IMPROVEMENTS IN STRETCHERS AND IN CARRIAGES FOR THE SAME."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Furley, of 5, South Park, Sevenoaks, in the County
of Kent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STRETCHERS AND IN
CARRIAGES FOR THE SAME."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Furley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th August 1881.
"IMPROVE-
JOHN FURLEY, of 5, South Park, Sevenoaks, in the County of Kent. **
MENTS IN STRETCHERS AND IN CARRIAGES FOR THE SAME."
My Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of stretchers and in
carriages for the conveyance of the same, and it has for its object,―
A. In the Stretcher.-1st, lightness and portability of the stretchers; 2nd,
capability of being folded up and occupying small space when not in use; 3rd,
removable covering and pillow with automatic action; 4th, crutches or legs to
support the same; 5th, a removable over-head cover.
B. In the Carriage.-1st, the formation of the axle so that the stretcher and
patient may be taken to or from without the necessity of lifting over the wheels;
2nd, the formation of the framework so that the stretcher may be fixed thereon
readily and surely even in the dark; 3rd, the arrangement of the framework in
such a manner that it shall be supported by four legs whilst the stretcher is being
put on or removed, the said four legs being made to assume the horizontal position
during transportation, being at the same time used as handles for propelling the
litter.
My Invention consists, firstly, in forming the sides of the stretcher of light
straight grained wood, and inserting therein, nearly from end to end of each, a
piece of iron to insure the requisite strength.
2nd. By an arrangement at each end of the stretcher of two radius bars pivotted
to each other at one end and to the sides of the stretcher at the other, a motion is
obtained whereby the two sides can be brought together or folded. One radius bar.
is made longer than its fellow, and is provided with a locking pin attached to a
spring the other bar is pierced with a hole corresponding with and to receive this

page_text: pin, by which means, when the two bars are in the same straight line, they become
rigidly locked, and will remain so until this pin is lifted out of the said hole, for
which purpose the spring is extended and bent round for the insertion of a
finger.
3rd. The stretcher is covered with suitable canvas so arranged as to be readily
removed for cleansing, for which purpose it is pierced at intervals along its margins
with eyelet holes. The outsides of the sides of the stretcher are furnished with
eyelets screwed therein at intervals corresponding with the holes in the covering.
A suitable cord is then passed continuously through the eyelets, and the whole is
secured. At one end of the stretcher and on each side an upright standard pivotted
to a plate screwed to the wooden side is provided; the lower ends of these standards
are extended, and so shaped that the motion obtained from the radius bars in
folding or locking lowers or raises them in a corresponding manner. The canvas
covering at this end is finished with a wide folded seam, through which is passed
a strong leather strap, which is continued at each side over the said standards and
securely buttoned to the sides of the stretcher; thus when the stretcher is opened
for use it becomes furnished automatically with a pillow for the patient, and when
it is folded the standards fold with it.
4th. The stretchers are provided with legs or crutches to raise them above the
ground or floor on receiving or depositing patients. These legs are formed of light
wrought iron. screwed underneath for ordinary hand stretchers, but for those
intended for transportation on the carriage they are screwed to the outside to
permit them to be laid on to it. The legs may also be made to fold for convenience
in packing.
5th. The over-head covering is formed of canvas arched over the patient by
attachment to a suitably shaped iron rod at each end; or it may be made to hang
like the curtains of a bed at the sides and ends by properly preparing the canvas
ferrule-like at each corner to pass over an upright iron rod. The rods are fixed by
insertion into sockets fixed to the sides of the stretcher.
6th. The carriage consists of two light wheels, an axle, and two elastic springs
supporting the frames on which the stretcher rests.
The wheels are arranged sufficiently apart on the axle to give perfect freedom
of action to the bearers of the stretcher, and to prevent the necessity of lifting the
same over the wheels the axle is cranked downwards, so that the bearers may
experience no difficulty in stepping over it with their load; with this object in
view I form the carriage frame without any transverse pieces.
7th. To facilitate the fixing of the stretcher to the carriage the frame of the
latter is furnished at four points with V shaped plates on each side of the frame so
as to guide suitable transverse pins fixed to the bottom of the stretcher into the
correct position without trouble.
8th. The-carriage frames at each end are provided with jointed legs or crutches
sufficiently long to not quite touch the ground when the carriage is loaded; these are
by suitable mechanical arrangements made to lock when in a vertical position, and
also when horizontal; this may be accomplished by a sliding bolt secured to the
frame at each leg, or by a spring lock pin similar to that of the stretcher radius
bars, or by a drop bolt made to drop into suitable notches cut in a quadrant in the
desired position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Furley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th February 1882.
JOHN FURLEY, of 5, South Park, Sevenoaks, in the County of Kent.
MENTS IN STRETCHERS AND IN CARRIAGES FOR THE SAME."
" IMPROVE
My Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of stretchers on the
one part, and of vehicles for the conveyance of the same on the other, and has for
its object,
.
A. In the Stretcher.-Istly, lightness and portability of; 2ndly, capability of
being folded up and occupying small space when not in use; 3rdly, removeable
covering and pillow with automatic action; 4thly, legs or crutches to support the
same; 5thly, a removeable over-head cover.
B. In the Carriage.-6thly, the formation of the vehicle or carriage so that the
stretcher and patient may be taken to or from without the necessity of lifting over
the wheels; 7thly, the formation of the frame work of the carriage so that the
stretcher may be fixed thereon readily and surely; 8thly, the arrangement of the
frame work of the carriage in such a manner that it shall be supported on four legs
or crutches whilst the stretcher is being put on or removed, the said four legs being
made to assume the horizontal position during transportation, and at the same time
being used as handles for propelling the carriage.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the stretcher;
Figure 2 is a plan of the same without the cover; Figures 3 and 4 show respectively
a side elevation and a plan of the stretcher folded; Figure 5 is an end elevation ;
Figure 6 shows a full size section of one of the sides of the stretcher; Figure 7, a
modification of the legs or crutches on which the stretcher rests; Figure 8 shows a
side elevation of the vehicle or litter for the conveyance of the stretcher; Figure 9
is an end elevation of the same; Figure 10 is a plan with the wheels absent;
Figures 11 and 12 show two modifications of the leg joint or pivot, in all of which
Figures similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
My Invention consists, firstly, in forming the sides of the stretchers a of light
straight grained wood, and of inserting therein, nearly from end to end of each,
a piece of iron b (Figure 6) to ensure the requisite strength with minimum
weight.
2ndly. By an arrangement of two radius bars c at the ends of tho stretcher
pivotted to each other at one end and to the sides of the stretcher at the other, a
motion is obtained whereby the two sides a can be brought together or folded.
One radius bar is made longer than its fellow, and is provided with a locking pin
attached to a spring d; the other bar is pierced with a hole corresponding with
and to receive this pin, by which means, when the two bars are in one and the same
straight line, they become rigidly locked, and will remain so until this pin is lifted
out of the said hole, for which purpose the spring is extended and bent round e for
the insertion of the finger.
Srdly. The stretcher is covered with suitable canvas f, so arranged as to be
readily removed for cleansing, for which purpose it is pierced at intervals along
its margins with eyelet holes. The outsides of the sides of the stretcher are
furnished with eyelets g screwed therein at intervals corresponding with the
covering. A suitable cord his then passed continuously through the eyelets, and
the whole is secured. At one end of the stretcher and on each side an upright
standard i pivotted to a plate screwed to the wooden side is provided. The lower
end of these standards are extended, and so shaped at that the motion obtained
from the radius bars c in folding or locking lowers or raises them in a corresponding

page_text: way, as shewn by dotted line and arrow. The canvas covering ƒ at this end is
finished with a wide folded seam, through which is passed a strong leather strap k,
which is continued at each side over the said standards, and securely buttoned to
the sides of the stretcher; thus when the stretcher is opened for use it becomes
furnished with a pillow for the patient, and when it is folded the standards fold
with it.
4thly. The stretchers are provided with legs or crutches to raise them above
the ground or floor on receiving or depositing a patient. These legs may be formed
of light wrought iron screwed underneath, as on Figures 1, 2, 3, for ordinary hand
stretchers, but for those intended for transportation they are screwed to the
outsides, as shown on Figure 7, to permit the stretcher being laid on the carriage.
5thly. The over-head covering is formed of canvas arched over the patient by
attachment to a suitably shaped metallic rod m at each end, or made and covered
at the top to hang like the curtains of a bed at the sides and ends by properly
preparing the canvas ferrule like at each corner to pass over upright metallic
rods m². These rods are fixed in sockets n screwed to the sides of the stretcher.
6thly. The vehicle or carriage consists of two light wheels, an axle, and two
elastic springs supporting the frames on which rests the stretcher, The wheels are
arranged sufficiently apart on the axle to give perfect freedom of action to the
bearers of the stretcher; and to prevent the necessity of lifting the same over the
wheels the axle is cranked down, as shown on Figure 9, so that the bearers may
have no difficulty in stepping over it with their load. With this object in view
I form the carriage frame without any transverse pieces.
7thly. To facilitate the fixing of the stretcher to the carriage the frame of the
latter is furnished at four points with plates o on each side of the frame, bell or
✓ shaped in each elevation, so as to guide suitable pins p (Sheet 1) fixed to the
bottom of the stretcher into the correct position without trouble.
8thly. The carriage frame at each end is provided with pivotted legs or crutches q
sufficiently long to not quite touch the ground when the litter is loaded; these are
by suitable mechanical arrangements made to lock when in the vertical position,
also when brought up to the horizontal; this is accomplished by a drop bolt r
secured in a slot in the frame at each end, and capable of being freely moved up or
down. The leg or crutch q is formed with a quadrant with slots at each end to
receive the drop bolt r; by this means the leg or crutch is locked in the vertical or
horizontal position at will.
In some cases and for additional strength I make this quadrant a quarter circle
slot (as shown by the dotted lines), deepened at each end to receive the drop
bolt r.
9thly. Another modification of this arrangement is shown by Figure 11, wherein
I make use of a sliding bolt & beneath the frame, whose function is to lock the leg
in either of the aforesaid positions by drawing back the bolt for release, and
reinserting it for the desired position; the dotted lines show the vertical position.
10thly. By another arrangement I make use of a spring locking pin t, somewhat
similar to that of the stretcher; the end of this spring is bent over or hoop shaped
to accomodate the finger; by this means the locking pin, which is rivetted to the
spring, is withdrawn from the locking hole when required to alter the position of
the leg. The dotted lines show the vertical position of the leg or crutch.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of these my said
Inventions, together with the best methods with which I am at present acquainted
for carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details, proportions, or dimensions of the various parts
herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawings, as the same
may be modified and varied without departing from the Inventions, but what I do
claim is,
First. The general construction and arrangement of the several parts forming the
stretcher, substantially as herein before described and illustrated on the accom-
panying Drawings.

page_text: Second. The general construction and arrangement of the several parts forming
the carriage, vehicle, or litter for the conveyance of the stretcher, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Furley, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
"thousand eight hundred and eiglity two.
TATTT
JOHN FURLE
(UPT)