Patent ID: 7024708

Claim:
A bed rail comprising a side rail and means for clamping a mattress to mount the side rail alongside the mattress, the clamping means including a left clamp and a right clamp, wherein each clamp includes a fixed jaw configured to be positioned under the mattress, a movable jaw configured to be positioned over the mattress and to move relative to the fixed jaw to clamp the mattress between the fixed jaw and the movable jaw and a motion controller configured to control relative movement of the jaws toward one another to clamp the mattress therebetween and away from one another to unclamp the mattress, the motion controller including a ratchet and a ratchet engagement device arranged to engage the ratchet to allow relative movement of the jaws toward one another but not away from one another and to release the ratchet to allow relative movement of the jaws away from one another.