bit of a strange one

[BrokenBiker]

just been out to see my mother after a phonecall asking me to go round and discuss a bit of work they want to throw my way. I assumed it would be an electrical job...but no.

my step father is a first response paramedic, and also has his own little business doing HSE first aid training and all that sort of thing (this isn't a plug for work). anyway he has a rav4 and is slowly turning it into an events medical recovery vehicle so he can scoop up people on fun runs and so on.

he has done the majority of it, flashing lights, a siren, stickers all over it and all been cleared by the ambulance service, but they told him he needs a way of securely carrying someone on a stretcher before it can be fully classed as an events ambulance.

so he bought a stetcher. now he need rails welding in to accommodate the stretcher. he has removed the front passenger seat and the seat behind it and there is plenty of room to fit it and has asked me to design a rail system so it can be slid into place.

pretty basic design. 4 upright pieces of 20x20mm solid square section bar and a length of 20mm round bar welded on top of them. that makes up one rail, then there is a bit of bent flat bar welded on as a way of stopping the stretcher moving side to side.

now the problem. it has to be welded into the floor of the car. the floor is thin. what is the best way to re-inforce the areas around the welds to make sure that in the event of sharp sudden braking, or a collision the welds wont just rip out of the floor?

 

[brightspark]

just been out to see my mother after a phonecall asking me to go round and discuss a bit of work they want to throw my way. I assumed it would be an electrical job...but no.

my step father is a first response paramedic, and also has his own little business doing HSE first aid training and all that sort of thing (this isn't a plug for work). anyway he has a rav4 and is slowly turning it into an events medical recovery vehicle so he can scoop up people on fun runs and so on.

he has done the majority of it, flashing lights, a siren, stickers all over it and all been cleared by the ambulance service, but they told him he needs a way of securely carrying someone on a stretcher before it can be fully classed as an events ambulance.

so he bought a stetcher. now he need rails welding in to accommodate the stretcher. he has removed the front passenger seat and the seat behind it and there is plenty of room to fit it and has asked me to design a rail system so it can be slid into place.

pretty basic design. 4 upright pieces of 20x20mm solid square section bar and a length of 20mm round bar welded on top of them. that makes up one rail, then there is a bit of bent flat bar welded on as a way of stopping the stretcher moving side to side.

now the problem. it has to be welded into the floor of the car. the floor is thin. what is the best way to re-inforce the areas around the welds to make sure that in the event of sharp sudden braking, or a collision the welds wont just rip out of the floor?

weld larger steel plates to the floor for the uprights to sit on spread the load increase the surface aeria for welding

 

[BrokenBiker]

ta. didn't know if it was better to weld them inside or underneath.

 

[brightspark]

ta. didn't know if it was better to weld them inside or underneath.

inside. probs best with slightly thicker plate than the floorpan for welding the upstands too

 

[BrokenBiker]

3mm sound ok? max weight of the person being carried is going to be set at a firm 125kg as that is the max weight of the stretcher, I am currently 115 kilos so the plan it to weld it all up out side, jump up and down on it and if it doesn't bend, it is good to go. it is all going to be tested anyway to deem whether it is safe or not

 

[Robotstar5]

We used this type on the ambulances I've worked on

The semi circular cut-outs grip the legs of the stretcher above the wheels

edit: and don't lean on a patients broken ankle when unlocking the stretcher!

 

[BrokenBiker]

that is the exact same thing I suggested he buy and install. then I was told its not a full size ambulance stretcher. its just one of those aluminium skid type stretchers, like a back board with straps on it.

what I make will look fairly similar to those though

 

[Shox Dr]

I did few yrs building this type of vehicle. They all have their own system for holding the stretcher. I'd be looking at buying a complete setup out of an old ambulance, they usual bolt through the floor pan.

 

[the snooper]

I would have thought that the stretcher would need to be secured into place so that in the event or the vehicle rolling over the stretcher would not cause further injury to the passenger/driver

 

[Robotstar5]

I did few yrs building this type of vehicle. They all have their own system for holding the stretcher. I'd be looking at buying a complete setup out of an old ambulance, they usual bolt through the floor pan.

Herbert Lomas?

 

[Robotstar5]

I would have thought that the stretcher would need to be secured into place so that in the event or the vehicle rolling over the stretcher would not cause further injury to the passenger/driver

The locking system in the pic will restrain the stretcher (and casualty if strapped) in a rollover, due to their shape ambulances tend to roll onto their sides.

 

[BrokenBiker]

I would have thought that the stretcher would need to be secured into place so that in the event or the vehicle rolling over the stretcher would not cause further injury to the passenger/driver

it will be, that is done with some clips that have been bought. the stretcher slides into the clips which are auto locking. they will be welded into the end of the rails and 2 welded to the floor of the car. they match the stretcher's locking points and were recommended by the people that told him he needed it all

 

[the snooper]

The locking system in the pic will restrain the stretcher (and casualty if strapped) in a rollover, due to their shape ambulances tend to roll onto their sides.

that's strange I only saw shox's post and the 2 before that were not visible to me at the time I wrote

 

[Shox Dr]

Herbert Lomas?

O&H

 

[BrokenBiker]

that's strange I only saw shox's post and the 2 before that were not visible to me at the time I wrote

glitch in the new software maybe?

 

[the snooper]

glitch in the new software maybe?

maybe you never know but was certainly not visible to me

 

[Robotstar5]

and if he plans to use it exclusively as an ambulance register it with DVLA and pay zero road tax!

 

[BrokenBiker]

and if he plans to use it exclusively as an ambulance register it with DVLA and pay zero road tax!

that was the first thing he did lol. that was the main reason he started turning into an events ambulance. he is not blues and twos trained so cant use the lights or sirens on the roads, but there is nothing to stop him using them when he is providing medical cover for events such as fun runs and charity hikes and so on. as it is taxed as an ambulance he cant use it as a daily run around anymore so as its no longer a family car, why not go all out and make it a fully equipped ambulance instead plus he is throwing me some very generous amounts for the work I am doing on it.

wired in all the lights, sirens, PA system, put all the stickers and vinyl on it, welded the sills up for its last test and now doing the rails and possibly a few small stainless storage cabinets too depending on how much space is left in it.

providing he doesn't mind the pics being shown around (cant see why he would, free advertising and all that) I will pop some up once ive put the rails in

 

[Robotstar5]

he is not blues and twos trained so cant use the lights or sirens on the roads

Technically you don't need any special training but it is advisable to do some form of advanced driving as I learnt quite a bit when I did one with St. John, although I had previously driven their ambulances and rally rescue ambulances on public roads without any training.

It's also a good idea contact his local chief constable to find out his views on private ambulances used on public roads.

 

[BrokenBiker]

well, when he is on a shift doing volunteer first response he is allowed to use it as it contains all of his kit, but as far as I know he is not allowed to use the blue lights or the siren as its not the same siren that an ambulance uses. he is however allowed to use a green and yellow flashing light as this was designated as the first responders warning system for other motorists, but it doesn't really get anyone out of the way.

IMO as he is not allowed to transport anyone in his car whilst being a volunteer, a bike would be better. I have done work with him using his mates FJR1300, givi boxes all round and it can easily carry everything needed and I got to houses a lot quicker than he could.

I think he has done the IAM course that deals with how to control your car in a slide, proper use of ABS and all that and he may have done something else towards off road driving too.