Patent ID: 7100224

Claim:
In an ambulance cot having a wheel supported base, a frame and an elevating mechanism for varying an elevation of said frame relative to said base, the improvement comprising: an ambulance cot load wheel assisting device having a bracket frame configured to be immovably fastened to a frame of the ambulance cot, said bracket frame having first and second vertically spaced axle mountings provided thereon; an elongate first axle supported on said first axle mounting, said first axle having a first axis extending longitudinally thereof; a first wheel member of a first diameter supported on said first axle for rotation about said first axis and configured to engage and roll on a floor of a cargo area of the ambulance defining a first horizontal plane; an elongate second axle supported on said second axle mounting, said second axle having a second axis extending longitudinally thereof; a second wheel-like member of a second diameter supported on said second axle for rotation about said second axis; said first axle mounting and said first axis being oriented in a second horizontal plane spaced below a third horizontal plane containing said second axis supported by said second axle mounting, said first wheel member having a first diameter which is less than a second diameter of said second wheel-like member; said second wheel-like member being configured to rotate in response to engagement of a periphery thereof with an edge of the floor of the cargo area upon entry movement of the ambulance cot into the cargo area to effect a lifting of the second horizontal plane to a location above the first horizontal plane if the second horizontal plane is initially oriented below the first horizontal plane; and wherein said bracket frame includes a positioning device for releasably holding said second wheel-like member in at least one position relative to said first axis.