hinged arrangement is provided as described above the supporting portion on which the patient lies must be flexible so it can be folded with the members for example plastic sheeting can be used in that it can be folded in the manner of a canvas cot when it is disassembled to its compacted position a further embodiment of the means for clamping the yokes to upright members of the backpack is shown in fig1 this serves both as a shock absorber and a load equalizer diminishing the effect of unevennesses in the trail which can from time to time place a disproportionate part of the burden on one or the other of the two bearers at a given end in this design cylindrical sleeve generally designated at 117 which moves along threads 116 on the upright member 102 of the backpack frame is provided with annularly shaped chamber 119 in which rests a coil spring 120 resting on top of the spring and extending at three or four points to the outside of the cylinder through vertical slits in the cylinder wall 122 is a metal platform 121 the clamp on the carrier is attached to the portion of this.