Patent ID: 8914920

Claim:
A patient lift, comprising: a boom, the boom including at least two generally aligned boom end prongs, a spreader bar, and a friction coupling; wherein the friction coupling is received between the boom end prongs and releasably attaches a portion of the spreader bar to the boom end prongs by means of a bolt generally transverse to longitudinal axes of the boom end prongs and disposed through a transverse aperture of the spreader bar, said bolt and transverse aperture configured to allow pivoting, around a longitudinal axis of the bolt, of the spreader bar relative to the boom; wherein the friction coupling is configured to reduce swinging of the spreader bar relative to the boom when the spreader bar is unladen; wherein the friction coupling includes at least one friction member disposed between the boom and the spreader bar; and wherein the at least one friction member is urged against one of the boom and the spreader bar by at least one spring directing a biasing contact with the other of the boom and the spreader bar.