Improvements in Ambulance Stretchers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st Nov., 1892-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ambulance Stretchers.
I, JOHN FURLEY, of No. 14 Evelyn Gardens, South Kensington, in the County
of London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Some difficulty is found in moving stretchers from place to place owing to their
unwieldy length especially when they have to be carried on mules or other beasts
of burden.
My invention has for its object the construction of a stretcher which while it can
be folded into very small compass for convenience of transport is nevertheless strong
and light when in use. For this purpose, I joint each pole of the stretcher by two
hinges each hinge being at or near a point equidistant from the centre and from
one end of the pole. I make the hinges with stops in such a manner that the end
parts of the poles can easily bend under the other parts but cannot bend upwards,
the poles thus being rigid and straight when the stretcher is in use.
The poles may be of wood or other suitable material but usually make them
of angle iron with the handles fixed or jointed thereto.
Dated this 6th do of February 1809
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ambulance Stretchers.
I, JOHN FURLEY, of No. 14 Evelyn Gardens, South Kensington, in the County
of London, Gentleman, 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 :-
Some difficulty is found in moving stretchers from place to place owing to their
unwieldy length especially when they have to be carried on mules or other beasts
of burden.
My invention has for its object the construction of a stretcher which while it
can be folded into very small compass for convenience of transport is nevertheless
strong and light when in use. For this purpose, I joint each pole of the stretcher
by two hinges each hinge being at or near a point equidistant from the centre and
from one end of the pole. I make the hinges with stops in such a manner that
the end parts of the poles can easily bend under the other parts but cannot bend
upwards, the poles thus being rigid and straight when the stretcher is in use.
The poles may be of wood or other suitable material or they may be of angle
iron.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side view and Fig. 2 is a plan of a
stretcher according to this invention.
Each of the poles consists of a middle part A. and two end parts B, B each
half the length of A to which they are jointed by pairs of side plates C with pins
so that, when the parts B are brought into straight line with A the ends of A
and B butt against each other preventing the parts B from bending farther up,
but the parts B are free to bend under and to be folded up against A as indicated
by the dotted lines B'. To the pins at the ends of A are jointed arms carrying
rollers D, these arms being linked by ties E to the parts B. Under each of the
parts B are arranged sliding handles H by which the stretcher can be carried.

page_text: When it is set down upon its rollers D, these handles are slid in as shewn at H' so
as not to project beyond the ends of the stretcher. The two parts B at each end
are connected by toggle bars F and G which, as shewn at F1 G1 (Fig. 2) bend to
allow the two sides of the stretcher to be brought together. When the stretcher
is in use these toggles are put a little beyond the straight position or dead centre
and are prevented from yielding farther by a stop R on the one coming against
the edge of the other. When the handles H are slid in as at H₁ and the end
parts B folded under the part A as indicated at B', the two poles being brought
together by bending the toggles F, G, the whole frame of the stretcher is put into
compact portable form.
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. A stretcher frame each side pole of which is made up of a middle part and
of two end parts, each half the length of the middle part, and jointed thereto by
butt joints the two side poles thus formed being connected to each other by toggie
bars near each end, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. For a stretcher frame such as is above referred to, sliding handles which can
be slid under the end parts of the poles, and rollers on which the stretcher is
supported, substantially as described.
Dated this 1st day of November 1892.
ABEL & IMKAY,
Agents for the Applicant.