Stretcher-operating table bridging panel

Claim 1

MEANS FOR USE IN TRANSFERRING A PRONE PATIENT BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT PATIENT SUPPORTING SURFACES DISPOSED AT ABOUT THE SAME LEVEL THAT ARE RELATIVELY SOFT FOR CUSHIONED SUPPORT OF THE PATIENT SUCH AS MOBILE STRETCHER ON THE ONE HAND AND A HOSPITAL BED OR AN OPERATING TABLE ON THE OTHER HAND, SAID MEANS CONSISTING OF A SINGLE RIGID PANEL OF RELATIVELY HARD MATERIAL THAT IS ADAPTED TO BE REMOVABLY PLACED IN BRIDGING RELATION ACROSS THE SPACE BETWEEN THE ADJACENT SURFACES WITH SUBSTANTIAL AREAS AT EACH SIDE OF SAID PANEL OVERLYING AND BEING SEATED ON AND SUPPORTED BY THE EDGE AREAS OF THE ASSOCIATED SURFACES, SAID PANEL BEING SUFFICIENTLY STIFF TO BE NON-BENDABLE UNDER THE WEIGHT OF A PATIENT BUT LIGHT ENOUGH TO BE PORTABLY HANDLE BY A NURSE AND HAVING A SMOOTH POLISHED PLANAR UPPER FACE WHICH WHEN THE PANEL BRIDGES SAID SURFACES IS DISPOSED AT ABOUT THE LEVEL OF LATERALLY ADJACENT SURFACE AREAS BECAUSE OF THE TENDENCY OF THE HARDER PANEL TO BECOME DEPRESSED INTO THE SOFTER PATIENT SUPPORT SURFACES, SAID DEPRESSION OF THE PANEL INTO SAID SURFACES SERVING TO RESIST LATERAL DISPLACEMENT OF SAID PANEL RELATIVE TO SAID SURFACES, WHEREBY A PATIENT PRONE ON ONE OF SAID SURFACES MAY BE SLIDABLY TRANSFERRED ALONG SAID PANEL TO THE OTHER OF SAID SURFACES WITH A MINIMUM OF LIFTING AND A MINIMUM OF PATIENT DISTURBANCE.