Patent ID: 7073220

Claim:
A patient support comprising, a frame; a siderail supported by the frame, the siderail including a rail member, a linkage configured to permit vertical movement of the rail member between a raised position and a lowered position, and a latching mechanism configured to retain the rail member in at least one of the raised position and the lowered position; and the latching mechanism including a rocker arm having first and second ends movable about a pivot axis, a handle member coupled proximate the first end of the rocker arm, a latch member coupled proximate the second end of the rocker arm, the handle member being configured to pivot the rocker arm about the pivot axis such that the rocker arm moves the latch member between a latched position which prevents vertical movement of the rail member and an unlatched position which permits vertical movement of the rail member, wherein the handle member is configured to slide along a linear path to provide pivoting movement of the rocker arm.