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US4091478A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Bath tub lift chair apparatus

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1977-02-25
•
Granted: 1978-05-30
•
Expires: 1997-02-25
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Abstract

Abstract An apparatus for raising and lowering invalids into a bath tub having a frame that fits onto the bath tub with a chair rockably mounted to the frame. The frame has a vertically extending and rotatably mounted, externally threaded member; and a chair supporting frame portion has an internally threaded sleeve riding thereon and supporting the chair. The chair is rockably mounted to the chair support frame and interconnected with a ratchet so as to rotate the elongated, threaded member with the ratchet as the chair rocks back and forth.

Inventors

  • 👤 Charles W. Hardwick
  • 👤 Ann Hardwick Smith
  • 👤 Kinnaman Browning Smith

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 00:49
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61G; A61G7/00; A61G7/10; A61G7/1001; A61G7/1003; A61G7/1013; A61G7/1019; A61G7/104; A61G7/1044; A61G7/1049; A61G7/1059; A61G7/1073; A61G7/1076; A61H; A61H33/00; A61H33/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 106 words
A bathtub lift chair comprising in combination: a frame; an elongated threaded member rotatably attached to said frame; a chair support frame having a threaded portion operatively connected to said elongated threaded member for movement thereon responsive to the rotation of said elongated threaded member; a chair rocking support shaft attached to said chair support frame for movement therewith; a rockable chair rockable mounted on said chair support shaft; and ratchet means connected between said elongated threaded member and said rockable chair for rotating said elongated threaded member responsive to the rocking of said chair, whereby said chair may be raised responsive to the rocking thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 106 words
A bathtub lift chair comprising in combination: a frame; an elongated threaded member rotatably attached to said frame; a chair support frame having a threaded portion operatively connected to said elongated threaded member for movement thereon responsive to the rotation of said elongated threaded member; a chair rocking support shaft attached to said chair support frame for movement therewith; a rockable chair rockable mounted on said chair support shaft; and ratchet means connected between said elongated threaded member and said rockable chair for rotating said elongated threaded member responsive to the rocking of said chair, whereby said chair may be raised responsive to the rocking thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 60 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which a sleeve is mounted to the back of said rockable chair and said ratchet means has a rod extending therefrom and passing through said sleeve attached to said chair whereby rocking said chair will move said rod back and forth, thereby moving said ratchet means to rotate said elongated threaded member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
The bath tub lift chair in accordance with claim 2, in which said rod is attached to a ratchet handle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 37 words
A bath tub lift chair in accordance with claim 3, in which said ratchet handle has a ratchet mechanism attached to said elongated threaded member for rotating said elongated threaded member by the ratcheting of said handle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 41 words
A bath tub lift chair, in accordance with claim 4, in which said ratchet mechanism has a reverse switch thereon for reversing the direction of the ratcheting, whereby a user can rock said rockable chair to raise or lower said chair.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 30 words
The bath tub lift chair in accordance with claim 5, in which said ratchet mechanism and control includes a release for disconnecting the ratchet mechanism from said elongated threaded member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 36 words
A bath tub lift chair in accordance with claim 1, in which said frame has a plurality of vertically extending members mounted over either side of one side of a bath tub and is supported thereby.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 47 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which said rockable chair is rockably mounted to said chair support frame and said chair support frame is swingably mounted to said frame for swinging said chair over the side of a bath tub when in a raised position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 25 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which said frame includes an elongated threaded member support members rotatably mounting said elongated threaded member thereto.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 16 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 9, in which said frame has support feet attached thereto.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 28 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which said chair support frame and said rockable chair have means to limit the distance said chair can be rocked.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2187283A Cited
US2697475A Cited
US2813277A Cited
US2968814A Cited
US3289217A Cited
US3256036A Cited
US3624666A Cited
US3879770A Cited
US4034426A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1981-05-29 1981-11-28 1982-05-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1985-05-29 1985-11-28 1986-05-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1989-05-29 1989-11-28 1990-05-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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