Portable traction apparatus

A portable bed, cot or "gurney" is modified to produce an apparatus which permits movement of a patient while under full traction. This is accomplished by a novel arrangement of stanchions, longitudinal and cross-bars supporting pulley rope and spring arrangements which form a part of the bed to maintain the traction while the patient is being moved over considerable distances, such as in evacuation operations and similar applications.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The use of traction upon the body of patients undergoing orthopedic therapy 
is frequently resorted to. This in essence consists of placing the body in 
tension and is applied to the neck, shoulders, legs and spinal column in 
general. For this purpose the relevant parts of the body, such as those 
mentioned above, are engaged by straps, clamps, belts and various 
fasteners which in turn are engaged by ropes passing over pulleys from 
which weights are suspended. In many cases, especially where severe back 
or neck injuries are involved, this entails the use of a rather extensive 
combination of ropes, pulleys and counter-weights. These of necessity are 
customarily supported from the wall or ceiling of the room in which the 
bed holding the patient is located. Thus when it becomes necessary to move 
the patient to another location for treatment, x-rays, etc., it is 
necessary to disconnect the apparatus, thus removing the the traction 
which may be of serious detriment to the patient. The problem is 
especially acute when it becomes necessary to evacuate a patient under 
traction by means of ambulances, aeroplanes or other transportation means. 
Numerous different traction devices attached to hospital beds have been 
constructed and used over a period of years. These are constructed to 
effect different purposes and in different manners as set forth in more 
detail below. 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,374,115 to Roemer discloses a portable table which is 
equipped with a crank operated tension device attached to the foot of the 
patient which, to a considerably limited extent, is applied to put the 
body in traction to a certain extent and is merely, as its name indicates, 
a "tension table". 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,861,565 to Lapierre describes a selective intermittent or 
continuous traction device which teaches a novel method of operating 
traction mechanisms but is not constructed particularly with a view 
towards portability. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,950,715 to Brobeck for an orthopedic bed teaches a combined 
traction and exercising device and while it does have portable features, 
the traction features are rather limited. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,996 to Carnahan teaches a wheel chair upon which is 
superimposed a frame holding a device for placing only a neck in traction. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,953 to Mason teaches a novel arrangement of a traction 
mechanism attached to a bed which permits the patient to operate the 
traction himself and is adapted to a variety of different types of 
traction successively. It is not a complete or sophisticated system and 
not portable. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,787 to Rush teaches a traction device attached to a bed 
especially adapted for applying traction to the lumbar region of the spine 
by acting on the thighs and femur portions of the patient's legs, while 
supporting the calves in a horizontal position at a ninety degree angle. 
It is also not a complete traction system. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,370,251 to Lewis comes the closest to the invention of 
applicant in application in that it is constructed to be applied to an 
existing hospital bed. It is described as an "orthopedic arch" which is 
attached to a bedstead and arranged to hold pulleys and ropes for placing 
a body in tension. It provides a limited degree of portability but is far 
from being as sophisticated a device as the invention of applicant's. The 
provisions for portability with this device are secondary to the 
construction which permits the attachment and detachment of the device to 
the bedstead. Many traction elements are lacking. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Applicant has invented a structure, or apparatus, which may be applied to a 
portable hospital bed or cot, sometimes referred to as a "gurney" wherein 
complete and total traction may be effected on the patient while lying on 
the portable bed and thus permits movement of the patient over 
considerable distances without releasing the traction. It permits wide 
range of adjustability of the device, allowing movement of a patient while 
in traction by ambulances, aeroplanes or other means. It is expecially 
advantageous in evacuation situations where portability is of paramount 
importance while maintaining traction on the patient. 
The structure is superimposed upon an existing portable bed frame and is 
characterized by vertical stanchions which are adjustable in height as 
well as horizontal frame members, both longitudinal and cross, which are 
adjustable in length and position. A system of ropes and pulleys is 
supported from this framework and is applied to the patient through neck, 
waist and leg engaging elements. The adjustable height of the traction 
frame above the bed frame permits movement of the entire assembly in and 
through spaces where head room is limited while maintaining the traction 
elements in effect. Spring mountings for the pulleys aid the portability.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the figures, there is seen first the members 1 of an 
existing portable hospital bed, cot or "gurney" frame mounted on wheels or 
casters 2. The frame 1 is equipped with handlebars 3. Support corner 
bosses 4 are welded to the corners of frame 1 and are disposed to hold in 
position short vertical extension members 5. These are disposed to hold in 
fixed position cross-frame members 6 which act as the horizontal supports 
for the adjustable superstructure of the apparatus. 
Vertical stanchions 7 are fixedly positioned on support frame members 6 and 
are of telescoping construction comprising members 7a and 7b which are 
held in position by collar 8 and wing nut 9 best seen in detail on FIG. 3. 
Upper three transverse members 10 are slidably positioned on stanchions 7 
and held at any given position by means of clamps 10a and wing nuts 10b. 
Positioned also on transverse members 10 are clamp and wing nut 
combinations 10c which are disposed to hold the rope and pulley members of 
the apparatus described more fully below. 
Positioned on the upper end of stanchions 7 are longitudinal members 11 
which are comprised of two parts arranged for lengthwise adjustment by 
means of double clamps 11a and wing nuts 11b. Longitudinal members 11 are 
secured to vertical stanchions 7 by means of clamp and wing nut 
combinations 11d positioned at the ends of longitudinal member 11. 
Positioned also on longitudinal member 11 is clamp and wing nut 
combination 11c disposed also to support the rope and pulley arrangement 
described below. 
Reference should now be had to the foot end of the apparatus as shown in 
FIGS. 1 and 2. Pulley 12a is suspended from clamp 10c through spring 
element 13a. Rope 14a is connected to weight 15a at one end and the other 
end joins metallic yoke 16. Both ends of metallic yoke 16 make connection 
with straps 17 which are joined to waistband 21 which fits around the 
waist of the patient. This combination puts the lower portion of the 
patient's body in tension. It may be modified to engage patient's legs if 
desired. 
Referring now to the head end of the apparatus, the two pulleys 12b are 
mounted on the longitudinal member 11 and transverse member 10 by means of 
clamps 11c and 10c respectively through springs 13b. One end of rope 14b 
which passes over the pulleys 12b is connected to weight 15b and the other 
end to a suitable loop is fastened to the frame of pulley 12c. Rope 14d 
secures the frame of pulley 12c to the bed frame, after suitable tension 
is applied to it through rope 14b and weight 15b. Rope 14c runs over the 
two pulleys 12c and one end of it is attached to weight 15c. The other end 
of rope 14c is connected to metal yoke 18 which in turn supports ropes 19 
which form a part of the neck traction strap, band, or halter 20 which 
engages the neck of the patient as shown. Leg straps 22 are shown and may 
be employed to hold patient's legs down if needed. 
It is thus seen that the entire traction apparatus is supported upon and in 
fact becomes a part of the bed frame when the latter is transported from 
one location to another. By pushing it on its wheels 2 the entire 
apparatus moves the patient while maintaining him in the full traction 
supplied by the action of the members of the apparatus as set forth above.