US2636188A - Patient lifter and carrier - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1953 l. K. LOCKEY PATIENT LIFTER AND CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 8, 1948 INVENTOR. [k6 K. Lackey myz a A'ITD RN EYB April 28, 1953 l. K. LOCKEY PATIENT LIFTER AND CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV- 8, 1948 INVENTOR. [k6 K. Lackey ATTD RN EYS April 28, 1953 l. K. LOCKEY PATIENT LIFTER AND CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 8, 1948 ii II II l 1: 5: E. 5/

ATI'D R N EYB Patented Apr. 28, 1953 PATIENT LIFTER AND CARRIER Ike King Lockey, Hondo, Calif.

Application November 8, 1948, Serial No. 58,991

4 Claims. (01. ss)

The present invention relates to the general .class of invalid beds for lifting and transferring patients, and more specifically to an improved atient lifter and carrier of the 'free traveling crane type having hoisting mechanism, and especially designed for use in hospitals and infirmaries for transferring patients to and from beds, wheel chairs and other appliances when necessary. The primary purpose of the invention is the provision of an appliance of thi type by means of which a patient may with comfort, safety and convenience, be carried or transferred, with a minimum expenditure of time and labor, and to this end th invention includes a minimum number of parts that may with facility and low cost of production be manufactured, and the parts assembled with convenience, to insure a durable and reliable lifter and carrier that is light and strong, and may be handled with ease.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a complete example of a physical embodiment of my invention in which the parts are combined and arranged in accord with one mode I have devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention. It will however be understood that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be made in these exemplifying drawings and mechanical structures, within the scope of my claims, without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a combined lifter and carrier in which my invention is embodied, showing the manner of transferring a patient to or from a wheel chair.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the appliance with the lower end of the sling or flexible seat detached.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the appliance shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional detail view at line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional detail view at line 55 of Fig. 1; and

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the leg strap employed with the flexibl seat, but detached therefrom.

The carrier, lifter, or travelling crane, as illustrated, is preferably constructed of lightweight metallic tubes, with a horizontal, lowdown base frame including spaced parallel bars l,l, united at the rear by a cross bar 2 and the base frame is equipped with swiveled rollers or casters 3, one at each of its four corners.

The horizontal base frame is thus constructed with three bars leaving an open front into which a wheel chair, as W in Fig. 1, may be wheeled, or the carrier may be rolled into position with relation to the wheel chair, for convenience in '8, 8 which may be welded at 9, or otherwise 88- cured, and short diagonal braces or struts It, Ill, also welded to the united parts, provide a crane structure that is readily accessible from opposite sides and from the front, for attendants, when transferring a patient.

The low-down, open front base frame, and the open front of the crane structure, permit the base frame to'be passed under a bed, with the overhead structures of the carrier projected over the top of the 'bed, for convenience and comfort in safely transferring a patient to and from the carrier, or to and from the bed.

Within the crane or carrier is detachably suspended a seat or bed of canva or other suitable flexible material in the form of a sling that is adapted to conform to the contour of the body of the patient in either a sitting or reclining posit1 on, as indicated in Fig. 1, and means are provided for manually raising and lowering the seat with its occupant.

Th flexible seat or slin II is provided with notches as l2, 12 in its lateral edges so that the legs of the patient may straddle the lower portion of the seat, and at each of its opposite ends the sling is equipped with a transversely extending a series of eyelets as [3 for use in suspending the seat from the overhead hoist frame. For coaction with these eyelets in detachably supporting the seat a front winding band l4 and a spaced rear winding band l5 are each equipped with a series of hooks l6, and these winding bands are wrapped or rolled around rotary drums I1 and I8 journaled by their bearing sleeves l9, 19 on the two cross bars 1, l of the overhead hoisting rame.

For bodily raising and lowering the seat, the

rotary drums are actuated by an endless chain hoist 2i! operated by a hand wheel 2| that is journaled by its shaft 22 in a supporting bracket 23 rigid with the crane, and a fastening pin 24 secured by its chain 25 to the frame, is passed through a hole in in the frame, Figure 5, and will engage one of the spokes of the wheel, Figures l and 4, for holding the wheel in any desired position.

For actuating the endless sprocket .phain a small driving sprocket wheel 26 is mounted on the wheel shaft 22, and from this drive sprocket the chain passes around a larger sprocket wheel 27 on the sleeve of drum H, thence to a complementary sprocket 28 of the drum l8, and then the chain passes around an idler or guide sprocket 29 journaled in a bracket 3% of the'overhead hoist frame, back to the driving sprocket. A low gear hoisting mechanism is thus provided by means of which the flexible seat and its occupant may conveniently and safely be raised and lowered as required.

For safety in transferring the patient, the flexible seat is equipped with a body strap 3! that is passed through spaced slots 32 of the'seat, and a buckle 33 is utilized for fastening the strap in front of the patient.

A detachable leg strap 34 is also employed, which is equipped with a pair 'of adjustablekneesupporting pads or flexible cups 85, each having an attaching slide loop 38, and the pads or cups are located beneath the patients legs. The strapmay be placed around the notched portion of the seat, above the knees, and fastenedin'place by means of a buckle 37 'or other fastener.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an invalid carrier, the combination with a horizontal open front base-frame, an overhead hoist-frame, uprights unitin said frames, and spaced rotary drums journaled in the hoistframe, of a sling forming a flexible seat, winding bands on the drums and means for detachably fastening the ends of the seat to said bands, means for securing a patient in said seat, and means for operating the rotary drums.

2. In an invalid carrier, the combination with a horizontal open front base-frame, an overhead hoist-frame, uprights uniting said frames, spaced rotary drums journaled in the hoist-frame, and means for operating the drums, of a sling forming a flexible seat, winding bands on the drums and means for detachably fastening the ends of the seat to the bands, 3, body strap mounted transversely on the seat, and a detachable leg strap haying supports mounted transversely of the seat in a position to receive the knees of a patient.

3. In an invalid carrier, the combination with an open front frame forming a crane, an overhead hoisting mechanism including a pair of spaced drums journaled in the crane, winding bands mounted'on the drums, and a transversely arranged series of hooks mounted on said bands, of a sling forming a seat having notches in its lateral edges, a transversely arranged series of eyelets in each end f the seat engaging with and complementary to said hooks, a body strap attached to the'seat, a detachable leg strap surrounding the seat, and a pair of knee-pads carried-by the leg strap.

4. In an invalid carrier including a crane, the combination with a pair of overhead drums journaled in the crane and a sprocket rigid with each drum, an endless chain for driving said sprockets, and a hand Wheel for operating said chain, of a Winding band on each drum, a sling forming a flexible seat, means for detachably fastening the ends of the seat to the ends of the bands, and means for securing a patient in the seat.

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