Attachment means for attaching a wheelchair to a motorized apparatus
OwnerGeorge S. Sawyerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A powered propulsion apparatus that is attachable to and detachable from, a wide range of conventional wheelchairs without modification of the propulsion apparatus or the wheelchairs. The propulsion apparatus converts a conventional manually powered wheelchair into a power driven wheelchair. The apparatus clamps to the front wheels of a conventional wheelchair with a clamping mechanism that is adjustable to accommodate a wide range of wheel-spacings and wheel sizes and accommodates an inexactitude of alignment between the clamps and the wheelchair. The clamping mechanism secures the wheel chair to the propulsion apparatus without damage or stress to the wheelchair components.
Claims36
A powered drive apparatus, connectable to a wheelchair, comprising:
- a first gripping assembly carried by said powered drive apparatus for gripping a first front wheel of a wheelchair to secure said powered drive apparatus to said wheelchair whereby said wheelchair may be propelled by said powered drive apparatus.
A drive apparatus attachably connectable to the front wheels of conventional manually operated wheelchairs across a variety of wheelchair front wheel spacing widths.
A drive apparatus for a conventional wheelchair that when attached lowers the center of gravity of the combined wheelchair and drive apparatus.
A drive apparatus for a conventional wheelchair that can be remotely connected to a wide variety of wheelchair front wheel spacing widths without manual pre-sizing or additive attachments to the wheelchair to enable such remote connection.
A drive apparatus for a conventional wheelchair that incorporates self-retracting ramps that allow for mount and dismount from the apparatus and are self contained in use.
A drive apparatus for a conventional wheelchair that specifically clampably attaches to the front wheels of a wide variety of conventional manually operated wheelchairs and adapts to variations in height, width and spacing of the wheels.
A tractor for moving a wheelchair over a supporting floor surface, comprising:
- a clamping assembly for securing one or more front wheels of a wheelchair to said tractor assembly at a point elevated above said supporting floor surface, and
- a self-contained motive power mechanism connected with said tractor for moving said tractor and a wheelchair secured to said tractor over said supporting floor surface.
A tractor as defined in claim 35, further comprising a wheel supported platform connected with said tractor for supporting said wheelchair above said floor surface.
A tractor as defined in claim 36 further comprising one or more castering wheels secured to said platform to form a portion of said wheel-supported platform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.