Abstract: A hospital bed of the type having a base frame and a displaceable frame supported above the base frame by adjustable leg supports whereby the adjustable frame may be displaced vertically above the base frame in parallel relation or at an angular position such as a trendelenburg position. The leg supports are connected in pair and spaced apart adjacent a respective end of the frames. An articulated panelized frame is supported above the displaceable frame and the panels are articulated by an actuating mechanism. A first drive is connected to the adjustable leg supports to cause the displaceable frame to be displaced above the base frame. A follower mechanism is connected to a lower end of the leg supports to maintain the displaceable frame in lateral relationship with the base frame when displaced relative thereto. A second drive is connected to the actuating mechanism of the panelized frame to selectively displace the angular position of the panels.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for automatically measuring the thickness and the roughness of elongated articles, such as wooden boards. The device comprises a housing having an opening therethrough to receive at least a portion of a board to be measured. At least one contact probe is provided in the housing and is biased against at least one surface of the board to sense irregularities in the flatness of the surface along a measured length thereof. A measuring circuit is connected to the contact probe to provide a measurement signal representative of the sensed irregularities and variations in thickness. A distance measuring device is also provided in the housing to measure the distance of displacement of the board past the contact probe. An output display means indicates selected ones of the measurements obtained. A computing means accumulates measured values of the means, minimum and maximum thickness, for a group of boards and permits the extraction of such statistical information.