U.S. patent number 3,757,359 [Application Number 05/135,908] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-11 for litter device.
Invention is credited to Gerald E. Stellman.
United States Patent |
3,757,359 |
Stellman |
September 11, 1973 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
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.
Inventors: |
Stellman; Gerald E. (Adel,
IA) |
Family
ID: |
26730076 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/135,908 |
Filed: |
April 21, 1971 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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52022 |
Jul 2, 1970 |
3639926 |
Feb 8, 1972 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
5/628 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61G
1/003 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61G
1/003 (20060101); A61g 001/02 (); A61g
007/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;5/81,82,89 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nunberg; Casmir A.
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.
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.
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.
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