Wheelchair brake
OwnerTheodore M. Berryinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Braking apparatus for use on wheelchairs are provided by the present invention. The braking apparatus may be used on a wheelchair having a pair of rotatable wheels and a frame member. The apparatus includes a mounting assembly connected to the frame member wherein the mounting assembly comprises first and second clamp sections for securing the mounting assembly to the frame member; a quick release assembly for compressing the first and second clamp sections around the frame member; and frictional braking means for slowing the rotation of at least one of said wheels.
Claims28
A brake apparatus for use on a wheelchair having a pair of rotatable wheels, and first and second frame rails adjacent said wheels, each rail having a longitudinal axis, mounting assemblies respectively associated with said first and second frame rails,
- each said mounting assembly comprising first and second clamp sections for securing said mounting assembly to the associated one of said frame rails, said clamp sections being pivotally attached to each other for pivotal displacement about an axis parallel to said longitudinal axis;
- a quick release assembly operable in a clamping position for compressing said first and second clamp sections around said frame rail and operable in a release position for allowing pivotal displacement of said clamping sections away from said frame rail,
- said quick release assembly having a pivot shaft mounted on one clamp section and having a cam mounted on said shaft to bear on the other clamp section operable in the clamping position to move said clamp sections together to said compressed position, and pivoting means mounted on said shaft to pivot said cam on said shaft, said cam having a cam lobe operable to compress said sections around said frame rail in the clamping position, and to release said compression of said sections from around said frame rail in the release position;
- and
- frictional braking means mounted on said rails by said mounting assemblies with actuating means and brake pads for selectively engaging and slowing rotation of one of said rotatable wheels.
A brake apparatus for use on a wheelchair having at least one primary wheel with a rigid wheel rim, a resilient tire, and an axis of rotation, rotation of said primary wheel in opposite directions moving the wheelchair in a forward and a rearward direction, and an elongated frame siderail adjacent to said wheel and having a longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising:
- a mounting assembly connected to said siderail, said mounting assembly comprising first and second frame clamp members, said frame clamp members being pivotally attached to each other for pivotal displacement about an axis parallel to said longitudinal axis and drawn together to secure said mounting assembly to said siderail;
- a quick release assembly having a shaft pivotally mounted on the second frame clamp member with a cam having a clamping position which bears on said first frame clamp member thereby moving said first frame clamp member toward said second frame clamp member and a release position which allows pivotal displacement of said clamp members away from said siderail;
- said shaft having a pivotal axis;
- said cam having a cam lobe engaging said first frame clamp member upon pivotal displacement of said cam on said pivotal axis to said clamping position;
- a caliper brake surrounding and engagable with said wheel rim;
- connecting means connecting said mounting assembly to said caliper brake;
- and
- brake actuating means connected to said mounting assembly and to said caliper brake for actuating said brake and causing said brake to engage said wheel rim, thereby prohibiting said wheel from rotating about said axis of rotation.
A brake apparatus for use on a wheelchair having at least one primary wheel with a rigid wheel rim and a resilient tire, and an axis of rotation, rotation of said primary wheel in opposite directions moving the wheelchair in a forward and a rearward direction, a caliper brake surrounding said tire and engageable with said rigid wheel rim, and first and second frame rails, said apparatus comprising:
- a first mounting assembly connected to said first rail, said first mounting assembly comprising first and second frame clamp members, said frame clamp members drawn together to secure said mounting assembly to said first rail;
- a first release assembly which bears on said first frame clamp member thereby moving said first frame clamp member toward said second frame clamp member;
- brake actuating means connected to said first mounting assembly and a brake cable having cable ends connecting said brake actuating means to said caliper brake;
- brake locking means engagable with said brake actuating means for locking said actuating means in locking position when the caliper brake engages said wheel, comprising
- a lever plate mounted on said mounting assembly,
- a first pivot on said lever plate providing a first pivot axis;
- a lever arm having first and second ends pivotally mounted at said on said lever plate, said lever arm being connected at said first end to one of cable ends and the second end of said lever arm being movable about said first pivot axis downwardly forward with respect to the forward direction of motion of said wheelchair;
- a second pivot having a second pivot axis parallel to said first pivot axis located on said lever plate adjacent to said lever arm;
- a locking lever pivotally mounted on said second pivot on said lever plate, said locking lever having first and second ends on opposite sides of said pivot location;
- a projection at said first end of said locking lever adjacent to said first end of said lever arm;
- biasing means connected to said locking lever for urging said locking lever to rotate about said second pivot axis on said lever plate towards said second end of said lever arm, whereby said projection is constantly urged toward said lever arm and is movable to a position beneath said first end of said lever arm when a force is applied to said second end of said lever arm to actuate said caliper brake and the first end of said lever arm is rotated away from said projection and said locking lever being movable about said second pivot axis from a position where said projection moves from beneath said first end of said lever arm with the application of a downwardly forward force to the second end thereof;
- a second mounting assembly connected to said second rail, said second mounting assembly comprising first and second frame clamp members, said frame clamp members drawn together to secure said mounting assembly to said second rail;
- a second release assembly which bears on said first frame clamp member of said second mounting assembly thereby moving said first frame clamp member toward said second frame clamp member, said second mounting assembly connected to said caliper brake.
A brake apparatus for use on a wheelchair having at least one primary wheel with a rigid wheel rim and a resilient tire, and an axis of rotation, rotation of said primary wheel in opposite directions moving the wheelchair in a forward and a rearward direction, and first and second frame rails, said apparatus comprising:
- a caliper brake comprising a pair of caliper arms having free ends straddling said tire, and brake pads on the free ends positioned to engage the rigid wheel rim, said caliper brake operable to displace the calipers between open and closed positions to apply incremental braking as the calipers are displaced from open position to closed position;
- a first mounting assembly having frame clamp means secured to said first rail;
- brake actuating means connected to said first mounting assembly;
- a second mounting assembly having frame clamp members secured to said second rail, said second mounting assembly connected to said caliper brake;
- a brake cable connecting said brake actuating means to said caliper brake;
- and
- brake locking means engagable with said actuating means for locking said actuating means in locking position when the caliper brake is in said closed position wherein said brake locking means is comprised of:
- a lever plate mounted on said first mounting assembly;
- a first pivot on said lever plate providing a first pivot axis;
- a lever arm having first and second ends pivotally mounted at said pivot on said lever plate, said lever arm being connected at said first end of said second end of said cable means and the second end of said lever arm being movable about said first pivot axis downwardly forward with respect to the forward direction of motion of said wheelchair;
- a second pivot having a second pivot axis parallel to said first pivot axis located on said lever plate adjacent to said lever arm;
- a locking lever pivotally mounted on said second pivot on said lever plate, said locking lever having first and second ends on opposite sides of said pivot location;
- a projection at said first end of said locking lever adjacent to said first end of said lever arm;
- biasing means connected to said locking lever for urging said locking lever to rotate about said second pivot axis on said lever plate towards said second end of said lever arm, whereby said projection is constantly urged toward said lever arm and is movable to a position beneath said first end of said lever arm when a force is applied to said second end of said lever arm to actuate said caliper brake and the first end of said lever arm is rotated away from said projection and said locking lever being movable about said second pivot axis from a position where said projection moves from beneath said first end of said lever arm with the application of a downwardly forward force to the second end thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.