Patent ID: 7591627

Claim:
A mobile cart useful for moving an injured person over rough terrain, comprising: a frame having a front end and rear end and a longitudinal length extending between the front and rear ends, the frame also having sides separated by a transverse width, the longitudinal length being greater than the transverse width, the longitudinal length and transverse width extending sufficiently to support the injured person in a supine position; a support unit connected to the frame and supporting the frame above the terrain when moving the cart, the support unit including a contact structure for contacting the terrain, the contact structure located at a longitudinal position along the longitudinal length between the front and rear ends and at a transverse position along the transverse width between the sides, the support unit further including a height adjustment mechanism which is operative to establish a selectable height within a predetermined range of heights of the frame relative to the contact structure; and a front handle assembly and a rear handle assembly pivotally connected to the front end and rear end of the frame respectively, each of the front and rear handle assemblies pivoting into and between first and second positions, the first position extending the front handle assembly generally horizontally forward from the front end of the frame and extending the rear handle assembly generally horizontally rearward of the rear end of the frame to allow manipulation of the cart over the terrain when the frame is supported by the support unit at a selected height established by the height adjustment mechanism to place the contact structure in contact with the terrain for movement over the terrain, the second position extending the front and rear handle assemblies generally vertically downward from the front and rear ends of the frame to contact the terrain and support of the frame from the terrain through the front and rear handle assemblies when the height adjustment mechanism elevates the contact structure out of contact with the terrain; and wherein: the predetermined range of heights established by the height adjustment mechanism is sufficient to elevate the frame for pivoting the handle assemblies from the first position to the second position while the frame is supported from the contact structure in contact with the terrain.