Particularly Applicable for Use in Mines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Particularly Applicable for Use in Mines.
I, CHARLES SEBASTIAN SMITH of Shipley, Derby, Land Agent and Colliery
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved construction of stretcher, so arranged that it
can either be used in a fully extended horizontal position, or partially folded so as to
assume the form of a chair, or it can be folded up so as to be of comparatively small
dimensions for the sake of portability and stowage, and it is arranged so that it can
either be suspended by springs in a vehicle, such as a mine train or tub, or be carried
by means of handles that are slid inwards when not required.
I will proceed to describe the improved stretcher with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which Fig. 1 shew a plan view of the stretcher when folded together in
its portable form, Fig. 2 shows an edge view, Figs. 3 and 4 shew respectively a plan
and side view of the same to a smaller scale, fully extended, Fig. 5 shews it partially
folded so as to form a seat. The stretcher consists firstly of a frame formed of two
side bars A A connected together by iron rods B B, secondly of a seat C pivotted at
its middle to the side bars A A at a joint halfway between the two rods B B; thirdly
of a back support D, hinge-jointed to the one end of the seat C, and fourthly of a leg
support E hinge-jointed to the other end of the seat, the hinges of D and E being
arranged to open in contrary directions, so that while the part D folds under the
seat C, the part E folds over the same, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2. Each side bar A
carries two sliding handles F F that slide in and out of metal loops G G¹ fixed on
the bar, and when the parts CD and E are extended flat as at Fig. 3, the handles are
passed through loops HH on the outer end of D, thus preventing this from folding
in at its joint with C.
The loops H may either be made to turn in and out on hinges, as shewn, or to slide
in and out on guides.
To eyes on the loops G are hung spring suspenders I having hooks I¹ at their ends
by which the stretcher can be suspended from the sides of trams or trucks as will be
presently explained; when not in use, they are hooked into eyes J on the frame.
Price 81

page_text: The back support D has a head rest K, formed of a box with lid, for containing
bandages &c, covered by a cushion, the box being attached to two iron bars L sliding
through loops on D, in which they are fixed by pinching screws so as to adjust the
head rest to the length of the person upon the stretcher.
The leg support E may be provided with a folding foot rest M which is made
adjustable in the same way as the head rest.
From the above described construction it will be seen that, assuming the stretcher
to be in the folded condition shewn at Figs. 1 and 2, and that it is desired to open it
to the fully extended position, Fig. 3, it is only necessary to raise up the end of C so
as turn it on its pivots, whereby the parts D and E will be made to slide outwards over
the bars B until they assume the position at Figs. 3 and 4, and on their sliding out
the handles F so as to pass through the loops H and thus secure the parts in this
position, the stretcher can either be carried by the handles, or it may be suspended by
the spring suspenders 1 from the sides of two open end trams as indicated at Fig.
or by attaching the spring suspenders to eyes on the ends of the handles F, the
stretcher may be suspended from two fast end trams, as at Fig. 7.
There may also be provided underneath the frame A four hinged legs N N, which,
when required, can be secured in the vertical position by struts, as indicated at Fig. 8,
the spring suspenders I being in that case connected to the lower ends of the legs, so
that the stretcher can then be suspended upon two fast end trams, as shewn; or it
can be suspended in one tram in the partly folded position as shewn at Fig. 9.
The injured person having been conveyed in either of the above described ways
along the workings of a mine, to the shaft in order to be raised to the mouth of the
same, the stretcher can then, if in the extended position, without removing the person
therefrom, be brought from that position Figs. 3 and 4 to the partially folded or seat
form at Fig. 5, by simply pushing back the handles F out of the loops H and then
gradually raising the outer end of the part D, whereupon the end of which is
connected to D will sink down, while its other end will rise, raising E, so that the
three parts will then assume the angular position shown, in which they are secured
simply by catches O at the back of B catching on to the one bar B, while the part E
will be supported by the other bar B. By this means the stretcher will be shortened
sufficiently to allow of the person being passed up a shaft of limited dimensions, while
at the same time the height occupied will be well within the limits of that of the
smallest cage.
Arrived at the pits mouth, the stretcher can, if desired, be again brought to its
fully extended position, and be either carried by hand or be suspended in a cart or
other conveyance.
The parts C, D and E are shown constructed of a rectangular frame with longi-
tudinal slats. These may conveniently serve for securing the legs and body of the
injured person by bandages passed round these parts and round the slats. The bearing
surfaces may however be made of wickerwork or wire netting or wire springs such as
are used in spring mattresses, or even canvas may be used, but when the stretcher is
to be stored in a mine I prefer to make the parts of wood as described, as the canvas
might be deteriorated by the damp.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that the improved stretcher is of an
exceedingly inexpensive construction and has the great advantage of requiring no
screw or other detachable fastening for securing it in either position.
When folded, it occupies very little space, and can be carried about in one hand.
Although I have shewn all the principal parts of the stretcher as being made of
wood, yet they may equally well be made of metal, either wholly or in part.
Also, in order to afford considerable strength combined with lightness, the frame-
work and handles may be constructed as trusses instead of as solid bars.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a stretcher, the combination of a seat C, a body support D, and a leg

page_text: support E, hinged together, the seat C being pivotted at its middle to a frame A B,
so that the stretcher can either have the parts C, D, E fully extended, or partly folded
so as to form a seat with the parts D and E resting against the bars B B of the frame,
substantially as herein described.
2. In combination with the construction of stretcher referred to in the preceding
claim, the use of sliding handles F which, when extended, pass through loops on the
part D, so as to hold the parts in the extended position, substantially as herein
described.
3. In combination with the construction of stretcher referred to in the preceding
claim, the use of hooked spring suspenders I I' for suspending the same, either in the
extended or in the partly folded position, in or upon trams, tubs, carts and the like,
substantially as herein described.
4. The construction of combined stretcher and ambulance seat arranged and
operating as herein described.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.