An ambulance cot and cot loading and unloading system for an emergency vehicle comprises a cot having a head end, a base for mounting to a deck of an emergency vehicle, a track mounted for linear movement along said base, and an arm mounted for linear movement along said track from a retracted position to an extended position. The arm is and configured to engage the cot, and wherein when the track is extended along the base and the arm is extended along the track the arm is extended from the base in an extended position and is configured for lifting the cot and providing cantilevered support to the cot while in the extended position.

A cot fastening system for fastening a cot to an emergency vehicle includes a frame configured for mounting to the floor of an emergency vehicle, which has a longitudinal axis and a cot loading direction along the longitudinal axis. The system includes a first restraint assembly for coupling to a first cot attachment of the cot, which is mounted to the frame. The system further includes a second restraint assembly for coupling to a second cot attachment, which is also mounted to the frame. The system further includes a spring, such as a coil spring, for biasing the cot in a direction opposed from the loading direction of the frame to thereby apply a pre-load on at least one of said restraint assemblies.

A cot fastening system for fastening a cot to an emergency vehicle includes a frame configured for mounting to the floor of an emergency vehicle, which has a longitudinal axis and a cot loading direction along the longitudinal axis. A first restraint assembly is for coupling to a foot end cot attachment of a cot and is mounted to the frame. A second restraint assembly is for coupling to a head end cot attachment of the cot and is mounted to the frame. The frame includes a first section and a second section. The first section has a first width less than the spacing between head end wheels of the cot to allow the cot to straddle the frame. The second section extends from the first end of the first section along the longitudinal axis of the frame and diverges away from the longitudinal axis of the frame to a second width greater than the first width but less than the spacing between the head end wheels to form a guide for guiding the head end wheels of the cot when the head end cot attachment has passed the first restraint assembly and is at or near the second restraint assembly to thereby guide the head end cot attachment into alignment with the second restraint assembly.

A deployable gurney ramp assembly with a retractable ramp deployment apparatus having two deployment tracks extending parallel, parallel first and second base tracks terminating in stops, the deployment tracks slidably engage the base tracks, with ramp guides slidably pivotally engaging a ramp at the end permitting the ramp to pivot when raised or lowered. Extension devices are utilized to advance the deployment ramps and the ramp guides.

A cot fastening system for fastening a cot to an emergency vehicle includes a frame configured for mounting to the floor of an emergency vehicle, which has a longitudinal axis and a cot loading direction along the longitudinal axis. A first restraint assembly is for coupling to a foot end cot attachment of a cot and is mounted to the frame. A second restraint assembly is for coupling to a head end cot attachment of the cot and is mounted to the frame. The frame includes a first section and a second section. The first section has a first width less than the spacing between head end wheels of the cot to allow the cot to straddle the frame. The second section extends from the first end of the first section along the longitudinal axis of the frame and diverges away from the longitudinal axis of the frame to a second width greater than the first width but less than the spacing between the head end wheels to form a guide for guiding the head end wheels of the cot when the head end cot attachment has passed the first restraint assembly and is at or near the second restraint assembly to thereby guide the head end cot attachment into alignment with the second restraint assembly.

In one embodiment, a cot loading and unloading system includes a fixed rail having a track, wherein the fixed rail is operable to be fixed to a floor, and a carriage directly coupled to the track and operable to travel along the fixed rail on the track, wherein the carriage is further operable to travel to an extended position such that at least a portion of the carriage extends beyond a length of the fixed rail.

In one embodiment, a system includes a cot loading and unloading system having a fixed rail including a track, wherein the fixed rail is operable to be fixed to a floor, a carriage having a carriage wireless chip, wherein the carriage is coupled to the track and operable to travel along the fixed rail on the track, and a master controller having a master wireless chip. The system further includes a cot having a cot wireless chip. The master wireless chip is operable to transmit a broadcast address to the cot, and the cot wireless chip is operable to receive the broadcast address and transmit a cot address signal. The carriage wireless chip is operable to receive the cot address signal and transmit a strength signal based on the cot address signal. The master controller receives the strength signal from the carriage wireless chip.

In one embodiment, a carriage of a cot loading and unloading system includes a plurality of wheels for engaging a track defined by a fixed rail of the cot loading and unloading system, a power drive assembly operable to drive the carriage to travel along the track of the fixed rail, and a pair of lift arms for supporting a cot.

In one embodiment a support beam for supporting a carriage of a cot loading and unloading system includes a support beam member operable to translate within a fixed rail that is fixed to a vehicle, and operable to support the carriage beyond a length of the fixed rail when the support beam is in an extended position.

In one embodiment, a carriage of a cot loading and unloading system, the carriage includes a plurality of wheels for engaging a track defined by a fixed rail of the cot loading and unloading system, wherein the carriage is operable to travel to an end of the fixed rail such that a portion of the carriage extends beyond a length of the track, and a pair of load arms for supporting a cot.