Patent ID: 6230343
Filing Date: 2001-05-15
Classification: A61G

Abstract:
A hospital bed for supporting a patient in a substantially horizontal position, comprising:a base;a patient support oriented above said base;at least first and second hydraulic jacks interconnecting said base and said patient support for raising and lowering said patient support relative to said base;a manually operable pump for pumping hydraulic fluid simultaneously to said first and second hydraulic jacks to effect a uniform raising of said patient support relative to said base, and means for effecting a manual operation of said pump;a first manually operable member for effecting, when operated, a removal of hydraulic fluid from said first hydraulic jack to cause a lowering thereof independent of said second hydraulic jack;a second manually operable member spaced and separate from said first manually operable member for effecting, when operated, a removal of hydraulic fluid from said second hydraulic jack to cause a lowering thereof independent of said first hydraulic jack;a unitary third manually operable pedal having three manually engageable positions thereon and means connecting said unitary third manually operable pedal to said first and second manually operable members, a first position of said three manually engageable positions including first means for facilitating an operation of said first manually operable member independent of said second manually operable member, a second position of said three manually engageable positions including second means for facilitating an operation of said second manually operable member independent of said first manually operable member, and a third position of said three manually engageable positions including third means for facilitating a simultaneous operation of said first and second manually operable members to cause a simultaneous lowering of said first and second jacks.