Methods and apparatus for adapting steerable powered vehicles for the handicapped to outdoor travel

Claim 1

For use with a steerable, powered front wheel driven, three-wheeled vehicle for a handicapped person, movable selectively in a forward or rearward direction and having a vehicle frame supported in part by a pair of transversely spaced rear wheels suitable for indoor travel in axial alignment a wheel supporting assembly for adapting the vehicle to outdoor travel comprising: a. a transversely extending, auxiliary wheel frame; b. a pair of transversely spaced, axially aligned, rotatable, outdoor wheels supporting said wheel frame; c. transversely extending cradle means, having front and rear portions, mounted on said frame below the axes of said outdoor wheels, said cradle means being mounted on said frame such that, in a first forwardly and downwardly tilted position of said auxiliary wheel frame, the forward portion of said cradle means rests substantially on the ground and the rear portion of said cradle means is disposed at a level substantially above the ground in the path of said rear wheels, and in a second position, in which the frame is generally level, the front and rear portions of the cradle means are disposed above the ground, and the rear wheels of the powered vehicle are supported by the cradle mean above the ground; d. latch means adapted to be mounted by said powered vehicle frame near the rear end thereof forwardly of the rear surfaces of said powered vehicle rear wheels; and e. a releasable, cooperative latch assembly disposed in a position removed from said latch means operated responsive to tilting movement of said auxiliary wheel frame from tilted to generally level position to bring said latch assembly automatically into latched position with said latch means.

Claim 11

A method of adapting a steerable powered vehicle for a handicapped person which is movable selectively in a forward or rearward direction for outdoor use and comprises a vehicle frame supported in part by transversely spaced rear wheels for travel on a rear wheel supporting assembly comprising a transversely extending, auxiliary wheel frame with a pair of transversely spaced outdoor pneumatic wheels spaced transversely a substantially greater distance apart than said powered vehicle wheels; the auxiliary wheel frame mounting a cradle, having front and rear portions positioned below the axes of said outdoor wheels such that in a first forwardly and downwardly tilted position of said auxiliary wheel frame, the forward position of said cradle is adjacent the ground and the rear portion of the cradle is at a substantially higher level, and in a second position, the said auxiliary wheel frame is generally level, there being a latch member mounted by the powered vehicle frame adjacent its end and a cooperative latch assembly operated responsive to said tilting frame first to second positions to move said latch assembly toward latched position with said latch member; the steps of: a. restricting the rearward travel of the wheels of the auxiliary vehicle; b. backing the powered vehicle toward the auxiliary vehicle to receive the rear wheels of the powered vehicle on said cradle; c. tilting the auxiliary frame from said first to said second position; and d. latching the latch member and latch assembly in locked position.

Claim 12

A method of adapting a steerable powered vehicle for a handicapped person which is movable selectively in a forward or rearward direction for outdoor use and comprises a vehicle frame supported in part by transversely spaced rear wheels for travel on a rear wheel supporting assembly comprising a transversely extending, auxiliary wheel frame with a pair of transversely spaced outdoor pneumatic wheels spaced transversely a substantially greater distance apart than said powered vehicle wheels; the auxiliary wheel frame mounting a cradle, having front and rear portions positioned below the axes of said outdoor wheels such that in a first forwardly and downwardly tilted position of said auxiliary wheel frame, the forward position of said cradle is adjacent the ground and the rear portion of the cradle is at a substantially higher level, and in a second position, the said auxiliary wheel frame is generally level, there being a latch member mounted by the powered vehicle frame adjacent its end and a cooperative latch assembly operated responsive to said tilting frame first to second positions to move said latch assembly toward latched position with said latch member; the steps of: a. restricting the rearward travel of the wheels of the auxiliary vehicle; b. backing the powered vehicle toward the auxiliary vehicle to receive the rear wheels of the powered vehicle on said cradle; c. tilting the auxiliary frame from said first to said second position; and d. latching the latch member and latch assembly in locked position.