Abstract: A patient support apparatus includes a base, a litter frame, and an elevation mechanism interconnecting the base to the litter frame and being configured to effect changes in elevation of the litter frame relative to the base. The elevation mechanism includes a pair of hydraulic actuators, each actuator covered by a telescoping shroud. The telescoping shroud is connected to the base and to the litter frame by a number of biased catches. The litter frame includes a pair of laterally spaced and longitudinally extending support rails and a plurality of laterally extending support rails interconnecting the longitudinally extending support rails so that the litter frame has a rectangular configuration. The litter frame includes a thigh section configured to be raised and lowered by use of one of a manually pumped hydraulic actuator or a gas-spring assisted lever actuator.

Abstract: A patient support apparatus having a base, a litter frame, an elevation mechanism interconnecting the base to the litter frame and being configured to effect changes in elevation of the litter frame relative to the base. The litter frame includes a pair of laterally spaced and longitudinally extending support rails and a plurality of laterally extending support rails interconnecting the longitudinally extending support rails so that the litter frame has a rectangular configuration. Selected ones of the laterally extending support rails are mounted to the elevation mechanism.

Abstract: A patient support apparatus having a base, a litter frame, an elevation mechanism interconnecting the base to the litter frame and being configured to effect changes in elevation of the litter frame relative to the base. The litter frame includes a pair of laterally spaced and longitudinally extending support rails and a plurality of laterally extending support rails interconnecting the longitudinally extending support rails so that the litter frame has a rectangular configuration. Selected ones of the laterally extending support rails are mounted to the elevation mechanism.

Abstract: A wheeled carriage for supporting a patient includes a patient support with head and foot ends and a wheeled base supported by castered wheels. An auxiliary wheel assembly is secured to the wheeled base and includes a rotatable support shaft with an axis and a drive pin locked in a keyed surface of the support shaft. A wheel stowing spring is located at an end of the rotatable support shaft to continually urge an auxiliary wheel mounted at one end of an auxiliary wheel support bracket to a stowed position. The auxiliary wheel support bracket is rotatably connected to the support shaft at an opposing end and has a stop mounted thereon. An auxiliary wheel support spring continually urges the auxiliary wheel support bracket in a first direction about the axis of the support shaft so that the stop on the auxiliary wheel support bracket engages a stop element integral with the drive pin. This arrangement maintains the support spring in a pretensioned state.