Stretcher center wheel mechanism

A stretcher for transporting a patient along a floor, the stretcher comprising:

• an elongated frame,
• a plurality of casters mounted to the frame,
• a brake-steer assembly for braking the casters, the brake-steer assembly being mounted to the frame and coupled to the casters for movement between a steer position wherein the casters are free to roll and swivel and a brake position wherein the casters are locked from rolling or swiveling, the brake-steer assembly including a longitudinally-extending brake-steer shaft rotatably coupled to the frame for movement between a brake position when the brake-steer assembly is in the brake position and a steer position when the brake-steer assembly is in the steer position,
• a wheel,
• a wheel-mounting bracket being pivotably coupled to the frame, the wheel being rotatably coupled to the wheel-mounting bracket for rotation about a generally transverse axis of rotation, the wheel-mounting bracket being pivotable between a first position in which the wheel engages the floor and a second position in which the wheel is spaced apart from the floor, and
• a mechanism movable between a brake position and a steer position, the mechanism moving the wheel-mounting bracket in response to movement of the brake-steer shaft so that when the brake-steer shaft rotates to the steer position, the brake-steer shaft moves the mechanism to the steer position and the mechanism moves the wheel-mounting bracket to the first position in which the wheel engages the floor and when the brake-steer shaft rotates to the brake position, the brake-steer shaft moves the mechanism to the brake position and the mechanism moves the wheel-mounting bracket to the second position in which the wheel is spaced apart from the floor.

A stretcher for transporting a patient over a floor, the stretcher comprising:

• a frame,
• a plurality of casters mounted to the frame and engaging the floor,
• a wheel, and
• a wheel-mounting bracket coupling the wheel to the frame, the wheel-mounting bracket including a first fork having a first end and a second end pivotably mounted to the frame and a second fork having a first end, a second end rotatably coupled to the wheel, and a middle portion therebetween pivotably coupled to the first end of the first fork so that second fork pivots relative to the first fork, the first fork pivots relative to the frame, and the wheel being movable relative to the frame between a downward steer position engaging the floor and an upward raised position spaced apart from the floor.