초록 ▼

An undercarriage for transporting a stretcher includes a support base, which is adapted for supporting a stretcher, a first pair of legs pivotally mounted to the support base, and a second pair of legs pivotally and slidably mounted to the support base. The first pair of legs is independently pivota

An undercarriage for transporting a stretcher includes a support base, which is adapted for supporting a stretcher, a first pair of legs pivotally mounted to the support base, and a second pair of legs pivotally and slidably mounted to the support base. The first pair of legs is independently pivotal about the support base from the second pair of legs. In addition, a journaled member is provided at the distal ends of each leg. The undercarriage also includes a control system that is adapted to selectively pivot the first pair of legs to a stowed position and to selectively pivot the second pair of legs to a stowed position. The control system is further adapted to selectively lengthen or shorten the legs to adjust the height of the support base.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An undercarriage for transporting a stretcher, said undercarriage comprising:a support base adapted for supporting a stretcher, said support base having an open compartment and defining an upper plane bounded by an upper surface of said support base and a lower plane bounded by a lower surface of

1. An undercarriage for transporting a stretcher, said undercarriage comprising:a support base adapted for supporting a stretcher, said support base having an open compartment and defining an upper plane bounded by an upper surface of said support base and a lower plane bounded by a lower surface of said support base; a first pair of legs pivotally mounted to the support base, said first pair of legs comprising forward legs; a second pair of legs pivotally and slidably mounted to the support base, said second pair of legs comprising rearward legs, said first pair of legs being independently pivotal about said support base from said second pair of legs; a journaled member provided at the distal ends of each leg; and a control system adapted to selectively pivot said first pair of legs to a stowed position and to selectively pivot said second pair of legs to a stowed position, and said control system further adapted to selectively lengthen or shorten said legs to adjust the height of said support base, said control system including a plurality of actuators, said actuators pivoting and adjusting the length of said legs, and said actuators comprising cylinders. 2. The undercarriage according to claim 1, wherein said stowed position of said first pair of legs is between said upper and lower planes.3. The undercarriage according to claim 1, wherein said stowed position of said second pair of legs is between said upper and lower planes.4. The undercarriage according to claim 1, wherein said second pair of legs at least partially extend into said open compartment when moved to their stowed position.5. The undercarriage according to claim 1, wherein said support base includes a plurality of journaled members, said journaled members of said support base enabling a person move said undercarriage across a support surface when said support base is extended over the support surface.6. The undercarriage according to claim 5, wherein a group of said journaled members are located at a forward end of said support base to form forward journaled members.7. The undercarriage according to claim 5, wherein a group of said journaled members of said support base are located forward of said rearward legs and rearward of said forward legs to form intermediate journaled members wherein said intermediate journaled members provide support for said undercarriage when said forward legs are pivoted to their stowed position to thereby ease handling of said undercarriage.8. The undercarriage according to claim 7, wherein said undercarriage has a center of gravity, said intermediate journaled members located at or near said center of gravity.9. The undercarriage according to claim 7, wherein said undercarriage has a center of gravity, said intermediate journaled members are located rearward of said center of gravity.10. The undercarriage according to claim 1, wherein said cylinders comprise hydraulic cylinders.11. An undercarriage for transporting a stretcher, said undercarriage comprising:a support base adapted for supporting a stretcher, said support base having an open compartment and defining an upper plane bounded by an upper surface of said support base and a lower plane bounded by a lower surface of said support base; a first pair of legs pivotally mounted to the support base, said first pair of legs comprising forward legs; a second pair of legs pivotally and slidably mounted to the support base, said second pair of legs comprising rearward legs, said first pair of legs being independently pivotal about said support base from said second pair of legs; a journaled member provided at the distal ends of each leg; and a control system adapted to selectively pivot said first pair of legs to a stowed position and to selectively pivot said second pair of legs to a stowed position, and said control system further adapted to selectively lengthen or shorten said legs to adjust the height of said support base, said control system including a plurality of actuators, said actuators pivoting and adjusting the length of said legs, each of said legs including a pivot actuator and a height adjustment actuator wherein said pivoting and said adjusting the length of said legs is independent. 12. The undercarriage according to claim 11, wherein said height adjustment actuators are coupled.13. The undercarriage according to claim 12, wherein said actuators comprise hydraulic cylinders.14. The undercarriage according to claim 13, wherein said cylinders are hydraulically coupled.15. An undercarriage for transporting a stretcher, said undercarriage comprising:a support base adapted for supporting a stretcher, said support base having a frame; a first pair of legs pivotally mounted to opposed sides of said frame, said first pair of legs comprising forward legs; a second pair of legs pivotally and slidably mounted to said frame and being extendible into said frame, said second pair of legs comprising rearward legs, said first pair of legs being independently pivotal about said frame from said second pair of legs; a journaled member provided at the distal ends of each leg; and a control system adapted to selectively pivot said first pair of legs to a stowed position and to selectively pivot said second pair of legs to a stowed position in said frame, said control system including a plurality of actuators, said actuators pivoting said legs, and said actuators comprising hydraulic cylinders. 16. The undercarriage according to claim 15, wherein said control system is further adapted to selectively lengthen or shorten said legs to adjust the height of said support base.17. The undercarriage according to claim 15, wherein each of said legs includes a cylinder, wherein said cylinders of said front legs are hydraulically coupled wherein said front legs pivot substantially in unison.18. The undercarriage according to claim 17, wherein said hydraulic cylinders of said front legs are physically coupled.19. The undercarriage according to claim 15, wherein said cylinders of said rearward legs are hydraulically coupled wherein said rearward legs pivot substantially in unison.20. An undercarriage for transporting a stretcher, said undercarriage comprising:a support base adapted for supporting a stretcher, said support base having a frame; a first pair of legs pivotally mounted to opposed sides of said frame, each of said first pair of legs comprising a forward leg; a second pair of legs pivotally and slidably mounted to said frame and being extendible into said frame, each of said second pair of legs comprising a rearward leg, said first pair of legs being independently pivotal about said frame from said second pair of legs; a journaled member provided at the distal ends of each leg; and a control system adapted to selectively pivot said first pair of legs to a stowed position and to selectively pivot said second pair of legs to a stowed position in said frame, said control system including a plurality of actuators, said actuators pivoting said legs, each of said legs including a pivot actuator and a height adjustment actuator, said height adjustment actuators for adjusting the length of said legs wherein the height of said support base can be adjusted. 21. The undercarriage according to claim 20, wherein said pivoting and said height adjusting is independent.22. The undercarriage according to claim 20, wherein said height adjustment actuators of at least said forward legs are coupled wherein said forward legs lengthen substantially in unison.23. The undercarriage according to claim 20, wherein said support base includes a plurality of journaled members, said journaled members of said support base enabling a person to translate said undercarriage across a support surface when said first pair of legs are pivoted to their stowed position.