US3406410A

US3406410A - Ambulance stretchers

Info

Publication number: US3406410A
Application number: US614480A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bidgood William Henry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-02-16
Filing date: 1967-02-07
Publication date: 1968-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 1985-10-22
Also published as: FR1513728A; GB1177340A

Description

Oct. 22, 1968 BIDGOOD 13,406,410

AMBULANCE STRETCHERS Filed Feb. 7, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 22, 1968 w. Goop I 3,406,410

AMBULANCE STRETCHERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 7, 1967 3,406,410 AMBULANCE STRETCHERS William Henry Bidgood, 8 S. Morton St., Portobello, Edinburgh 15, Scotland Filed Feb. 7, 1967, Ser. No. 614,480

Claims priority, application Great Britain, Feb. 16, 1966, 6,703/ 66 1 Claim. (Cl. --82) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An ambulance stretcher having two rigid sides and members for spacing the sides a predetermined distance apart. The upper surface of the two sides are smooth for receiving, at any location therealong, removable downwardly curved cross bars having downwardly facing concave ends for engaging the upper surfaces of the sides.

This invention relates to ambulance stretchers.

Ambulance stretchers as at present constructed normally consist of two side members connected by a web of flexible material. To move a body on to such a stretcher it is customary to lay the stretcher beside the body then either lift the body or roll the body on to the stretcher. Even where the greatest of care is taken these methods of moving a body on to such a stretcher frequently cause pain and can cause additional injury. The problem to be solved is to provide for the moving of a body on to a stretcher with as little pain as possible and with the minimum danger of causing further injury or aggravating existing injury. It is an object of the present invention to provide a stretcher which will solve this problem.

An ambulance stretcher according to the invention incorporates two side members spacing means effective to hold the side members a predetermined distance apart so that the "side members and the spacing means form an open frame, and removable cross bars arranged to bridge the gap between the side members.

The spacing means may consist of collapsible links connected to the side members near their ends. The collapsible links may be hinged links pivoted to the side members and to one another.

The side members may present handles at their ends or may be formed with intermediate handles projecting laterally.

The cross bars may be downwardly curved and are preferably formed of a light comparatively strong material such as glass fibre.

Where the side members are not otherwise connected to one another at least selected cross members, particularly those to be positioned at the ends, may be formed with looped ends arranged to be penetrated by the side members.

The ends of at least selected cross members may be curled to fit around the side members.

The cross members may be formed with clamping means engageable with the side members so that the cross members may be clamped to the side members.

Practical embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 illustrates a construction in which the two side members are not permanently connected to one another and FIG. 2 illustrates a construction in which the side members are permanently linked to one another.

In the drawings, 1 denotes side members and 2 de- United States Patent notes removable cross bars formed to bridge the gap between the side members 1 when these latter are spaced the appropriate distance, apart. In the construction of FIG. 1 the end cross bars 2A are formed at their ends with loops 3 arranged to bepenetrated by the side members 1 and hold the side members 1 the appropriate distance apart, and the cross bars 2 which will occupy intermediate positions between the end cross members 2A are curled at their ends at 4 so that when engaged with the side members 1 the cross bars 2 do not tend to slip off. The cross bars 2 are downwardly curved so that when in place the stretcher has a trough-like form. In the construction of FIG. 1 the side members present at their ends handles 4.

In the construction of FIG. 2 the side members 1 are linked to one another near their ends by links 5 pivoted to the side members at 6 and to one another at 7. In this construction there is no necessity to provide end cross bars 2A since the links 5 are effective in holding the side members 1 the appropriate distance apart.

Although in the construction of FIG. 1 the side members present handles 4 and in the construction of FIG. 2 such handles are absent it will be understood that handles may be omitted from the construction of FIG. 1 and may be included in the construction of FIG. 2. It is unnecessary to provide end handles onthe side members where fouror more stretcher bearers are available since it is then more convenient for the bearers to grip the side members 1 directly.

In practice, to transport a body which is initially resting on the ground by a stretcher as illustrated in FIG. 1, ends cross bars 2A are engaged withrside members 1 to form an open frame and this frame without cross bars 2 fitted is placed over the body on the ground to surround the body. The cross bars 2 are then'inserted one at a time below the body and the curled ends 4 are engaged with the side members which latter are held apart the requisite distance by the end cross bars 2A. The stretcher thus formed may be raised by the handles 4 with the body resting on it.

To transport a body which is initially resting on the ground by a stretcher as illustrated in FIG. 2, the links 5 are straightened out to move the side members 1 to their fully spaced formation and the open frame thus formed without cross bars 2 fitted is placed over the body on the ground to surround the body as described for the construction of FIG. 1. The cross bars 2 are then inserted as already described one at a time below the body and the curled ends 4 are engaged with the side members 1. The stretcher thus formed may then be raised by stretcher bearers standing at the sides of the stretcher and lifting the stretcher by gripping the side members 1 directly.

By means of the stretcher according to the invention it is possible to transfer a body from one place to another without causing it injury in the act of getting it on to the stretcher. The stretcher has the additional advantage that it may be stored in a small space by removing the cross bars 2 and bundling them and, in the construction of FIG. 1 by placing the two side members together or in the construction of FIG. 2 by collapsing the links 5 so that the side members 1 come together.

What is claimed is:

1. An ambulance stretcher incorporating two rigid side members having smooth substantially uninterrupted upper surfaces, spacing means effective to hold the side members a predetermined distanqehapartso that the side 1,1.20,931 12/1914 'Gosso 5-82 members and said spacing means form an open frame, 2,-302453 11/1942 Martin and removable downwardly curved cross bars formed 2 114 5/1956 Cote 5 82 with ends each curved to present a concave surface facing downwardly, the concave ends being engageable with the 5 16 2/1954 Burd 5-191 X upper surfaces of the side members, the bars being eifec- FOREIGN PATENTS tive to bridge the gap between the side members.

1,069,248 7/1954 F References Cited fifi UNITED STATES PATENTS I m CASMIR A. NUNBERG; Primary Examiner. 821,720 5/1906 Kidd.