Patent ID: 8646125

Claim:
A transport apparatus comprising: a base; a sling; a support frame mounted to said base, said support frame including a lifting sling support extending over said base and being configured to move from a first position spaced above said base at a first height wherein the sling support may be extended over and proximate a support surface for engaging said sling when placed on the support surface to a second position spaced above a second height greater than said first height once engaged with said sling wherein said sling is raised above said support surface, said sling support including a rotatable sling frame, said sling frame providing support to the sling when engaged with said sling, and said sling frame being rotatable relative to said lifting sling support about a vertical axis wherein when said sling support and said sling frame are raised to said second position above the support surface a person supported on said sling may be lifted off the support surface from a first orientation with said sling and moved away from said support surface by said base and then rotated about said vertical axis to an orientation generally orthogonal to said first orientation to facilitate depositing the person on another support surface; and a seat frame, said seat frame configured to support said sling, and said seat frame being movable from a stowed position to an operative position engaging and supporting said sling in addition to or instead of said sling support.