poprotein Ambulance Carriages.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1895
poprotein Ambulance Carriages.
We, JOHANN FRIEDRICH KEIM, Medical Assistant, of 16, Weserstrasse,
Frankfurt a/M., in the Empire of Germany, and JAKOB KAHL, Master Mason,
of 53, Schönweibergasse, Griesheim, in the Empire of Germany, 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 relates to a carriage for transporting the wounded, which by
reason of its capability of being folded together quickly and easily, whereby it
takes up a minimum of space, and being in addition of very light construction is
particularly suitable for field hospital service.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates this invention:-
Figure 1 shows the ambulance ready for use with a stretcher in position.
Figure 2 shows the same when folded up without the stretcher and
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the carriage.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The axle a carries two wheels which may advantageously be constructed after
the manner of cycle wheels. This axle is provided close behind each journal with
a movable joint, the said joints being adapted to enable the wheels to be turned
round into a plane parallel to their axle or axis. In order to fix the wheels in
place for use sliding sleeves b are mounted on the axle which are adapted to slide
over the said joints. Upon each of the sleeves b is mounted the lower end of the
double supports f,f, which serve to carry the frame consisting of the members c, c¹,
and d, d', by means of the sockets e; the lower ends of the supports are hinged or
jointed to the sleeves b. As the carriage must combine the advantages of great
simplicity and small weight with a maximum load carrying capacity, each pair of
supports ff, are connected together by means of springs g which are preferably
surrounded by tubes g¹. In order to counteract the natural tendeney of the
sleeves 6 to become forced together towards the middle of the axle when the
frame c, c, d, d', is loaded, there is provided a device which consists of two
levers h, h, each of which is hinged or jointed to one of the sleeves b, whilst their
other ends are hinged together. One of these levers is prolonged to a certain
distance beyond the hinge, and this prolonged portion is fixed in a ring i carried by
the other lever, thereby holding the whole device firmly together.
For the sake of obtaining lightness together with great strength, the members c, c¹
and d, d' of the cart frame as also the supports are made of tubes. In order to
stiffen the frame flat stays or struts and connect the members c and c¹ with
hinged or jointed bars or rods 7 and 1, the lower ends of which are formed as pins to
adapt them to fit in holes in the axle a. The hinged or jointed bars or rods
and are trussed by suitable stays m and m¹ as shown by Figure 3.
When it is desired to fold up the carriage the springs 9 are first unhooked from
one of the supports f; then the stays m and m² are disconnected from the opposite
rods or bars and ; and the pins of the latter are lifted out from the holes in
the axle; after which each half of the entire supporting arrangement k, k¹, 1, 11
and m m can be folded together and fastened in a suitable manner to its corre-
sponding tube e or c¹. Then the prolonged portion of the lever is disconnected
from the ring or catch and it and the lever h¹ are then moved in such a manner
that they fold or turn down about their common hinge, whilst the sleeves bare
moved together towards the centre of the axle. The wheels can now be turned

page_text: round about the aforesaid axle joints, and the frame c, c, d, d; be rotated through
an angle of 90° as shown by Figure 2.
When in use the stretcher is fastened upon the frame of the carriage as shown
by Figure 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
(1.) The improved ambulance carriage, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
(2.) A folding ambulance carriage in which the wheel axle a is provided close
behind its two journals with movable joints which permit the wheels to be turned
into a plane parallel to the axle and which, when the carriage is in use is covered
over by sliding sleeves such as b b which are adapted also to carry the supports f, f,
of the frame c cd d¹ of the cart to which they are so hinged or jointed that by
moving the said sleeves together towards the centre of the axle the frame of the
carriage is folded, as set forth.
C
(3.) In an ambulance as claimed by the preceding claim an auxiliary supporting
device for the frame c c¹d d', consisting of stays k, k¹, hinged or jointed to the
legs cc of the frame, the lower ends of said stays being pivotally connected to
the rods and the ends of which terminate in pins which engage in suitable
holes in the wheel axle, the said rods being trussed together by suitable stays such
as m and m', as set forth.
(4.) In an ambulance as claimed by the second claim, a device for preventing
the unintentional moving together of the sleeves b, b, consisting essentially of the
levers hand which are movably jointed at one end to the said sleeves and are
connected together hinge-fashion at their other ends, whilst one of said levers is
formed with an extension adapted to be fixed to the other lever by means of a
suitable catch as set forth.
Deted this 6th day of Naremban 1905
ted this 6th day of November 1905.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.