Handle assembly for wheel chair brake mechanism

A brake release assembly adapted to be retrofitted to an existing foldable wheelchair, the brake release assembly comprising:

• a coupling member disposed on a foldable wheelchair frame proximate a handle portion thereof;
• a hand release lever operably coupled to the coupling member and a wheel brake mechanism, the release lever configured to disengage the wheel brake mechanism from a wheel of the wheelchair when depressed by a user;
• and
• a switch disposed in the coupling member and which is configured to selectively lock the hand release lever in the disengaged position, wherein the switch is disposed on the coupling member such that gravity will cause the switch to release when a patient sits in the wheelchair.

A brake release assembly retrofittable to an existing foldable wheelchair, the brake release assembly comprising:

• a first coupling member disposed on a foldable wheelchair frame proximate a first handle thereof;
• a second coupling member disposed proximate a second handle of the foldable wheelchair frame;
• a first hand release lever operably coupled to the first coupling member and a first wheel brake mechanism, the first release lever configured to disengage the first wheel brake mechanism from a first wheel of the wheelchair when depressed by a user;
• a switch disposed in each of the first and the second coupling members and which is configured to selectively lock the first hand release lever in the disengaged position;
• and
• a friction brake lever configured to engage a friction braking assembly, said friction braking assembly operably coupled to the wheelchair, the friction brake lever proximate and generally opposed to the hand release lever, wherein the switch is disposed on the first and second coupling members such that gravity will cause the switch to release when the first hand release lever is momentarily depressed.

A brake release assembly retrofittable to an existing foldable wheelchair, the brake release assembly comprising:

• a first coupling member disposed on a foldable wheelchair frame proximate a first handle thereof;
• a second coupling member disposed proximate a second handle of the foldable wheelchair frame;
• a first hand release lever operably coupled to the first coupling member and a first wheel brake mechanism, the first release lever configured to disengage the first wheel brake mechanism from a first wheel of the wheelchair when depressed by a user;
• a switch disposed in each of the first and the second coupling members and which is configured to selectively lock the first hand release lever in the disengaged position;
• and
• a friction brake lever configured to engage a friction braking assembly, said friction braking assembly operably coupled to the wheelchair, the friction brake lever proximate and generally opposed to the hand release lever, wherein the switch is disposed on the first and the second coupling members such that gravity will cause the switch to release when a patient sits in the wheelchair.