A suspended patient-carrier/transport apparatus (10) of the type including an overhead rail (20) forming a horizontal track (21) terminating at a track-end (22), and a carrier device (12) supported by a carriage (30) having a plurality of aligned rollers (32) rideable along the track. The inventive suspended transport apparatus has a locking safety mechanism (14) including the carriage having a main carriage portion (34) and a forward carriage portion (36). A track-end detector (22) is at the forward carriage portion and movably secured with respect thereto such that the track-end detector moves downwardly when it runs beyond the track-end. A locking device (40) is operatively connected with respect to the track-end detector such that downward movement thereof causes the locking device to engage the rail thereby stopping the carriage on the track.
