US4046374A — Walking aid

Claim 1

Independent Claim 239 words

A walking aid device which comprises horizontal hand rails and vertical support members connected by lateral stabilizing means to form a rigid frame, there being an open space between the hand rails for a patient with hands on the hand rails and feet supported by a supporting surface, the lower extremity of the vertical support members incorporating rubber feet that can contact the supporting surface in a rigid and non-sliding fashion, said walking aid device incorporating casters which travel on the supporting surface in quadraped manner that are pivotally mounted to the frame, longitudinal stabilizing tubes horizontally disposed near the lower ends of said vertical support members, said longitudinal stabilizing tubes extending outwardly past the confines of the vertical members to form caster mounting means in such a manner as to place caster wheel bearing points outside the columnar load path of the vertical support members and spring means between the casters and said frame, so that the frame is carried on the casters when vertical load is absent, said spring means being relatively weak insofar as the springs will carry slightly more than the frame's structural weight so that the patient can load the frame to bring the rubber feet into periodic contact with the floor providing a firm means of support when the frame is loaded by the patient, the rubber feet engaging the supporting surface to prevent advance of the device when the frame is loaded.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 239 words

A walking aid device which comprises horizontal hand rails and vertical support members connected by lateral stabilizing means to form a rigid frame, there being an open space between the hand rails for a patient with hands on the hand rails and feet supported by a supporting surface, the lower extremity of the vertical support members incorporating rubber feet that can contact the supporting surface in a rigid and non-sliding fashion, said walking aid device incorporating casters which travel on the supporting surface in quadraped manner that are pivotally mounted to the frame, longitudinal stabilizing tubes horizontally disposed near the lower ends of said vertical support members, said longitudinal stabilizing tubes extending outwardly past the confines of the vertical members to form caster mounting means in such a manner as to place caster wheel bearing points outside the columnar load path of the vertical support members and spring means between the casters and said frame, so that the frame is carried on the casters when vertical load is absent, said spring means being relatively weak insofar as the springs will carry slightly more than the frame's structural weight so that the patient can load the frame to bring the rubber feet into periodic contact with the floor providing a firm means of support when the frame is loaded by the patient, the rubber feet engaging the supporting surface to prevent advance of the device when the frame is loaded.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 105 words

A walking aid device as in claim 1 wherein the lateral stabilizing means includes a mechanical scissors device including a pair of transverse bars rotatably fixed at their intersection, each of the transverse bars being pivotally connected at one end to one of the vertical support members, each of the transverse bars being pivotally connected at its opposite end to a sleeve that travels up and down one of the vertical support members to which the other transverse bar is pivotally connected for adjustment of the lateral dimension of the frame, said sleeves containing thumb screws for locking scissors and width in a desired position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 35 words

A walking aid device as in claim 2 wherein said sleeves can travel up to an almost vertical position for the scissors, providing the device to be laterally collapsible for transportation in a motor vehicle.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 230 words

A walker which comprises a pair of side frames, means interconnecting the side frames to form an enclosure, each of the side frames including a pair of upright legs, a hand grip bar connecting upper end portions of the legs, there being an open space between the hand grip bars for a patient with hands on the hand grip bars and feet supported on a supporting surface, an elongated caster support frame linking the upright legs spaced below the hand grip bar and caster supports attached to opposite end portions of the caster support frame, the caster support frames being outboard of the vertical members and extending forwardly and rearwardly beyond the vertical members, the caster supports being mounted on the caster support frames forwardly and rearwardly of the vertical members, a caster mounted on each caster support, and a spring mounted in each caster support supported by the associated caster and urging the associated end portion of the caster support frame to a raised position in which the lower ends of the associated legs are spaced above the supporting surface on which the casters run, the springs yielding when weight is applied to the bars to permit the lower ends of the legs to engage the supporting surface, the legs engaging the supporting surface to prevent advance of the device when the support frame is in a lowered position.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 230 words

A walker which comprises a pair of side frames, means interconnecting the side frames to form an enclosure, each of the side frames including a pair of upright legs, a hand grip bar connecting upper end portions of the legs, there being an open space between the hand grip bars for a patient with hands on the hand grip bars and feet supported on a supporting surface, an elongated caster support frame linking the upright legs spaced below the hand grip bar and caster supports attached to opposite end portions of the caster support frame, the caster support frames being outboard of the vertical members and extending forwardly and rearwardly beyond the vertical members, the caster supports being mounted on the caster support frames forwardly and rearwardly of the vertical members, a caster mounted on each caster support, and a spring mounted in each caster support supported by the associated caster and urging the associated end portion of the caster support frame to a raised position in which the lower ends of the associated legs are spaced above the supporting surface on which the casters run, the springs yielding when weight is applied to the bars to permit the lower ends of the legs to engage the supporting surface, the legs engaging the supporting surface to prevent advance of the device when the support frame is in a lowered position.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 99 words

A walker as in claim 4 wherein the means interconnecting the side frames includes a cross brace pivotally connected to one of the side frames and releasably attached to the other of the side frames, and a seat assembly mounted on the cross brace, the seat assembly including a generally channel shaped frame, there being openings in main flanges of the channel shaped frame receiving the cross braces, and outwardly extending flanges on the main flanges, the outwardly extending flanges engaging upright rear legs of the side frames to limit swinging of the seat assembly on the cross brace.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1980-09-05	1981-03-07	1981-09-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1984-09-05	1985-03-07	1985-09-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1988-09-05	1989-03-07	1989-09-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Walking aid

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