Abstract: A wheeled carriage for supporting a patient in a substantially horizontal position, which wheeled carriage has thereon a patient support having head and foot regions and a pair of lateral side regions and a wheeled base supported at least by three floor surface engaging and castered wheels spaced from one another at locations defining corners of a theoretical polygon. An auxiliary wheel and a support structure therefor are suspendedly mounting the auxiliary wheel to the wheeled base. The auxiliary wheel is oriented inside a boundary of the theoretical polygon and includes an axle about which the wheel rotates. A control structure includes a first manually manipulatable member at at least one of the pair of lateral side regions and a second manually manipulatable member at at least one of the head end and the foot end so that an attendant can operate a selected one of the manually manipulatable members to effect a movement of the auxiliary wheel and the support structure therefor.

Abstract: A wheeled carriage for supporting a patient in a substantially horizontal position, which wheeled carriage has thereon a patient support having head and foot regions and a pair of lateral side regions and a wheeled base supported at least by three floor surface engaging and castered wheels spaced from one another at locations defining corners of a theoretical polygon. An auxiliary wheel and a support structure therefor are suspendedly mounting the auxiliary wheel to the wheeled base. The auxiliary wheel is oriented inside a boundary of the theoretical polygon and includes an axle about which the wheel rotates. A control structure includes a first manually manipulatable member at at least one of the pair of lateral side regions and a second manually manipulatable member at at least one of the head end and the foot end so that an attendant can operate a selected one of the manually manipulatable members to effect a movement of the auxiliary wheel and the support structure therefor.

Abstract: A patient support stretcher which includes a base and a main frame portion coupled to the base through at least one pair of crossbars forming an X-shaped configuration. The crossbars are pivotally connected to one another and are pivotally connected to the base and the main frame portion. A back support or a fowler section is hinged to the main frame portion and a strut interconnects the back support to the main frame to provide the requisite balanced leverage for effecting the simultaneous lift of the main frame and the fowler section.