IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CARRYING INVALID, WOUNDED, SICK, AND ARDED PERSONS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Theodose Masbon, of 2, Rue Ste.
Appoline, Paris, Empire of France, Mechanic, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CARRYING INVALID, WOUNDED, SICK,
AND ARDED PERSONS"
Sealed the 10th December 1869, and dated the 15th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Theodose
Masbon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 15th June 1869.
I, JOSEPH THEODOSE MASBON, of 2, Rue Ste. Appoline, Paris,
Empire of France, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CARRYING INVALID, WOUNDED
SICK, AND OTHER PERSONS," to be as follows:-
The apparatus forming the subject-matter of this Invention although
comparatively light is very strong, it is by preference made of tubular
iron, but it may be made of wood, it is not wide when opened, and closed
it occupies very little room. It can be used by one person, and may be
made when required a seat supported by preference on two wheels, so
that with ease one person may remove another from one room to another,

page_text: or into a garden, to sea or other baths, or to any required place or places.
The apparatus may also be used as a stretcher to carry the wounded and
sick, and to ascend stairs; and is of such a size to admit its passing
through doorways to convey the sick or wounded to a bed, operating
table, or other place. The sides of the apparatus are by preference made
of tubular iron strengthened by pieces of wood, the side pieces are provided
with handles to work the apparatus, and are made preferably of a swan
neck shape, and jointed so that they may be placed or turned as it were
inside the apparatus to reduce the length of same. The side pieces are
jointed so that each half of the apparatus can be folded up, but to keep
them when required in a straight line collars or guides are used, which
are not only free to slide on the side pieces but on small supplementary
rods as well, thus by disengaging the collars from the rods by sliding
them thereon the end or ends of the apparatus is or are folded up, and
a seat or couch is formed, mounted on wheels, whereby a single person
can convey a sick or infirm person, and even if required a very heavy
-weight with comparative ease. Struts or supports are used to strengthen
the back rest when the apparatus is formed into a couch or chair, and these
struts are hinged or jointed to the side pieces. They may moreover be
inserted in standards connected to side rails, and supported by the side
frames, kept in position by pins connected to chains, so that the said pins
may not be.mislaid. The struts or props form arms as in an easy chair, they
are also available when the apparatus is used as a stretcher for the sick or
wounded person supported thereon to hold by and to act as a guard to
prevent the person from falling off. A strong linen or other bottom
forms the reclining surface of the apparatus, it is connected and secured
to cross pieces, one end may be raised to support the head of the wounded
or other person, another surface of linen or other material placed above
the first is also connected to a cross bar which connects the struts, and is
intended to cover the head of the invalid from exposure to rain, sun, dust,
or view. There is a strap near the handle end of the apparatus to carry
it on the shoulders to ascend a staircase or to assist in drawing a person
along. The whole apparatus may be closed up, and in order that the
two side pieces may be brought close together, the axle on which the
wheels supporting the apparatus is made in two or more parts hinged
together and united by collars or clutches which are free to turn and
slide thereon, and according to the direction in which they are moved
so the axle is taken to pieces or put together. The side pieces may be
kept at any required distance apart by means of girders or rods, some of

page_text: which are hinged centrally, and others provided with sliding pieces
united by connecting rods; one cross piece for example need not be
jointed centrally, but at one end it is hinged to one of the side pieces, and
is provided with a slot in which there is a bolt or pin; by taking out the
bolt this cross piece is brought parallel with the side pieces, and the
others being jointed they can be folded, and the bulk of the apparatus be
thereby much reduced. Three apparatus of the class before described,
each supporting a wounded person, may be borne or drawn by a single
mule or horse united together by straps or other available appliances.
Apparatus constructed according to this Invention occupy less space
than those heretofore used, they may be worked by one person to support
or remove another from place to place without fatigue, they can pass
through almost any passage or doorway, and may with ease be carried up
staircases and without shaking or inconvenience to the wounded, invalid, or
other person, they do not require any addition to be transformed from a
stretcher to a wheel chair, and may be used for carrying other than
invalids, for the bottom may be fitted and adapted according to the
purpose to which the apparatus is intended to be applied.
0
5
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Theodose Masbon in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 14th December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
THEODOSE MASBON, of 2, Rue Ste. Appoline, Paris, Empire of France,
Mechanic, send greeting.
Her
year
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by H
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of June, in the of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Theodose Masbon, Her
special licence that I, the said Joseph Theodose Masbon, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Joseph Theodose Masbon, my. executors, administrators, 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..

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CARRYING INVALID,
WOUNDED, SICK, AND OTHER PERSONS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Joseph Theodose Masbon, 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 Joseph Theodose Masbon, 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, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,
that is to say :-
The apparatus forming the subject-matter of this Invention although
comparatively light is very strong, it is by preference made of tubular
iron, but it may be made of wood, it is not wide when open, and when
closed it occupies very little room. It can be used by one person, and
may be made when required into a seat supported by preference on two
wheels, so that one person may with ease remove another from one
room to another, or into a garden, to sea or other baths, or to any
required place or places he may desire. The apparatus may also be
used as a stretcher to carry the wounded and sick, and to ascend stairs;
and is of such a size as to admit of its passing through doorways to
convey the sick or wounded to a bed, operating table, or other place.
The accompanying Drawings are views of this apparatus.
Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 a plan shewing it in its position
as a stretcher. It is covered with stout canvas or other like suitable
material shown by red lines in the Figures.
The sides a of the apparatus are by preference made of tubular iron
strengthened by pieces of wood a¹; the side pieces a are provided with
handles b, b', to work the apparatus. The side pieces a are each pro-
vided with a hinge c, so that each half of the apparatus can be folded
up, as seen at Figure 5, but to keep them when required in a straight
line the collars or guides d are used; one of these collars with the
hinge is shown detached at Figures 3 and 4. The collar is not only

page_text: To
free to slide in the side pieces a but on small supplementary rods a²
as well, thus by disengaging the collars from the rods by sliding them
thereon the end or ends of the apparatus is or are folded up, and a seat
or couch is formed, mounted on wheels, as shown at Figures 5 and 6,
whereby a single person can convey a sick or infirm person, and even
if required a person of very great weight, with comparative case.
keep and support the apparatus in the position shown at Figures 5
and 6 I use struts or supports e in connection with the side pieces a,
and so strengthen the back rest when the apparatus is formed into a
couch or chair, and these struts are hinged or jointed to the side pieces,
and at their other ends they are provided with hooks which are inserted
in sockets in standards f, connected to side rails g, and supported by the
side frames. The struts or props form arms as in an easy chair, they
also are available when the apparatus is used as a stretcher for the sick
or wounded person supported thereon to hold by, and to act as a guard
to prevent the person from falling off. A strong linen or other bottom
forms the reclining surface of the apparatus, it is connected and secured
at one end to the cross piece 8, and at the other end it comes under
the hood which is jointed so as to fold up or to move forward sufficiently
to protect the head of the wounded or other person from exposure to
rain or sun. A pillow placed on the linen cloth which forms the bottom
raises the person's head. There is a strap, but not shown in the Drawing,
near the handle end 6 of the apparatus to carry it on the shoulders to
ascend a staircase, or to assist in drawing a person along. The whole
apparatus may be closed up, and in order that the two side pieces may
be brought close together, the axle h on which the wheels supporting
the apparatus run is made in two or more parts hinged together at h¹.
The two sides a are also kept at the desired distance apart by stretchers
or cross pieces m, n, and o, which like the axle are hinged at their
middle to allow the sides a to be brought together. The stretcher o
has jointed to it two crossing pieces which are jointed at their point of
contact, and which are mounted on the axle h, being also jointed thereto.
It will thus be seen that the two sides a may be brought together and
secured in this position by straps, the whole apparatus may therefore
be put up into a compact form; which is of great importance when it is
not in use, or when it is in transit. Three apparatus of the class before
described, each supporting a wounded person, mule, or horse, united
together by straps or other available appliances, may be borne by a
single mule or horse.

page_text: Apparatus constructed according to this Invention occupy less space
than those heretofore used, they may be worked by one person to
support or remove another from place to place without fatigue, they can
pass through almost any passage or doorway, and may with ease be
carried up staircases, and without shaking or inconvenience to the
wounded, invalid, or other person, they do not require any addition to
enable them to be transformed from a stretcher to a wheel chair, and
they may be used for carrying other than invalids, for the bottom may
be fitted and adapted according to the purpose to which the apparatus
is intended to be applied.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the
construction and employment of apparatus for carrying invalid, wounded,
sick, and other persons, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Theodose Masbon, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.