vice versa in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter the patient transfer device 10 includes a mobile unit defined by platform or a base 11 and an upstanding vertical structure 12 the base 11 is substantially elongated and includes a pair of substantially parallel high strength steel longitudinal tubes 13 14 having upwardly offset forward ends or end portions 15 16 and similar upwardly offset rear ends or end portions 17 18 respectively lockable unlockable castors or wheels 20 of a conventional construction are conventionally attached to the forward end portions 15 16 and the rear end portions 17 18 of the base 11 a pair of high strength steel transverse tubes 21 22 fig1 are in parallel spaced relationship to each other and opposite ends unnumbered are welded to the longitudinal tubes 13 14 a steel plate 23 bridges the transverse tubes 21 22 and is welded thereto the plate 23 provides a support for a number of drive components suitably conventionally secured thereto including a drive mechanism or drive means 25 fig1 defined by an electric reversible motor 26 having an output shaft not shown connected to reduction gearing not shown located in a conventional step down gear box 27 having an output shaft not shown connected to a conventional clutch defined by clutch bodies 28 29 having clutch faces unnumbered in opposing relationship to each other the clutch body 29 carries a toothed drive gear 31 carried by a shaft not shown supported for rotation in a conventional bearing not shown in one or more bearing.