One-way brake for wheel chairs
OwnerClair S. Buckleyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel chair having small front wheels and large rear wheels supported on axles is disclosed. A ratchet connects each rear wheel to the axle so that each wheel can rotate in a single direction thereby enabling a patient to move his wheel chair up an incline in intervals without having the chair roll backward. A person riding up a ramp in a wheel chair will be able to move himself along by moving the wheels by intermittant forces of his hands on the rear wheels and the chair will not roll backward at the times between the forces. With the ordinary wheel chair, an individual trying to force himself up a ramp may push the chair forward by force, but must hold the chair in this position before again pushing it, thus making it difficult to move himself up the ramp in the chair.
Claims1
In combination, a wheel chair having a frame, and two main wheels, each with a hub and a friction drive supported on axles and adapted to allow the chair to move forward but not backward,
- said axles being fixed to said frame and,
- said friction drive having an inner member and an outer member,
- said inner member of said friction drive being fixed to said axle and,
- the said outer member of said friction drive being fixed to said hub,
- cam means on said inner member,
- roller means between said outer member and said cam means,
- said roller means being adapted to be moved into clamping contact between said cam means and said outer clutch member when the chair is moved in a rearward direction, but to allow the chair to move freely forward whereby said chair can be moved freely forward up an incline but will not run backwards,
- stop members, handle means supported on said axle connected to said stop members for rotating said stop members whereby said roller means is held away from said cam means in unactuated position and said chair may be moved freely in both a forward and a rearward direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.