits the stretcher to be used for obstetrical work and for moving the patient between a labor room, delivery room and a recovery room without moving the patient from the stretcher.

Other objects and Iadvantages of the invention will be apparent from a `consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings of which there are three sheets, illustrate a highly practical form of the stretcher.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partially in section at the bottom of the stretcher with the end in partially lowered position.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional View taken along the plane of the line 2 2 in FIG. l.

FIG. 3 yis a fragmentary side elevational view of the top of the stretcher with the drop end in raised position.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, partially broken away, of the top of the stretcher.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 5 5 in FIG. 4 showing the hinge of the stretcher top. j

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary horizont-al cross sectional view through the top supporting and elevating mechanism taken along `the plane of the broken line 6 6 in FIG. l.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view taken along `the plane of the line 7 7 in FIGS. l and.3.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line y8 8 in FIG. 7.

The stretcher of the invention is designed primarily for obstetrical use but may be used in other cases. A base consisting of a longitudinal rcenter beam 1 with end cross bars 2 has caster wheels 3 connected to the ends of the cross bars for mobility. Rigid uprights 4 and 5 project above the beam near each end thereof. Upright 4 consists of two spaced plates 6 lthat are vertically slotted as at 7 while upright 5 consists of similarly spaced but Patented August 9, 12966 ICC unslotted plates 8.

Support posts

9 and 10 of box section lit slidably between lthe plates 6 and 8 and are laterally retained in upright position therebetween. The support posts support the stretcher top or Itable indicated generally at 11 as will `be described in greater detail presently.

The support posts 9 and -10 are adjustably supported lirst by a pin .'12 passed through the post 9 and upright links 13 pivoted to the upper end of lpost 10 at 14. A vertical adjusting frame consisting of spaced horizontal side bars or rails 15 extends along and over. the main base beam .1 with outwardly olf-set ends `16 at one end embracing or positioned alongside of the upright plates 6. Offset ends 17 lat the other ends of the adjusting frame rail lap along the sides of plates 8. The pivot and s-upport pin 12 projects through the support post 9 and the slots 7 and ends 16 of the adjusting frame 15. Depending lifting links or bars 18 also pivot on the ends of pin 12. Other depending lifting links or bars 19 are pivoted to the other end of the lifting frame 15 at `20.

The lifting links 18 land 19 are connected at their lower ends to jack levers 2'1 Iand 2Q. at 23. The jack levers 21 and 22 have their inner ends pivotally connected by a pin 24 that slides vertically between guide plates or bars 25. Tension links 26 pivoted -to the beam t1 at 27 are pivotally connected to mid-sections of jack levers 21 .and 22 at 28. A hydraulic jack 29 mounted on the beam 1 has apiston rod 30 connected by a yoke 3l to the jack levers 21. A pump indicated at 32 and operated by the pedal 33 lifts the piston rod while a valve indicated at 34 and operated by the foot lever 35 permits draining fluid from the jack to lower the piston rod. Raising the piston rod 30' directly lifts the outer ends of jack levers 21 and links 118 to lift pin 1-2 and support post 9. -Interconnected jack levers 22 raise links `19 and the other end of the lifting frame.

The lifting frame 15 carries pivots 36 on which cranks having lower arms 37 and upright arms 38 are pivoted. The previously described links 13 are connected to the lower arms 37 and raise with the lifting frame. This provides for vertical adjustment of the stretcher top at a constant angle, horizontal or inclined. The top of the stretcher can be tilted longitudinally while at any angle by turning the crank 39 and rod 40 journaled in the post 9. The rod is threaded at 41 and carries a traveling nut 42 pivoted to the swinging ends of crank arms 38 to swing Ithe crank about pivot 36. By this means yarms 37 and links 13 may be raised relative to the lifting frame 15 to an inclined Trendelenberg position.

The structure thus far described includes many of the details disclosed and claimed more fully in my Patent 3,050,745, issued August 28, 1962, for Hospital Stretcher.

The

support posts

9 and 10 are connected by a rigid top bar 43 and inclined brace bar 44. Short cross bars 45 project laterally from the tops of the support posts and have spaced plates 46 connected to each end. Rollers 47 supported between the plates and below spacers 4S form slide supports for the top of the stretcher indicated generally at 49.

The top 49 has a main frame 50 of outwardly facing channel section with cross bars 51 extending thereacross to support the surface plate 52 of the stretcher. Longitudinal slide bars 53 secured to the bottoms of some of the cross bars 51 are supported by the rollers 47. Cross bars closely adjacent the plates 46 are notched as at 54 (see FIG. 7) to clear the plates as the top slides as will be described.

The right end of the main portion of the stretcher top terminates with a cross bar S of T shaped cross section (see FIG. 5) and the ends of the border frame are inclined rearwardly and downwardly as at 56. Short hinge support plates 57 are welded to the `inside of the border frame and project therefrom to support hinge pivots 58. A stretcher top foot extension 59 having a border frame 60 and extension top plate 61 is swingably connected to the pivots with the ends of the frame 60 slanted to mate with the ends 56.

The stretcher top extension 59 is held and controlled in its position, rst by inclined links 61 pivoted to ear 62 on the support post and to the underside of the foot extension at 63. The main stretcher top has downwardly and rearwardly inclined xed pivot support bars 64 secured to the T-shaped cross member 55 and extending downwardly in spaced clearing relation to the post 10 and the upright plates 5 as well as the end of the support frame 15.- Brace bars 65 welded to the bars 64 and extending back to the underside of the main stretcher top x the position of pivots 66 relative to the main portion of the stretcher top.

Toggle links having lower toggle bars 67 and upper toggle bars 68 are pivotally connected at 69 with the lower bars connected to pivots 66 and the upper bars pivoted to the underside of the foot extension at 70. The upper bars 68 have stops 71 that engage the lower bars with the pivots 69 :slightly past or below the center line between pivots 66 and 70 when the foot extension is fully raised as shown in FIG. 3. This locks the foot extension in raised position. The over center toggle lock `may be broken by hand lever 72 pivoted at 73 and engageable with a cross rod 74 connecting the upper ends of upper links 68 above the pivots 70.

It will be noted that the toggle 67-68 cannot be straightened and locked with the foot extension 59 raised and closed on the main stretcher top 49 without the link 61 which is connected to the post 10 pulling both the foot extension 59 and the main stretcher top 49 back on the slide rollers until the entire stretcher top is centered over the wheels 3 as shown by the dotted lines at 49A and 59A in FIG. l. The same connection and action of the link 61 causes both stretcher sections to slide to the right as the foot extension is lowered as shown by the full lines in FIG. l. Thus the weight of the patient is moved automatically forward and the end of the main section 49 is moved over the wheels to the most convenient position for the doctor when the foot extension is dropped. The stretcher cannot be left with the foot extension up and extended longitudinally in an unbalanced position. This eliminates the danger of a patient being placed on an unstable stretcher.

Other attachments may be added to the stretcher as desired. For example 75 indicates sockets for leg rest posts. Permanent or folding side rails may be connected 'to the cross bars of the stretcher top as in the patent identied above.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A mobile hospital stretcher comprising a base mounted on wheels,

uprights mounted at each end of said base each consisting of laterally spaced support plates,

support posts vertically adjustably mounted on said uprights and laterally retained therebetween with one post pivotally supported and the other swingably supported to swing about the pivotal support of the other, cross bars iixedly connected to the tops of said posts and having laterally spaced guides connected to each end,

rollers forming top supports mounted between said guides below the upper ends ofthe guides,

a stretcher top having a frame with spaced longitudinal slide bars on its underside positioned between said guides and longitudinally slidably supported by said rollers,

an end cross member on said frame, depending lixed pivot supports connected to said end cross memberber and an intermediate underside portion of said frame and disposed on each side of one of said uprights underneath said top,

a stretcher top foot extension having an extension frame with ,downwardly and forwardly inclined break joint ends adjacent the ends of said stretcher trarne, means forming a transverse pivot connection between the ends of said stretcher frame and said extension frame alined with said break joint ends,

a rst rigid link pivotally connected between said one 4upright and said extension frame at points spaced from the pivot between said frame and said frame extension,

a toggle link having a lower bar pivoted to said fixed pivot support below said rigid link and an upper bar pivoted to said extension frame in outwardly spaced relation from said pivot connection between said top frame and said extension frame and the connection between said first link and said frame extension,

a pivot connecting the adjacent ends of said bars,

a stop `0n one of said bars limiting movement to a slight over-center locking position between pivots on said upright and said frame extension with said frame extension in erected continuation of said stretcher frame,

and a release lever pivoted on said frame extension and engageable with the upper bar of said toggle link to break the over-center position of the bars of the toggle link.

2. A mobile hospital stretcher comprising a base mounted on wheels,

support posts vertically adjustably mounted on said uprights and laterally retained therebetween, cross bars xedly connected to the tops of said posts and having late-rally spaced guides connected to each end,

rollers forming top supports mounted between said guides below the upper ends of the guides,

an end cross member on said frame, depending fixed pivot supports connected to said end cross member and an intermediate underside portion of said frame and disposed one each side of one of said uprights underneath said top,

a stretcher top foot extension having an extension frame means forming a transverse pivot connection between the ends of said stretcher frame and said extension frame,

a rst rigid link pivotally connected between said one upright and said extension frame at points spaced vfrom the pivot between said frame and said frame extension,

a toggle link having a lower bar pivoted to said xed pivot and an upper bar pivoted to said extension frame in outwardly spaced relation from said pivot connection to said top frame .and said extension fra/me,

a pivot connecting the adjacent ends of said bars,

a stop on one of said bars limiting movement to a slight over-center locking position between said xed pivots and said -frame extension with said `frame extension in erected continuation of said stretcher frame,

and a release lever pivoted on said frame extension and engageable with the upper -bar of said toggle link to break the over-center position of the bars of the toggle link.

3. A mobile hospital stretcher comprising a base mounted on wheels,

uprights mounted at each end of said base,

support 4posts vertically adjustably mounted on said uprights and laterally retained thereby, cross bars fixedly -connected to the tops of said posts and having laterally spaced guides connected to each end,

slide supports mounted between said guides,

a stretcher top having a frame with spaced longitudinal slide bars on its underside positioned between said guides and long'tudinally slidably supported by said slide supports,

depending fixed pivot supports connected to said frame and disposed on each side of one of said uprights underneath said top,

a stretcher top foot extension having an extension frame,

means forming a transverse pivot connection between the ends of said stretcher frame and said extension frame,

a first rigid link pivotally connected between said one upright and said extension frame at points spaced from the pivot between said -frame and said -frame extension,

a toggle link having a lower bar pivoted to said fixed pivot and an upper bar pivoted to said extension frame in outwardly spaced relation from said pivot connection between said top frame and said extension frame,

a pivot connecting the adjacent ends of said bars,

a stop on one of said 'bars limiting movement to a slight over-center locking position between said fixed pivots and said frame extension -with said frame extension in erected continuation of said stretcher frame,

and a release lever pivoted on one of said frames and engageable with the upper bar of said toggle link to Ebreak the over-center position of the bars of the toggle link.

4. A mobile hospital stretcher comprising a base mounted on wheels,

uprights mounted at each end of said base,

support posts tiltably adjustably mounted on said uprights "and laterally retained thereby, cross bars fixedly connected to the tops of said posts,

slide supports mounted on the ends of cross bars,

a stretcher top having a frame with spaced longitudinal slide bars on its underside slidably supported by said slide supports,

means forming depending fixed pivot supports connected to said frame and disposed underneath said top,

a stretcher top foot extension -having an extension frame,

a first rigid link pivotally connected between the upright adjacent said transverse pivot and said extension frame at points spaced from the pivot between said frame and said frame extension,

a toggle link having a lower bar pivoted to said fixed pivot supports and an upper bar pivoted to said extension frame in outwardly spaced relation from said pivot connection between said top frame and said extension frame,

a pivot connecting the adjacent ends of said bars,

a stop on one of said bars limiting movement of the bars, to a slight over-center locking position between pivots on said fixed pivot supports and said frame extension with said frame extension in erected continuation of said stretcher frame,

and a release member mounted on one of said frame members and engageable with one bar of said toggle link to break the over-center positionl of the bars ofthe toggle link. 5. A mobile hospital stretcher comprising a base mounted on wheels,

uprights mounted at each end of said b-ase each consisting of laterally spaced support plates,

support posts vertically adjustably mounted on said uprights and laterally retained therebetween with one post pivotally supported and the other swingably supported to swing about the pivotal support of the other,

cross 'bars xedly connected to the tops of said posts and having slide supports connected to each end,

a stretcher top having aframe with spaced longitudinal slide bars on its underside slidably supported by said slide supports,

means forming a depending fixed pivot support connected to said frame and disposed on one side of one of said uprights underneath said top,

a stretcher top foot extension having an extension frame with downwardly and forwardly inclined break joint ends adjacent the ends of the said stretcher frame,

means forming a transverse pivot connection between the ends of said stretcher frame and said extension frame, v

a first rigid link pivotally connected between said one upright and said extension frame at points spaced from the pivot between said frame and said frame extension,

a pivot connecting the adjacent ends of said bars,

a stop on one of said bars limiting movement to a slight over-center locking position between pivots on said fixed pivot support `and said frame extension with said frame extension in erected continuation of said stretcher frame,

and a release means mounted on one of said frame members engageable with the upper bar of said toggle link to break the over-center position of the bars of the toggle link.

6. A mobile hospital stretcher comprising a |base mounted on wheels,

uprights mounted at each end of said base,

support posts vertically ladjustably mounted on said uprights and laterally retained thereby,

cross bars fixedly connected to the tops of said posts and having slide supports connected to each end,

a stretcher top foot extension having an extension frame with downwardly and forwardly inclined break joint ends adjacent the ends of said stretcher frame,

a toggle link having a lower bar pivoted to said fixed pivot support below said rigid link and an upper bar pivoted to said extension frame in outwardly spaced relation from said pivot connection between said top frame and said extension frame,

a pivot connecting the adjacent ends of said bars,

a stop on one of said bars limiting movement to a slight over-center locking position between pivots on said xed pivot support and said frame extension with said frame extension in erected lcontinuation of said stretcher frame,

and a release means `mounted on one of said frame members engagable with said toggle link to break the over-center position of the bars of the toggle link.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 661,232 11/1900 Shipley 269-324 1,530,719 3/1925 Harris 269-324 2,841,438 7/1958 Wen 2964-20 3,026,542 3/1962 Tabbert 5 86 A. HARRY LEVY, Primary Examiner.

10 P. GOODMAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A MOBILE HOSPITAL STRETCHER COMPRISING A BASE MOUNTED ON WHEELS, UPRIGHTS MOUNTED AT EACH END OF SAID BASE EACH CONSISTING OF LATERALLY SPACED SUPPORT PLATES, SUPPORT PORTS VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID UPRIGHTS AND LATERALLY RETAINED THEREBETWEEN WITH ONE POST PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED AND THE OTHER SWINGABLY SUPPORTED TO SWING ABOUT THE PIVOTAL SUPPORT OF THE OTHER, CROSS BARS FIXEDLY CONNECTED TO THE TTOPS OF SAID POSTS AND HAVING LATERALLY SPACED GUIDES CONNECTED TO EACH END, ROLLERS FORMINGG TOP SUPPORTS MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID GUIDES BELOW THE UPPER ENDS OF THE GUIDES, A STRETCHER TOP HAVING A FRAME WITTH SPACED LONGITUDINAL SLIDE BARS ON ITS UNDERSIDE POSITIONED BETWEENN SAID GUIDES AND LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID ROLLERS; AND END CROSS MEMBER ON SAID FRAME, DEPENDING FIXED PIVOT SUPPORTS CONNECTED TO SAID END CROSS MEMBERBER AND AN INTERMEDIATE UNDERSIDE PORTION OF SAID FRAME AND DISPOSED ON EACH SIDE OF ONE OF SAID UPRIGHTS UNDERNEATH SAID TOP, A STRETCHER TOP FOOT EXTENSION HAVING AN EXTENSION FRAME WITH DOWNWARDLY AND FORWARDLY INCLINED BREAK JOINT ENDS ADJACENT THE ENDS OF SAID STRETCHER FRAME, MEANS FORMING A TRANSVERSE PIVOT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID STRETCHER FRAME AND SAID EXTENSION FRAME ALIGNED WITH SAID BRAKE JOINT ENDS, A FIRST RIGID LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID ONE UPRIGHT AND SAID EXTENSION FRAME AT POINTS SPACED FROM THE PIVOT BETWEEN SAID FRAME AND SAID FRAME EXTENSION, A TOGGLE LINK HAVING A LOWER BAR PIVOTED TO SAID FIXED PIVOT SUPPORT BELOW SAID RIGID LINK AND AN UPPER BAR PIVOTED TO SAID EXTENSION FRAME IN OUTWARDLY SPACED RELATION FROM SAID PIVOT CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID TOP FRAME AND SAID EXTENSION FRAME AND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID FIRST LINK AND SAID FRAME EXTENSION, A PIVOT CONNECTING THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID BARS, A STOP ON ONE OF SAID BARS LIMITING MOVEMENT TO A SLIGHT OVER-CENTER LOCKING POSITION BETWEEN PIVOTS ON SAID UPRIGHT AND SAID FRAME EXTENSION WITH SAID FRAME EXTENSION IN ERECTED COMMUNICATION OF SAID STRETCHER FRAME, AND A RELEASE LEVER PIVOTED ON SAID FRAME EXTENSION AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE UPPER BAR OF SAID TOGGLE LINK TO BREAK THE OVER-CENTER POSITION OF THE BARS OF THE TOGGLE LINK.