Hospital gurney having a patient transfer device

A hospital gurney is provided which allows a single attendant to conveniently and safely transfer a patient between a hospital bed, examination table, or the like and the gurney while minimizing patient discomfort. The preferred structure includes a rollable gurney frame, a laterally shiftable patient conveyor, means coupling the patient conveyor with the gurney frame for lateral outward shifting of the conveyor relative thereto, and a laterally extendable plate coupled with the gurney frame below the level of the conveyor. In use, the gurney is placed next to a hospital bed, for example, the plate is extended outwardly to rest upon the bed surface, and the conveyor is shifted laterally outwardly onto the plate for supportive engagement therewith; the belting material included as part of the patient conveyor freely moves to allow one attendant to transfer the patient between the bed and the gurney.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to hospital gurneys used for transporting 
patients about in a hospital and for transferring patients between the 
gurney and a hospital bed, examination table, or the like. More 
particularly, the above invention relates to a rollable hospital gurney 
including a laterally outwardly shiftable patient conveyor coupled 
thereto, and a laterally outwardly shiftable support plate coupled below 
the conveyor for resting on the surface of the hospital bed or the like 
and for supporting the conveyor when extended laterally outwardly from the 
gurney. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Effective treatment of non-ambulatory hospital patients often requires that 
the patient be transported within the hospital from place to place at 
various times. For example, a patient may need to be transported between 
an operating table and a hospital bed, examination table, and or the like. 
Patients are usually transported between these various locations using a 
conventional fixed-bed rollable hospital gurney. To use such a gurney, it 
is typically necessary for at least two and as may as six or more 
attendants to bodily lift or slide or in some cases roll the patient 
between the gurney and the hospital bed, for example. 
This kind of manhandling of non-ambulatory patients is typically 
uncomfortable for the patient and may even be determental to the patient's 
condition depending upon the nature of the patient's injury or illness. 
Furthermore, the additional labor required makes patient transfer a labor 
intensive process and may cause delays while a sufficient number of 
attendants are coordinated to lift a patient between the hospital gurney 
and the hospital bed, for example. 
The prior art discloses various hospital gurney improvement devices 
intended to minimize patient discomfort and labor requirements. For 
example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,979 discloses a hospital gurney having a 
rectangular endless conveyor belt coupled with and laterally extendable 
from the gurney in which the conveyor belt is cantilevered over a hospital 
bed. The cantilevered conveyor belt is supported by a mechanically complex 
coupling arrangement including telescoping guide rails. 
Another example of the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 1,829,274 which 
illustrates a gurney equipped with a rigid table surface or apron which is 
transversely slidable relative to the upper frame of the gurney in which 
the apron can be extended over a hospital bed. In use, attendants must 
slide the patient along the apron when transferring to or from the gurney. 
As illustrated by the above discussion, the known devices in the prior art 
disclose complex mechanical structures which are only partially effective 
in minimizing patient discomfort and labor requirements when transferring 
a patient to and from a hospital gurney. Accordingly, the prior art 
reveals a need for a hospital gurney which is mechanically simple with 
which one attendant can conveniently and safely transfer a patient to and 
from the gurney. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The problems outlined above are solved by the hospital gurney in accordance 
with the present invention. That is to say, the hospital gurney hereof 
presents a relatively mechanically simple structure which allows one 
attendant to safely and conveniently transfer a hospital patient with 
minimal patient discomfort. 
Broadly speaking, the hospital gurney hereof includes a rollable support 
frame; a patient conveyor including a support structure and conveyor 
material presenting a patient-support surface shiftably coupled with the 
structure for lateral shifting movement relative thereto; means shiftably 
coupling the conveyor with the frame for lateral, outward shifting of the 
conveyor relative to the frame; and conveyor support means for supporting 
the conveyor when it is shifted laterally outwardly from the frame. 
Preferably, the conveyor support means includes a laterally shiftable plate 
which is designed to extend over a hospital bed or the like and to engage 
the top surface of a hospital bed thereby providing a smooth, firm support 
surface for the conveyor when also extended over the bed, and for 
supporting the entire hospital gurney to prevent toppling when a patient 
is being transfered to or from the gurney. 
Advantageously, the conveyor support structure includes a plurality of 
elongated pulleys and means rotatably coupling the pulleys in a parallel, 
spaced-apart relationship around which the conveyor material is configured 
as an endless belt for transverse movement relative to the pulleys. 
Additionally, the extendable plate includes means for limiting its outward 
travel to about half of its width. Advantageously, the conveyor coupling 
means includes a belt lock for releasably preventing movement of the belt 
relative to the support structure, and a conveyor lock for releasably 
preventing shifting of the conveyor relative to the frame.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawing figures, hospital gurney 10 broadly includes 
support frame 12, patient conveyor 14, conveyor coupling assembly 16, and 
plate structure 18. 
Support frame 12 is conventionally configured and includes lower framework 
20, upper framework 22, and scissor lift mechanism 24. 
Lower framework 20 includes four vertical, lower, support posts 26 
interconnected in a spaced-apart relationship near the lower ends thereof 
by four lower tubular members 28 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 1), 
and four caster-type transport wheels 30 respectively coupled with the 
lower ends of lower posts 26. Advantageously, a conventional foot-operated 
wheel lock structure (not shown) may be included with gurney 10 for 
selectively locking wheels 30 to prevent inadvertant movement of gurney 
10. 
Upper framework 22 includes four, tubular vertical, upper posts configured 
to slidably receive respective lower support posts 26 therein to permit 
vertical adjustment of upper framework 22 relative to lower framework 20. 
Additionally, upper framework 22 includes four, upper, horizontal tubular 
support members 34 for rigidly maintaining upper post 32 in their 
vertical, spaced-apart relationship. 
Conventional scissor lift 24 intercouples lower and upper frameworks 20, 22 
for selective vertical adjustment of upper framework 22 relative to lower 
framework 20. Scissor lift 24 includes a first pair of corresponding, 
slidable, support members 36, a second pair of corresponding, slidable, 
support members 38, a pair of corresponding, pivot supports 40, a 
respective pair of guide tracks 42, an elongated scissor slide plate 44 
intercoupling two upper support posts 32 as shown in FIG. 1, and scissor 
crank mechanism 46. Pivot supports 40 are preferably welded to post 26 and 
member 28 where they form respective inside corners. The lower ends of 
first slidable members 36 are respectively pivotally coupled to pivot 
supports 40. The upper ends of members 36 are slidably and respectively 
received within a pair of spaced-apart, elongated, horizontal, guide slots 
48 longitudinally defined in scissor plate 44. 
The upper ends of second slidable members 38 are pivotally coupled with 
members 36 near the upper ends there as shown in FIG. 1. The lower ends of 
second slidable members 38 are slidably received in respective guide 
tracks 42 arranged one behind the other as viewed in FIG. 1. 
Scissor crank mechanism 46 includes an elongated, cylindrical, threaded rod 
50 which is threadably received in respective apertured scissor blocks 50 
respectively coupled to second slidable members 38 at about the midway 
point as shown in FIG. 1. A telescoping crank handle 54 is slidably 
coupled to the forward end of crank rod 50. As conventionally used, handle 
54 can be extended outwardly from the forward end of gurney 10 whereby an 
attendant can rotate handle 54 in one direction to extend upper framework 
22 vertically upwardly with respect to lower framework 20 and in the 
opposite direction to lower upper framework 22. 
Upper framework 22 advantageously includes a conventional safety belt 56 
which can be conveniently coupled to scissor plate 44 as illustrated in 
FIG. 1. Those skilled in the art will recognize that gurney 10 can be 
equivalently equipped with conventional, adjustable side rails also for 
preventing a patient from inadvertently falling from gurney 10. 
The preferred patient conveyor 14 includes ten cylindrical pulleys 58; 
forward and rearward, tubular support headers 60 and 62 presenting a 
rectangular cross-section; forward, intermediate, and rearward belting 
material section 64f, 64i, and 64r; forward and rearward, transverse 
intermediate support channels 70f and 70r, and six conveyor support 
rollers 72. 
Each pulley 58 includes an elongated axle 74 and forward, intermediate, and 
rearward, spaced-apart pulley sections 58f, 58i, and 58r fixed coaxially 
to axle 74. Respective ends of axle 74 are rotatably coupled with headers 
60 and 62 which maintain pulleys 58 in a parallel, spaced-apart 
relationship as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Each axle 74 rotatably 
extends through support channels 70f, r. Each pulley 58 is configured to 
present pulley section 58f between forward header 60 and first support 
channel 70f, intermediate pulley section 58i between support channels 70f 
and r, and rearward pulley section 58r between rearward support channel 
70r and rearward header 62 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
Preferably, pulleys 58 are constructed of stainless steel with axle 74 
being about one-quarter inch in diameter and with each pulley section 
58a-c being one-inch in diameter. 
Each belting material section is preferably configured as an endless belt 
with section 64f surrounding pulley sections 58f, intermediate belting 
material section 64i surrounding intermediate pulley sections 58i, and 
rearward belting material sections 64r surrounding rearward pulley 
sections 58r. Belting sections 64f,i,r are preferably composed of washable 
synthetic resin material. 
Each support channel 70f,r open downwardly as shown in FIG. 7, and includes 
three support rollers 72 rotatably coupled between the downwardly 
extending legs. Rollers 72 are spaced-apart with one intermediate along 
the length of each channel 70f,r and with one each adjacent opposed ends 
thereof and extend slightly below channels 70f,r to provide intermediate 
support for conveyor 14. 
Conveyor coupling assembly 16 couples conveyor 14 with upper framework 22 
so that conveyor 14 can be extended laterally outwardly from either side 
of gurney 10 as illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 3. 
Conveyor coupling assembly 16 includes six rotable conveyor track wheels 
76--three of which extend outwardly from forward support header 60, and 
three of which extend outwardly from rearward support header 62. 
Additionally, assembly 16 includes forward wheel track 78, rearward wheel 
track 80, belt lock 82, and conveyor lock assembly 84. 
The three track support wheels 76 of each set are spaced apart as shown in 
FIG. 5, and the sets are received within respective forward and rearward 
wheel tracks 78, 80. 
Wheel tracks 78, 80 each present a C-shaped configuration as shown in FIG. 
4 and present a beveled edge 86 (FIG. 8) at each end so that wheels 76 
make a smooth transition when exiting tracks 78, 80 from either end as 
will be explained further hereinbelow. 
Belt lock 82 includes L-shaped rod 88 coupled as shown in FIG. 4 to forward 
support header 60 by apertured support members 90, 92 which are configured 
to slidably receive one leg of rod 88 vertically therethrough, locking nib 
94 coupled with the vertical leg of rod 88, retaining spring 94, and 
locking shoe 98. Spring 96 engages the lower face of support member 22 and 
the upper surface of locking shoe 98 to bias locking shoe 98 downwardly 
into engagement with forward belting material section 64f which also 
thereby prevents rotation of pulleys 58 and belting sections 64i and r. To 
release lock 82, the attendant grasps the horizontal leg of rod 88 and 
pulls upwardly until nib 94 moves through a corresponding slot (not shown) 
in support member 90 so that locking nib 94 is disposed above the top face 
of support member 90. The attendant then rotates rod 88 and releases it 
whereby locking nib 94, having been displaced from the slot defined in 
support member 90, engages the top surface thereof and prevents rod 88 
from returning to the locked position. To return lock 82 to the locked 
position, the attendant rotates rod 88 to align nib 94 with the slot in 
support member 90 whereupon the bias of spring 96 moves rod 88 downwardly 
into the locked position. 
Conveyor lock assembly 84 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is designed to releasably lock 
conveyor 14 in one of three positions--centered, extended left, or 
extended right. Assembly 84 includes a horizontally disposed, forwardly 
extending, locking stud 100 affixed to the outboard surface of forward 
support header 60 above the level of forward wheel track 78; locking 
assembly plate 102 disposed between and affixed to the forward pair of 
upper posts 32; an elongated, horizontally disposed, locking guide slot 
104 extending the entire length of plate 102 between respective posts 32; 
apertured support angle 106; three apertured support members 108; a pair 
of inboard locking units 110 and 112; and a pair of outboard locking units 
114 and 116. 
The outboard, forward end of stud 100 extends through slot 104 which 
arrangement thereby limits the lateral travel of conveyor 14 at the 
respective ends of slot 104. 
Each locking unit 110-116 includes an L-shaped rod 118 one leg of which is 
vertically disposed and received through corresponding axially aligned 
apertures in support angle 106 and support members 108, and biasing spring 
120 disposed between the lower face of support angle 106 and a projection 
(not shown) fixed to the vertical leg of rod 118. Spring 120 biases rod 
118 downwardly. The lower end of each vertical leg of rod 118 is beveled 
at an angle as shown in FIG. 3. 
Inboard locking units 110, 112 are spaced apart at a distance equal to the 
width of stud 100 to hold stud 100 between the lower ends of rod 118 as 
shown in FIG. 3 with the angled portion of each facing away from stud 100. 
Outboard locking units 114, 116 are disposed near opposed ends of slot 
104. 
Rearward support header 62 also supports a guide stud 122 which is received 
in a corresponding guide slot 124 defined in rearward guide plate 126. 
Stud 122, however, has no associated locking units in the preferred 
embodiment. 
Plate structure 18 includes plate 128, and means for supporting plate 128 
including: a plurality of plate support rollers 130 rotatably coupled 
between two respective sets of plate roller support members 132, 134 
affixed transversely to upper framework 22 between side members 34, and a 
plurality of plate guide rollers 136 rotatably coupled with forward and 
rearward members 34 about a vertical rotational axis to engage opposed 
ends of plate 128. 
Plate 128 is preferably composed of one-eighth inch stainless steel plate 
and is slightly longer than patient conveyor 14. Plate support rollers 138 
support and locate plate 128 just below conveyor 14 as shown in FIGS. 7 
and 3 so that conveyor support rollers 72 engage the upper surface of 
plate 128. Plate rollers 130 also support plate 128 so it is laterally 
outwardly extendable from either side of gurney 10. Guide rollers 136 
engage opposed ends of plate 128 to prevent longitudinal shifting thereof 
(FIG. 4). 
Plate 138 also includes a downwardly projecting plate stop member 138 
centrally disposed along the center line thereof which prevents plate 128 
from extending outwardly more than about half of its width. That is to 
say, plate stop 128 comes into abutting engagement with respective upper 
support members 34 when extended to the outboard limit of its travel. 
Additionally, plate structure 18 includes plate extension device 138 for 
extending plate 140 laterally outwardly from either side of gurney 10. 
Plate extension device 140 includes a horizontally disposed drive shaft 
142 coupled to a pair of bearing blocks 144 (only one of which is shown) 
affixed to upper framework 22. The forward end of shaft 142 includes a 
telescoping handle 146 (FIG. 1). Plate extension device 140 also includes 
a V-belt drive sheave 148 connected to drive shaft 142, a pair of driven 
sheaves 150, and V-belt 152 coupled about sheaves 148-150 and also coupled 
to plate 128 as shown in FIG. 9. 
In the use of gurney 10 to transfer a hospital patient therefrom to a 
hospital bed 154, for example, gurney 10 is first placed closely alongside 
hospital bed 154. The attendant extends plate crank handle 146 forwardly 
and rotates it in order to extend plate 128 laterally outwardly over bed 
154 to its fully extended position as limited by plate stop 138 (FIG. 3). 
The attendant then extends scissor lift handle 54 and rotates handle 54 in 
order to lower upper framework 22 until the lower surface of plate 128 
firmly engages the top surface of bed 154. In this position, plate 128 
functions as an outrigger so that as a patient is being transferred from 
bed 154 to gurney 10, plate 128 prevents gurney 10 from toppling. 
The attendant then lifts the horizontal leg of L-shaped rod 118 of inboard 
locking unit 112 with one hand in order to release stud 100 and thus 
conveyor 14 to shift rightwardly as viewed in FIG. 3. Conveyor 14 can then 
be shifted rightwardly onto plate 128 until stud 100 shifts to the 
rightmost position of slot 104 and abuts the end wall thereof. As stud 100 
nears the end of slot 104, it engages the lower angled portion of rod 118 
which pushes rod 118 upwardly against the bias of spring 120 until stud 
100 abuts plate 102 at the rightmost end of slot 104. At this point, 
spring 120 returns rod 118 to its downwardly extending position thereby 
locking stud 100 and thus conveyor 14 in the rightwardly extended 
position. Upon viewing FIG. 3, it is readily apparent that locking unit 
110 and 114 function in an analogous manner when conveyor 14 is moved 
leftwardly. 
As conveyor 14 shifts rightwardly, the rightmost pair of conveyor track 
wheels 16 coupled to opposed ends of conveyor 14, also move outwardly onto 
plate 128 (FIG. 8). The beveled edges 86 of tracks 78 and 80 enable a 
smooth transition of the rightmost conveyor track wheels 76 onto plate 
128. Note that when conveyor 14 is in the rightmost position, the center 
and leftmost conveyor track wheels 76 on respective ends of conveyor 14 
remain engaged with tracks 78, 80. That is to say, in the rightwardly 
extended position, the rightmost conveyor track wheels 76 rest on plate 
128 while the centermost and leftwardmost pairs of respective track wheels 
76 remain engaged and supported by respective tracks 78, 80. In this way, 
conveyor 14 remains firmly supported by gurney 10 by means of plate 128 
and the centermost and leftmost pairs of track wheels 76 which remain 
engaged with their respective tracks 78, 80. 
After conveyor 14 is extended to its rightmost position and locked in place 
by outboard locking unit 116, the attendant then lifts rod 88 of belt lock 
82 upwardly and turns it so that locking nib 94 holds shoe 98 above belt 
64. With belt lock 82 thus in the unlocked position, belts 64-68 are free 
to move about pulleys 58. The attendant can then gently shift the patient 
from conveyor 14 onto bed 154 with minimal patient discomfort. 
After the patient is transferred to bed 154, the attendant then locks belt 
lock 82, releases outboard conveyor lock 116, recenters conveyor 14 on 
gurney 10, and then raises uper frame work 22 so that plate 128 is no 
longer in contact with bed 154. Plate 128 is then returned to its centered 
position within upper framework 22. The aboved recited steps are reversed 
to transfer a patient from a hospital bed, examination table, or the like 
onto gurney 10 for transport to another hospital location. As the above 
discussion illustrates, the invention hereof enables one attendant to 
safely and conveniently transfer a patient to and from preferred gurney 10 
with minimal patient discomfort. Condition and size of the patient 
dictates whether one or two attendants are needed. For example, if the 
patient is unconscious, unable to move, or is very large, two attendants 
may be needed. 
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention 
contemplates many variations in the preferred embodiment herein described. 
For example, pulleys 58 could be replaced by a low friction slider plate 
which would eliminate the need for separate pulley sections 58c and the 
intermediate conveyor support wheels 72. The arrangement with pulleys 58 
is preferred, however, to ensure easy shifting of belt section 64-68.