Wheelchair hand propulsion apparatus

A wheelchair propulsion apparatus in combination with a wheelchair having a pair of axially connected side mounted driving wheels on a chair frame and a front mounted directional caster wheel, the propulsion apparatus comprising;

• a. a mounting plate attached to the chair frame,
• b. a ratchet within a ratchet housing axially mounted on the mounting plate,
• c. a first gear parallel to the ratchet axially mounted on a shaft connected to the ratchet and mounting plate,
• d. a second gear corresponding to the first gear axially mounted on a shaft connected to the side mounted driving wheels,
• e. a multi linked chain connecting the first and second gears so that movement of the ratchet will turn the side mounted wheels,
• f. a first end of a spring mounted push rod mounted in the ratchet housing, the push rod actuating at the first end a pawl, the pawl axially mounted adjacent the ratchet and capable of engaging the ratchet to produce a forward or reverse movement of the side mounted wheels,
• g. a shift element activating a cam roller to move the push rod at a second end in a substantially vertical direction and
• h. a linkage between a housing surrounding the push rod and the caster wheel so that movement of the push rod housing turns the caster wheel.