Lightweight maneuverable power chair
AssigneeRoyce H. Husted
InventorsRoyce H. Husted, Joel P. Husted
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lightweight, easily maneuverable and transportable power chair, that may be manually propelled, includes a pair of freely rotatable wheels and a corresponding pairs of friction rollers and braking surfaces that are selectively engageable therewith to effect propulsion and steering of the chair. A pair of toggle levers are operated by a corresponding pair of control handles for selectively engaging the friction rollers and brake surfaces with the wheels. A single caster wheel is vertically rotatable at the front of the power chair frame. This forms a tricycle rolling system that always maintains a load on each of the driving wheels.
Claims7
A drive system for a power chair having a frame with a front and a rear, two freely rotatable traction wheels on opposite sides of said frame adjacent said rear, a freely movable caster wheel pivotally mounted to said front of said frame and forming a triangular configuration with said traction wheels for providing continuous ground contact with each of said traction wheels, and a seat positioned between said traction wheels and rearwardly of said caster wheel, comprising:
- a power unit movably supported on said frame;
- a pair of rocker levers pivotally mounted to said frame;
- a pair of rotatable friction rollers flexibly supported on said rocker levers, respectively, and drivingly coupled to said power unit;
- a pair of friction brake surfaces supported on said rocker levers and engageable with said traction wheels;
- and
- a pair of manual control arms, mounted adjacent said seat, coupled to said rocker levers for causing selective engagement between said traction wheels and said friction rollers and between said traction wheels and said friction brake surfaces to effect propulsion and steering of said power chair.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.