Curb-climbing attachment for wheel chairs

Claim 2

In combination with a conventional wheelchair an attachment to accomplish a curb-climbing and descending function comprising a clamp attached to each side frame of the chair and near the back thereof and a lever pivotally attached to each clamp, to swing fore and aft relative to the chair the forward end of each lever, including a handle disposed for manipulation by the occupant of the chair means attached to each side frame of the chair for use in holding said levers at various operational positions, an upwardly extending plunger pivotally attached to the other end of each lever and disposed to contact the lever surface when the levers are manipulated to raise or lower the rear portion of the chair, which ever the case may warrant, when the front portion of the chair is upon a curb or other elevated surface, an apertured guide means for slidably engaging each said plunger attached to the lower horizontal bar of each side frame of the chair, and a wheel rotatively mounted at the rear of each guide and disposed to check the backward tipping of the chair as required to place the front portion of the chair upon a curb or other elevated surface.

Claim 3

An occupant propelled and controlled curb-climbing wheelchair comprising a pair of rigid side frames sustained in spaced relationship by lateral structure, said structure forming a chair comprising a seat, a back and a footrest, a drive wheel rotatively mounted on each side frame at the rear of the chair and a swivel wheel rotatively mounted to each side frame at the front or footrest end of the chair, a manually operated brake for each drive wheel attached to each side frame, curb-climbing means integral with each side frame comprising a lever pivotally mounted to each side frame near the back of the chair to swing fore and aft relative to the chair, the forward end of each lever including a handle disposed for manipulation by the occupant of the chair, means on each side frame for use in holding said levers at various operational positions an upwardly extending plunger pivotally attached to the other end of each lever and disposed to contact the level surface when the levers are manipulated to raise or lower the rear Of the chair, which ever the case may warrant, when the front portion of the chair is upon a curb or other elevated surface an apertured guide for slidably engaging each said plunger integral to each side frame of the chair, and a wheel rotatively mounted to each side frame at the rear of each guide and disposed to check the backward tipping of the chair as required to place the front portion of the chair upon a curb or other elevated surface.

Claim 4

An occupant propelled and controlled curb-climbing wheelchair comprising a pair of rigid side frames sustained in spaced relationship by lateral structure, said structure forming a chair comprising a seat, a back and a footrest, a drive wheel rotatively mounted on each side frame at the rear of the chair and a swivel wheel rotatively mounted to each side frame at the front or footrest end of the chair, a manually operated brake for each drive wheel attached to each side frame, curb-climbing means integral with each side frame comprising a lever pivotally mounted to each side frame near the back of the chair to swing fore and aft relative to the chair, the forward end of each lever including a handle disposed for manipulation by the occupant of the chair, means on each side frame for use in holding said levers at various operational positions an upwardly extending plunger pivotally attached to the other end of each lever and disposed to contact the level surface when the levers are manipulated to raise or lower the rear Of the chair, which ever the case may warrant, when the front portion of the chair is upon a curb or other elevated surface an apertured guide for slidably engaging each said plunger integral to each side frame of the chair, and a wheel rotatively mounted to each side frame at the rear of each guide and disposed to check the backward tipping of the chair as required to place the front portion of the chair upon a curb or other elevated surface.