Wheelchairs

In a wheelchair having a pair of wheels and a pair of frame members, each frame member having wheel mounting means for supporting one wheel on each frame member, collapsible brace means connecting the frame members together and adapted to hold the frame members in an open position when the wheelchair is to be occupied and a collapsed position for storage of the wheelchair, each frame member being formed of one piece of material, the improvement comprising the provision of each frame member having well means indented into each, and the wheel mounting means mounts the wheel in the well means to minimize the width of the wheelchair and to prevent the wheels from throwing mud and water.

In a wheelchair having a pair of wheels and a pair of frame members, each frame member having wheel mounting means for supporting one wheel on each frame member, collapsible brace means connecting the frame members together and adapted to hold the frame members in an open position when the wheelchair is to be occupied and a collapsed position for storage of the wheelchair, each frame member being formed of one piece of material, the improvement comprising the provision of having the brace means comprising a pair of brace members;

• vertical pivot means on the brace members for mounting the brace members to pivot with respect to each other at a central portion of each brace member about a vertical axis;
• anchoring means on each frame member for anchoring one end of one brace member to a frame member for pivoting the brace members with respect to the frame member about a vertical axis;
• and releasable anchoring means for releasably anchoring the second end of the brace members to the opposite frame member than the one to which the one end of the brace member is anchored.

In a wheelchair having a pair of wheels and a pair of frame members, each frame member having wheel mounting means for supporting one wheel on each frame member, collapsible brace means connecting the frame members together and adapted to hold the frame members in an open position when the wheelchair is to be occupied and a collapsed position for storage of the wheelchair, each frame member being formed of one piece of material, the improvement comprising the provision of:

• brake means on the frame means movable against the wheels for stoping rotation of the wheels when the brake means is against the wheel, a handle attached to the brake means for moving the brake means into and out of the position against the wheel, brake handle mounting means on the frame member for mounting the brake handle means to the frame member in a location where it can be reached by the user, the brake handle mounting means comprising an indentation in the frame members in which the brake handle means is mounted, the indentation being adjacent the wheel well so that the brake means extends through the wall of the wheel well when the brake means is against the wheel.

In a wheelchair having a pair of wheels and a pair of frame members, each frame member having wheel mounting means for supporting one wheel on each frame member, collapsible brace means connecting the frame members together and adapted to hold the frame members in an open position when the wheelchair is to be occupied and a collapsed position for storage of the wheelchair, each frame member being formed of one piece of material, the improvement comprising the provision of having:

• the frame members have a forward edge sloping forward from the top to the bottom of the frame members, a footrest for supporting the foot of the user and footrest supporting means on the forward edge of the frame member for supporting the footrest at a location appropriate for the user's foot, the footrest supporting means comprising a housing on the forward edge of the frame member, tubular means telescoping into and out of the bottom of the housing, a fitting on the tubular member for securing the footrest thereto, and a grip connected to the tubular member and extending upward out of the housing at a location where it can be reached by the user whereby pulling the grip upward raises the tubular member and the footrest.

In a wheelchair having a pair of wheels and a pair of frame members, each frame member having wheel mounting means for supporting one wheel on each frame member, collapsible brace means connecting the frame members together and adapted to hold the frame members in an open position when the wheelchair is to be occupied and a collapsed position for storage of the wheelchair, each frame member being formed of one piece of material, the improvement comprising the provision of:

• a seat between the frame members comprising a platform and means on the frame members below the top thereof for mounting the platform between the frame member, a pit in the platform and a cushion extending into the pit, the pit preventing movement of the cushion along the platform, the cushion extending along the platform and the top of the cushion being aligned with the top of the frame members.

In a wheelchair having a pair of frame members, a seat between the frame members, and brace means between the frame members for supporting the frame members in a spaced apart, open position and allowing the frame members to be brought together to a collapsed position, the improvement comprising:

• the brace means comprising a pair of brace members and vertical pivot means for mounting the brace members with respect to each other at a central portion of each brace member about a vertical axis, anchoring means on each of the frame members for anchoring one end of one of the brace members to said each one of the frame members for pivoting the each of the brace members with respect to the frame member about a vertical axis, and releasable anchoring means for releasably anchoring the other end of each of the brace members to the frame member to which the one end of the brace member is anchored.

In a wheelchair having a pair of frame members and a main wheel mounted for rotation on each frame member, brace means attached to the frame members for separating the frame members, a seat between the frame members for supporting the user, brake means on the frame members movable against the wheel for preventing rotation of the wheels to brake the wheelchair, and hill holder means on the frame members for preventing movement of the wheels in one direction to allow wheelchair movement in the forward direction and to prevent movement of the wheelchair in the rearward direction, the improvement comprising the provision of:

• the hill holder means comprising a cam contacting the wheel;
• cam mounting means for mounting the cam for pivoting adjacent the wheel such that the wheel pivots the cam in a first direction out of the way of the rotating wheel to travel along it when the wheel rotates in a direction moving the wheelchair forward, the wheel pivots the cam in a second direction opposite to the first direction to engage the wheel and prevent rotation thereof when the wheel rotates in a direction moving the wheelchair rearward.

In a wheelchair having a pair of frame members, brace means attached to the frame members for supporting the frame members in a spaced apart, open position, a seat between the frame members for supporting the user and a footrest attached to each frame member for supporting the user's foot, the improvement comprising:

• footrest mounting means attached to each frame member for mounting the footrest in a plane for accommodating the user's foot and for movement forward and backward in the same plane.

In a wheelchair having a pair of frame members, brace means attached to the frame members for supporting the frame members in a spaced apart, open position, a seat between the frame members for supporting the user, a footrest attached to each frame member for supporting the user's feet, and footrest supporting means for supporting the footrest on the frame members, the improvement comprising:

• the footrest supporting means comprising a housing on each frame member, a tubular member telescoping into and out of the housing, a bracket on the tubular member for securing the footrest thereto, a grip connected to the tubular member and extending upward out of the housing at a location where it can be reached by the user whereby pulling the grip upward raises the tubular member and the footrest.

In a wheelchair having a pair of frame members, a seat between the frame members, brace means between the frame members for supporting the frame members, a main wheel on each of the frame members for propelling the wheelchair and side members extending generally vertically from the frame members, the side members having a first set of edges on opposite sides of the side members and a second set of edges, each adjacent to an edge of the first set of edges, the improvement comprising:

• side mounting means on the frame members and the side members for mounting one edge of the first set of edges of the side members to the frame members at a first position wherein the side members extend generally vertically upward from the frame members and for mounting one edge of the second set of edges of the side members to the frame members at a second position wherein the side members extend generally horizontally outward from the frame members to act as transfer panels allowing the user to slide from the wheelchair seat along the transfer panel to a remote location.

In a wheelchair having a pair of frame members, brace members attached to the frame members for supporting the frame members and a seat between the frame members for supporting the user, the improvement in the seat comprising:

• a cushion, a platform mounted between the frame members having a pit for supporting the cushion therein, the cushion having a lower portion extending into the pit for cushioning the seat, the lower portion having a dimension such that it is flush with the upper surface of the platform so that the seat presents a continuous surface to the user.