US3302757A

US3302757A - Automatic immobilizing device

Info

Publication number: US3302757A
Application number: US440877A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Hodge M Eagleson; Robert C Richards
Original assignee: AID Inc OF PENNSYLVANIA
Current assignee: AID Inc OF PENNSYLVANIA
Priority date: 1965-03-18
Filing date: 1965-03-18
Publication date: 1967-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 1984-02-07

Description

Feb. 7, 1967 H. M. EAGLESON, JR, ETAL 3,302,757

AUTOMATI C IMMOBILI Z ING DEVI CE Filed March 18, 1965 IN V E N TORS #00651. 46$0M J2. BY P05527 CI :Q/OMRDS w l 6 1 United States Patent 3,362,757 AUTGMATTC IMMUBKLIZHNG DEVICE Hodge M. Eagieson, Jr., Memphis, Tenn, and Robert C.

Richards, Coraopolis, Pa, assignors to Aid Incorporated of Pennsylvania, Burgettstown, Pa.

Filled Mar. 18, 1965, Eer. No. 44%,877 7 Claims. (Cl. 188-167) This invention relates to improvements in wheelchairs and relates in particular to wheelchair apparatus that will automatically immobilize a wheelchair when the user is transferring from the chair.

Presently available wheelchairs that are equipped to be immobilized are provided with braking apparatus having brake arms. Such arms are positioned for operation by the person or patient utilizing the chair and generally one such arm is positioned on either side of the chair and each arm is disposed to immobilize the respective adjacent wheel only. When the patient transfers from the chair to his bed or other facility, he first sets these brakes to immobilize the chair and prevent it from sliding from beneath him during such transfer.

There are a number of special types of medical problems in which the patient is unable to use these presently available devices with safety as follows:

(1) Quadriplegia.-Tl1e upper extremities are paralyzed and are not strong enough and dextrous enough to manipulate hand operated brakes.

(2) Hemiplegia.The hand is paralyzed on one side of the body and it is difficult to manipulate the brake on this side with the opposite hand.

(3) Chronic debililz'es in old age (chronic brain syndrome).--The patient does not remember to lock the wheelchair.

(4) Multiple injury cases where both an arm and a leg are damaged, or where acute brain injury has occurred, etc.

The most important of these categories is the elderly patient, particularly the nursing home type patient who is in an institution or the home environs where constant supervision is not available. Such patients do not have sufficient attention span to remember to lock their chairs before they try to transfer to the commode or bed, from the wheelchair. As a result such patients suffer a very high incidence of fractured hips, which occur when the chair slips from under the patient and the patient falls to the floor. Such fractured hips, in these aged and debilitated persons, are often of such gravity that the patient dies during the course of treatment for such fractures, usually of pneumonia which is associated with the in activity which attends the aftercare of such fractures.

We have now devised a wheelchair immobilizing apparatus which apply braking means automatically before the user can attempt to transfer from the chair so that patients who are incapable of properly manipulating brake levers or cannot remember to do so can safely transfer from the chair.

In the drawings, we have described a present preferred embodiment of our invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a wheelchair that is provided with the improved features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the chair of FIG- URE l; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of a modification of my invention.

The wheelchair of FIGURES 1 and 2 is of conventional construction being provided with a tubular frame lltl, two large rear wheels 12, two forward caster wheels 14 (only one of which is shown), footrests 16, armrests 18, push handles 20, canvas seat 22, and canvas back 23. This wheelchair is of the collapsible variety so that the tubular frame and accompanying wheels on either side of seat 22 and back 23 fold together for a convenient storing (collapsing and supporting apparatus for tubular frame it is not shown).

Our device consists of two

levers

24 and 26 that are pivotally mounted to rear vertical tubes of tubular frame 10 below the armrest portions 10a of the frame.

Levers

24 and 26 are spaced from frame 10 by spacers 26a and extend forwardly above wheels J12. Springs 28 and 30 attach the free ends of

levers

24 and 26 to the front vertical tubes of frame it) so as to resiliently restrain the levers from upward pivotal movement.

Brake lever angles

32 and 34 are attached to and extend outwardly from each

respective lever

24 and 26 so as to bear on wheels 12 and act as a brake due to downward force exerted by

springs

28 and 30.

Levers

24 and 26 extend through loops 36a formed in either end of a seat belt 36. Seat belt 36 projects through grooves 39 formed in the armrests 18 between the armrests and the frame 10 and extends between the opposite arm portions 10a.

A length adjusting device or buckle 37 of belt 36 may be adjusted to remove the slack from belt 36 so that the belt will

restrain levers

24 and 26 from being pulled downwardly by springs 28 and 3t) suflficiently far that the

lever angles

32 and 34 contact their adjacent wheels 12.

In operation, the length of the belt 36 is adjusted to the weight and size of a patient by use of the buckle 37 so that when the patient sits upon the belt, resulting tension in the belt lifts the brake angles out of engagement with their respective wheels. Thus, these wheels are free to rotate and the chair may travel at the wish of the patient. When the patient lifts his weight from the belt as occurs in arising from the chair or when he shifts his weight towards the front of the chair, the springs 28 and 3t} pull the

levers

24 and 26 pivotally toward the wheels so that the

brake angles

32 and 34 engage and immobilize the wheels 12. Thus, the patient cannot forget to set the brakes and needs only to shift his weight from the belt whereupon the brakes set automatically.

Although our apparatus is particularly desirable and useful when employed in conjunction with a collapsible wheelchair, such as that depicted in the accompanying drawings, because our braking apparatus consists of

levers

24 and 26 independently mounted to either side of the tubular frame It so that the chair may be folded and our apparatus will not interfere with such operation, it is obvious that the apparatus of our invention may be applied to wheelchairs of widely varying construction and including those of both the collapsible and the non-collapsible variety.

To be modified to a chair with removable armrests, for example, requires only that the belt 36 be suspended directly from the

levers

24 and 26 instead of looping over the chair arms (FIGURE 3). Then the

brake angles

32 and 34 are affixed to extensions 24a (one shown) of

lever arms

24 and 26 beyond their pivot points disposed upon a bracket 24b, joined to the frame It). The

springs

28 and 30 are a tension type, so that a patients weight depresses the lever arms and pivotally raises the lever arm extensions and brake angles out of engagement with the wheels. Removal of the patients weight from the belt 36 allows the springs to raise the lever arms urging the lever arm extensions and brake angles downward into engagement against the wheels.

Springs

28 and 30 are each preferably provided with plastic brake spring covers (not shown) so that the patient will not accidentally get his fingers entangled in these members.

While we have described a present preferred embodiment of our invention, it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims:

We claim:

11. In a wheelchair having a frame and a chair supported by at least two wheels rotatably mounted to either side of said chair, the improvement in combination therewith of immobilizing means comprising:

(a) two elongated lever members each pivotally mounted at one end to said frame, each said lever members being substantially horizontally positioned, one each of said lever members being positioned adjacent one each of said Wheels and each being disposed to engage and immobilize the adjacent wheel when urged pivotally downwardly;

(b) spring means operatively connected to and disposed to urge each said levers pivotally downwardly into engagement with said wheels;

(c) a belt attached at either end to one of said levers, being suspended from said frame and extending across said chair and in a position to be sat upon by a person, said belt being of a length to restrain said levers from engaging and immobilizing said wheels when sat upon by a person and of such length that said spring means urges said levers into engagement with said wheels when a person rises from said belt.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lever members are positioned between their adjacent wheel and said frame and brake members extend outwardly from each said member, said brake members being disposed to contact the rim of the adjacent wheel and immobilize said wheel when said lever members are urged downwardly by said spring means.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said belt includes means for adjusting the length thereof.

4. In a wheelchair having a chair and a frame formed with armrest portions and supported by two large wheels rotatably mounted to the rear portion of said frame on either side thereof and two smaller wheels rotatably mounted to the forward portion of said frame on either side thereof, the improvement in combination therewith of immobilizing means comprising:

(a) two elongated levers each pivotally mounted at one end of said frame of said chair beneath said armrest portions, each said levers being positioned substantially horizontally and one each extending forwardly on either side of said frame between said frame and one adjacent large wheel, brake members one each attached to and extending outwardly from each said levers, each said brake members being disposed to engage the rim of the adjacent large wheel when said levers are urged downwardly;

v(b) spring means operatively connected to said levers and said frame and disposed to urge said levers downwardly so that said brake members engage and immobilize said wheels;

(c) a seat belt attached at either end to one of said levers and extending over the armrest portions of the frame of said chair and across said chair in a position to he sat upon by a person, said belt being of a length to restrain said levers from contacting and immobilizing said wheels when sat upon by a person; and

(d) means for adjusting the length of said belt.

5. In a wheelchair having a frame and a chair supported by at least two wheels rotatably mounted to either side of said chair, the improvement in combination therewith of immobilizing means comprising:

(a) two elongated lever members each pivotally mounted upon said frame intermediate their ends, one of each of said lever members being positioned adjacent one each of said wheels and each being disposed to engage and immobilize the adjacent wheel 20 when urged pivotally toward said adjacent wheel;

(b) spring means operatively connected and disposed to urge each of said lever members pivotally into contact with said wheels;

(c) a seat belt operatively connected to either end to one of said lever members so as to extend across said chair in a position to he sat upon by a person, said belt being of such length as to allow said lever members, urged by said spring means, to engage and immobilize said wheels when a person is not upon said belt, and of such length that When a person is upon said belt, said lever members are moved pivotally out of engagement with said wheels.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said lever members are positioned between their adjacent wheel and said frame and a brake member is mounted by each said member, said brake members being disposed to contact the rim of said adjacent wheel and immobilize said wheel when said lever members are urged pivotally against said wheel by said spring means.

'7. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said belt includes means for adjusting the length thereof to the weight and size of a patient so that when said person sits on said belt said lever members are moved pivotally out of engagement with said wheels by the weight of said person in opposition to said spring means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,053,852 9/1936 Tracy 188-409 2,259,924 10/1941 Connolly 188109 2,426,451 8/1947 Hammack 188-2 DUANE A. REGER, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A WHEELCHAIR HAVING A FRAME AND A CHAIR SUPPORTED BY AT LEAST TWO WHEELS ROTATABLY MOUNTED TO EITHER SIDE OF SAID CHAIR, THE IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINATION THEREWITH OF IMMOBILIZING MEANS COMPRISING: (A) TWO ELONGATED LEVER MEMBERS EACH PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT ONE END TO SAID FRAME, EACH SAID LEVER MEMBERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY POSITIONED, ONE EACH OF SAID LEVER MEMBERS BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT ONE EACH OF SAID WHEELS AND EACH BEING DISPOSED TO ENGAGE AND IMMOBILIZE THE ADJACENT WHEEL WHEN URGED PIVOTALLY DOWNWARDLY; (B) SPRING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO AND DISPOSED TO URGE EACH SAID LEVERS PIVOTALLY DOWNWARDLY INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID WHEELS;