US3413663A - Combination stretcher, table, chair combination - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 3, 1968 D. T. SWANN 3,413,553

COMBINATION STEETCHER, TABLE, CHAIR COMBINATION Filed Feb. 23, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.8

2 52 I IN VENTOR. F's; 42 Dav/'0 Swan/ 1/. M 6104/65 TORNE Dec. 3, 1968 D. T. SWANN 3,413,663

COMBINATION STEETCHER, TABLE, CHATR COMBINATION Filed Feb. 23, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 are:

34 /JQ I: 33 Fig. 18

39$ 3 59 Zr Fi 19 57a 5 1 1 INVENTOR. 62 0 V37 Dav/a Jwann 0 BY 6/ I 20 e4 65 F g d. H. 6206/6 7 A 7"7'OR/VE Y United States Patent 3,413,663 COMBINATION STRETCHER, TABLE, CHAIR COMBINATION David T. Swann, 16309 Harvard Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44128 Filed Feb. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 617,943 12 Claims. (Cl. -81) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed herein a cart for use in hospitals and similar institutions for transporting supplies, the cart including means affording foldable back and leg rests and further means for elongating the upper surface thereof whereby it is convertible from a cart to either a wheel chair or a litter.

This invention relates to improved apparatus for transporting medical supplies or handling and moving patients and relates more particularly to a wheeled cart or table which is easily convertible into a litter or wheel chair.

In hospitals, sanitariums, and similar institutions, much time is lost in ascertaining, locating, and obtaining the correct type of equipment for transporting supplies and patients. The situation is further aggravated by the current shortage of personnel and the limited space available for storing the variety of apparatuses needed, such as utility carts, wheel chairs, litters, and the like. All of these items are needed in almost every part of a hospital at one time or another, and the problem of keeping a supply of each item readily available on each floor or in each department is a serious one.

In view of the foregoing, it is an important object of this invention to provide improved supply transporting and patient handling apparatus which reduces the time needed to locate and obtain equipment of a specific type and which reduces the amount of space needed to store a variety of such equipment.

A further object of this invention is to provide, in a single apparatus, means whereby a patient can be transported either in a seated position or in a prone position, the said apparatus being available at other times for use as a table or transfer cart.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a wheeled cart or table having parts thereof movable to positions providing backand leg-rests whereby said cart is convertible into a wheel chair.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a wheeled cart or table having parts thereof movable to positions whereby said cart is extendible in a lengthwise direction to become a wheeled litter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wheeled cart or table having the features and characteristics set forth above which is adapted to be quickly and easily converted from one type of equipment to another with a minimum of movements and adjustments by the hospital personnel.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a wheeled cart or table as set forth above which is adapted to be stored in a minimum of space.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved apparatus of the type referred to which is economical in construction, composed of but few parts, simple, and efficient in operation, and highly durable in use.

Other objects of this invention and the invention itself will become more readily apparent from the following description of the invention and the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

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FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus of this invention showing the same adapted for use as a cart or table with side rails thereof shown in the lowered position;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the invention as shown from the left in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the invention as seen from the left in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the invention, similar to FIGURE 1, showing the same adapted for use as a wheel chair with the side rails shown in the raised position;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation of the invention, similar to FIGURE 1, showing the same adapted for use as a litter;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the invention as viewed from the line 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a section taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 88 of FIGURE 2 showing a detail of a backrest hinge;

FIGURE 9 is a transverse section taken along the line 99 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 10 is a transverse section taken along the line 1010 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 11 is a transverse section taken along the line 1111 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged detail part of which is broken away, of a portion of the side elevation of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 13 is a transverse section taken along the line 1313 of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a horizontal section taken along the line 1414 of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 15 is a vertical section taken along the line 15-15 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 16 is a sectional detail similar to FIGURE 8 showing a second hinge for mounting a footrest of the invention;

FIGURE 17 is a horizontal section taken along the line 1717 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 18 is a vertical section taken along the line 18-18 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 19 is a vertical section taken along the line 1919 of FIGURE 18; and

FIGURE 20 is a vertical section taken along the line 2020 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now to the drawings, in all of which like parts are designated by like reference characters, the apparatus of this invention comprises a cart, generally shown at 10, having a main frame, generally shown at 11, and a relatively slidable extendible frame, generally shown at 12 (best seen in the extended view of FIGURE 5). The main frame 11 is provided with means slidably receiving the extendible frame 12 whereby the cart 10, as shown in FIGURE 2, can be lengthened to form a litter, as shown in FIGURE 5, by pulling said extendible frame forwardly or toward the left with respect to the drawings. Rear wheels 13 of the cart 10 are carried by the main frame 11 whereas front casters 14 are carried by the extendible frame 12. Said casters are fully rotatable about vertical aXes whereby the cart (or (litter, when the apparatus is in that form) can be easily steered in any direction. A push handle 15 is carried adjacent to the top of the main frame 11 for manually grasping and maneuvering the cart or litter. A backrest 16 is unfoldable upwardly from the top of said cart, and a leg rest 17 is pivotable downwardly and forwardly from the front edge of the extendible frame 12 whereby said cart is convertible into a wheel chair as illustrated in FIGURE 4.

The foregoing is a general description of the apparatus of this invention, each part and all of the features thereof being hereinafter fully described in detail. The cart may be made of any suitable construction material, such as metal and/ or wood, and the invention as disclosed herein is one preferred form thereof.

The main frame 11, as herein described and illustrated, comprises an upper, flat, horizontally disposed, wooden panel of substantial vertical thickness. Said panel is rectangular in shape having a longer dimension disposed lengthwise of the cart 10. Channel shaped upper ways 21, shown in detail in FIGURES 9 and 10, are secured to the bottom side of the upper panel 20, adjacent to the longer, laterally disposed edges of said panel, by any suitable means such as screws 22. The ways 21, as shown herein, are preferably of right-angled U-form in section having the open sides thereof disposed inwardly of the cart and comprising upper and lower flanges 21a and 21b, respectively, and vertically disposed webs 21c. The screws 22 are disposed upwardly through the upper flanges 21a and into the upper panel 20.

The rearwardly disposed ends of the uper ways 21 (the right-hand ends as shown in the drawings) carry vertically disposed channel shaped rear legs 23:: and 23b having the open sides thereof disposed inwardly or toward each other. The forwardly disposed ends of said ways 21 are similarly provided with vertically disposed, channel shaped front legs 24a and 24b. All of the legs 23a, 23b, 24a, and 24b are preferably similar in section to the upper ways 21 and are made of metal with said legs being welded to said ways. A pair of lower ways 25, having upper flanges 25a, lower flanges 25b, and webs 250, are carried by and preferably welded to the lower ends of the pairs of legs 23a, 24a, and 23b, 2412, respectively, and are disposed with the open sides thereof directed inwardly in the same manner as said upper ways (FIGURE 11). Lateral bracing for the main frame 11 is preferably provided and may comprise a laterally disposed bar 26 welded or otherwise suitably connected across rear legs 23a, 24a and a laterally disposed bar 27 welded or otherwise suitably connected across the lower flanges 25b of the lower ways 25. An angle shaped, lateral brace 28 connects the upper ends of the legs 23a, 23b by means of a horizontal flange 28a thereof, said lateral brace having a vertically disposed, upwardly projecting flange 28b connecting the rearmost ends of the upper ways 21.

The push handle 15 is preferably made of metal tubing formed to provide a laterally directed, horizontal gripping portion 30 (FIGURE 2) and forwardly and downwardly directed arms 31. The lowermost ends of said arms have downwardly directed flattened portions 31a which are preferably welded or otherwise suitably secured to the vertical flange 28b of the lateral brace 28.

Means for mounting the rear wheels 13 comprise bearings 33 (FIGURES 18 and 19) which are mounted in any suitable manner to the bottom surfaces of the lower flanges 25b adjacent to the rearmost ends of the lower ways 25. An axle 34 is journaled in said bearings, said axle extending laterally outwardly beyond the lower ways 25 and carrying the rear wheels 13 laterally outside of said lower ways.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the main frame 12 basically comprises a rigid structure having a flat upper surface, pairs of upper and lower, inwardly open, matching ways, and a pair of rearwardly disposed wheels. The extendible frame 12 preferably comprises upper and lower panels 36 and 37 (FIGURE 5 of rectangular shape and of such thickness as to slidably interfit the pairs of ways 21, 21 and 25, 25, respectively. The panels 36 and 37 are connected together adjacent to the rearwardly directed ends thereof by vertically disposed, rear legs 38a and 38b and are similarly connected together adjacent to the forwardly directed ends thereof by vertically disposed, front legs 39a and 39b. The legs 38a and 38b, 39a, and 39b are preferably channel shaped in section having the open sides thereof directed laterally outwardly of the cart 10 as herein shown.

Referring now particularly to FIGURES 5, 9, 10, and 13, the upper panel 36 of the extendible frame 12 preferably comprises two sections, a base section 40 and an elevator section 41. As herein disclosed, both sections are preferably formed of heavy sheet metal.

The base section 40 comprises a horizontally disposed, flat bottom wall 42 having vertical flanges 43 projecting upwardly along its lateral edges throughout the greater part of its length (FIGURE 9). Adjacent to the rearwardly disposed end of said base section, the flanges continue upwardly to form vertical side walls 44 (FIGURE 10); and a horizontally disposed upper wall 45 is integrally connected to the upper edges of said side walls whereby the said rearwardly disposed portion has a hollow, rectangular cross section. The upper ends of the legs 38a, 38b, 39a and 391) are preferably welded or otherwise suitably secured to the bottom wall 42 and are disposed inwardly of the lateral edges of the cart 10 whereby they pass easily between the legs 23a, 23b, 24a, and 24b of the main frame 11 when the extendible frame 12 is telescoped into said main frame.

FIGURE 12 illustrates the elevator section 41 and its movement in detail. Said elevator section is slightly shorter than the flanged portion of the base section 40 and is superimposed thereover. Said elevator section comprises a horizontal wall 46 having vertically downwardly turned flanges 47 disposed along its lateral edges which said downwardly turned flanges are coplanar with the upwardly turned flanges 43 of the base section 40. In its lowered position, the elevator section 41 rests with its flanges 47 disposed edgewise against the flanges 43 of the base section, and when in this position, the horizontal wall 46 is coplanar with the upper wall 45 of the base section 40. This lowered position is illustrated in broken lines in FIGURES 12, and in this position of said elevator section, the upper panel 36 of uniform thickness throughout itse length and adapted to slidably interfit the upper ways 21.

It Will be readily noted that when the upper panel 36 is extended outwardly to convert the cart 10 into a litter, the upper surface of the upper panel 20 of the main frame 11 is necessarily disposed somewhat higher than the upper surface of the panel 36 of the extendible frame 12. The elevator section 41 corrects for this difference in height when raised to the full line position of FIGURES 5 and 12 wherein the upper surface of the horizontal wall 46 is disposed at the same level as the upper surface of the upper panel 20.

Means is provided for quickly and easily raising the elevator section 41 in the form of link members 50 which connect the base and elevator sections adjacent to the ends thereof, one of said link members being detailed in FIGURE 13. It will be understood that said link members are identical whereby only the one shown in said FIG- URE 13 need be described.

Each link member 50 comprises laterally and horizontally directed, upper and lower rods 51 and 52, respectively, connected together at the ends thereof by arms S3. The rods 51 and 52 are disposed flatwise against the horizontal wall 46 and the bottom wall 42, respectively, and are pivotally mounted to said walls by small bearing members 54. It will be particularly noted in FIGURE 13 that the arms 53 are disposed closely adjacent to the flanges 47 and 44 whereby lateral displacement of the elevator section 41 relative to the base section 40 is prevented.

By means of the link members 50, the elevator section 41 is readily manually moved in a pivoting motion from the broken line position of FIGURE 12 to the full line position thereof. In said full line position, the link members 50 have passed over center from left to right whereby the Weight of a person lying upon the litter tends to hold said elevator section in its raised position and prevent counterclockwise movement of said link members as seen in FIGURE 12. The raised position of the elevator section 41 disposes its rearwardly directed end, indicated at 41a, against the forwardly directed end of the upper panel of the main frame 11 thereby stopping the movement of said elevator section at exactly the desired level.

Referring especially to FIGURES 2 and 12, oblong access openings 55 are preferably provided in the bottom wall 42 adjacent to the sides of the cart 10 whereby an attendant can reach under and press upwardly against the horizontal wall 46 of the elevator section 41 to raise and pivot said elevator section into the raised position. A similar movement combined with a slight pull on said horizontal wall 46 toward the front of the cart will return the elevator section to its lowered position.

As best shown in FIGURE 11, the lower panel 37 is a flat, wooden member of substantial thickness being rectangular in shape and adapted to slidably interfit the ways 25. The lowermost ends of the vertical legs 38a, 38b, 39a and 39b are secured to said lower panel 37 in any suitable manner, one securing means being illustrated in FIGURE 20. All of the legs 38a, 38b, 39a, and 39b are identical, and only the securing means associated with the leg 3% is herein illustrated and described in detail.

The leg 39b is preferably channel shaped having parallel flanges 57a and 57b. A small plate 58 of rectangular shape is disposed horizontally between and is preferably welded to said flanges. The plate 58 is provided with an aperture 59, and the lower panel 37 has an aperture 60 of the same diameter and co-axial with said aperture 59. The bottom of the panel 37 has an enlarged recess 61 which is also co-axial with the apertures 59 and 60. A bolt 62 projects downwardly through a suitable washer 63, aperture 59, aperture 60, and into the recess 61 where it carries a washer 64 and a nut 65. By similar means, each of the legs 38a, 38b, and 39a are firmly secured to the lower panel 37 of the extendible frame 12.

Means are provided for retaining the extendible frame 12 either in the position as shown in FIGURES l to 4, wherein said extendible frame is fully retracted within the main frame 11, or the position shown in FIGURES 5 and 12, wherein said extendible frame is fully extended. Said means comprise identical detent members 66 which are clearly detailed in FIGURES 9 to 11 and 14. FIGURE 14 shows one of said detent members which comprises a ball shaped handle 67 having a shaft 68 projecting therefrom, said shaft having a diametrically reduced, coaxial pin 69 projecting therefrom. Each detent member 66 is mounted on one end of a strong leaf spring 70, the opposite end of said spring being welded or otherwise suitably secured to the outer surface of a web 210 or c of a way 21 or 25. Each pin 69 projects inwardly through an aperture 21d or 25d in the associated web 210 or 25c, and the innermost end of said pin engages a suitable aperture in either the upper panel 36 or the lower panel 37 of the extendible frame 12.

In the retracted position of the extendible frame 12, the pins 69 of the detent members 66 which are mounted to the upper ways 25 engage forward apertures formed by semicircular, matching cutouts 43a and 47a in the flanges 43 and 47 of the base section and the elevator section 41, respectively. Said cutouts form a circular opening when the elevator section 41 is in its lowered position as illustrated in FIGURE 9. The pins of said detent members which are mounted to the ways 25 are adapted to simultaneously engage forwardly positioned sockets 37a provided in the vertical side edges of the lower panel 37 of the extendible frame 12. When said extendible frame is moved to the extended position, said pins 69 are adapted to engage apertures 44a in side walls 44 (FIGURE 10) and rearwardly positioned sockets 37b (FIGURES 1 and 4) provided in the vertical side edges of said lower panel 37. Disengagement of the detent members 66 from any of the apertures or sockets is effected by manually grasping the handles 67 and pulling them outwardly to the broken line position of FIGURE 14. The leaf springs 70 automatically return the pins 69 into the apertures or sockets when aligned therewith.

The backrest 16 comprises a rectangular portion of the upper panel 20 of the main frame 11. When in the lowered position, said backrest fits within a rectangular cutout 20a opening at the front edge of said panel 20 and extending rearwardly approximately to the midportion of said panel. Said backrest is preferably fastened to the panel 20 by a pair of hinges 72 which are adapted to limit clockwise pivotal movement of said backrest as seen in FIGURE 4. As shown in FIGURE 3, the lateral side edges 16a of said backrest and the inner side edges 20b of the cutout 2011 are beveled from their upper edges downwardly and inwardly whereby said backrest can pivot in a counterclockwise direction only to a position coplanar with the upper panel 20.

The hinges 72 are identical in construction, each comprising ian elongated, flat hinge portion 73, secured to the backrest 16 by rivets 73a, and a similar hinge portion 74, secured to the upper panel 20 along the transverse edge of the cutout 20a by rivets 74a (FIGURES 2 and 8). The hinge portions 73 and 74 are countersunk within recesses 75 and 76 of the backrest 16 and upper panel 20, respectively, whereby their upper surfaces are coplanar with the upper surfaces of said backrest and panel.

The adjacent ends of the hinge portions 73 and 74 are provided with laterally spaced, integral bearings 77 and 78, respectively, which overlap and interengage and are pivotally connected together by a horizontal hinge pin 79 in a well-known manner.

FIGURE 8 illustrates the means for limiting the clockwise movement of the backrest 16. The hinge portion 74 if provided with upwardly and rearwardly slanted surfaces 74b opposite each bearing 77 of the hinge portion 73. The hinge portion 73 is pivotable in the clockwise direction only until the flat upper surface of each bearing 77, indicated at 77a, abuts the aligned slanted surface 74b of the hinge portion 74. In this manner, the backrest 16 is limited to the position shown in FIGURE 4 when raised. The hinges 72 and 73 are preferably of heavy, sturdy construction whereby additional bracing for said backrest in its raised position is unnecessary.

The legrest 17 is preferably a Hat, rectangular member pivoted at one edge to the front edge of the base section 40 of the upper panel 36 of the extendible frame 12 by a conventional hinge 80. Said legrest is adapted to pivot rearwardly and upwardly to a substantially flatwise position beneath the base section 40 (FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 5, and 12) and forwardly outwardly beyond the transverse plane of the front legs 24a, 24b and 39a, 39b of the main frame 11 and the extendible frame 12, respectively. Said legrest is swingable freely between the front legs 39a, 39b and is provided with means for retaining it in the position shown in FIGURE 4. Said means comprises a horizontal bar 81 having right angularly disposed, upwardly directed arms 82 carrying laterally outwardly directed journal portions 83 at their upper distal ends, as shown in FIGURE 3. As detailed in FIGURE 17, the journal portions 83 are disposed within apertures 84 of webs 57 of the legs 39a and 39b, and said bar 81 normally hangs downwardly between said legs.

When it is desired to use the cart 10 of this invention as a wheel chair. the legrest 17 and the bar 81 are swung to the positions shown in FIGURE 4 whereby said legrest is maintained in an uptimum position for supporting the legs of a patient seated in the chair. A simple retainer 85 carried on the back of said legrest and affording an upwardly open slot 85a into which the bar 81 is dropped prevents said bar from swinging downwardly when in use to support the legrest.

The legrest 17 carries a foldable footrest 86 at the edge thereof opposite the hinge 80, or at its lower edge as seen in FIGURE 4. Said footrest is preferably a flat member foldable upwardly flatwise against the front surface of the legrest 17 as best shown in FIGURE 16. Said footrest is connected to said legrest by a conventional hinge 87 having hinge portions 88 and 89 disposed within recesses 90 and 91 of the legrest 17 and footrest 86, respectively. Rivets 92 and 93 secure the hinge portions 88 and 89, respectively, and a suitable hingle pin is provided at 94.

It will be noted that whereas the hinge portion 88 is mounted on the lower edge of the legrest 17, the hinge portion 89 is mounted forwardly of a rear edge 86a of the footrest 86 (FIGURE 16). As a result, when said footrest is pivoted downwardly from the broken line position 86' to the broken line position 86" of FIGURE 16, a portion of said footrest rearwardly of the hinge 87 pivots upwardly and abuts the lower edge of the legrest 17 thereby limiting the downward movement of said footrest to the position shown in FIGURE 4.

Latch means is provided for securing the legrest 17 in its folded position underneath the base section 40 of the extendible frame 12, said latch means being generally indicated at 96 and best shown in FIGURES -7 and 12. Said latch means comprises a slide member 97 which is slidably mounted against the bottom surface of the base section 40 by means of spaced, hatshaped, preferably metal guides 98. The guides 98 are spaced longitudinally of the cart 10, are preferably welded to the base section 40, and have outwardly stepped ways 98a for captively receiving the slide member 97. Said slide member carries a downwardly projecting handle 99 which is disposed between the guides 98. Said guides limit the movement of said handle and, therefore, of the slide member 97 whereby said slide member cannot be moved completely out of either of said guides.

The slide member 97 projects forwardly beyond the front guide 98 and is outwardly stepped at 97a and provided with a forwardly projecting retainer portion 97b which is spaced away from the bottom surface of the base section 40. Said retainer portion is adapted to slide under the distal end portion of the legrest 17 and the folded footrest 86 when the handle 99 is moved forwardly thereby retaining said leg-and-footrest in an out-of-theway position underneath the upper panel 36 of the extendible frame 12. It will be readily understood that the legrest 17 is easily released for pivoting downwardly and forwardly by moving the handle 99 to its rearmost position thereby moving the retainer portion 97b rearwardly away from said leg-and-footrest.

When using the cart for transporting a patient in either a seated or prone position, it is important that means be provided for preventing the patient from tipping or rolling sidewise off of said cart. In the invention as herein embodied, illustrated, and described, this means is provided in the form of adjustable side rails 100 which serve not only as side rails for the safety of a prone patient but also as chair arms for the safety of a seated patient.

Side rails 100 are provided on both sides of the main frame 11, each preferably comprising a continuous bar or tube in the shape of an elongated rectangle having horizontally disposed, upper and lower rail members 101a and 10111, respectively, and front and back, vertically disposed rail members 102a and 102b, respectively. Said side rails are adjustably mounted to the outer surfaces of the webs 210 of Uhe upper ways 21 of the main frame 11 by means of hat-shaped guides 103 which are welded or otherwise suitably secured to said webs and which have outwardly curved ways 103a through which the vertical rail members 1020, 102b project. As seen in side elevation in FIGURES 1, 4, and 5, the ways 103a have upwardly projecting lips 104 thereby affording an increased bearing surface for the vertical rail members 102a, 1021; and consequent increased stability.

The side rails 100 are vertically adjustable whereby they can be moved downwardly out of the way when the present invention is being used merely as a table or cart (FIGURE 1) or upwardly to provide either arms (FIG- URE 4) or side ra ls (FIGURE 5). As herein disclosed,

set screws 105 having wing shaped heads 106 are thread fitted through the walls of the ways 103a whereby the side rails 100 can be secured in any vertically adjusted position.

In any of the uses of the present invention, i.e. as a cart, table, wheel chair, or litter, it may be desirable to prevent its rolling or moving. For this purpose, a brake generally shown at 110 is preferably provided on at least one of the rear wheels 13. Referring now particularly to FIGURES 18 and 19, the channel shaped leg 23a has inwardly directed flanges 111a and 111b connected by a laterally outwardly facing web 1110. Said web is provided with a vertically elongated slot 112 which extends a short distance above and below the top of the outer periphery of a resilient tire 13a preferably provided on each wheel 13. A brake shoe 113, which may be in the form of a bar or rod, extends through the slot 112 and carries an enlarged portion 113a disposed on the inside of the web 1110 to prevent outward displacement of said shoe, a washer 113b, disposed on the outside of said web to prevent inward displacement of said shoe, a lower link 114 pivotally connected at its lower end to said shoe outwardly adjacent to said washer, and a small pin portion 113a projecting inwardly beyond the enlarged portion 113a. The main body of the brake shoe 113 projects over the tire 13a and is adapted to brake the wheel by being jammed downwardly against said tire (full line position of FIGURE 19) or release said wheel by moving up wardly away from said tire (broken line position of FIGURE 19).

The upper end of of the lower link 114 is pivoted to the lower end of an upper link 115 by means of a pin 116. The upper end of said upper link is, in turn, pivoted to the web 111c by a small rod 118 having a pin portion 118a projecting inwardly between the flanges 111a and 111b above the pin portion 113s. The upper link has a generally rearwardly projecting integral handle portion 115a by means of which the link 115 can be pivoted between the full and broken line positions of FIGURE 19 thereby causing vertical up-and-down movement of the brake shoe 113. A coil spring 119 connects the pin portions 1130 and 118a and acts as an overcenter spring for urging the linkage to fold upwardly on either side of a straight, in line position of the links 114 and 115. A stop member 120 is secured to and projects laterally outwardly from the forward outer edge of the leg 23a. Said stop member limits the folding of the links 114 and 115 to an angle just over center when the handle 115a is pushed downwardly whereby the brake shoe 113 is in a lowered position and jammed against the tire 13a. The spring 119 resiliently retains the linkage in this braked position until the handle 115a is raised thereby pivoting the linkage rearwardly over center at which time said spring acts to raise the brake shoe 113 and resiliently hold it upwardly away from the tire 13a.

From the foregoing, it will be readily understood that the cart 10 of this invention is easily and quickly convertible from a cart or table either to a Wheel chair as illustrated in FIGURE 4 or a litter as illustrated in FIG- URE 5. The cart becomes a chair simply by raising the backrest 16 and releasing the leg-and- footrests 17 and 86 from beneath the upper panel 36 and bracing them with the bar 81. Lifting of the backrest 16 exposes the upper surface of the elevator section 41 which becomes a seat for the patient. The cart becomes a litter by releasing the detent members 66, pulling the extendible frame 12 forwardly until said detent members engage the apertures 37b and 44a, and raising the elevator section 41 to the elevated position of FIGURES 5 and 12. The side rails 100, in their raised position, provide arms for the wheel chair of FIG URE 4 and side rails to protect a patient lying on the litter of FIGURE 5. The brake 110 can be used to prevent rolling of the cart in any of its different converted forms.

It will be understood that many changes in the details of this invention, such as changes in size and dimensions,

may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A convertible cart for handling and transporting supplies and patients comprising a main frame; said main frame having means providing an upper supporting surface; an extendible frame slidably mounted to said main frame and extendible to elongate said cart; said extendible frame having means providing an upper supporting surface disposed parallel with and in the same general plane as said first mentioned supporting surface and which, when said extendible frame is in the extended position, provides a substantially elongated, upper supporting surface to said cart for use as a litter.

2. A convertible cart for handling and transporting supplies and patients, comprising frame means; said frame means having upper horizontal support means; a portion of said support means comprising a hinged backrest pivotable from a horizontal flatwise position upwardly to a generally upwardly projecting position; said backrest being hinged a substantial distance away from and generally parallel with one edge of said support means; a legrest hingedly mounted adjacent to said one edge and foldable downwardly from beneath said support means and outwardly beyond said one edge; means for retaining said legrest in a generally downwardly and outwardly projecting position; and wheel means mounted to said cart for engagement with a floor surface.

3. A convertible cart for handling and transporting supplies and patients, for use in a hopsital or similar institution, said cart comprising a main frame; wheel means mounted adjacent to one end of said main frame; an extendible frame; means slidably mounting said extendible frame to said main frame whereby said extendible frame can be nested within said main frame and extended outwardly beyond the end of said main frame opposite said one end; wheel means carried by the outwardly directed end of said extendible frame; means providing an elevated, horizontal supporting surface for said main frame; means providing an elevated, horizontal supporting surface for said extendible frame at substantially the same level as the supporting surface of said main frame whereby when said extendible frame is extended, said cart is elongated to provide a litter; a legrest mounted to the outwardly directed edge of said extendible frame and adapted to support the legs of a patient seated upon said cart when said extendible frame is retracted; and a portion of said means providing said upper surface of said main frame being foldable upwardly away from the edge thereof disposed adjacent to said legrest whereby to convert said cart into a wheel chair.

4. A convertible cart for handling and transporting supplies and patients, for use in a hospital or similar institution, said cart comprising a main frame havng an upper horizontal panel; upper way members mounted to the bottom of said panel adjacent to opposite side edges of said panel; said upper way members affording U-shaped ways opening towards each other; said frame having lower way members disposed below and parallel with said upper way members and affording U-shaped lower ways opening toward each other; means rigidly connecting said upper and lower way members; wheel means mounted on a transverse axis to said lower way members adjacent to the back end of said cart; an extendible frame comprising an upper horizontal panel slidably interfitted at opposite side edges thereof within said upper ways; said extendible frame having a lower panel slidably interfitted at opposite side edges thereof within said lower ways; means rigidly connected said upper and lower panels of said extendible frame; wheel means mounted adjacent to the front end of said extendible frame; and means for retaining said extendible frame in a retracted position within said main frame to provide a supply cart and in an extended position forwardly of said main frame to provide a litter.

5. A convertible cart as set forth in claim 4: a legrest;

hinge means pivotally mounting said legrest to the front edge of said upper panel of said extendible frame whereby said legrest is swingable upwardly flatwise beneath said upper panel and forwardly beyond the front edge of said upper panel; means for maintaining said legrest in said flatwise position and means for retaining said legrest in said forward position; and a portion of said upper panel of said main frame being foldable upwardly and away from the frame of said cart and having means for retaining said portion in an upwardly directed position whereby to provide a backrest and legrest for a patient seated upon the forward edge portion of said upper panel of said extendible frame when said extendible frame is in the retracted position:

6. A convertible cart as set forth in claim 5: side rails mounted on either side of said main frame; means mounting said side rails for vertical adjustment whereby said side rails can be raised to protect a patient seated or lying on said cart and lowered to an out-of-the-way position when not needed.

7. A convertible cart as set forth in claim 6: means for braking at least a part of said wheel means whereby to prevent said cart from rolling in any converted adaptation thereof.

8. A convertible cart as set forth in claim 4: said upper panel of said extendible frame comprising a base section; an elevator section superimposed upon the forward portion of said base section; said elevator section being completely disengaged from said upper way members when said extendible frame is in the extended position; means connecting said base section and said elevator section whereby said elevator section is pivotable to a raised position to dispose the upper surface thereof coplanar with the upper surface of said upper panel of said main frame.

9. A convertible cart as set forth in claim 4: said front wheel means comprising a pair of casters pivotable about vertical axes whereby said cart [is steerable in either converted adaptation; and handle means mounted to the back of said main frame for pushing and guiding said cart.

10. A convertible cart for handling and transporting supplies and patients, for use in a hospital or similar institution, said cart comprising a main frame and an extendible frame telescoped within said main frame; wheel means carried at the back of said main frame and caster means carried at the front of said extendible frame; both said frames having upper horizontal panel means whereby the upper surface of said cart can be elongated to form a litter by extending said extendible frame; foldable legand-footrest means carried at the front of said extendible frame and foldable backrest means carried by one of said panel means for converting said cart into a wheel chair when said frames are fully telescoped together; side rails mounted to the sides of said cart and disposed above the upper surface thereof; said side rails being so positioned as to afford armrests when said cart is converted into a wheel chair and protective side rails when said cart is converted into a litter; and a push handle mounted to the back of said main frame for manipulating said cart in any converted form thereof.

11. A convertible cart as set forth in claim 1: said means providing an upper supporting surface for said main frame comprising a horizontal panel; said means providing an upper supporting surface for said extendible frame comprising a second horizontal panel mounted beneath said first mentioned panel; slide means longitudinally slidably mounting said second panel to said first mentioned panel; said second panel comprising a base section; an elevator section superimposed upon a portion of said base section which is completely disengaged from said slide means when said extendible frame is in the extended position; and means connecting said base section to said elevator section for raising said elevator section to a position whereby the upper surface thereof is coplanar with the upper surface of said first mentioned panel.

1 l I 2 12. A convertible cart as set forth in claim 11: said References Cited means connecting said base section to said elevator section UNITED STATES PATENTS comprising parallel acting link members pivoted to said 2 33 997 9 1954 Miller 5 9 X base member and said elevator member whereby When 3,147,039 9/1964 Smith et a1 2979O said elevator member is pivoted upwardly with said link 5 3,185,495 5/1965 Pivacek 280-34 members passing over center with respect to the pivot 3,285,619 11/1966 Kitfell et aL points on the base member, one end of said elevator mem 31293667 12/1966 Ohrberg X ber abuts an end of said base member. CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

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