IMPROVE- MENTS IN OR RELATING TO AMBULANCE STRETCHERS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ALFRED PECK of 78 Wallgate, Wigan in the county of Lancaster, Tarpaulin
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR RELATING TO AMBULANCE STRETCHERS" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object an ambulance stretcher that can be carried
level up pit mouths, and that will give the least practicable amount of shaking
or disturbance to the occupant while being conveyed to the hospital, or other place
of attendance.
It consists 1st. In a pair of sole plates or poles of bamboo, angle iron or tubing
or other light, strong, stiff material about 5 feet 9 inches in length. To these at
each end a handle is hinged, so that it can stand out in line with the pole, or hang.
down. For the head, a hinged support is added near one end of each of these
with adjustable prop. The canvas or other material forming the bed is stretched on
the two poles and on the adjustable supports forming the pillow continuation
thereof. The two poles are held apart from each other, and from the ground by
two pairs of legs, the legs of each pole being united along the bottom by a cross
piece. The legs and cross piece are in one and formed preferably of round or flat
steel bar, or tube of bent timber, and are bolted to the poles by an eyebolt, or its
equivalent, to each of the four eyebolts a spring tension buffer is linked and a
strap attached to each of these.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The stretcher with the head piece adjusted being carried to where the patient is
lying, the latter is laid thereon. The stretcher is then carried by the handles to the
shaft, if underground raised to the surface, and lifted into a cart, but instead of
resting on the floor, it is suspended by the four straps-By this means I obtain-
1st. the springiness caused by the double bent leg connections being the only struts
distending the stretcher laterally and, 2nd. the elasticity of the tension buffers and
of the straps, all tending to neutralize jolts. The poles can be made to fold up, if
desired; and can be strengthened longitudinally in the centre by a strip of half
round iron, or its equivalent.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Ambulance Directners.
Ì, ALFRED PECK of 78 Wallgate, Wigan, in the county of Lancaster Tarpaulin
Manufacturer 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:-
This invention has for its object a hand ambulance stretcher that can be carried
level, up pit mouths and adapted to any cart, and that will give the least
practicable amount of shaking or disturbance to the occupant while being conveyed
to the hospital, or other place of attendance in all cases of accident.
In the drawings:—
Figure 1. shows a plan with handles at one end folded and canvas bed removed.
Figure 2. side view of same.
Figure 3. end view of pole showing head support.
Figure 4. cross section of apparatus with bed removed.
Figure 5. plan of legs folded up.
Figures 6 to 10. shew applications of the invention.
In these A. A is a pair of sole plates or poles of angle steel, these however can be
of bamboo, metal tubing or other light, strong stiff material about 5 feet 9 inches
in length. To these at each end handles B are hinged, so that they will turn out
in line with the pole or hang down, or can be made with rigid handle. For the
head, a hinged support C is added near one end of each of these poles with an
adjustable prop D, the pointed end of which with catch fits into a series of holes
in the pole. The canvas or other material forming the bed is laced on the two
poles A, and on the adjustable supports C forming the pillow continuation thereof.
The two poles are held apart from each other, and from the ground by two pairs of
legs. These legs could be made of a pair of struts united by a cross-piece and held
always in one position but I prefer them to fold up. They are well set forth in a
folded form in Figure 5, in their position for use in Figure. 4. By means of the
eye pins or bolts hereafter described, the legs proper E are hinged to the vertical
flange of the angle steel, tube steel, bamboo etcetera, and at one side a spring
catch F is also hinged to the angle steel to hold legs in position when at right
angles to the poles. To the bottoms or ends of these legs are riveted the lazy'
tongs pieces G G, these fit onto pins or buttons H H, on the sides of the legs near
the top, through which the end of bolt J passes, and are held in position there by
a small washer or movable piece h. To enable the lazy tongs to fold up close,
I prefer to cut a piece out of each bar at I to fit round these pins when folded.
The legs and cross piece are formed preferably of steel and are bolted to the poles
by an eye-bolt J, to each of the four eye-bolts a spring tension buffer M of rubber,
steel etcetera is linked at K and a strap, rope or chain or other attachment L
attached to each of these N waist band with tent hook at end. This is attached to
one pole, wrapped round the patient and the other pole, and passing underneath is
hooked to eyelets of cord worked in waist band N.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The stretcher being carried to where the patient lies, the head piece and legs are
adjusted, and the patient being laid on the canvas between the poles and the waist

page_text: band secured round him, the whole is thence carried by the handles to the shaft,
raised to the surface, if underground, and lifted into a cart, but instead of resting
on the cart bottom is suspended by the four straps etcetera. By this means are
obtained 1st the springiness caused by the double bent leg connections being the
only struts distending the stretcher laterally and natural spring in side rods, and
2nd. the elasticity of the tension buffers, and swing motion of the straps all tending
to neutralize jolts. The poles can be made to fold up, if desired, and can be
strengthened longitudinally in the centre by a strip of half round iron or its
equivalent, but I prefer to form the poles as shown with a deeper angle steel flange
in the centre than at the sides.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be
understood that I am well aware that collapsible ambulance stretchers have been
made before; having two poles held apart by struts and a canvas sheet stretched
between them, also that stretchers have been carried by elastic or spring bands
from shoulder poles, and I therefore make no claim broadly for such, but I declare
that what I claim is :-
1st. The manufacture and use of ambulance stretchers constructed and arranged,
substantially as described.
2nd. The legs and frame-work with arrangements for folding up and quickly
placing in rigid position for use in ambulance stretchers, substantially as described.
3rd. The combination with ambulance stretchers of supporting bands fitted with
spring tension buffers, substantially as described.
4th. The combination with ambulance stretchers of a waist band, substantially
as described.