U.S. patent number 3,631,546 [Application Number 05/016,724] was granted by the patent office on 1972-01-04 for device for optional coupling of a stretcher with different implements.
This patent grant is currently assigned to AB Hydraul-Verken. Invention is credited to Kurt Arnold Eliasson.
United States Patent |
3,631,546 |
Eliasson |
January 4, 1972 |
DEVICE FOR OPTIONAL COUPLING OF A STRETCHER WITH DIFFERENT
IMPLEMENTS
Abstract
This invention concerns a device for optionally coupling a
stretcher with different implements permitting the releasing of the
stretcher from one implement and the coupling of the stretcher with
another implement, to which it is to be transferred, to be
performed simultaneously without passing an intermediate position
in which the stretcher is disconnected from both implements. For
this purpose the invention is characterized in that the stretcher
has two transverse cylinders, of which one is mounted for eccentric
rotation so as to permit to vary the space between the cylinders by
rotation of the eccentric cylinder. One of the implements has a
member with two cylindrical recesses in its end edge portions to be
engaged by the cylinders in their closest position. The other
implement has a fork-shaped support with cylindrical recesses in
the sides of the fork legs to be engaged by the cylinders in their
most spaced-apart position, the eccentricity of the eccentric
cylinder and the spacing of the cylinders and recesses being such
that when transferring the eccentric cylinder from its engagement
with one implement to the other, said other implement is at least
partially engaged before the first implement is entirely
released.
Inventors: |
Eliasson; Kurt Arnold
(Alingsas, SW) |
Assignee: |
AB Hydraul-Verken (Alingsas,
SW)
|
Family
ID: |
20262292 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/016,724 |
Filed: |
March 5, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 13, 1969 [SW] |
|
|
3514/69 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/87.1;
414/391 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61G
7/1046 (20130101); A61G 7/1019 (20130101); A61G
7/1044 (20130101); A61G 7/1057 (20130101); A61G
7/1076 (20130101); A61G 2200/32 (20130101); A61G
2203/80 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61G
7/10 (20060101); A61g 007/10 (); A61g 001/02 ();
A47b 083/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;5/81,82,86,87,89
;269/17,79,229,235,236,323-328 ;214/38CC,38D |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nunberg; Casmir A.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A device for the optional coupling of a stretcher to different
implements comprising, in combination,
two locking cylinders secured to said stretcher, and substantially
parallel to each other,
at least one of said cylinders being excentrically rotatable, so
that the distance between the cylinders is variable,
an implement including an inner supporting member defining first
recesses for the cylinders, the distance between said first
recesses being such as to allow a passage of said inner supporting
member between said locking cylinders when said excentrically
rotatable cylinder is turned away from the other cylinder, and
locking said inner supporting member when said excentrically
rotatably cylinder is turned towards said other cylinder, and
another implement including a fork-shaped supporting member having
corresponding second recesses for said cylinder on the sides of the
fork legs turned towards each other, the distance between said
second recesses being such that said cylinders upon rotation of the
excentrically rotatable cylinder in one direction fixedly engage
the fork legs simultaneously as the stretcher is released from said
inner supporting member.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the
excentric cylinder is enclosed in a sleeve freely rotatable
thereon.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said inner
supporting member includes a plate, a frame pivotally mounted on
said plate, so that said frame can be inclined with respect to said
plate, and the ends of said frame being provided with said first
recesses.
4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said inner supporting
member is operatively mounted on a stretcher carrier, and said
fork-shaped supporting member is operatively connected to a
stretcher-lifting device.
Description
The present invention concerns a device for the optional coupling
of a stretcher with different implements, such as a stretcher
carriage and a lifting device. In the care in a hospital, in order
to permit the transfer of a patient from a bed to a bath or to an
operation table it is of greatest importance that the transfer can
be made without the risk that the stretcher can loosen or be
tilted, especially for the transfer from one implement to another.
The transport from one section of a hospital to another is always
performed by means of a stretcher carriage mounted on wheels, on
which the stretcher is locked into position. In order to enable the
stretcher to be sunk into a bath it is necessary to transfer it to
a lifting device. It is a purpose of the invention to provide a
coupling device so constructed that the stretcher cannot be
released from one implement before coupling members on the other
implement have taken over the locking action and that the releasing
and locking can be effected with one single movement without any
unstable intermediate position.
The invention is characterized in that the stretcher has transverse
cylinders, of which one is journaled excentrically so that the
space between the sides of the cylinders turned away from or facing
each other can be varied, that the one implement has a plate or
frame or the like, the end edges of which have recesses for the
cylinders, and that the other implement has a fork-shaped support
with corresponding recesses on the sides of the fork legs facing
each other, the cylinders, upon rotation of the excentric cylinder
in one direction or the other, optionally engaging and clamping the
frame between them or gripping the fork legs simultaneously as the
stretcher is released from the fork legs or the frame,
respectively.
The invention is described in the following with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a side view of a stretcher placed on a stretcher carriage
in position ready for the transfer to a lifting device.
FIG. 2 shows a section along line II--II in FIG. 3 through the
locking device and the cooperating parts on the stretcher carriage
and the lifting device.
FIG. 3 shows a section along line III--III in FIG. 2.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show sections corresponding to FIG. 2 but with the
locking device in different coupling positions.
The stretcher carriage comprises a frame 2 mounted on wheels 1 and
comprising a vertical standard 3 formed as a hydraulic cylinder
with a piston rod 4, which can be hoisted and lowered by means of a
pump mounted on the frame. On the upper end of the piston rod is
mounted a plate 5 supporting a frame 6 which can be swung relative
to the plate about a pivot 7 mounted on its one end edge, whereby
an inclination of a few degrees can be obtained by means of a knee
link 8 provided at the other end edge, and permitting to lower the
frame 6 onto the plate 5 or to maintain the frame 6 in an inclined
position by means of a lever 9.
The stretcher 10 has in its median part bearing supports 11, 12
extending downwards from the underside, in which transverse
cylinders 13, 14 are rotatably mounted. One cylinder 14 is
excentric relative to its axis of rotation and is rotatable by
means of an operating lever 15. The cylinders 13, 14 are preferably
of steel and the cylinder 14 is surrounded by a sleeve 16 freely
rotatable thereon. This sleeve can be of resilient material, such
as rubber, plastic material or the like. By rotating the excentric
cylinder in one direction or the other, the space between the
cylinders can be increased or reduced.
In the end edge faces of the frame 6 there are shallow cylindrical
recesses 17, 18 for the cylinders 13, 14, the space between the
recesses being somewhat less than the space between the sides of
the cylinders facing each other when the excentric cylinder 14 is
in its middle position.
The lifting device shown in FIG. 1, which can be used for lowering
the stretcher into a bath or the like, comprises a vertical
hydraulic cylinder 19 enclosing a piston with a piston rod 20
supporting at its upper end a rotatable head 21 with a downwards
extending supporting arm 22, formed at its lower end into a fork
with horizontal fork legs 23 presenting cylindrical recesses 24, 25
for the cylinders 13, 14 on their sides facing each other, the
space between said recesses being somewhat larger than the distance
between the sides of the cylinders turned away from each other when
the excentric cylinder is in its middle position.
The device just described works as follows. When the stretcher is
to be coupled to the stretcher carriage the excentric cylinder 14
is turned by means of the lever 15 so that the distance between the
rollers becomes larger than the space between the end edges of the
frame 6 so that the stretcher can be freely put down onto the
latter with the cylinders facing the recesses 17, 18. When the
excentric 14 is turned and the space between the cylinders is
thereby reduced, the cylinders engage the recesses 17 and 18 and
are pressed against the frame 6 on the stretcher carriage, so that
the stretcher is fixedly secured thereon.
For the transfer of the stretcher 10 from the stretcher carriage to
the lifting device, the fork legs 23 are exactly adjusted at the
same level as the cylinder 13, 14 and the stretcher carriage is
moved in over the fork legs so that the recesses 24, 25 are placed
opposite the cylinders, which can be facilitated by means of an
abutment provided on the supporting arm. In the beginning of the
turning of the operating lever 15, the grip on the frame 6 is
released but since the recesses are cylindrical the stretcher
cannot tilt and upon continued turning of the lever the sleeve 16
comes into contact with the edge of the recess 25 on the leg 23 of
the supporting arm so that the stretcher is moved longitudinally
and the cylinder 13 engages the recess in the abutment surface 24
before the grip on the frame 6 is entirely released (FIG. 3). The
lever 15 is turned further on until the cylinders have taken their
positions illustrated in FIG. 4, in which they are pressed outwards
against the legs 23 and maintain the stretcher 10 fixedly engaged
simultaneously as the latter is entirely released from the
stretcher carriage and the latter can be moved away.
Since the excentric cylinder 14 during rotation moves in a circular
path and the contact with the corresponding recess is made first
with the border edge 26 thereof, the torque necessary for turning
the cylinder 14 into its end position would become very large
without the sleeve 16, which upon contact with the edge 26 is
stopped, so that the excentric cylinder 14 upon further rotation
slides within the sleeve 16, which thereby can roll down into the
recess 25. The coupling is therefore effected smoothly and without
the torque becoming too large in spite of a great locking force.
The conditions are the same when the cylinders are pressed against
the frame 6.
The locking device above described is very simple and reliable and
permits a rapid transfer from one implement to another, there being
no risk for the stretcher in any position to be released without a
corresponding locking being simultaneously effected.
* * * * *