US3811433A

US3811433A - Traction apparatus for a stretcher

Info

Publication number: US3811433A
Application number: US00229734A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Brachet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-03-10
Filing date: 1972-02-28
Publication date: 1974-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 1991-05-21
Also published as: CH559545A5; SU456393A3; DE2211015C3; BE780307A; DE2211015A1; DE2211015B2; OA03974A; IT953946B; GB1384278A; FR2128991A5

Abstract

Traction apparatus for a prone patient on a stretcher includes a chest belt and a harness secured thereto, and a belt for the feet and a harness secured thereto. Pulley means are supported on the stretcher frame whereby cords on the harnesses may be tensioned to apply traction to the patient.

Description

United States Patent 1 a v 111 3,811,433

Brachet May 21, 1974 TRACTION APPARATUS FOR A 2,449,767 7/1948 Carpenter 128/84 R STRETCHER 951,515 3/1910 Solsem 902,946 11/1908 Denise [76] Inventor: Jacques Brachet, 3'4 Rue de 3,413 971 12 19 3 Charenton, Paris, France 2,377,940 6/1945 Hughes [22] Filed -Feb 28 197 2,675,564 '4/l954 Hughes; l28/84 R X [21] Appl. No.: 229,734 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant ExaminerJ. Yasko [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Attorney, Agent, or Firm-James B. Kinzer; Thomas'E.

, Dom Mar. 10, 1971 France 71.08341 1 f 52 Us. Cl. .1 128/84 0, 5/82 1 A TRA [51] Int. Cl. A6lf 5/04 T a tion apparatus for a prone patient on a stretcher.

[58] Field of Search 128/84, 75, 71, 85, 86, ncludes a es be n a ne e e o,

128/87; 5/82 and a belt for the feet and a harness secured thereto.

8 Pulley means are supported on the stretcher frame [56] Refer nces Cit d whereby cordson the harnesses may be tensioned to UNITED STATES PATENTS I apply traction t0 the patient.

2,511,061 6/1950 Hughes 5182' 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures l TRACTION APPARATUS FOR A STRETCIIER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a stretcher-intended in particular for the transport of persons with an injury to their spine or fracture of the neckor of the femur.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART injured person to beheld immobile to a great degree during transport. However, all these'devices are costly and sometimes cumberous. In addition, .they do not allow certain injured persons to be removed, in particular through narrow passages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a stretcher of particularly simple and inexpensive construction, enabling injured persons to be removed in satisfactory manner.

The object of the present invention is also to provide a stretcher-which takes up very little space and which, for that reason, can be carried in any ambulance.

any position while maintaining them in a completely The stretcher, according to the invention, comprises i in addition means of maintaining-and holding securely v the hips and the head of the injured person. More particularly, the frame 1, made of tubes for example comprises some handles 11 for transporting the stretcher. Supports (not shown) on which the stretcher can rest may also be provided. The receiving surface 2, fixed on the long members 12, is'provided along the whole length of the stretcher to receive the injured person.

FIG. I shows an injured person lying on his side, his left leg immobilized to avoid all rocking movements.

This position is necessary when the injured person is suffering from shock. When conscious the injured person may be transported lying on his back. This position as well as the arrangeent of the maintaining members are virtually the same as in the preceding'case; the difference is explained later.

Securing a patient around the chest is effected with a long strap or chest belt, such as is illustrated in FIG. 3. Such a belt 5 comprises a main part 51 fitted with a harness in the form of four short straps 52 andtensioning cords 53. These straps areattached at one end to the chest belt at right angles thereto, FIG. .3, and the cords are attached to the opposite ends of the straps. The straps 52, FIG. I, embrace the shoulders of the patient, a pair for each shoulder, FIG. 1. Belt 5 closes with the aid of thin straps 54 and buckles 55, girdling the chest.

The further object of the invention is to provide detachable pulling members which are fixed on the stretcher, which enables these to be made and distributed to equip already existing stretchers.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide means to simplify not only the distribution of this type of stretcher, while reducing costs, but also to reduce considerably the space they take up.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention is described in greater detail with the aid of a mode of application illustrated by'the accompanying drawings in which: i

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stretcher according to the invention, maintaining an injured person GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The stretcher according to the invention is intended.

to transport persons with injuries to their spine or fractures of the neck or of the femur.

As indicated above, to maintain such injured persons completely immobile during transport, the-stretcher comprises aframe l with a receiving surface 2- on which the injured person rests; In addition, the stretcher comprises some pulling

members

3, 4 provided at the extremities of the frame I permitting a pull of the required strength to be exerted on the spine between the armpits and the extremities of the lower members to enable the injured person to be transported.

To prevent interference with the respiration of a pa-" tient, the main part 51 of the chest belt is placed directly under the armpits whereuponthe cords 53 are gathered together and passed over the central pulley 31 and secured around the hooks 33. The extremities of the lower members, substantially at the level of the ankles also are secured with the aid of a belt 6 which is appreciably of the same type as the belt 5. Belt 6 comprises a central or main part 61 and a harness provided by two thin straps 62 attached at one end thereto and each terminating with a cord 63. When the main part 61 has been fixed with the aid of thin straps and buckles around the feet of the patient, the tensioning cords 63, attached to the foot harness are passed over the central pulley 41 andaspecific pressure is exerted. To maintain this pressure at a specified strength, the cord is passed around the books 42.

The spine of the injured person is then subjected to thechosen amount of pull. Thispull is not exerted on the part of the spine which is beyond the strap 5 in the direction of the head. This is necessary in order to protect the cervical vertebrae. In the case where such vertebrae are injured, or in general to prevent the head of the injured person from. moving and the movement causing pain in the injuredparts of the spine, provision is made for the head to rest on a pillow 7 which, for example, can be inflatable. To prevent the head from sliding on this pillow, a strap 8 is provided around the stretcher and bears on the forehead 'or the upper parts of the injured persons head. As seen in FIG. 4, strap 8 includes pad 81, buckle 83, and buckle holes at 82.

In order to immobilize the pelvis of the injured person, provision is made, according to the invention, for an inflatable belt 9, made at least in part of inflatable tubes, passing around the long members 12 of the stretcher and securing the hips and if necessary the knees of the injured person. The lenght of the belt 9 is such that in no case does it reach the level of the thorax or cause discomfort to the injured person;

Since the size of the body of the injured persons may vary considerably, provision is made to enable two additional pillows to be placed on either side of the body of the injured person in the belt 9 at the level of the long members 12;

When it is desired to place the patient on his back,

it can be preferable to use the

lateral pulleys

32, 42, to

' trated in FIG. 2; this member can serve equally either as a head part 3 or a foot part 4. The securing-member 3, according to FIG. 2, comprises a transverse bar 34 provided with'a means of adjusting the'distance separating 35-35, 36-36 and with a central pulley 31 and two lateral pulleys 32.

In addition, in order to make it possible to secure the cords whose purpose is described later, means of hooking such as some hooks 33 are provided.

The means of adjustement 35 enable the device 3 to be adapted to various widths of stretcher, and consist of a threaded rod which is an integral part of the securing member 36. This threaded rod is screwed into a thread provided at the extremity of the transverse bar 34. However, to prevent'this transverse bar 34 from rubbing against the securing members 36, once these have been fixed onto the stretcher, a counter-nut 351 and a securing washer 352 are provided. These means .are provided at both extremities of the bar 34. Howl Knurled head 363..This screw passes through the outer branch of the stirrup 361. The free extremity of the screw includes a support surface 363 enabling the long members of thestretcher represented in cross-section in this figure, to be secured more effectively.

' Each central pulley as 31 turns on a horizontal axis and is fixed on the transverse bar 34 by means of two brackets 311 and anaxle 312. On the other hand, the lateral pulleys as 32 turns on vertical axis and are mounted directly, by means of an axle onto the transverse bar 34.

it is obvious that the invention is not limited to the application herein above described and illustrated and that on the basis of it other forms and other modes of application can be envisaged within the scope of the invention.

I claim: L'Detachable on a stretcher with longitudinal members, a receiving member extending between the longitudinal members, comprising:

a pair of transverse bars each adapted at the opposite ends to be anchored to the longitudinal members of the stretcher; r 1 traction strap attachment means mounted to said transverse bars so that a tension can be applied to the head, feet or chest of the body; an inflatable belt passing around the longitudinal members of the stretcher adapted to contain a body so as to support at least the pelvic. portion of the body; and,

additional inflatable pillows placed on either side of the sides of said inflatable belt to further support the body; I

a second belt'to be secured around the chest at the level of the arm pits of the patient, a harness secured to the second belt having tensioning cords attached thereto, and pulling means on one of the transverse bars onto which the cords are gathered to apply tension tothe second belt, and means to 2. Traction apparatus according to claim 1 in which the bars are transversely adjustable and have means at the opposite ends thereof for clamping the bars to the longitudinal members of a stretcher.

3. Traction apparatus according to claim 1 in which each bar has a central pulley for receiving the tensioning cords. I v I 4. Traction apparatus according to claim 3 in which the central pulley turns on a-horizorital axis, each bar supporting a pair of lateral pulleys turning on vertical axes.

traction apparatus for a prone patient I

Claims

1. Detachable traction apparatus for a prone patient on a stretcher with longitudinal members, a receiving member extending between the longitudinal members, comprising: a pair of transverse bars each adapted at the opposite ends to be anchored to the longitudinal members of the stretcher; traction strap attachment means mounted to said transverse bars so that a tension can be applied to the head, feet or chest of the body; an inflatable belt passing around the longitudinal members of the stretcher adapted to contain a body so as to support at least the pelvic portion of the body; and, additional inflatable pillows placed on either side of the sides of said inflatable belt to further support the body; a second belt to be secured around the chest at the level of the arm pits of the patient, a harness secured to the second belt having tensioning cords attached thereto, and pulling means on one of the transverse bars onto which the cords are gathered to apply tension to the second belt, and means to anchor the cords to maintain tension on the second belt; a third belt to be secured about both feet of the patient substantially at ankle level, a harness secured to the third belt having tensioning cords attached thereto, and pulling means on the other transverse bar onto which the cords are gathered to apply tension to the legs of the patient, and means to anchor the last named cords to maintain leg tension.

2. Traction apparatus according to claim 1 in which the bars are transversely adjustable and have means at the opposite ends thereof for clamping the bars to the longitudinal members of a stretcher.

3. Traction apparatus according to claim 1 in which each bar has a central pulley for receiving the tensioning cords.

4. Traction apparatus according to claim 3 in which the central pulley Turns on a horizontal axis, each bar supporting a pair of lateral pulleys turning on vertical axes.