Patent ID: 7346942

Claim:
A patient support apparatus for transporting a patient along a floor, the patient support apparatus comprising an elongate frame having sides and ends, a plurality of casters coupled to the frame and supporting the frame above the floor, a wheel coupled to the frame and movable between a raised position spaced from the floor and a lowered position contacting the floor, a plurality of foot pedals including at least one foot pedal near each of the sides of the frame and each of the ends of the frame, the plurality of foot pedals being movable to raise and lower the wheel and to brake and unbrake at least one of the casters, at least one of the foot pedals at one of the sides of the frame being movable about a first axis that is perpendicular to a second axis about which one of the foot pedals at one of the ends of the frame is movable; and a linking mechanism interconnecting the plurality of foot pedals so that movement of any one of the foot pedals results in movement of each of the other foot pedals, the linkage mechanism lacking gears.