improvements in Stretchers for Surgical and other Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: improvements in Stretchers for Surgical and other Purposes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent, Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex 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:-
My invention has for its object the production of a stretcher which can be
folded or rolled up and be packed in small space and be capable of being rapidly
set up or put in position for use'; it also attains the object of furnishing means to
place the patient upon the stretcher without any disturbance of the physique of
the patient, and, after the patient has thus been provided beneath with a cloth
or cushion, side carrying poles, may be secured to the cloth and he may be raised
from the ground and be supported therefrom by the standards or legs of the
stretcher; which standards are pivotted at their juncture with the frame to which
they are attached by a lock joint in the ordinary well known way. When they
are allowed to drop they fall of their own weight at right angles therewith forming
nearly perpendicular supports.
In the accompanying drawing:
i
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my stretcher in position for use shewing two
webs of flexible material with tubular edges pierced by side supporting rods and
lateral end wise dividing rods, said side supporting rods being provided with jointed
supporting upright legs..
Figure 2 is an elevation of one of the two side supporting rods of my stretcher
shewing the screw joint between the two halves of the rod in sectional view.
Figure 3 is a detached perspective view of the joint formed between the
transverse end bar of my stretcher and the leg which supports the same together
with a spring catch which device being well known in mechanics will require no
special explanation here.

page_text: Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device shewn in Figure 3 simply shewing
the end of the joint of the leg before its catch has been latched.
Figure 5 is an elevation and partial perspective view of my stretcher when out
of use and ready to fold up.
Figure 6 is a similar view of my stretcher in process of being folded up.
Figure 7 shews the stretcher folded up ready for transportation.
Figure 8 shews my stretcher laid upon a hospital bed diagonally to provide for
either head board or foot board or both.
5
Figure 9 is a view of a patient shewing the two sections of the web which
extends across between the two bars, which maintain the stretcher, shewing the 1
division of the two webs, whereby the webs can be drawn from beneath the patient
from two different directions, substantially as described.
A A¹ are two sections or sheets of canvas each having two tubular edges B B
through which the poles or bearing rods C C¹ are passed; each of these rods is
composed of two parts or halves which are connected by a screw joint D Figure 2, 1
in the middle. D¹ D¹ are handles at the ends of the poles or rods C C¹. A narrow
neck D is located on each rod between each handle D¹ and the main part of the
rod; these necks are adapted to receive the rings E which are attached to the
standards or legs F; each of the latter is made of metal, its upper end being let
into a socket which is fitted to receive it in the hinged joint F¹. These hinged
joints permit the legs to be thrown or folded inward against the bars G when the
stretcher is not in use; the bars G serve to hold the legs at the ends of the
stretcher apart and they are let into sockets in the hinged joint F¹ similarly to
the manner in which the legs are attached. H is a spring latch pivotted at H¹ its
inner end being thrown up by a small spring H" as shewn.
The outer end of this latch hooks into a recess I in the socket piece F" whereby
when the leg F is thrown out in a position to support the stretcher, the latch H
will engage in the depression I and lock the leg or standard F in position until the
latch is released by the operator. The ring E is cylindrical in form and the socket
piece F¹ is hinged thereupon by means of the ring E¹ moving freely around the
same see Figure 3. J J¹ are pockets sewed or otherwise securedly attached to the
lower faces of the two sheets A and A¹ respectively, these pockets, see Figure 5,
are adapted to receive the ends of the poles or rods CCCC when the same are
detached and ready to be rolled up for transportation. The rods G are secured in
place when the stretcher is set up for use by passing the cylindrical rings E E
over the handles D¹ and setting them upon the neck D" of the supporting
bars C C¹ see Figure 1. These bars G are detached for packing by sliding the
rings E off the necks D₁ and over handles D¹, after which the catches H are
opened, thus releasing the legs F, and the latter are thrown in against and almost
parallel with the bars G; these bars G with the legs F are then ready to be.
packed in with the pocketted bars CC C¹ C¹ see Figure 6, when the whole can
be rolled up as shewn in Figure 7. The legs F continue to open until the
shoulders K K of the socket pieces F', F" abut one against the other, when the
hook of latch H enters the depression I, and locks the leg in an extended or
upright position. L L Figure 7 are two bands or straps secured by their middle
to the under sides of the sheets A A¹ respectively and are used to tie up the
stretcher into a roll when it is out of use. M is intended to represent a hospital
bed and Figure 8 shews the manner of transferring the patient from the stretcher
to the bed. N Figure 9 shews the method of getting the sheets beneath the
patient, preliminarily to rigging up the stretcher and raising him from the ground.
My device is generally carried in the compact form shewn in Figure 7. When it
is desired to use my stretcher the bands L L are untied and loosened and the
sheets are spread out as in Figure 6, the bars and legs are then removed from
the inside of the sheets, and sheet A is folded up in the centre, partially fold upon
fold as in Figure 9. Supposing the patient to be lying upon his back the unfolded

page_text: portion is placed beneath the head of the patient, the folds passing transversely
beneath the neck; the lower end of sheet A is worked down by drawing it
gradually beneath the body of the patient without disturbing him until the folds
are all drawn out and the sheet is completely extended beneath the head and body
of the patient. The lower sheet A¹ is then worked up or drawn beneath the feet
and legs of the patient until the contiguous edges of the two sheets are about as
close as is shewn in Figure 1.
The side rods C C² are then inserted through the tubular edges B B until their
ends meet when they are screwed one into the other as is shown in Figure 2; this
is done upon both sides of the two sheets A A¹ without disturbing the patient.
The bars G G are then pushed into place over the edge of the long bars C C¹ by
means of their rings E E; this will serve to hold the long side bars a proper
distance apart, see Figure 1. Now by raising the stretcher by its handles D¹ D¹
the legs FF will drop down until the catches H engage with the depressions I
when the stretcher with the patient may be carried to any desired point.
When the Patient is to be transferred to the hospital bed M Figure 8, which
may have a head and foot board, the operation of placing the patient upon the
stretcher is reversed; the stretcher is placed diagonally across the bed from head
to foot, so that its handles will not interfere with the head and foot board of the
bed; and its legs F F are simultaneously folded up. The brace bars G G are then
removed and the side bars C C¹ are unscrewed from each other as they turn freely
in the tubular edges B B and each half of each side bar is drawn out by means
of its handle D¹. The sheets are then moved around until the patient lies
longitudinally upon the length of the bed. The sheets A A¹ are then drawn from
beneath the patient; the ends of the halves of the side bars are then pocketted as
shewn in Figure 5, in the pockets J J¹ of sheets A A¹ and the sheets are drawn
over each other and overlap until the ends of these half bars are deeply seated in
the pockets; one side of flap A¹ is thrown over the cross bars as in Figure, 6, and
the end brace bars G G with the folded legs F F are then laid on to this turned
over flap of sheet A. The apparatus is then rolled up in the sheets as shewn in
Figure 7.
The side tubes B, B of my sheets are formed by lapping the edges of the canvas
under, and rivetting or sewing them in that position, and they are large enough to
fit loosely upon the sides bars C C whereby the latter may be freely turned for
screwing one into the other. Eyes and buttons might be substituted for the side
tubes to connect with the bars; but this would incline the bars to turn around in
the hands of the carriers under great weight, and so loosen or strain the buttons
unless the rings of rods G G were made polygonal to fit corresponding polygonally
shaped bars.
I prefer the tubes B B as they are cheapest and avoid the last named difficulty.
It will be observed that when the brace bars G G are in place, the latches H
which lock the socket pieces for the legs F F are so close to the handles D1 D1.
that the persons carrying the stretcher can press upon the latch with the thumb
without setting down the apparatus, which will release the legs and the fingers
of the hand may be used to swing the legs in under the brace bars G G, prior to
setting the stretcher upon a bed, as shown in Figure 8.
The brace rods G G and the legs or standards F F are for lightness and strength
composed of hollow tubing set at the ends into the socket pins F' F" and secured
therein by a rivet or pin.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First: A folding stretcher composed of two longitudinal bars each in two
sections CC detachably coupled in the middle substantially as shown, sustaining
between them a soft or yielding fabric, in combination with the lateral bars G G,

page_text: provided with readily detachable connections with said longitudinal bars, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes described..
Second-A folding stretcher composed of two longitudinal bars each in two
sections C C¹ the sections being detachably coupled as described sustaining between
them a soft or yielding fabric in two parts or sections A A¹ in combination with
the lateral rods G G provided. with readily detachable connections with said bars
substantially as and for the purposes described.
Third: A folding stretcher composed of two bars C C' sustaining between them
a soft or yielding fabric in combination with the lateral arms or rods G G provided
.with readily detachable connections with said bars and hinged legs F F sub-
stantially as and for the purposes described.
Fourth A. folding stretcher composed of two bars C C¹, C C¹, sustaining
between them a soft or yielding fabric provided with tubular edges B, B, in com-
bination with the lateral rods G G provided with readily detachable connections
with said .bars, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Fifth: A folding stretcher composed of two bars CC, CC, each in two halves
as shown connected by a joint D, sustaining between them a soft or yielding
fabric A A¹ the latter being provided upon the under side with two pockets J J
to receive the ends of the disjointed halves of the bars C C¹, C C¹, whereby the
same may be rolled up into a compact and close roll, substantially as described.
Sixth-A folding stretcher composed of two bars C C C C each in two halves
as shown connected by a joint D sustaining between them a soft or yielding fabric
also in two parts A A¹, each of said sections of fabric being provided with a pocket
upon its under side J, J¹, to receive the ends of the disjointed halves of the
bars C C¹ C C¹ whereby the stretcher mechanism may be rolled up into a compact
and close roll, substantially as described.
Seventh-A folding stretcher composed of two bars C C C C¹ each in two
halves as shown connected by a joint D, sustaining between them a soft or yielding
fabric A A¹, the latter being provided upon the under side with two pockets J Ji
to receive the ends of the disjointed halves of the bars CC, CC, and bands or
straps L L secured to the fabric A. A¹ whereby the same may be rolled up into a
compact and close roll and tied securely, substantially as described.
Eighth A folding stretcher composed of two longitudinal bars C C C C¹ each
in two halves as shown connected by a joint D, sustaining between them a soft or
yielding fabric A A¹ the lateral brace bars G G to hold the longitudinal bars C C¹
CC apart provided with rings E E to slip over the ends of said longitudinal bars,
and legs FF sockets F1 F11 to receive the bars G G and the legs F F hinged as
shown to fold the legs inwardly and spring latches H H whereby the legs may be
locked in position or released to be swung inwardly at pleasure, substantially as
described.
Ninth A folding stretcher composed of two longitudinal bars C C¹ C C¹ each
in two halves as shown, sustaining between them a soft or yielding fabric A A¹
the lateral brace bars G G to hold the longitudinal bars C C C C apart, provided
with rings E E to slip over the ends of said longitudinal bars and legs F F,
sockets FF to receive the bars G G and the legs F F hinged as shown to fold
the legs inwardly and spring latches H H whereby the legs may be locked in
position or released to be swung inwardly at pleasure, substantially as described.
Tenth A folding stretcher composed of two longitudinal bars C C₁ C C¹,
each in two halves as shewn and connected by a screw joint D, said bars
sustaining between them a soft or yielding fabric A¹ A¹ in combination with the
lateral brace rods G G each provided with rings at their respective ends adapted
'to slip over the ends of the longitudinal rods and hold them apart, substantially as
described.
Eleventh A folding stretcher composed of two longitudinal bars 0:00.0¹²,
each in two halves as shown and connected by a screw joint D, said bars sustaining
between them a soft or yielding fabric A. A provided with tubular edges to receive

page_text: the longitudinal bars and large enough to permit the latter to be turned in com-
bination with the lateral brace rods G G each provided with rings at their
respective ends adapted to slip over the ends of the longitudinal rods and hold
them apart, substantially as described.
Twelfth In a stretcher for wounded persons the combination of the hinged
socket pieces F1 F1 ring E and hollow tubular legs or standards F F, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.