Variable speed lever propelled wheelchair

A manually-propelled wheeled device comprising:

• a frame having a seat for supporting an individual;
• means supporting said frame for locomotion of said device including a pair of wheels carried by said frame adjacent opposite sides thereof;
• means for mounting said wheels for rotation relative to said frame;
• and
• means carried by said frame and operable by the individual seated in the device for propelling said device in a forward direction, including at least one lever pivotally connected to said frame, a rotatable drive sprocket carried by said frame for rotating at least one of said wheels in a direction to propel the wheelchair in a forward direction, and means interconnecting said lever and said sprocket for rotating said drive sprocket to propel the device in the forward direction;
• said interconnecting means including an elongated rack connected to said lever for substantially translational movement in response to pivotal movement of said lever and carrying a plurality of teeth, said teeth in a first position of said rack relative to said sprocket engaging and driving said sprocket in response to pivoting said lever and translating said rack to propel the device in the forward direction, said rack in a second position relative to and in engagement with said sprocket enabling non-driving relative movement between said sprocket and said rack, thereby disconnecting the drive connection between said lever and said sprocket and freeing said one wheel for rotation to move the device in a rearward direction.

A device for improving the propulsion of rim-propelled wheelchairs, said wheelchair including:

• a wheelchair frame having a seat for supporting an individual;
• means supporting said frame for locomotion of said wheelchair including a pair of wheels carried by said frame adjacent opposite sides thereof;
• and means for mounting said wheels for rotation relative to said frame;
• said device mounted on said frame and operable by the individual seated in the wheelchair for propelling said wheelchair in a forward direction, including:
• at least one lever pivotally connected to said frame, a rotatable drive sprocket carried by said frame for rotating at least one of said wheels in a direction to propel the wheelchair in a forward direction;
• means interconnecting said lever and said sprocket for rotating said drive sprocket to propel the wheelchair in the forward direction, said interconnecting means including an element movable through two positions relative to and in engagement with said sprocket, said element in said first position thereof relative to said sprocket engaging and driving said sprocket, said element in said second position thereof relative to said sprocket engaging said sprocket in non-driving relation thereto thereby disconnecting the drive connection between said lever and said sprocket and freeing said one wheel for rotation;
• and
• anti-reversing means, attachable to said wheelchair frame, movable between first and second operative positions, said first operative position comprising frictional engagement with said drive wheels and said anti-reversing means comprising a means for preventing rearward movement of said wheelchair, said second operative position comprising a non-engagement position with respect to said wheelchair drive wheel.