Embodiments of a cot comprise a support frame, legs coupled to the support frame, at least one hydraulic actuator configured to raise or lower the legs, and a manual release system coupled to the at least one actuator and configured to lower the cot manually at a controlled descent rate. The manual release system comprises a manual actuation component, a manual release valve operable to be opened upon actuation by the manual actuation component, a fluid reservoir operable to receive hydraulic fluid from the at least one actuator upon opening of the manual valve; and a flow regulator configured to control the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid into the fluid reservoir, wherein the release of hydraulic fluid into the fluid reservoir at the controlled flow rate is configured to manually lower the cot at the controlled descent rate.

A patient support system with chest compression system and harness assembly with sensor system. The harness assembly secures shoulders and hips of the patient on a patient support surface during transport. A chest compression system is integrated into the harness assembly in a manner that provides chest compressions to the patient while the patient is secured on the patient support surface. The tension of the harness assembly is selectively adjusted and/or a fluid bladder may be selectively expanded. A controller is in communication with the chest compression system and controls operation of the chest compression system. The sensor system is integrated into the harness assembly and in communication with the controller. The chest compression system may be removable from the harness assembly via an adapter. The chest compression system may be integrated into the patient support apparatus to secure the patient to the patient support surface while providing chest compressions.

A harness system for a patient transport apparatus. The harness system comprises one or more harness assemblies. Each harness assembly comprises a flexible restraint member formed of a coated fabric and comprising one or more joints in which stitches join sections of the coated fabric. Covers are attached to the coated fabric over the stitches to provide a barrier to outside contaminants and to ease cleaning of the flexible restraint member.

A patient transport apparatus for patients. The patient transport apparatus comprises a base having a base frame and an intermediate frame. The patient support further comprises a litter configured to be docked to and undocked from a trolley that is configured to slidably translate along the intermediate frame between a plurality of positions including a trolley forward position and a trolley docking position. The litter is configured to be supported by the base in a cantilevered position when the trolley is in the trolley docking position. The base includes a stabilizer that is configured for movement between a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration. In the deployed configuration the stabilizer engages a floor surface to brace the base at an additional point of contact with the floor surface to stabilize the base when the litter is in the cantilevered position.

Patient transport apparatus with defined transport height comprises a support structure and a litter that are interconnected by a lift mechanism. The support structure comprises a base frame and a plurality of articulable support members or legs. The litter comprises a litter frame and a patient support surface with articulating back and leg sections. The lift mechanism may comprise one or more actuators configured to raise and lower the litter between a lowered position and one or more defined raised positions. The Patient transport apparatus may further comprise a controller coupled to one or more sensors and the lift mechanism. The controller may be configured to define a transport height for the litter based, at least in part, on a characteristic detected by the one or more sensors, and to manipulate the lift mechanism to adjust the litter to the defined transport height.

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.

Embodiments of a cot comprise a support frame, legs coupled to the support frame, at least one hydraulic actuator configured to raise or lower the legs, and a manual release system coupled to the at least one actuator and configured to lower the cot manually at a controlled descent rate. The manual release system comprises a manual actuation component, a manual release valve operable to be opened upon actuation by the manual actuation component, a fluid reservoir operable to receive hydraulic fluid from the at least one actuator upon opening of the manual valve; and a flow regulator configured to control the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid into the fluid reservoir, wherein the release of hydraulic fluid into the fluid reservoir at the controlled flow rate is configured to manually lower the cot at the controlled descent rate.

An emergency cot includes a litter frame, a base, and a lift assembly supporting the litter frame relative to the base. The lift assembly includes load bearing members pivotally coupled to the litter frame by head-end upper pivot connections and foot-end upper pivot connections and to the base by head-end lower pivot connections and foot-end lower pivot connections for raising or lowering the base or the litter frame with respect to the other. The foot-end upper pivot connections or head-end upper pivot connections are movable toward or away from the longitudinal axis of the litter frame to allow one end of the litter frame to be tilted upwardly.

A patient handling apparatus includes a frame, a base, and a lift assembly supporting the frame relative to the base, the lift assembly configured to extend or contract to raise or lower the base or the frame with respect to the other of the base and the frame. The patient handling apparatus further includes a control system, which comprises at least one hydraulic cylinder to extend or contract the lift assembly, a hydraulic circuit to direct the flow of hydraulic fluid to and from the hydraulic cylinder, and a controller operable to control the hydraulic circuit. Based on an input signal, for example, an input signal that is indicative of a status or condition of the patient handling apparatus, the controller is configured to open, optionally automatically, fluid communication between the rod end chamber and the cap end chamber to redirect a portion of the fluid output from the rod end chamber to the cap end chamber when the rod is extending to thereby increase the extension speed of the rod.

A cot can include a support frame that extends between a front end and a back end. A front leg and a back leg can be slidingly coupled to the support frame. A front actuator can be coupled to the front leg and slide the front leg to retract and extend the front leg. A back actuator can be coupled to the back leg and slide the back leg to retract and extend the front leg. One or more processors can execute machine readable instructions to receive signals from one or more sensors indicative of the front end of the cot and the front leg. The one or more processors can actuate the back actuator to extend the back leg to raise the back end of the cot, when the front end of the cot is supported by a surface and the front leg is retracted a predetermined amount.