US2142215A - Mortician and ambulance cot - Google Patents

Description

T S .1 0 o R Q FL MAT m W H mm 2. mm mm E mm v ow N w m .& w s v m m 6 2. fit. .m E W M B Jan. 3, 1939. B. E. SCHMIDT MORTICIAN AND AMBULANCE COT I Filed Nov. 17, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 3, 1939. B. E. SCHMIDT MORTICIAN AND AMBULANCE COT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 17, 1956 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE 4 Claims.

This invention appertains to a mortician and ambulance cot, and more particularly to a novel device for facilitating the handling and carrying of bodies incident to the preparation thereof for 5 burial.

Great difficulty is often experienced in taking a body from a home to. a morticians establishment for embalming, and for caring for the body during the various embalming steps. It frequentl ly'happens that stairways will be encountered which are extremely steep and having sharp turns, rendering use of an ordinary cot or stretcher impossible. All of the present day equipment with which I am familiar falls short of the actual requirements of a mortician, and the body has to be handled and moved from one table or appliance to another a number of times.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a cot, in which the body can be readily transported from a home, or a hospital, to the morticians establishment, and which can thereafter be used as an embalming table, a cooling, drying and dressing board, whereby the body can be eifectively cared for without undue han- 30 dling from the home on up to the time when the same is placed in the casket.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide a morticians cot embodying a wheeled cart, and a removable tray fitted therein, the tray acting in the nature of a stretcher for initially receiving the body, and thereafter as a washing, cooling, and dressing board, and an embalming table.

A further important object of my invention is to provide a morticians cot embodying a wheeled cart for receiving the body-supporting tray, which can be easily handled by one man even going down a steep stairway having sharp turns, the cart being of such a construction that the same can be pushed like a wheel-barrow, or pulled like a coaster wagon.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a caster wheel at the front of the cart for facilitating the guiding of the cart, with means operable from the rear end of the cart for holding the caster wheel against swinging movement so as to facilitate the wheeling of the cart up and down narrow, steep stairways having sharp turns.

5 A further object of my invention is the provision of a wheeled cart having novel handles arranged at the opposite ends thereof, whereby the cart can be pulled or pushed, and whereby the cart can be bodily raised into an ambulance, hearse, or the like.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of novel means for arranging the front handle on the cart whereby the same can be pulled outwardly from the cart to facilitate the'pulling of the cart over relatively long dis- 5 tahces.

A still further object of my invention is to. provide a device of the above character, which can be effectively used for other purposes than morticians Work, suchas the handling of per- 10 sons in hospitals, particularly from a sick room to the operating room, and back.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the above character, which will be durable and eificient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved device, with parts thereof broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the improved device.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the removable tray.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail transverse section through the device taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. 0

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail section through 4 the tray taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the novel head-rest.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the forward end of the cart or cot, il-

, lustrating the novel means of mounting the front ward end of the cart, illustrating the lock for the caster wheel.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter D generally indicates my improved device, and the same embodies a wheeled carrier l5 on which is removably mounted an elongated basket It. The basket, in turn, detachably receives therein the tray IT for the body.

The cart |5 includes a framework preferably formed from steel tubing, which can be treated in any desired manner to give the same a finished appearance which will be appealing to the eye. This steel tubing is bent to form side rails l8 and IS, a connecting arcuate rear end rail 20, and a front arcuate rail 2|. The side rails l8 and i9 gradually converge toward the front or foot end of the cart. Welded or otherwise secured to the side rails l8 and I9, adjacent to the rear or head end of the cart, are depending brackets 22 for receiving the transversely extending axle 23 for the ground wheels 24.

The front rail 2| has rigidly secured thereto in any desired manner a bracket 25 for the caster wheel 26. This caster wheel is rotatably mounted on an axle carried by a U-shaped fork 21. The upper end of the fork 21 carries a bearing sleeve 28, rotatably mounted on a spindle 23, secured to the bracket 25. Suitable roller or ball bearings 30 are interposed between the lower end of the spindle 29 and the bearing sleeve 28. The bearing sleeve 28 has formed therein a :eeper opening 3|, the purpose of which will be later set forth. The three wheels of the cart can be provided with rubber tires preferably of the pneumatic type, so as to lessen the noise during the moving of the cart from one place to another.

The side rails l8 and H! of the frame of the cart have riveted or otherwise secured thereto handles 32, which can be of the pistol grip type. The front end of the cart is provided with a handle 33, which will be later described in detail. It is to be noted, however, that the handles 32 and 33 are advantageously disposed so as to permit the bodily lifting of the cart into and out of ambulances, hearses, and the like. The hand grips 32 likewise facilitate the wheeling of the cart from place to place, and the cart can be manipulated similar to a wheel-barrow. Hence, the cart will be easy to manipulate around sharp turns, and down steep Stairways.

In some cases, such as going down steps, it is highly advantageous to hold the caster wheel against swinging movement. Hence, I provide a swinging latch lever 34, which is adapted to engage in the keeper opening 3| formed in the caster yoke. This swinging latch lever 34 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 35 rockably mounted on ears 35, which depend from the bracket 25 for the caster wheel. A leaf spring 31 is utilized for normally urging the latch lever toward the sleeve 28 and into the keeper opening. Means is provided whereby the latch lever can be manipulated from the rear end of the cart, and this means includes a pull cord 38. This pull cord 38 is threaded through openings 38 formed in the tubular frame, and is extended through one side rail of the frame to one hand grip 32. This hand grip 32 has rockably mounted therein an operating lever 40, to which the cable 38 is secured. Obviously, by swinging down on the lever 40, the latch lever 34 will be moved away from the sleeve 28 against the tension of the spring 31.

The latch lever can be held in this depressed position by a spring latch plate 4|, shown in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings. The edge of the spring latch plate 4| is preferably of a cam shape so as to facilitate the riding of the lever 40 past the same and under the plate. The latch lever is sprung past the latch plate when it is desired to allow the same to return to its normal position.

In some cases, the cart has to be moved over relatively great distances, such as in the corridors of hospitals, and the like. To permit the car to be pulled like a boys coaster wagon, the

front handle 33 is made detachable from the rent rail 2| of the frame. This handle 33 is of a substantially arcuate shape, and the same has formed on its inner ends rearwardly extending arms 42, which are slidably received in bearing sleeves 43 fitted in the tubular frame of the cart. Secured to the inner ends of the arms 42 are elongated spring strips 44. These spring strips 4 extend longitudinally through the side rails 58 and H) of the frame, and have secured thereto discs 45, which fit snugly against the inner walls of the side rails l8 and I9. When the handle 33 is pulled away from the cart, the discs 45 will abut against the inner ends of the bearing sleeves 43, and thus prevent the pulling out of the strips from the frame beyond a predetermined point. Obviously, the strips will flex, and the handle 33 can be taken in the hand and the cart can be pulled similar to the pulling of a coaster wagon by a handle or rope.

To prevent the accidental sliding out of the handle, when the cart is being moved down a flight of steps, I provide a latch lever 46, which is pivoted as at 41 on the front rail 2|. The handle 3-3 has a keeper 48 formed thereon for receiving the latch lever 46. A spring 49 normally holds the latch lever in engagement with the keeper.

'It is to be noted that the handle 33 has formed thereon inwardly extending lips 58, which engage under the front bar 2|, so that when the cart is lifted by the handle 33 part of the strain will be distributed to said front bar.

The basket I6 conforms tothe contour of the frame I5, and is removably mounted thereon. This basket includes a bottom wall 5|, and side and end walls 52. These walls may be reinforced in any preferred way, and the same are preferably formed from interlaced metal strips to give a basket work or cane effect.

To prevent the shifting of the basket, the lower wall 5! has a groove 53 around its margin, in which fits the side and end rails of the frame. The basket can be detachably locked in any desired way to the frame, and, if desired. headed pins 54 can be carried by the rails of the frame at spaced points for engaging in key-hole shaped openings in the bottom wall of the basket.

Obviously a corpse, or a patient, can be placed directlyin the basket, but I prefer to utilize the removable tray I! for supporting the body, so that the body will not have to be shifted from one point to another.

This tray likewise conforms closely to the outline of the cart, and thus the same consists of converging side rails 55, and end rails 56. Toward the head end of the tray a transversely extending ,rail 51 is provided, and this rail can be formed from angle iron, if so desired. A perforated sheet metal'bottom plate 58 is secured to the rails 55, 56, 51, and this plate terminates at the rail 51. Directly in rear of the rail I provide a cross rod 59 on which is rockably mounted a back rest 66. This back rest 60 can include an open frame formed from angle iron covered by a perforated plate 6|. A head-rest 62 likewise can be provided, and this head-rest is of a novel construction. The same is adjustably mounted on an arcuate rack bar 63, which slidably extends through a guide block 64 carried by the frame of the back-rest. A pivoted spring-pressed latch dog 65 is utilized for engaging in the selected tooth of the rack bar to hold the head-rest in the preferred adjusted position. A thumb-piece 66 can be provided for manipulating the pivoted dog 65.

When the body is placed on the tray, and the tray is then positioned in the basket, the body and the tray are held by transversely extending straps 61 carried by the bottom wall of the tray, or connected to eyes carried by the side rails. These eyes can extend through openings in the wall of the basket. A shoulder strap 68 is likewise provided for the body. The tray itself can be provided with removable straps for engaging the arms of the corpse so that these arms will be held in place against movement during the carrying of the tray.

The tray can also be provided with various appliances utilized in undertaking establishments. Thus, adjustable arm rests and the like can be mounted on the tray.

Due to the arcuate rack bar 63, the head-rest can be left on the tray at all times, in that the head-rest can be moved to an extreme lowered, out-of-the-way position.

Depending supporting feet 10 are mounted on the tray at spaced points so that the tray can be placed on top of an embalming table or the like, with the perforated wall of the tray spaced from the table to permit a free circulation of air under the tray. The back rest 60 can be held in any preferred adjusted position by the use of pivoted arms H carried by the frame of the back rest. These arms are in the nature of rack bars, and are adapted to engage over teeth 12 formed on certain of the legs or feet 10. Manipulating pull chains 13 can be connected to the rack bars to facilitate manipulation thereof. The tray are of such character that the same can be used as an embalming table, a cooling board, a washing and drying board, and also as a dressing board. Thus, in actual practice, after the body is lifted from a bed on to the tray, the same can be left on the tray from then on until it is placed in the casket. This eliminates undue lifting and handling of the body.

In actual practice, a plurality of trays can be utilized with each cart, and thus if one tray is being utilized as an embalming table or the like, another tray can be placed in the cart when another body is being called for. In cases of emergency, a body can be placed directly in the basket.

As heretofore mentioned, the device is particularly useful around hospitals for transferring patients from one point to another. The same is also particularly useful in transporting a patient from his room to an operating table, and in this instance the patient does not have to be unnecessarily handled, in that the tray can be removed bodily from the cart and placed on the operating table.

The cart itself is also useful in transferring heavy caskets, and in this instance the basket I6 is detached from the cart. As the cart is relatively close to the ground, the caskets do not have to be lifted a great distance.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. In a mortician and ambulance cot, a frame including hollow side rails, a pair of ground wheels carried by the rear end of the frame, a caster wheel carried by the front of the frame, hand grips carried by the rear end of the frame, a latch for holding the caster wheel against swinging movement, an operating lever mounted upon one of the hand grips, and means including a pull cord extending through one of the side rails operatively connecting the lever to the latch whereby said latch can be actuated from the rear end of the frame.

2. In a mortician and. ambulance cot, a wheeled carrier including a frame having hollow side rails, hand grips rigidly secured to the rear end of the frame, a front hand grip releasably mounted on the frame, means locking the front hand grip into intimate contact with the frame, and pull straps connected with the handle and normally telescoped within the hollow side rails.

3. A mortician and ambulance cot comprising a wheeled carrier including a tubular frame having hollow side rails and a front rail, hand grips rigidly secured to the rear end of the tubular frame, an arcuate front handle detachably fitted against the front rail, depending flexible straps connected to the ends of the front hand grip slidably mounted within the hollow side rails of the tubular frame, means for limiting the forward sliding movement of the straps, and a releasable latch normally holding the arcuate hand grip against the front rail against accidental movement.

4. In a mortician and ambulance cot, a wheeled carrier comprising an open frame including side rails and end rails, a removable basket having its lower end inwardly offset to fit within the frame, said offset defining a marginal recess to receive the side and end rails, means detachably locking the basket to said rails, and a removable tray including a marginal frame, the frame being adapted to rest in the basket directly above the side and end rails of the carrier frame.

BERNHARD E. SCHMIDT.

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