AU652486B2

AU652486B2 - Stretcher handling apparatus for aircraft

Info

Publication number: AU652486B2
Application number: AU26273/92A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Brian Johanovich; Rod McCardell
Original assignee: Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia Inc
Current assignee: Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia Inc
Priority date: 1991-10-08
Filing date: 1992-10-07
Publication date: 1994-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 2012-10-07
Also published as: AU2627392A

Description

AUSTRALIA C Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT STRETCHER HANDLING APPARATUS FOR AIRCRAFT THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS A FULL DESCRIPTION OF THIS INVENTION, INCLUDING THE BEST METHOD OF PERFORMING IT KNOWN TO ME:- This invention relates to apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of stretcher patients to and from aircraft employed as air ambulances.

.oO Prior art apparatus of this kind is exemplified by 1 0 Australian Patent Application 31121/89, in which r* there is described a stretcher handling device which employs an elongated pedestal hinged to the airframe, with a stretcher carrying platform which is guided for movement up and down the pedestal. An object of the present invention is to provide a stretcher handling device which is more economical in S o° construction than that described in Australian Patent Application 31121/89, and which may be constructed o. using components which are stowable in the wing 20 locker of aircraft of the kind typically used in air ambulance services.

e According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of stretcher patients to and from aircraft employed as air ambulances comprising a base securable to the interior of an aircraft, a pedestal locatable vertically at an opening of the aircraft, means releaseably mounting the pedestal to the base allowing translational motion of the pedestal with respect to the base from the inte-ior of the aircraft to at least coincident with said opening, a platform supported horizontally by the pedestal in cantilever at one end 1 -2of the pedestal when the pedestal is vertical, the pedestal having means for moving the platform between a first position proximal the ground and a second position extending at least partially into said aircraft interior or vice versa, said platform being capable of supporting a stretcher thereon and having means for temporarily holding in place said stretcher.

The invention will be described herein by reference to proposed embodiments which are given here by way of example only.

00 1.In the drawings: o X Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sketch, partly cut away, •o 15 showing the general arrangement of an embodiment of the invention; a Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the handling t device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the manner in which the handling device may be attached to the aircraft *seat tracks; Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus Sa. showing a removable ram attachment; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section of a spring loaded 0* pin; o Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation of the ram assembly.

09* Fig. 8 is a schematic plan of the stretcher support platform; Fig. 9 is a schematic elevation of the platform; Fig. 10 is a schematic cross section of another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 11 is an exploded view of the drive arrangement of Fig. Fig. 12 is a schematic perspective of a further embodiment of the stretcher support platform; ard I i i i Iii t i.--r -3- Fig. 13 is a schematic perspective of a stretcher usable with the support platform of Fig. 12.

Fig. 1 illustrates part of the airframe of an aircraft 10, with a cabin doorway 11 located immediately aft of the port wing 12. The handling apparatus schematically illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a stretcher supporting platform 13 attached to the foot of an inner ram 14 which operates within an outer casing 15 in a manner described below.

As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the ram 14 is capable of vertical movement within the casing 15, guided by bushes 16. Vertical movement of the ram 14 is controlled by a ball screw 17 driven by an electric motor 18 mounted on the upper end of the casing Preferably the platform 13 is detachably mounted on the foot of the ram 14, for example by means of a collar 19 and a pin 20. Alternative methods of connection may of course be employed, for example a snap-on connection of a suitable kind.

The casing 15 is supported from the airframe by an attachment plate 21, to which the casing 15 may be attached by means of a collar 22 and a hinge 23. The attachment plate 21 may be attached to the aircraft seat tracks 24, but is preferably attached to supporting blocks 25 and 26 fixed to the airframe.

Separate tracks (in place of pre-existing seat tracks 24) may also be used located parallel to or transversely (for example, as in Fig. 12) of the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. Attachment to the supporting blocks may, for example, be by means of locking feet which engage with keyhole shaped slots 28 in the support block 25 (Fig. 5) or with spring loaded locking pins 29 (Figs. 5 and but any other secure form of removable connection may be employed.

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i -t 1i ~I -4- The ram assembly of this embodiment is of such dimensions that when hinged inwardly, it is capable of lying horizontally against the floor of the aircraft cabin, the platform 13 being removed and stowed in the adjacent wing locker.

If the storage of the ram assembly in this position is obstructive in a particular aircraft configuration, the ram assembly may be attached to the attachment plate in a removable manner as shown for example in Fig. 5, where a hinged clamp 35 is employed for this purpose. In such a case, the ram assembly will also be stowed in the wing locker.

Means are provided to prevent relative rotation between the ram 14 and the casing 15 during vertical motion of the ram 14. This may comprise a dowel 36 (Fig. 7) which engages within a groove 37 in the surface of the ram 14. In the embodiments shown in Figs. 10 and 12, this feature is provided by ram 14 and casing 15 being made of rectangular tubing. Such an arrangement provides a simple means by which a further preferred feature of the present invention may be realised. To facilitate the movement of the stretcher between the aircraft cabin and the stretcher supporting platform 13, according to this preferred feature of the invention the platform 13 moves to a position as shown at 13A in Fig. i, by rotating about the axis of the casing 15 to a position where one end of the platform turns inside the cabin doorway. Such a movement may be achieved automatically by providing a helical portion at the upper end of the groove 37 as shown in Fig. 7, or may be performed manually, for example in the embodiments of Figs. 10 or 12, once ram 14 is in an upper position level with the cabin floor.

In the latter case since rotation about the axis of a a a aI a a, *900,.

IL- I n- I "X i- .1- I.7 the casing 15 is prevented by the rectangular cross-section of ram 14 within casing 15 a separate bearing may be provided between platform 13 and ram 14 and power disconnected from the electric motor 18 driving the ram 14.

As seen in Figs. 8, and 9 the platform 13 comprises a pair of ramps 40, 42 joined by hinges 44, 46 to central bridge 48. The bridge 48 is wide enough to accommodate the height of ramps 40, 42 when folded.

The platform 13 when folded can be stowed in a wing locker. Primary lock 50 and secondary lock 52 are provided to restrain the stretcher 54 when being transported on the platform. Primary lock comprises a V-shaped channel 55 mounted on arms 56 hinged at 58 to the floor of the platform and operated manually by handle 60 into engagement with a bar 61 secured below stretcher 54. Secondary lock 52 comprises a rod 62 of width sufficient to overlap wheel legs 64 of the stretcher when raised upon hinge 68 by handle 70. The platform 13 is supported on arm 72 made of two square channel sections and located in place by pins 74, 76 through bridge 48.

Another embodiment of the electric motor drive of the invention is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. The motor is suspended parallel to and drives shaft 81 via 1:1 gearbox 82, flexible coupling 84 and reduction gearbox 86 (see Fig. 11). Bracket 88 is attached to inner (square) tube 90 (shown in dotted line) which is housed in outer (square) tube or casing 15 (Fig. 1).

Reduction gearbox 86 supports ball screw shaft 81 along which bracket 88 moves as the shaft rotates to raise or lower platform 13. A handle 94 can be attached to shaft 96 of gearbox 82 to allow manual operation in the event of power failure.

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0 0 44 0 44 4 0* 44 4,090( -6- A further embodiment of the electric motor drive of the invention is shown in Fig. 12. Here the motor is suspended perpendicular to shaft 8ldriving it directly via reduction gearbox 86 (see Fig. 11).

At the base of the casing 15 (Fig. 10) the platform attachment arm 72 is fixed to the shaft 81 by pivot 96 of pivot block 98. Pivot 96 allows stowage of arm 72 against the casing 15 while allowing rotation of arm 72 with respect to the casing 15 as described with respect to Figures 2-4 above.

The handling apparatus is supported on baseplate 100 which also includes support bracket 102 and control unit 104, all held in place by lock 106. Remote hand control 106 operates motor 80 via control unit 104 which is powered by electrical plug 108 when it is connected into the aircraft's power supply.

In a further embodiment (see Fig. 12) the platform 13 has a slotted channel 126 extending the length of platform 13 into which can fit keys 128 depending from stretcher cross braces 122, 124 (see Figure 13). A "o locking arm 130 with a T-piece 131 is operated by S 25 lever 132. T-piece 131 can be pressed into channel 126 through opening 134 at the midsection of channel 126 and rotated to lock under raised portion 136 thereof to hold the stretcher in place on the platform 13.

o Other variations are possible for example the platform 13 may be rigid rather than foldable since its size is G. #such that it is still stowable in a wing locker.

Limit switches or physical stops may be used to control the range of movements of the ram 14 between the level of the cabin floor and the ground, or of the apparatus within the cabin of the aircraft, for 2"U' U~ I

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-6aexample enabling movement thereof along the tracks 24.

Where limit switches a-e used to control the movements of the ram 14 power is supplied to the switches by power rails along the ram 14 engaging carbon brushes on the casing The present invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments, but it is to be appreciated that the principles of operation of the invention may be achieved in other ways and by the use of other mechanisms.

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Claims

3. Apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of stretcher patients to and from aircraft as claimed in claim 2 further including means to rotate the platform about the axis of the pedestal as said platform approaches or recedes from said second position.
4. Apparatus for facilitating the loading and i -8- unloading of stretcher patients to and from aircraft as claimed in claim 3 further including a guide in said casing of the pedestal engaging a groove in the surface of the ram, said groove having at one end a helical portion to provide said rotation of said platform and a linear portion joined to said helical portion otherwise preventing relative rotation of the platform and pedestal as said platform moves between said first and second positions.
5. Apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of stretcher patients to and from aircraft as claimed in any one of claims 1-4 wherein said platform is foldable and comprises a pair of ramps joined by hinges to a central bridge of width sufficient to accommodate the height of the ramps when folded.
6. Apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of stretcher patients to and from aircraft as claimed in any one of claims 1-5 wherein said means for temporarily holding in place said stretcher comprises a primary lock and a secondary lock, the 6 primary lock comprising a V-shaped channel mounted on arms hinged to the floor of the platform operated o manually and movable into engagement with a bar rrr, S0 25 secured to and below the stretcher; and said 4, secondary lock comprises a rod of width overlapping the legs of the stretcher, said first and second locks each rotatable between a storage position resting on the platform and a second position 30 restraining the stretcher.
7. Apparatus fot facilitating the loading and unloading of stretcher patients to and from aircraft as claimed in any one of claim 1-5 wherein said platform includes a slotted channel extending the length of the platform for accommodating keys I _i i 1 i i C I -9- extending from the base of the stretcher, said slotted channel extending centrally of said ramps to guide said stretcher along said platform; said stretcher including a manually-operated bar engagable in and retainable in place within said slotted channel or releasable therefrom.
8. Apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of stretcher patients to and from an aircraft substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1-11 of the drawings. S, 9. Apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of stretcher patients to and from an 15 aircraft substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1-11 as modified by Figure 12. I DATED this 7th day of October 1992. ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR SERVICE OF AUSTRALIA SECTION) 00 Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: I HALFORD CO. 0*IL 9 o i- i-- ri ABSTRACT: A modular readily detachable lifting apparatus for facilitating the loading and unloading of stretcher patients to and from aircraft employed as air ambulances comprises a base securable to the interior of an aircraft. A pedestal 15 is releaseably mounted to the base and can be hinged inwardly to lie horizontally against the floor of the aircraft. The pedestal can be translated along the base to be disposed vertically at an opening 11 of the aircraft A platform 13 is supported horizontally by the pedestal 15 in cantilever at one end of the pedestal when the pedestal is vertical. The pedestal has a ram :too "14 housed internally to move the platform between the 4ground and a position 13A extending at least partially I into the aircraft interior (or vice versa), with the platform supporting and temporarily holding in place a stretcher. The platform can be folded for storage. The components are readily dismountable for stowage and can be quickly assembled as required. 0* 0 toa *504 *tl~e Li i' h i~ -L_.ii i' L- 1 I-L