Combined trailer/wheelchair

Claim 2

A combined trailer/wheelchair comprising a frame (13), a pair of laterally spaced and aligned wheels (18) rotatably supported proximate the rear end of said frame, said wheels having a common axis of rotation extending normally to a longitudinal frame axis (15), a pedestal (26) mounted upon said frame and longitudinally spaced forwardly of the axis of rotation of said wheels, a passenger seat (30) supported upon said pedestal, said frame including a foot support portion (40) disposed proximate the forward end of said frame, a tow bar (48) mounted along the longitudinal axis of said frame, means (50) for retaining said tow bar in a position projecting forwardly of said frame, a pair of caster-type wheels (46) transversely spaced and mounted upon said frame proximate the forward end of said frame, said caster-type wheels being movable to be non supportive of said frame when the tow bar is in its forwardly projecting position, and a hitch device (56) secured to the forward end of said tow bar and adapted to be removably connected to a towing cart.

Claim 3

A combined trailer/wheelchair comprising a frame (13), a pair of laterally spaced and aligned wheels rotatably supported proximate the rear end of said frame, said wheels having a common axis of rotation extending normally to a longitudinal frame axis (15), a pedestal (26) mounted upon said frame and longitudinally spaced forwardly of the axis of rotation of said wheels, a passenger seat (30) supported upon said pedestal, said frame including a foot support portion (40) disposed proximate the forward end of said frame, a tow bar (48) mounted along the longitudinal axis of said frame, means (50) for retaining said tow bar in a position projecting forwardly of said frame, a pair of caster-type wheels (46) transversely spaced and mounted upon said frame proximate the forward end of said frame said caster-type wheels being movable to be non supportive of said frame when the tow bar is in its forwardly projecting position, and a hitch device (52) secured to the forward end of said tow bar and adapted to be removably connected to a towing cart, and a pair of arms (82) projecting rearwardly and downwardly from the rear end of said frame, said arms being transversely spaced on opposite sides of the frame axis, said arms including outer ends extending radially beyond the outer diameters of said rear wheels.

Claim 4

A combined trailer/wheelchair comprising a frame (13), a pair of laterally spaced and aligned wheels rotatably supported proximate the rear end of said frame, said wheels having a common axis of rotation extending normally to a longitudinal frame axis (15), a pedestal (26) mounted upon said frame and longitudinally spaced forwardly of the axis of rotation of said wheels, a passenger seat (30) supported upon said pedestal, said frame including a foot support portion (40) disposed proximate the forward end of said frame, a tow bar (48) mounted along the longitudinal axis of said frame, means (50) for retaining said tow bar in a position projecting forwardly of said frame, a pair of caster-type wheels (46) transversely spaced and mounted upon said frame proximate the forward end of said frame said caster-type wheels being movable to be non supportive of said frame when the tow bar is in its forwardly projecting position, and a hitch device (52) secured to the forward end of said tow bar and adapted to be removably connected to a towing cart, and a pair of arms (82) projecting rearwardly and downwardly from the rear end of said frame, said arms being transversely spaced on opposite sides of the frame axis, said arms including outer ends extending radially beyond the outer diameters of said rear wheels.

Claim 5

A combined trailer/wheelchair as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hitch device includes a clamp member (56) adapted to be removably connected to a cart towing element (54), an adjustable element (64) connecting said clamp member and said tow bar whereby said clamp member can articulate relative to said tow bar.

Claim 6

A combined trailer/wheelchair as set forth in claim 3 wherein said clamp member (56) is of an inverted U-shape adapted to straddle a cart towing element (54) and includes means (60, 62) for removably locking the clamp member to the cart towing element.

Claim 7

A combined trailer/wheelchair as set forth in claim 3 wherein said flexible element supports the clamp member (56) forwardly of the tow bar (48).

Claim 8

A combined trailer/wheelchair as set forth in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises a longitudinally extending beam (14) having an axis coincident with the frame axis, a transverse beam (16) adapted to be assembled to the rear end of the longitudinal beam and including outer ends laterally equidistant from the frame axis, said rear wheels (18) being rotatably supported to the outer ends of the transverse beam, a receptor (29) integrally secured to the midpoint of the transverse beam and having an axis coincident with the frame axis, said longitudinal beam adapted to slide within and be supported by the receptor, a first plate member (22) overlaying and extending forwardly of the junction of said transverse beam and the receptor and integrally secured thereto, an upwardly opening second receptor member (24) integral with said first plate member and adapted to receive and support the seat pedestal (26), and a second plate member (40) spaced forwardly of the first plate member and terminating proximate the forward end of the longitudinal beam, said second plate member being integrally secured to the upper surface of the longitudinal beam.

Claim 9

A combined trailer/wheelchair as set forth in claim 6 wherein the longitudinal beam (14) is hollow and said tow bar (48) is adapted to be retained within said longitudinal beam.

Claim 10

A combined trailer/wheelchair as set forth in claim 7 wherein the tow bar retaining means includes a pin (50) adapted to project through said second plate member (40), said longitudinal beam (14) and the tow bar (48)to removably retain the tow bar in its forwardly projecting position.

Claim 11

A combined trailer/wheelchair as set forth in claim 6 which includes a pair of arms (82) projecting rearwardly and downwardly from said transverse beam (16), said arms being equally laterally spaced on opposite sides of the longitudinal beam (14), said arms including outer ends extending radially beyond the outer diameters of said rear wheels (18).