GB1313570A - Walking aid for physically handicapped individuals - Google Patents

Abstract

1313570 Tripods; walking aids HUMANICS OF DELAWARE Inc 29 Dec 1970 61560/70 Headings A4H, A4P [Also in Division A6] A walking aid 10 comprises a body member 12, a central stem 14 secured to member 12 and having a handle portion thereabove, and a plurality, such as four, of legs 16 of adjustable length and removably and adjustably secured by fastening means to member 12 so that each leg can be separately rotated about an axis parallel to the stem axis and can be separately adjusted through a range of acute angles between its axis and the stem axis. Stem 14 has a lower part telescopically received in an upper part and each leg has a lower part 20 telescopically received in an upper part 18, the stem and leg lengths being locked for example, by spring-urged catches 25 and non-slip endcaps 66, which may be self-levelling, being provided. The legs may alternatively be adjusted in length by means of a threaded extension (63), Fig.12 (not shown) of an upper endplug (24) of part 18 received in a nut (65) secured to part 20, the length being locked by a twist-lock arrangement (67). Member 12 has a split collar adjustably retaining the stem 14 and may be of generally four-leaf clover shape with an opening in each leaf in which a knuckle of each leg is received. The knuckles and openings have mating serrations to lock their relative position which may be altered on loosening fastening screws (32), Fig. 9 (not shown). Each knuckle is pivoted to the plug of the respective upper leg part 18, the relative positions being locked by mating serrations or ratchet teeth. The pivoting of the upper leg parts relative to the knuckles is preferably limited to within 45 degrees of the vertical by a stop and abutments. The pivoting between the plugs and knuckles may be omitted, each leg comprising an upper part having a vertical top portion and an angled bottom portion telescopically receiving a lower leg part. The handle may be as illustrated in Fig. 1 or may have a part extending vertically from the member 12 with a top part (106), Fig. 16 (not shown), at an angle to the vertical and rotatably received in a Y-junction (108) removably retaining a substantially horizontal gripping part (114). For use with children, the handle may have a removable animal head caricature, the stem and legs being enclosed in decorated sleeves having bellows to permit stem and leg extension, and the member 12 being enclosed in a decorated shell.