WO1999027881A1

WO1999027881A1 - Emergency vehicle stretcher support

Info

Publication number: WO1999027881A1
Application number: PCT/AU1998/000980
Authority: WO
Inventors: Anton Nicolaas Visser
Original assignee: Skilled Equipment Manufacturing Pty. Limited
Priority date: 1997-11-27
Filing date: 1998-11-27
Publication date: 1999-06-10
Also published as: JP2001524352A; EP1032348A1; AUPP058297A0

Abstract

A stretcher support arrangement for use in an emergency conveyance, the arrangement including: an elongated platform (20) for supporting a stretcher (40) thereon; a platform support (8) having a portion for supporting the platform in a substantially horizontal position (28) and a portion for connection to a wall of the emergency conveyance (30), the platform supporting portion (8) supporting the platform (20) such that the platform (20) is capable of pivotal movement about an axis (41) generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform, the connection portion being adapted for pivotal connection (44) to the wall (30) of the emergency conveyance so that the platform support may pivot about an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform; and resilient means (38), and optionally damping means (47), positioned between the platform support (8) and the wall (30) of the emergency conveyance.

Description

EMERGENCY VEHICLE STRETCHER SUPPORT

The present invention is concerned emergency vehicle systems. In particular the present invention is concerned in one aspect with a mass support arrangement, in particular, a stretcher support arrangement suitable for use in an emergency conveyance or the like. The invention is also concerned with a reusable lining module for use with an emergency vehicle and an emergency vehicle.

Emergency conveyances such as ambulances often have to transport seriously ill or injured patients. The patient^'s condition may be aggravated by vibrations and road shock resulting from poor road conditions, high speed cornering and/or rapid lane changing. Moreover, reclining patients are very sensitive to road vibrations at certain frequencies. Because of these factors the ambulance is often driven at a low speed in order to avoid aggravation of the patient's condition. The driver is always weighing up the urgency of getting to his destination against the patients comfort and pain level. Purpose-built suspensions for ambulances are very costly and compromise handling for softer ride.

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a stretcher support arrangement. It is an object of the present invention in this aspect to provide a stretcher support arrangement which overcomes or mitigates, at least in part, one or more problems attending the prior art and/or provides an alternative to patient support systems currently available.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a stretcher support arrangement for vise in an emergency conveyance, the arrangement including: an elongated platform for supporting a stretcher thereon: a platform support having a portion for supporting the platform in a substantially horizontal position and a portion for connection to a wall of the emergency conveyance, the platform supporting portion supporting the platform such that the platform is capable of pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform, the connection portion being adapted for pivotal connection to the wall of the emergency conveyance so that the platform support may pivot about an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform: and resilient means, and optionally damping means, positioned between the platform support and the wall of the emergencv conveyance.

The emergency conveyance may be any vehicle used to transport persons or animals in a reclining position on a stretcher. The emergency vehicle may be a car. bus or truck. The emergency conveyance may be an aircraft such as an aeroplane, helicopter or hovercraft or it may be a water- borne conveyance such as a boat or ship. The emergencv conveyance may be an ambulance, fire truck or any other conveyance used to the transport of sick or injured patient or animals.

The platform may be a continuous or semi-continuous structure or it may be an open frame.

The platform may have wheel tracks or the like allowing the wheels of a wheeled stretcher to be mounted on the platform.

The platform may have a sloped floor to allow draining of fluids to a collection point in the platform. The platform may be formed from any suitable material but is preferably formed from a strong lightweight material such a fibreglass. Moreover it may be fitted with other accessories such as a container for collecting fluid draining to the drain hole. The platform may include a compartment for stowage of equipment, tools, or a wheel jack which has the advantage of providing a low level mass resulting in improved stability of the stretcher support arrangement.

The elongated platform may include means for locking the front and rear of the platform into substantially parallel movement on the platform support. The means may be in the form of a cross-wire wrapped around a system of pulleys. The base of the platform may include one or more transversely extending arcuate rails or tracks adapted to run in complementary support means of the platform support. The complementary support means mav be pulleys or sheaves. In this case the rails or tracks may run in the grooved rims of pulleys or sheaves rotatably mounted on the platform support The cross-wire system referred to above ensures that the arcuate track runs smoothly on the pulleys or sheaves and also helps to eliminate sideways twisting and binding of the rails or tracks.

Alternatively, the platform may be connected to the platform support by means allowing the pivotal movement of the platform relative to the platform support, for example, roller bearings or a viscous liquid etc. Where the platform is linked to the platform support via rail(s). track(s) or roller bearings, the platform may also include a damper arrangement to smooth side to side acceleration. The damper arrangement may be one or more flywheel damper pulley(s). Motorised flywheels may be used. Where the platform is linked to the platform support via a viscous material, the viscous material itself may provide the damping action.

The platform support may include one or more arms, the arm or arms having a substantially horizontally extending portion adapted for supporting the platform such that the platform may pivot and thereby isolate the patient from sideways momentum in hard cornering and sudden lane changes. Preferably an arm is located at or adjacent the head or foot of the platform support. The arrangement preferably allows the platform to pivot through about 30° around an axis generally parallel to the centre of gravity of the patient or animal located on a stretcher mounted on the platform.

The platform support also includes a portion for connection to the body of the conveyance. This connection portion may be located on a generally vertical section of the platform support and connection to the conveyance body may be made by means of a pivoted connection such as a wall bracket whereby the arm may pivot about an axis that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform. The pivoted connection of the connection portion to a wall of the conveyance allows limited vertical travel of the platform support so as to isolate the patient from road shocks.

The resilient means positioned between the platform support and the emergency conveyance may be a spring, air bag or t he like attached at one end to the body of the conveyance and the other end to that part of the vertical portion of the platform support located distallv of the connection point. A damping means may also be connected at one end to the conveyance body and to the vertical section of the arm at the other end. The damping means may be an hydraulic piston or shock absorber. The platform support assembly may be adapted to allow the whole assembly to pivot up to allow easy cleaning of the floor of the conveyance. This may be achieved by pivotallv connecting the generally vertical portion of the platform support to the generally horizontal support portion. The arrangement may include locking means to allow the platform and platform support to be locked in an up position to allow for cleaning under the arrangement and adjustment of the stabiliser wires.

The elongated platform may be supported by at least two platform support arms in accordance with the invention. In this case the horizontal portions of the arms may form part of a frame. Alternatively the elongated platform may be supported at one end by a platform support in accordance with invention and at the other end by another type of mounting means connected to the conveyance body.

In a further aspect, the present invention includes the combination of a stretcher support arrangement in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention fitted to an emergency conveyance.

Although the invention has been specifically described with reference to patients carried on a stretcher, it will be understood that the apparatus of the present invention may be adapted for the transport of animals such as horses, cattle, dogs and cats. In order that the first aspect of the present invention may be more readily understood we provide the following non-limiting embodiments described in reference to the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the stretcher support arrangement of the present invention:

Figure 2 is a side view taken across Section B-B of Figure 1: Figure 3 is a view taken along Section A-Λ of Figure 1: Figure 4 is a bottom view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1: Figure 5 is a view along a Section C-C of Figure 4:

Figure 6 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the stretcher support arrangement of the present invention:

Figure 7 is an end view at one end of the embodiment shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 6: and

Figure 9 is an end view at the other end of the embodiment shown in Figure 6.

Turning first to the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 5. a fibreglass platform 20 for supporting a stretcher has wheel tracks 2 along its sides to accommodate the stretcher wheels 80 (see Fig. 2). The platform 20 also includes a sloped draining floor 4 (in the direction of the arrows) sloping toward drain outlet 6 for drainage of body fluids.

The platform 20 has arcuate rails or tracks 30 discussed in more detail below. In this particular embodiment the platform is mounted on platform supports 8 each having an arm 25 pivotallv mounted by means of wall brackets 12 to side 30 of the emergency vehicle.

Figure 2 shows a side sectional view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 with stretcher 40 (dotted line) located on platform 20. The platform 20 includes a slide out compartment 22 for containment of body fluids received from drain hole 6. The platform is also provided with a compartment 24 for storage of wheel jack and tools to give a low level mass.

As already indicated, in this particular arrangement there are two platform supports 8 each having an arm 25 pivotallv connected at one end to the body of the emergency vehicle and at the other end to respective horizontal portion 28. The pivot attachment to the body of the vehicle is located approximately GOO mm from the floor of the vehicle. The horizontal portions 28 of the platform supports, together with longitudinal sides 26. form a frame 70, thus ensuring that the two platform supports operate as a unit. A set of grooved rimmed pulleys or sheaves 24 - two above and two below the rail - are rotatably mounted on each horizontal portion 28 so that the respective rail or track 36 of the platform may un between the upper and lower pulleys or sheaves.

The platform supports include spring means 38 (see Fig. 3) pivotally connected at one end to the emergency vehicle wall 30 and at the other end to platform support 8. Optionally the platform support includes damping means 47 such as a piston or shock absorber associated with the spring means 38.

The generally horizontal portion 28 of each platform support 8 may be pivotally connected at 35 to the generally vertical portion 25 so that horizontal portion can be pivoted upwards to allow easy cleaning of the floor of the vehicle.

The stretcher support arrangement described above is configured to allow the platform to pivot around the centre of gravity 41 of patient 90 to isolate the patient from sideways momentum in situations where the vehicle is undertaking hard cornering or sudden lane change. The arrangement also allows vertical travel of approximately 100 mm to absorb any road shock.

As best shown in Fig. 4. the front and rear of the platform is locked into parallel movement by cross-wire 50 wrapping once around damper pulley 52. This cross-wire passes over smaller pulleys 54. Pulleys 54 are attached to the platform. The wire is locked on to the sides 28 of the platform support by latches 29 connected to sides. The locking arrangement includes a turnbuckle 56 for adjusting wire slack. This locking arrangement acts to stabilise and damp imparted momentum. The cross-wire system also ensures that the curved track of the platform runs smoothly on pulleys 34 thus substantially eliminating sideways twisting and binding. The system may also include flywheel damper pulleys to smooth side to side acceleration (not shown).

Fig. 5 shows the platform and platform support arrangement in a normal position 70 shown by the dotted line and a locked position 72 where the stretcher support arrangement is located substantially vertically to allow cleaning under the arrangement and also allowing access to the stabiliser wires for adjustment.

Figs. 6-9 show an alternative embodiment of the present invention where the platform 120 is supported at or adjacent one end by a single platform support arrangement 122 similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3 and at the other end by the mounting arrangement 126 shown in Fig. 7. This mounting arrangement includes a mounting arm 200 attached to vehicle wall 30. The mounting arm 200 includes a platform support element 210 pivotally attached to the mounting arm for pivotal movement around axis 250. The support element has a horizontal ledge portion 205 for supporting the platform. The arrangement includes a damping means 230. eg a piston or shock absorber, connected to the descending portion of platform support element 210 to provide damping of the pivotal movement of the platform support element. A side view of the arrangement of Fig. 7 is shown in Fig. 8 where the platform 120 includes an arcuate track 290 moving lie t ween guide rollers 280 while the other end of the platform is supported by the mounting arrangement (see Fig. 7). Fig. 9 shows an end view of the platform and platform support arrangement wherein the arcuate t ack 290 is supported on guide rollers 280 located on the generally horizontal portion of platform support 122. In this arrangement the platform can pivot about 30° from side to side to handle corning momentum.

The present invention also extends to an emergency module for use with an emergency vehicle, the module being such that it can be removed from one emergency vehicle and reused in another vehicle.

The conventional ambulance used in Australia is based on an American pick-up truck which has been modified bv custom building a cabin onto the back of the truck which is then fitted with life support equipment. Generally the effective life of such a vehicle is 200.000 km at which time it becomes unreliable or unroadworthy. The custom built cabin on the other hand generally remains useable. The resale value of the emergency vehicle is significantly reduced because of its specialised construction. Moreover the investment made in fitting out the vehicle with the specialised emergency cabin is completely lost. In a further aspect the present invention provides a cost effective alternative to conventional emergency vehicles such as ambulances by providing an emergency module which is transferable from one emergency vehicle to another vehicle when the original vehicle has reached the end of its working life. Accordingly, in yet a further aspect, the present invention provides a reusable interior lining module for use in a cabin of an emergency vehicle, the interior lining module being made up of a plurality of individual sections, at least one of the sections being an equipment station adapted for storing or supporting one or more piece(s) of equipment. The interior lining module of the present invention allows the base vehicle to be retained in service for the optimum service life directed to maximising the resale value of the base vehicle. As soon as the vehicle has reached this point, it may be removed from service, the interior lining module removed, and the module installed into a new vehicle. The vehicle, because it had been configured for maximum after market usage, may be sold off at a possible profit or. at the very least, a very minimal loss. The original investment in the lining module is not lost because it can be reused within another vehicle.

The interior lining module of the present invention is designed specifically to be easily installed and removed. The sections of the interior lining module may be connected to the emergency vehicle body by means of bolts or other attachment means that allow removal of the sections when required. Preferably the interior lining module is dimensioned to fit a high roof van provide a full standing interior. The interior lining module may be designed for use with an emergency vehicle having sliding doors on one or both sides and all round glazing to minimise motion sickness for the patient and especially the attendant which has the added advantage of increasing the potential market for resale of the vehicle when it is decommissioned. Preferably the cabin of the emergency vehicle has full height doors allowing easy entry for the patient and emergency personnel, when the interior lining module is fitted. Preferably the interior lining module is designed to fit an emergency vehicle which has a long floor length - because of cab forward layout this allows for a dual role ambulance in that the ambulance can be easily converted on call at the station to a two bed unit by simply removing a forward facing attendants seat and sliding in a second stretcher platform using the same sliding floor tracks used for the seat. This stretcher platform may have a locking sideways sliding action to position the stretcher up against the near side wall to give the required 350 mm aisle clearance. We have found that a particularly suitable vehicle to use as the base vehicle is a Mercedes Benz 412-D van which is a prestige vehicle having a high potential resale value.

The sections of the reusable interior lining module may be formed from any suitable material. The sections may be made of a strong light weight plastic. Preferably the sections are made from fibreglass. The at least one equipment station may be selected from the following:

Service locker - this may be located behind an offside sliding door allowing easy access to emergency equipment. For example oxygen D size cylinders may be housed in a shaped fibreglass container which can be unlatched and tilted out to the 45 deg. position to allow easy unstressed removal and replacement of cylinders, reducing OM&S risks associated with maintenance. The service locker may act as a soiled linen container, housed in compartment with internal access through sealing lid and chute. The service locker may be contain an electrical area in a recess behind the oxygen locker to house fuse board, with earth leakage protection breakers, breakers switched from inside the vehicle. Alternatively, it may be a low level compartment in step area, housing vacuum pump, battery charger and 240 volt inverter. High level locker modules - one or more of these may be situated on each side and running the full length of the body for stowage of light weight items. For example, they each may contain six 450I 220II*200D lockers with hinge up clear polycarbonate-carbonate vacuum formed doors. Ducts may be provided underneath the locker for air and electrical cables. Removable foam cushioning running the full length of the bottom outer corner may be provided for the protection of the attendant.

Oxygen Pack locker module - this may be situated on the left side, of the near side sliding door for stowage of portable oxygen pack on top with quick release fastening device, and two compartment module beneath for stowage of spare C cylinders and second vented compartment for secondary battery.

Defibrillator Pack locker module - this may be situated on the right side, of the near side sliding door for stowage of portable defibrillator pack on top with quick release fastening device. The module may pivot and lock at 90 deg. to allow easy access and use of the defibrillator by the attendant while sitting beside the patient . In module below is a sealed compartmented slide out drawer for stowage of infectious wastes and sharps container.

Back and scoop board locker module - this may be situated on the near side wall for stowage of back and scoop boards in a snug foam lined container to prevent rattling. It may be designed to pivot out to allow access of the boards out of the near side rear door and park in hard against the wall to allow for maximum interior body width.

Communications and oxygen cupboard - this may be situated overhead front off side wall and designed to give a hygienic and fresh appearance. The communications locker may have a high quality polymer roller door for interior access to radio communication equipment and portable radios and charging station and locking exterior door behind the off side sliding service door for access and servicing of equipment. An oxygen control and accessories cupboard may be located behind a high quality polymer roller door w^τilh inside access only beside the rear ward facing attendants seats.

IV attachment - these may be situated anywhere along two ceiling tracks. They may be in the form of two full length powder coated aluminium C channel ceiling tracks on each side of ceiling panel with four easy sliding and natural locking IV attachment hooks. Track recessed flush with sound insulating ceiling panel and doubles as a jointer between ceiling panel and overhead cupboard module.

Air-conditioning unit- this may be one self contained unit. Filtered forced ventilation, heating and cooling in one unit, on slide out tray for ease of service or replacement. Accessed through the off side service door.

The invention also extends to an emergency vehicle fitted with the interior lining module of the present invention. The fitted emergency vehicle may further have one or more of the following design features. Stretcher support - a stretcher support platform may be installed in the interior cabin. The stretcher support may be a st retcher support arrangement in accordance with the present invention which may be designed to isolate the patient from road shocks with up to 100 m of vertical travel and cornering momentum loads up to 15 deg. The stretcher platform is also designed to catch and retain all body fluids and the whole unit is hung off the side wall leaving a clear floor for ease of cleaning.

Easy rear access - with 270 deg. hinged barn doors especially designed for ambulance use which open right around and lock out of the way against the side of the body.

Cleaning - all interior of the emergency cabin may be designed for maximum ease of cleaning, with all seats and stretcher platforms easily removed. All edges may be designed with large radius to minimise dirt and fluid entrapment and ease of cleaning. All interior finishes chosen for long life and ease of cleaning.

Attendant Seats - these may be fitted after installation of the lining module and be situated anywhere along two sliding tracks. Two maccon Guardian ADR 68 approved seats with integral lap diagonal inertia reel seat belts, mounted and locking on to mounted sliding track. Tracks built solidly in as part of the floor and designed for ease of sliding, locking and cleaning.

Seats may be easily removable for cleaning of floor, changing direction from forward to rearward facing or removing to install a second bed when required. A Ferno Model 2222 Pedi-Pal Child Transport Seat may also be installed. Optional vibration reducing seat mount - may be installed for improved attendant comfort on long trips.

Insulation and sound reduction - through careful attention to design and materials, all interior cavities in the van wall and roof may be filled with expanding polystyrene foam, and all body windows are double glazed minimising thermal loss, exterior sound intrusion and panel vibration. Sound absorbing centre ceiling panel may be installed to reduce internal reflected sounds. Sound absorbing panels under stretcher platfoπn/s to soak up road noise, easily removable for cleaning. Sound deadening composite flooring panel to reduce up road noise transmission.

Lighting - interior lighting of the emergency cabin may be provided by recessed fluorescent ceiling lights to provide general overall lighting with aircraft style eyeball lights under overhead lockers for intense localised lighting when required.

Windows - by using a combination of perforated mirror and tinted film within the double glazing, the need is eliminated for blinds, with its moving parts, weight, cost and maintenance problems.

Motion sickness - for patient and especially attendance reduced. This may be achieved by use of all round windows which minimise perceptional differentials and the wider track and longer wheel base of a six wheeler van reducing sway of vehicle which minimises turning moments. Walk through - preferably the vehicle is designed such as to allow access from cab to the body or near side door.

Colour Scheme - Interior. All fibreglass panels are preferably white. All vinyl finished ceiling, cushion panels, seats and flooring - Bright sky blue. In order that this second aspect of the present invention may be more readily understood we provide the following non-limiting embodiments described in reference to the attached drawings in which:

Figure 10 is a side view of an ambulance suitable for use in the present invention: Figures 11a and lib are back and front views respectively of the ambulance vehicles shown in Figure 10:

Figure 12 is a longitudinal section of the ambulance vehicle shown in Figure 10: Figures 13a and 13b show the front wall and rear wall respectively of the cabin of the ambulance shown in Figure 10 fitted with an embodiment of the reusable interior lining module in accordance with the invention:

Figure 14 is an internal view of the offside wall of the ambulance vehicle shown in Figure 10 fitted with an embodiment of a reusable interior lining module in accordance with the invention:

Figure 15 shows the near side wall of the ambulance vehicle shown in Figure 10 fitted with an embodiment of the reusable interior lining module in accordance with the invention: Figure 16 show^τs a floor plan of the ambulance vehicle shown in

Figure 10 fitted with an embodiment of the reusable interior lining module in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 17 shows an embodiment of a means for attachment of the interior lining module to the body of the vehicle shown in Figure 10. Turning to the drawings, Figures 10. 11a and lib show an ambulance vehicle 200 which is the result of conversion of a Mercedes Benz 412-D van used as the base vehicle. The vehicle has side windows 210 and slideable side doors 212.

Figure 12 shows a longitudinal section of the ambulance shown in Figure 10 in which the reusable interior lining module 350 has been installed. The converted vehicle shown in Figure 12 has a drivers cab 400 and a cabin space 450. In this particular embodiment the ambulance is fitted with a stretcher support arrangement 380 in accordance with the present invention. Details of the reusable interior lining module are shown in Figures

12. 13a, 13b, 14-16. The interior lining module is fitted to the roof 360. floor 362. rear wall 363 and front wall 364 of the cabin.

The interior lining module is formed from a plurality of individual sections which are removably affixed to the ambulance body by means of bolts or any other affixing means allowing ready removal of the sections when required. Figure 17 shows one means of removable attachment of the interior lining module to the vehicle body. Extra folded metal attachment frames 500 are attached to the vehicle body by welding 510 or bolting to the existing body stiffening and roll over frame and bonded to inside of exterior wall and ceiling panels. Quarter turn receptacles 520 are fastened to the new attachment frames 500 and to existing body frames The fibreglass lining modules 530 are held in place by powder coated aluminium C channels 540 or a flat bar (not shown). Modules 530 are affixed to the attachment frames by Flushed Phillips recessed 1/4 turn fasteners 560 which pull down and lock C channels 540 and modules 540 in place. This arrangement allows for the removal of the interior lining module from the vehicle at its optimum service life maximising the resale value of the base vehicle and permitting reuse of the interior lining module in another converted vehicle.

The interior lining module in the embodiment shown in Figures 10- 16 includes a number of sections adapted for storing or supporting one or more pieces of equipment. For example, adjacent the roof 360 of the cabin are module sections 367 and 369 each incorporating 6 roof compartments 366 covered by clear polycarbonated doors 370.

The lining module also includes storage compartment 372 for storage of a secondary battery with a slide-out draw for easy inspection (dotted portion). Compartment 374 is provided in the interior module to store lift-out plastic waste containers which may be removed from an off-side service door.

Module section 376 is a compartment closed by a roller door inside which may be located oxygen control and accessories.

The interior lining module also provides a compartment 377 for storage of breathing apparatus cylinders 378 which may be accessed from an off-side service door. The top hatch 379 allows for inspection and control. The compartment 378 is also pivoted at 380 to allow the compartment to tilt out for external access to the oxygen cylinders for replacement and checking. A module section 386 is provided for storage of an air-conditioning unit, the storage unit being adapted to slide through the w^τall of the ambulance to allow external access for servicing of the unit.

Further storage compartments 386-387 are provided. Storage unit 388 is a compartment for storing a radio and a fuseboard and has bi-fold doors.

Storage unit 390 of the interior lining is provided to store a body scoop 392 and other boards.

The non-storage compartment sections of the interior lining module include a vinyl covered foam sound absorbing ceiling panel 394. In yet a further aspect the present invention provides an emergency vehicle system as shown in one or more of Figures 10- 16 attached hereto.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A stretcher support arrangement for use in an emergency conveyance, the arrangement including: an elongated platform for supporting a stretcher thereon: a platform support having a portion for supporting the platform in a substantially horizontal position and a portion for connection to a wall of the emergency conveyance, the platform supporting portion supporting the platform such that the platform is capable of pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform, the connection portion being adapted for pivotal connection to the wall of the emergency conveyance so that the platform support may pivot about an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform: and resilient means, and optionally damping means, positioned between the platform support and the wall of the emergencv conveyance.

2. A stretcher support arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the elongated platform includes one or more transversely extending arcuate rails or tracks or the like adapted to run in one or more complementary support means on the platform support portion of the platform support.

3. A stretcher support arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the complementary support means is/are one or more pulleys or sheaves rotatably mounted on the platform support portion, the pulley(s) or sheave(s) having grooved rim(s) through which the respective arcuate rail or track runs.

4. A stretcher support arrangement according to claim 3 wherein the platform support portion includes a set of pulleys or sheaves between which the arcuate rail or track runs.

5. A stretcher support arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the platform is connected to the platform support by means of roller bearings or the like or a ╬╗╬¼scose fluid to allow pivotal movement of the platform relative to the platform support.

6. A stretcher support arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the platform and/or platform support includes damping means to smooth side-to-side acceleration of the platform.

7. A stretcher support arrangement according to claim 6 wherein the damping means is one or more flywheel damper pulleys or the like.

8. A stretcher support arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the platform includes means for locking the front and rear of the platform into substantially parallel movement on the platform support.

9. A stretcher support arrangement according to claim 8 wherein the means for locking includes a crosswire or the like wrapped around a system of pulleys.

10. A stretcher support arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the platform supporting portion and the connecting portion of the platform support are pivotally connected to allow the platform support portion to pivot upwardly.

11. A stretcher support arrangement according to any of the preceding claims wherein the resilient means is selected from the group consisting of a spring, piston, shock absorber, airbag and the like.

12. A stretcher support arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims further including mounting means connected to the conveyance body, the mounting means together with the platform support providing support for the platform.

13. A stretcher support arrangement according to claim 12 wherein the mounting means includes a mounting arm attached to a wall of the emergency conveyance and a platform support element pivotally attached to the mounting arm for pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform.

14. A stretcher support arrangement according to claim 13 wherein the mounting arrangement includes damping means to provide damping of the pivotal movement of the platform support element.

15. A stretcher support arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the platform support portion for the platform support includes a rectangular frame.

16. A stretcher support arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims installed in an emergency conveyance.

17. A stretcher support arrangement according to claim 16 wherein the emergency conveyance is an ambulance.

18. A reusable interior lining module for use in a cabin of an emergency conveyance, interior lining module being made up of a plurality of individual sections, at least one of the sections being an equipment station adapted for storing or supporting one or more piece(s) of equipment.

19. An interior lining module according to claim 18 wherein the lining module is connected to the body of the emergency conveyance by attachment means that allow removal of the sections when required.

20. An interior lining module according to claim 18 or 19 wherein the at least one equipment station is selected from one or more of the group consisting of a service locker, high level locker module, oxygen pack locker module, defibrillator pack locker module, back and scoop board locker module, communications and oxygen cupboard, IV attachment and air- conditioning unit.