Patent ID: 8056163

Claim:
A patient support apparatus comprising: a base having a foot end and a head end; a first elevation assembly positioned at the head end of said base; a second elevation assembly positioned at the foot end of said base; a support deck adapted to support a patient, said first and second elevation assemblies being coupled to said support deck such that said first and second elevation assemblies can raise and lower said support deck with respect to said base; said support deck including a first rail extending from said first elevation assembly to an intermediate location between said foot end and said head end of said base, said first rail having a head end pivotably coupled to said first elevation assembly; said support deck further including a second rail extending from said second elevation assembly to said intermediate location, said second rail being pivotably coupled to said first rail, and said second rail having a foot end pivotably coupled to said second elevation assembly; at least one of said first and second rails including a beam and a sleeve, said beam and said sleeve each having longitudinal extents that are parallel to each other, said beam and said sleeve adapted to move with respect to each other such that a length of said at least one of said first and second rails can be extended and shortened; an actuator adapted to pivot said first rail with respect to said second rail such that said beam and said sleeve move with respect to each other and a horizontal distance between said head end of said first rail and said foot end of said second rail remains constant while said first rail pivots with respect to said second rail; said support deck including a head section having a head end and a foot end, said head section being pivotably supported by said first rail at a location adjacent said foot end of said head section whereby said head end of said head section is pivotable toward and away from said first rail; and wherein one of said seat section and said head section is mounted to said beam and the other of said seat section and said head section is mounted to said sleeve, said seat section and said head section moving away from each other as said first and second rails are pivoted away from a flat orientation in which said first and second rails are parallel to each other.