Improvements in Appliances for Carrying Heavy Luggage, Persons, Beds, Ambulance-stretchers, and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
Improvements in Appliances for Carrying Heavy Luggage, Persons,
Beds, Ambulance-stretchers, and the like.
I, NORBERT LERNET, of 12, Dreilaufergasse, Vienna VI, in the Empire of Austria,
Captain, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The carrying of loads on the back, as practised hitherto, subjects to a somewhat
severe strain not only the shoulders, but also, and more particularly, the spine of
even those persons whose build or constitution best qualifies them for the carriage
of burdens; and this objectionable feature of the present system becomes all the
more apparent in the case of heavy burdens, where the carrier, in order to retain
his balance, has to stoop further forward, as the article to be carried is more con-
siderable in size and compass, since its centre of gravity must invariably lie within
the carrier's base. It therefore not unfrequently happens that all the carrying
is effected by the carrier's back, his shoulders merely serving as means of suspen-
sion, to prevent the load from slipping off when he performs certain movements.
The object of the improved carrying appliance. herein described is, as far as
practicable, and either temporarily or permanently, to ease the carrier's back at
the expense of his shoulders where these are better adapted to sustain the load,
and this object is attained by making use of the carrier's hands in order to
counteract the component forces acting upon his back.
The improved carrying appliance mainly consists of a pair of arms curved to fit
the carrier's shoulders and extended from that point both backwards and forwards
by downwardly-inclined pieces, the rearward extension of each arm serving to
receive and support the load, whilst the forward extension is provided with an
inclined handle which may be rigid, folding or removable as desired.
The arms are preferably padded, especially at the parts resting on the shoulders.
On the side where the load is supported, the said arms are provided with a
bracket which may have an extension formed of either a bent piece or a spring
and may be provided with suitable eyes, so as to afford an additional support to
the parcel to be carried. The said eyes are connected by a belt stretched taut and
adapted by its elasticity to accommodate itself to the shape of the carrier's back.
It is by this flexible and, so to speak, swinging suspension of the burden that
the weight of the latter is reduced and the partial transfer of such weight from
the back to the shoulders is effected.
The spring may, if desired, be attached to the ends of staples adjustably arranged
upon the supporting arms, so as the better to fit the appliance, or proportion the
distribution of the weight,, to the carrier's strength.
For carrying persons, the supporting arms are slightly turned up on the load-
supporting side so as to form a back-rest for the person to be carried, who, in
addition, may be tied to it by means of straps.
Another form of the carrying appliance is fitted with a bed or stretcher and thus
made serviceable as an ambulance for invalids or wounded soldiers. The stretcher
rests in, and is connected by pins to suitable bearings or brackets with which the
carrying appliance is provided for the purpose, so that its position may be varied

page_text: as required by means of straps. Or each bed may be connected with two carrying
devices, where is desirable to employ two attendants in removing the sick or
wounded person.
The handles may be rigid, folding or removable as desired:*
4
Dated the 23rd day of June 1897.
Improvements in Appliances for Carrying Heavy Luggage, Persons,
Beds, Ambulance-stretchers, and the like.
"
I, NORBERT LERNET, of 12; Dreilaufergasse, Vienna VI, in the Empire of Austria,
Captain, 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:-
The carrying of loads on the back, as practised hitherto, subjects to a somewhat
severe strain not only the shoulders, but also, and more particularly, the spine of
even those persons whose build or constitution best qualifies them for the carriage
of burdens; and this objectionable feature of the present system becomes all the
more apparent in the case of heavy burdens, where the carrier, in order to retain
his balance has to stoop further forward, as the article to be carried is more con-
siderable in size and compass, since its centre of gravity must invariably lie within
the carrier's base. It therefore not unfrequently happens that all the carrying
is effected by the carrier's back, his shoulders merely serving as means of suspen-
sion, to prevent the load from slipping off when he performs certain movements.
The object of the improved carrying appliance herein described is, as far as
practicable and either temporarily or permanently-to ease the carrier's back at
the expense of his shoulders, where these are better adapted to sustain the load,
and this object is attained by making use of the carrier's hands in order to
counteract the component of the forces acting upon his back..
The invention will be clearly understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which several forms of the improved carrying appliance are shown in
side elevation.
The improved carrying appliance mainly consists of a pair of arms or bars which
are rigidly connected by means of two or more rods i and aré curved at a to fit the
carrier's shoulders and extended from that point both backwards and forwards
by downwardly-inclined pieces, such as b and c; the rearward extension'c of each
arm or bar serving to receive and support the load, whilst the forward extension b
is provided with an inclined handled (Figure 6) which may be rigid, folding or
removable as desired.
The arins or bars are preferably padded, especially at the parts resting on the
shoulders as at e e.
On the side e where the load is supported, the said arms or bars are provided
with a bracket which may have an extension g formed of either a bent piece or
a spring and may be provided with suitable eyes, so as to afford an additional.sup-
port to the parcel to be carried. The said eyes are connected by a belt h stretched
taut and adapted by its elasticity to accommodate itself to the shape of the carrier's
back..
It is by this flexible and, so to speak, swinging suspension of the burden. thai
'

page_text: the weight of the latter is reduced and the partial transfer of such weight from the
back to the shoulders is effected.
The spring g may, if desired, be attached to the ends of staples k adjustably
arranged upon the supporting arms, so as the better to fit the appliance or pro-
portion the distribution of the weight to the carrier's strength.
Figure 3 represents an arrangement for carrying persons, in which the support-
ing arms or bars are slightly turned up on the load-supporting side c so as to
form a back-rest for the person to be carried, who, in addition, may be tied to it
by means of straps.
Figure 5 shows a carrying appliance which is fitted with a bed or stretcher mand
is thus made serviceable as an ambulance for invalids or wounded soldiers. The
stretcher rests in, and is connected by pins n to suitable bearings on brackets with
which the carrying appliance is provided for this purpose, so that its position may
be varied as required by means of straps o. Or each bed may be connected with
two carrying devices, where it is desirable to employ two attendants in removing
the sick or wounded
person.
As illustrated in Figure 6 the handle may be rigid, folding or removable as
desired. As here shown the handle d is detachably and pivotally connected to
the prolongation b of the curved bar a by means of the pivot-pin p. When the
parts b and d are brought into a straight line with each other the sleeve q can be
moved up so as to cover the joint and keep the same rigid. For maintaining the
sleeve q in this position it is provided with an eyer which is engaged by a hook s
Each of the said bars a is provided
fixed upon the prolongation b. of the bar a.
with one such arm d.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
A carrying appliance comprising a pair of arms or bars constructed to fit the
carrier's shoulders and inclined downwardly both at the front and rear, the forward
ends of such arms or bars being provided with handles, which may be rigid, fold-
ing or removable, while their rearward ends are provided with a bent portion or
a spring so as to form a support for the load, and with extensions connected by
a belt or strap, substantially as, and for the purposes; herein before described.
ALDO 1 of March 1898
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.