Abstract: The invention provides a wall stop or spacer which is mounted on the hospital bed and impinges on the skirting of the wall near the floor should the bed be pushed towards the wall with resulting impact. Also, because the engagement is usually at right angles to the wall, the spacer has a width greater than the distance between the studs in the wall so that the load will be distributed across the studs. Further, because the impact is on the skirting, the impact takes place at one of the strongest pans of the wall where the wall plate and studs meet and the skirting passes over these pans to further reinforce the structure. The wall stop can be placed in a deployed position for engagement with the skirting or manually moved into a stored position under the bed to permit an attendant to walk behind the bed when the bed is moved from room to room.

Abstract: The invention provides a side rail assembly for use with an institutional bed. The assembly includes provision to move a vertical frame from an upper or deployed position where it is generally above the mattress on the bed, to a lowered position generally below and outside the mattress. The frame can then be moved longitudinally from the lowered position into a stored position below the mattress so that the frame will not interfere with an attendant who is assisting the patient. Further, the frame will then have no impact on access to the bed. The side rail assembly also includes a balance assembly to counterbalance the weight of the frame so that the frame is unlikely to cause accidental injury to a patient as the frame is moved vertically.