Patent ID: 8327479

Claim:
A hospital bed, comprising: a base frame; a plurality of casters, one each attached to a corner portion of the base frame; and a steering mechanism coupled to the base frame residing under a center portion of the hospital bed, the steering mechanism comprising: an axle; first and second spaced apart wheels attached to opposing end portions of the axle; first and second upwardly extending and laterally spaced apart rods attached to opposing end portions of the axle, residing between the wheels; a mounting member attached to the main base frame having first and second laterally spaced apart channels, the first channel sized to slidably receive the first rod therein and the second channel sized to slidably receive the second rod therein, wherein the first and second rods reside under the mounting member proximate the wheels; and a first spring in communication with the first rod and a second spring in communication with the second rod, wherein the first and second springs reside under the mounting member, between the axle and the mounting member and cooperate with the first and second rods to define spring-loaded rods, wherein the casters at the corner portions of the base frame are in communication with the spring-loaded first and second rods which keep the casters on a floor until they are raised.