An Ambulance Chair adapted to Raise or Lower Injured Persons from or to Ships' Holds, Pit-shafts, Wells, or other Places.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 25th May, 1891-Accepted, 27th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Ambulance Chair adapted to Raise or Lower Injured Persons
from or to Ships' Holds, Pit-shafts, Wells, or other Places.
We, JOHN FOSTER SINGLETON of 143, Albert Road, Jarrow in the County
of Durham, Boiler-maker, and THOMAS HOGG SINGLETON, of 24, Holly Street,
Jarrow aforesaid, Boiler-maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The chair is made of sail-canvas, with leather sewn on the back to give support;
attached to various parts of the canvas are four rope-slings of varying length with
six iron clip-hooks or shackles and four straps and buckles are added to fasten the
injured person intended to be raised or lowered. The chair when occupied is
raised or lowered by means of an ordinary block-and-tackle, and a line is
attached to the chair for the purpose of steadying it while being raised or lowered
and so prevent the occupant from coming into contact with any obstacles or
projections.
The chair is intended to be used where an ordinary stretcher cannot be adopted,
such as the hold of a ship, the shaft of a coal-mine, a well, or in raising or
lowering an injured person from any place to which there may only be an upright
approach.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1890.
JOHN FOSTER SINGLETON.
THOMAS HOGG SINGLETON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Ambulance Chair adapted to Raise or Lower Injured Persons
from or to Ships' Holds, Pit-shafts, Wells, or other Places.
We, JOHN FOSTER SINGLETON of 143 Albert Road, Jarrow, in the County
of Durham, Boilermaker, and THOMAS HOGG SINGLETON of 24 Holly Street,
Jarrow aforesaid, Boilermaker, 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 :-
The chair, which of the shape shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings deposited
herewith, is made of sail-canvas of sufficient strength for the purposes hereafter
specified as the uses to which the invention may be put, and up to the part where
the subject's neck will lie it is of double thickness, the hood for the head being of
single canvas. To two small eye-let holes (A) let into the sides of hood are con-
nected short lengths of small ropes (B) and these are utilised to support head of
subject.
A strip of leather is sewn on the back of chair (C in Figure 2). D in the
same figure signify pieces of double thickness sail-canvas stitched on the back of
chair and into these strips are let eye-let holes (F). To the lower of these strips
a rope (0) of any length is attached. The letters E in Figures 1 and 2 show the
straps and buckles by which the patient or person is secured to the chair. Figure 3
shows the rope slings and tackle by which the chair is raised when occupied, the
various parts being marked as follows:-G-Iron clip-hooks attached to wooden
pulley-blocks-H-through which runs a rope of any length for the purpose of
raising; K-iron ring into which four slings-L-are spliced, having clip-hooks-M
-at free ends; N-stretchers of wood for keeping apart slings. When the chair
is to be used, the blocks and tackle (G and H) are made fast by means of a rope
Price 1

page_text: strop to any place where convenient. If necessary, the chair can be raised by one
or more persons in a hand over hand method, the rope for the purpose being directly
fastened to the iron-ring (K in Figure 3) of slings. The person whom it is
desired to raise or lower on chair is put on it by laying him on the chair as it lies
on the ground or floor, and after adjusting straps, and cords of hood, so as to secure
him to the chair, the slings and tackle are lowered over the chair, and the clip-
hooks (M) fastened to the proper eyelet holes.
If it be desired to raise the patient in a horizontal position, the clip hooks
attached to the four shorter slings are used. If an upright or perpendicular posture
is desired, the clip hooks attached to two of shorter slings are connected to the eye-
let holes near armpit of patient and the clip-hooks of the two other shorter slings
are connected to the eye-let holes on short splices of rope at back of chair.
If a sitting posture be desired the clip hooks of two shorter slings are attached
to the eye-let holes near armpit and the clip hooks of two longer slings are
attached to eye-let holes near thigh of patient. In raising or lowering a patient
the guide rope (O in Figure 2) is held so as to prevent the patient coming into
contact with any obstacles or projections.
The chair is adaptable for the purpose of carrying a patient. By passing a pole,
plank, or batten of timber, or a boat's oar through or under ring of slings (K-in
Figure 3) two men can conveniently move patient, the pole or other article resting
on their respective shoulders. It can be utilised at shipwrecks in a similar manner
to that in which the breeches-buoy is made to travel between the distressed ship
and the shore along the hawser (rope) of the rocket life saving apparatus; it is
more suitable in such cases for bringing ashore, women, children, wounded, injured
or unconscious persons.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. That the chair made of such materials and in the manner hereinbefore
described and delineated in the drawings is perfectly and easily adaptable for
lowering or raising a wounded injured, unconscious or other person of either sex
and any age in the respective situations we have specified, namely:-From or to
ships holds, coal-bunkers, engine rooms, pit shafts, wells or other places to which
there may only be an upright approach; and that the chair is easily and quickly
changed by means of the varying lengths of rope slings to any desired position of
those specified, viz. (a) Horizontal, (b) upright or perpendicular; (c) sitting
posture, and in either of such positions the patient being raised is perfectly at ease
and can receive no further injury.
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2. That the chair can also be utilised as a stretcher for carrying a wounded
injured or unconscious person as previously specified.
3. That the chair is also useful and can be adopted as a substitute for breeches-
buoy of rocket life-saving apparatus in cases where it is desired to transport a sick,
injured, or other such person from a distressed ship at sea to the shore.
4. That the chair can still further be utilised for raising ladies or sick persons to
or from the decks of ships from or into a ships boat whilst at sea.
The guide
rope (O in Figure 2) obviates the necessity of the boat being too close alongside
the ship.
Dated this Twenty-third day of May 1891.
JOHN FOSTER SINGLETON.
THOMAS HOGG SINGLETON.