Litter Device

Abstract

A litter device comprising a frame means having opposite side members and opposite end members and having a rectangular flexible sheet member supported thereon. The sheet member is initially secured at one end thereof to one end of the frame means and is pulled beneath the person by means of a winch means or the like operatively connected to the other end of the frame means and having a cable means extending to the sheet member. After the sheet member has been pulled beneath the person, one side of the sheet member is secured to one side of the frame means. The other side of the sheet member is then connected to a tensioning means mounted on the other side member to enable the sheet member to be drawn to a taut condition between the side members of the frame. A strap means is provided on the frame means for maintaining the person on the sheet member for transportation purposes.

Parent Case Text

This is a continuation-in-part application of my copending application Ser. No. 52,022 for Litter Device, filed July 2, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,639,926 issued Feb. 8, 1972.

Description

Conventional litter or stretcher devices require that the person be lifted from the ground and placed on the device. The lifting of the person onto the device can further injure the person.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a litter device.

A further object of this invention is to provide a litter device having a frame means which may be adjusted for various sizes of persons.

A further object of this invention is to provide a litter device which includes a means for pulling a flexible sheet member beneath the person to be lifted.

A further object of this invention is to provide a litter device which supports the person above the supporting surface.

A further object of this invention is to provide a litter device having means thereon to maintain the person thereon.

A further object of this invention is to provide a litter device which is convenient to use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a litter device which is economical to manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the device as it appears prior to the flexible sheet member being positioned below the person to be carried.

FIG. 2 is view similar to FIG. 1 except that the flexible sheet member has been drawn to a taut condition.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view as seen along lines 3 - 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as seen along lines 4 -- 4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view illustrating the means by which the flexible sheet member is tightened laterally.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the elongated draw bar utilized in the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7 -- 7 of FIG. 6.

The litter device of this invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises generally a frame means 12 having a flexible sheet member 14 supported thereby. Frame means 12 comprises generally frame sections 16 and 18 adapted to be detachably secured together. Frame section 16 includes a side member 20 and end members 22 and 24. Frame section 18 generally includes a side member 26 and end members 28 and 30. As seen in FIG. 1, end members 28 and 30 are slidably received by the end members 22 and 24 respectively. End members 22, 24, 28 and 30 are provided with registering openings formed therein adapted to receive a pin means 31 extending therethrough to maintain the side members 20 and 26 in a predetermined spaced apart relationship to accommodate various sizes of persons.

Side member 26 has a plurality of spaced apart straps 32 secured thereto having hook elements 34 (FIG. 4) at the free end thereof which are adapted to be received by grommets 36 in the sheet member 14 as will be described hereinafter. An end member 38 of sheet member 14 is detachably secured to end member 24 by means of hooks 40 as seen in FIG. 3.

An elongated draw bar 41 includes a cross bar 42 extending approximately parallel to end member 24 of frame 10. Rigidly mounted on the opposite ends of cross bar 42 and extending at right angles thereto are a pair of end bars 43. On the free end of each end bar 43 is a hinged ring 44. Protruding from cross bar 42 at spaced intervals along its length are a plurality of ears 45, and rotatably journaled between ears 45 are a plurality of bearing rollers 46. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the diameters of rollers 46 are great enough that the outer surfaces of rollers 46 protrude beyond the ends of ears 45.

Referring to FIG. 3, end member 38 ofsheet member 14 is connected to end member 24 of frame 10 as previously described. he remainder of sheet member 14 passes around rollers 46 and then is wound into a roll 47 which is positioned between draw bar 41 and end member 24 of frame 10. Thus, as draw bar 41 moves to the left (as viewed in FIG. 3) roll 47 is unrolled with sheet member 14 bearing against rollers 46.

A pair of cables or ropes 50 and 52 are secured to hinged rings 44 and extend therefrom as seen in FIG. 1. A shaft 54 is rotatably mounted on a pair of supports 56 and 58 extending outwardly from end member 22, and the cables 50 and 52 secured to the opposite ends of shaft 54. Gear means 60 is mounted on shaft 54 and is in mesh with a gear means 62 suitably supported on the end member 22. A crank handle 64 is operatively secured to the gear means 62 for rotating the same. Rotation of crank handle 64 causes the rotation of shaft 54 to pull draw bar 41 from end 24 towards end 22.

A shaft 66 (FIGS. 4 and 5) is suitably rotatably mounted in side member 20 and has a gear means 68 mounted thereon. Gear means 68 is in mesh with a gear means 70 suitably rotatably mounted on the side member 20. A crank handle 72 is secured to gear means 70 for rotating the same. As seen in FIG. 5, a plurality of straps 74 are secured to shaft 66 and have hook elements 76 on the outer ends thereof adapted to be connected to the grommets 78 at side 80 of sheet member 14. The rotation of crank handle 72 causes shaft 66 to be rotated which causes straps 74 to be wrapped around the shaft 66 as will be described more fully hereinafter. Retaining straps 82, 84, 86 and 88 are provided on the device for securing a person thereon.

The method of operation is as follows: Assuming that an injured person is lying on the ground, the frame sections 16 and 18 are placed on opposite sides of the person and are connected by means of the pin means 31 so that the frame means 12 will correspond to the size of the person. FIG. 1 illustrates the device after the frame sections have been secured thereto but prior to the sheet member being pulled beneath the person. Draw bar 41 is positioned on the frame means as illustrated in FIG. 1 with the hooks 40 being extended between the end of the sheet member 14 and the end member 24 as illustrated in FIG. 3. Cables 50 and 52 are unwound from shaft 54 and are connected to the draw bar 41 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The rotation of crank handle 64 causes shaft 54 to be rotated which causes the cables 50 and 52 to be wrapped upon the shaft 54 thereby drawing the draw bar 41 towards the end member 22. As draw bar 41 is drawn towards end member 22, the sheet member 14 is unrolled and is pulled beneath the person. Roll or cylinder 47 follows draw bar 41 and maintains substantially the same relative position with respect to draw bar 41 throughout the movement of draw bar 41 beneath the patient. When draw bar 41 has been pulled to a position adjacent end member 22, the hook elements 34 are connected to the grommets 36 at one side of the sheet member. The hook elements 76 on straps 74 are connected to the grommets 78 at side 80 of sheet member 14. The crank handle 72 is then rotated to cause the strap 74 to be wound upon the shaft 66 to draw the sheet member 14 toward side member 20 so that the sheet member 14 is in a taut condition. The tightening of the sheet member 14 to the position of FIG. 2 causes the person to be raised above the supporting surface to provide a more comfortable support for the person. The retaining straps 82, 84, 86 and 88 are then connected together over the person to prevent the person from falling from the litter as it is being carried.

Draw bar 41 provides several important functions. Bearing rollers 46 are comparatively small in diameter and provide a narrow streamlined leading edge for draw bar 41 as it is drawn beneath the patient. This narrow leading edge permits draw bar 41 to move easily between the patient's body and the supporting surface on which the patent is lying. Thus the relatively small diameter of rollers 46 enables draw bar 41 to pull sheet member 14 beneath the patent with greater ease and comfort than would be the case if rollers 46 were larger in diameter. Cross bar 42 trails rollers 46 as they move beneath the patient's body and lends reinforcement to rollers 46.

When draw bar 41 is pulled beneath the patent, roll 47 begins unrolling, and at the same time follows draw bar 41 as it passes beneath the patient's body. The drawings show roll 47 without any shaft or or rod extending through its center, and there is no need for such a shaft. Roll 47 may be formed merely by rolling sheet 14 about itself.

Thus it can be seen that a unique litter device has been provided which permits an injured person to be placed thereon without requiring that the person be manually lifted. Further the device of this invention prevents the person from being further injured during the placement of the person onto the litter. The litter device can be adjusted for various sizes of persons and permits the means for raising the person above the supporting surface to provide a more comfortable support for the person. Thus it can be seen that the litter device accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

Claims

I claim:

1. A litter device comprising: an enclosed frame having first and second spaced apart frame members; an elongated member positioned between said first and second frame members

adjacent said first frame member; power means connected to said elongated member and being adapted to move

said elongated member towards said second frame member; a sheet member having opposite ends, one of said opposite ends being connected to said first frame member; said sheet member passing around said elongated member and being wound into a roll which is positioned between said elongated member and said first frame member, whereby said elongated member will cause said sheet member to unroll when said elongated member is moved towards said second member by said power means.

2. A litter according to claim 1 wherein said power means includes a roller mounted on said second frame member, at least one elongated flexible member interconnecting said roller and said elongated member, and crank means for winding said flexible member on said roller.

3. A litter according to claim 1 wherein said elongated member in-cludes a bearing surface engaging said sheet member.

4. A litter according to claim 3 wherein said bearing surface is formed by a roller rotatably mounted on said elongated member.

5. A litter according to claim 4 wherein said elongated member includes a cross bar extending approximately parallel to said first frame member and two end bars rigidly mounted on the opposite ends of said cross bar and extending at right angles thereto; said roller being journaled between said end bars and extending approximately parallel to said first frame mem-ber.

6. A litter according to claim 1 wherein said frame is rectangular and includes third and fourth frame members extending between said first and second frame members; said sheet member including lateral edges; a plurality of hooking means being on said third and fourth members for retentively hooking said lateral edges of said sheet member.

7. A litter according to claim 6 wherein said hooking means on said third frame member are manually movable away from said hooking means on said fourth frame member for causing tension in said sheet member.

8. A method for placing an injured person on a litter, said person lying on a supporting surface; said method comprising: placing an enclosed frame on said supporting surface so that said frame

surrounds said injured person, placing a rolled sheet member adjacent one end of said frame and anchoring

one end of said sheet member to said frame, progressively unwinding said sheet member from its rolled condition while

at the same time moving said sheet member underneath such

person and towards the opposite end of said frame, and securing said unrolled sheet member to said frame.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein a draw bar is inserted underneath said sheet member between the end thereof that is first anchored to said frame member and the rolled portion of said sheet member, and thence unwinding said rolled sheet member by progressively moving said draw bar and said sheet member underneath said person in a direction towards the opposite end of said frame.