IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF PORTABLE STRETCHERS AND BEDSTEADS FOR MILITARY AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Samuel Cartwright Reed at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th April 1872.
I, SAMUEL CARTWRIGHT REED, of Fulham, in the County of
Middlesex, Captain in 20th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF PORTABLE STRETCHERS AND BEDSTEADS FOR MILITARY AND OTHER
PURPOSES,' " to be as follows:-
'
The object of this Invention is the construction of a light, portable, and
useful article which may be used as a stretcher, bed, or seat, as required,
while at the same time it can be folded up into a small compass and be
casily carried or stowed away.
I take two bars or beams of wood of any required length. To each
end of the bars I screw or otherwise connect another and shorter bar
which acts as a handle when in a horizontal position for carrying the
frame when used as a stretcher, or as a leg when turned down to be
used as a bed or stool, and when not in use it rests by the side of the
longitudinal bar, the bar being connected to the other bars by thumb

page_text: •
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screws or bolts or by both. The two longitudinal bars are united at
head and foot by cross bars or spreaders jointed at or at about their
centres as well as to the bars themselves, so that the two longitudinal
bars can be brought close together while the spreaders when folded rest
on or under the aforesaid bars; there may be an additional spreader at or 5
at about the central part of the longitudinal bars or at any other position
or positions if desired to afford greater strength to the structure; bolts
are used to secure the spreaders when open. The inner faces of the
longitudinal bars and where they meet together are hollowed out or
grooved, in or along which I lay a roller which is supported in bearings, ]
and this roller may be made of wood or metal; to the roller I attach
webbing of canvas, duck, or other material, or the webbing may pass
through a slot formed in the longitudinal bar and in such manner that
the webbing can be rolled up on the roller when required; cyclet holes are
made on one or both sides of the webbing whereby it is secured to the 1
longitudinal bar by straps, cords, or otherwise. The webbing is made
double at one end, into which a knapsack may be inserted which acts as
a pillow.
'
To use the apparatus as a bed I lower the legs and secure them by the
thumbscrews. I draw the longitudinal bars apart, whereby the spreaders 2
expand and the webbing unrolls until expanded or opened to the
required width, and the apparatus is firm and ready to be used as a
bedstead, the sacking if necessary being kept tight by the cords before
described.
To alter it to a stretcher I unscrew the thumbscrews, raise the legs 2
which then project beyond the bars and secure them in that position
by the thumbscrews, or they abut against a block provided for the
purpose, so that the legs become handles to carry the apparatus.
To close up the apparatus I reverse or turn over the handles by the
side of the longitudinal bars, or they may remain open, and secure them a
by the thumbscrews as before; I then press inwards the spreaders or
they are carried in by themselves, turn the rollar which winds up the
webbing until the two side bars are brought close together, and all are
secured together by the straps or cords.
A spring may be fitted to the roller for communicating motion to it, g
instead of turning it by the hand, which comes into action as soon as the
spreaders begin to fold up or the bolts are removed.

page_text: When the bars are partially opened the structure may be used as a
seat.
A covering is provided consisting of pieces of cane or other flexible
material, threaded through muslin or other light material, which when
required may be inserted in the bars and form a protection to the
occupant of the bedstead or stretcher. When not required for use the
canes are withdrawn from the bars, and the whole (the cane and muslin
together) are rolled up and tied or secured with the other parts.