AN IMPROVED AMBULANCE WHEELED LITTER
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William George Nicholas Manley, Surgeon-Major.
in the Royal Artillery, of 17, Chatham Place, Woolwich, in the
County of Kent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED AMBULANCE
WHEELED LITTER.”
Sealed the 28th March 1876, and dated the 23rd December 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William George
"
Nicholas Manley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 23rd December 1875.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE NICHOLAS MANLEY, Surgeon-Major in the
Royal Artillery, of 17, Chatham Place, Woolwich, in the County of
Kent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN-
IMPROVED AMBULANCE WHEELED LITTER," to be as follows:-
"
This Invention consists of improvements in litters known as "Neuss's
litters," and has for its object greater simplicity. of construction, ease
for the invalid, and lightness of carriage.. This improved ambulance

page_text: wheeled litter is constructed with a canvass head and stretcher mounted
on a suitable frame, and is made so as to be lifted off the wheels at
pleasure. There are separate under parts with angle iron frame to
carry the stretcher, with the necessary hinged fixtures and appliances.
This improved litter is mounted on three wheels, the front one to act
as a guide. The litter rests on elliptical springs, which are placed at
the hind part of the litter, furnished with india-rubber ends, and a
spiral spring is placed at the fore part. In lieu of the front wheel an
iron prop may be used if desired.
Attached to the stretcher is an arrangement of straps, one pair to
confine the shoulders, one pair for thighs; one pair for the hands and
arms, and one pair for the feet, and at the head of the stretcher is a
receptacle locker and door. The stretcher is also furnished with short
legs to be used when taken off the wheels and placed on the ground.
The wheels may be locked by a forked arrangement on the joint when
the stretcher is taken off the wheels...
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William George Nicholas Manley in the Great Seal a
Patent Office on the 19th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
GEORGE NICHOLAS MANLEY, Surgeon-Major in the Royal Artillery, of
17, Chatham Place, Woolwich, in the County of Kent, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her:
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William George Nicholas
Manley, Her special licence that I, the said William George Nicholas
Manley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William George Nicholas Manley, my executors, adminis-
•

page_text: trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED AMBULANCE
WHEELED LITTER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William George Nicholas Manley, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William George Nicholas Manley,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is
to say:-
-
This Invention consists of improvements in litters known as "Neuss's
litters," and has for its, object greater simplicity of construction, ease for
the invalid, and lightness of carriage. This improved ambulance
wheeled litter is constructed with a canvas head and stretcher mounted
on a suitable frame, and is made so as to be lifted off the wheels at
pleasure. There are separate under parts with angle iron frame to
carry the stretcher, with the necessary hinged fixtures and appliances.
This improved litter is sometimes mounted on three wheels, the front
one to act as a guide. The litter rests on elliptical springs, which are
placed at the hind part of the litter, and when a front wheel is used
then it is furnished with a spiral spring at the fore part. In lieu of
the front wheel an iron prop, hereafter described may be used if
desired.
Attached to the stretcher is an arrangement of straps, one pair to
confine the shoulders, one pair for thighs, one pair for the hands and
arms, and one pair for the feet, and at the head of the stretcher is a
receptacle locker and door. The stretcher is also furnished with short
legs to be used when taken off the wheels and placed on the ground.

page_text: keepers. or buttons on the stretcher for receiving the fastenings f, f,
shewn in Figures 3 and 5, on the under carriage, and thus securing.
the two together; k, in Figures, 1, 2, and 4, is the foot piece of the
stretcher.
Fig. 5 shews the arrangement of under carriage with three wheels,
and Figure 3 an arrangement when legs are used in place of front
wheel.
In Figure 5 is the front guide wheel, and m, m, are the hind wheels.
The hind wheels may be locked by a forked arrangement on the hinged
fixtures when the stretcher is taken off this under carriage. The litter
rests on elliptical springs, n, n, Figure 5, which are placed on the hind
part of the under carriage.
1.
Having thus described the general arrangements and construction of
the said ambulance litter, I would observe in conclusion that I do not
claim any portion of Fig. 1 separate and apart from the other, save as
hereafter particularly mentioned, but that what I do claim and desire
to be secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
is,—
1st. The general arrangement and combination of parts shewn
together in Fig. 1 of the Drawings and herein-before described, or any
mere modification thereof.
2nd. The angle iron frame or under carriage q on which the stretcher
rests, by means of which and the hinged fixtures attached to it the
stretcher can be fixed or detached from the wheels and springs.
3rd. The iron hinged fixtures on the frame or under carriage q at
the sides and on the foot piece of the frame, as particularly shewn in
Fig. 3.
4th. The arrangement of the straps for restraining the violent, as
before described and shewn in Fig. 4, c, c, c, c.
5th. The canvass floor and foot piece k of the stretcher, as before
described and shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 4.
6th. The iron legs and stays to the frame or under carriage, and the
head prop, as improved and modified, of the stretcher, as described and
shown on Drawings, Figs. 1 and 3.

page_text: t
не под
and herein-before described.
And, lastly. The improved receptacle under the head of the stretcher,
before described and shewn on Drawings c¹.
In witness whereof, I, the said William George Nicholas Manley, E
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.
ади, газу.
before described and shewn on Drawings c¹.
V
In witness whereof, I, the said William George Nicholas Manley, &
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.
WILLIAM GEORGE NICHOLAS MANLEY. (L.S.)