Invalid transfer means

In abstract a preferred embodiment of this invention is a transfer means for moving incapacitated or partially incapacitated patients or persons from one location to another. A single nurse or orderly can place the patient on the device and move such patient without assistance and without exerting excessive effort and without requiring a great amount of strength. This is accomplished through a counterbalanced arrangement which allows the weight of the patient to be disposed near the center of gravity of the device for easy pivoting and manipulation during the loading, moving and unloading sequence.

FIELD OF INVENTION 
This invention relates to medical appliances and more particularly to means 
for moving incapacitated and partially incapacitated persons from one 
location to another. 
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
Since man first began to care for his weak and infirm brethern, the problem 
of moving such people from one location to another, whether for their 
pleasure or for necessity, has been of concern. The age old method of 
having two aids, orderlies, or other persons with adequate strength to 
support the person being moved continues to be the most universal method. 
Due to the expense of having assistants available is becoming more and 
more prohibitive from a cost standpoint. 
Lifts of various types have been devised for transferring and moving 
incapacitated and partially incapacitated persons including large 
contraptions with arms and sling-like members which are raised and lowered 
by either hydraulic, electrical or mechanical means. These systems almost 
invariably are large and awkward, require at least two persons to operate, 
and are extremely expensive to buy. 
Another problem encountered is even the simple chores such as moving a 
patient from a bed to a chair can involve a considerable amount of work 
and staff time and yet does not justify the use of presently known 
mechanical transfer means. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
After much research and study into the above-mentioned problems, the 
present invention has been developed to provide a relatively inexpensive 
and yet highly efficient transfer means for incapacitated and partially 
incapacitated persons which can be readily connected and disconnected to 
the user thereof, can be manipulated by a single assistant both in the 
loading, unloading and transport processes, and does not require a great 
deal of strength to manipulate. 
The above is accomplished through the use of a unique strap system for 
connection to the person to be moved along with a simple and yet highly 
efficient pivotable frame which allows the person being transported to be 
rotated to a point above the center of gravity in a counterbalanced 
fashion which is maintained during the transport part of the moving 
process. 
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a 
relatively inexpensive and yet highly efficient means for moving 
incapacitated and partially incapacitated persons from one place to 
another. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a moving means for 
incapacitated and partially incapacitated persons which can be secured to 
and unsecured from the person as well as manipulated during the moving 
process by a single assistant of nominal strength and statute. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a patient moving 
means wherein a single nurse or orderly can handle the entire process of 
transferring said patient from one point to another as for example from a 
bed to a chair or bathroom. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a patient moving 
means which is inexpensive to purchase and yet is highly efficient in 
operation. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a moving means for 
incapacitated or partially incapacitated persons which can be readily 
stored in a small area or space when not in use. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a small, compact, 
relatively lightweight patient transfer means which is uncomplicated to 
use and can be readily manipulated by a single assistant. 
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent 
and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying 
drawings which are merely illustrative of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
With further reference to the drawings, the invalid transfer means of the 
present invention, indicated generally at 10, includes a carriage portion, 
indicated generally at 11 and an invalid attaching and lift portion, 
indicated generally at 12. 
Referring more specifically to the carriage portion 11, a frame in the form 
of an inverted right triangle is composed of brace member 13, spanner 
member 14 and slide member 15. These various members are interconnected by 
weldment or other suitable means. 
At the juncture of brace member 13 and spanner member 14 is secured, again 
by weldment or similar means, caster wheel support frame 16. This support 
frame has mounted on either end thereof caster wheels indicated at 17. 
Since caster wheels of this type, their mountings and operation are well 
known to those skilled in the art, further detailed description of the 
same is not deemed necessary. 
Referring now more specifically to the invalid attaching and lift portion 
12 of the present invention, a main support column 18 is provided which is 
preferably fabricated from channel iron type material. To the lower 
portion of this main support column is secured by weldment or other means, 
a cross member 19 as can clearly be seen in FIGS. 1 and 4. End plates 20 
are secured to each end of cross member 19 by weldment or similar means. 
Disposed between end plates 20 and secured thereto, again by weldment, is a 
footrest plate 21. 
Welded to the outer side of each of the end plates 20 is an outwardly 
projecting axle 22 on which is rotatively mounted support wheels 23. Means 
such as pins 24 are used to secure the wheels 23 on axle 22 in the normal 
manner of such devices. 
A stop 25 is provided on main support column 18. When slide member 15 of 
carriage portion 11 is placed thereon, the slide 18 will engage stop 25 
and, therefore, proper relationship of the two parts is assured. A set 
knob 26 is threaded through the side wall of slide member 15 and lockingly 
engages support column 18 in the normal manner of set screw type means. 
Adjustably mounted above slide member 15 of carriage portion 11 on column 
18 is a pair of knee supports 27 fixedly secured to opposite sides of 
slide 28. An elongated set knob 29 is threaded through one side of slide 
28 and releasably secures said slide on column 18. 
A body support, indicated generally at 30, includes a slide 31 mounted for 
longitudinal movement up and down support column 18. On opposite sides of 
this slide 31 is fixedly secured a roller bracket 32. Extending between 
the ends of each of these brackets is a roller means 33. The purpose of 
these rollers is to allow slide 31 to move upwardly and downwardly along 
support column 18 with minimum friction even though great weight may be 
carried by the body support 30. 
Outwardly extending from slide 31 is arm members 34 which has a box beam 
type cross member 35 welded or otherwise secured to its outer end. An 
intermediate interior plate 36 runs the length of cross member 35 and is 
fixedly secured thereto. The elongated ear portion 37 of arm support 38 is 
generally flat in structure and is adapted to slide into the slot-like 
opening formed between plate 36 and the outer edge of cross member 35. A 
set knob 39 is threaded through one side of cross member 35 and through 
internal plate 36 to releasably secure the arm support 38 relative to said 
cross member 35. Thus it can be seen that the ear portion 37 can be slid 
inwardly or outwardly at opposite ends of cross member 35 to adjust for 
varying sized persons using the transfer means of the present invention. 
Once proper adjustment has been made, this can be secured by manipulation 
of said knob 39 in the normal manner of such devices. 
The arm supports 38 are, of course, padded as is chest pad 40. This pad is 
secured to cross member 35 by means such as brackets 41 and bolts 32. Foam 
rubber or any other suitable material can be used to make chest pad 40 
comfortable for the user of the means of the present invention. 
To each end of cross member 35 is provided a bail loop 43. This bail loop 
is adapted to have secured thereto by snap hooks 44 or other suitable 
means, a back engaging safety strap 45. 
Also releasably secured to cross member 35 by way of bails 43 is flexible 
fabric seat means 46. This seat means includes on each side a strap 
portion 47, a snap hook 48 or similar securing means and a length 
adjusting means which can be either a chain, strap, or the like. Since 
length adjustable supports are well known to those skilled in the art, 
further detailed discussion of this feature of the present invention is 
not deemed necessary. 
An upper slide 49 is adjusted longitudinally up and down support column 18 
and is locked in place by set knob 50 which is threaded through one wall 
of said last mentioned slide. A handle 51 is fixedly secured to slide 49 
for aiding in the manipulation of the invalid transfer means 10 of the 
present invention. 
A life means such as a gear box 52 is fixedly secured to the lower portion 
of slide 49 and is adapted to transfer rotary movement about a horizontal 
axis created by handle 53 and handle arm 54 to a vertical rotary movement 
in worm gear 55. Since the operation of crank handles, gear boxes and worm 
gears are well known to those skilled in the art, further detailed 
discussion of the same thereof is not deemed necessary. 
The end of worm gear 55 opposite gear box 52 is threaded through gear block 
56 which in turn is fixedly secured to slide 31. Thus it can be seen that 
with slide 49 fixed by set knob 52 to column 18, as crank handle 53 is 
turned in one direction, worm gear 55 will move slide 31 and its 
associated structure upwardly along column 18 and when such handle is 
cranked in the opposite direction, said slide will be moved downwardly 
thereby assuring proper adjustment to the particular patient or person 
using the transfer means of the present invention. 
To assemble the transfer means of the present invention, column 18 is 
inserted through slide member 15 and moved down to stop 25. Set knob 26 is 
then manipulated to secure such member to such column. Next, slide 28 is 
placed on column 18 and moved to the approximate use position and set knob 
29 is used to secure slide 28 on said column. Next, slide 31 of attaching 
and lift portion 12 is slipped over column 18 and moved downwardly until 
upper slide 49 can also be placed on column 18. Set knob 50 is then 
screwed in to engage the column and to lock slide 49 relative thereto. The 
transfer means of the present means is now ready for use. 
By way of illustration, if the invalid or other person 57 is lying on a bed 
58 or other surface, the transfer means 10 of the present invention is 
rolled up adjacent thereto as illustrated in FIG. 2. It is then tipped up 
until column 18 is in a near vertical position and the heels 20' of plates 
20 engage the floor 59 to steady the transfer means. The patient, invalid 
or other person to be lifted is placed in a sitting position and his or 
her feet are placed on footrest 21. Set knob 29 is released to allow knee 
supports 27 to be moved upwardly or downwardly on column 18 to the 
appropriate position as illustrated in FIG. 1. The set knob is then used 
to again lock slide 28 to said column. The fabric or flexible seat means 
46 is then passed under the buttocks of the patient 57 and after the 
appropriate length adjustment has been made, it is connected to body 
support means 30. Handle 53 is then manipulated to either raise or lower 
slide 31 until arm supports 38 are under the arm pits of the patient 57. 
Because of the nature of worm gears, further locking of this position is 
not necessary. 
Set knobs 39 are then loosened and arm supports 38 moved inwardly or 
outwardly so as to be just snug against the sides of the body of the 
patient 57. Set knob 39 are then again locked. Next, appropriate length 
adjustment is made in strap 45 and it is snapped onto bails 43 as 
illustrated in FIG. 1. The person to be transferred is still sitting on 
surface 58 but is now ready to be moved. 
The nurse, orderly or other person transferring the patient 57 simply pulls 
back on handle 51 which pivots the patient (now firmly secured to the 
transfer means 10) over until caster wheels 17 engage the floor or other 
surface 59. The center of gravity of the patient is now over the carriage 
11 and the patient can be rolled to any desired location. 
Once moved to such location, the transfer means 10 of the present invention 
is tipped up to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2 with heels 
20' of plates 20 engaging surface 59. Handle 53 is then manipulated as 
necessary to lower the patient to surface 58 where strap 45 and seat 46 
can be removed. The transfer means 10 is then moved back away from the 
patient 57, placed back in the position shown in solid lines in the 
Figures, and can remain in such position until it is ready to use again. 
If the patient 57 is simply using the transfer means of the present 
invention to go to the bathroom, once he is sitting on the toilet, the 
seat 46 can simply be removed and once the excretion has been completed, 
the same can be replaced and the patient moved back to his bed, chair or 
other area. The advantage of this, of course, is that release of the strap 
45 and readjustment of the arm supports and other parts of the transfer 
means is not necessary and the entire transfer to and from the bathroom 
can be very quickly and easily accomplished. 
If, of course, the patient is to be transported for a short distance such 
as from a bed to the bathroom, only the arm supports or the arm supports 
and back strap are necessary. On the other hand, if the seat or buttock 
support is used, the arm supports and back strap are not necessary unless, 
of course, the patient has a physical condition which requires the same. 
From the above it is obvious that the present invention has the advantage 
of providing a relatively inexpensive and yet highly efficient invalid 
transfer means which can be completely and safely operated by a single 
attendant or orderly and which does not require any special training or 
expertise to use. The aid or orderly does not have to be a person of large 
statute or great strength to manipulate the means of the present invention 
but to the contrary, a small, petite person can handle large, heavy 
patients with ease. 
The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways 
than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and 
essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, 
therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not 
restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency 
range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.