Chest compression apparatus for cardiac arrest

A method of CPR treating patients comprising:

• (a) seating a base of a blood flow increasing apparatus on a patient's chest near a central region of the chest;
• (b) wrapping a belt around the patient's chest;
• (c) fastening first and second opposite extremities of the belt to the apparatus;
• (d) applying a force, directed inwardly toward the chest, to a manual actuator mounted to a converter, said converter connected to the base and the belt;
• and
• (e) converting the force into (1) a chest compressing resultant directed toward the chest and (2) belt tightening resultants directed tangentially to the chest whereby the inwardly and tangentially directed force increases the blood flow in the natural direction.

A CPR apparatus for increasing the flow of blood in a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• (a) a base configured to seat near a central region of a patient's chest;
• (b) an actuator;
• (c) a substantially inelastic belt configured to wrap around the chest;
• and
• (d) a force converter mounted on the base, connected to the actuator and having belt connectors coupled to opposite extremities of the belt, for converting a force applied by the actuator into (1) a chest compressing resultant directed inwardly toward the chest and (2) belt tightening resultants directed tangentially to the chest whereby the inwardly and tangentially directed force increases the blood flow in the natural direction.