GB2194491A

GB2194491A - Invalid hoists

Info

Publication number: GB2194491A
Application number: GB08020506A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Richard James
Original assignee: James Industries Ltd
Current assignee: James Industries Ltd
Priority date: 1986-08-22
Filing date: 1986-08-22
Publication date: 1988-03-09
Anticipated expiration: 2006-08-22
Also published as: CH673577A5; DK162503C; FR2602972B1; DK162503B; SE8703083L; GB2194491B; NL8701919A; DE3726709C2; FR2602972A1; IT8767708A0; GB8620506D0; SE8703083D0; DK411187A; AU7667187A; DK411187D0; AU588128B2; JPS6357048A; DE3726709A1; IT1211257B

Abstract

An invalid hoist comprises a mobile chassis 1 and an upstanding column 3 which is mounted on the chassis 1 adjacent the rear thereof. The column 3 is associated with invalid elevating and support means 4, and over at least a front end portion the chassis 1 has a width W which is considerably smaller than its length L. Two fixed-axis support wheels 6 are disposed adjacent the front corners of the chassis 1 which also has two rear castor support wheels 8. The track of the rear castor wheels 8 is materially greater than the track of the front fixed-axis wheels 6. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Invalid hoists The invention relates to invalid hoists comprising an upstanding column from which invalid elevating and support means project over a mobile chassis on which the column is mounted.

Such hoists most commonly have a Ushaped chassis open at the front with the column at the rear. A typical chassis comprises two side members on which support wheels are mounted and which are joined at the rear by a cross member which supports the column. Invalids requiring to be lifted and transported by means of a hoist frequently have to be lifted from or deposited in a wheelchair which imposes conflicting requirements, as the chassis has to be narrow enough to pass through doorways but wide enough to fit around the wheelchair. Some alternative constructions have been proposed, such as a side approach chassis, but in general present requirements are met by a conventional form of chassis the side arms of which are adjustable to provide a normal width which will pass through doorways and an increased width to fit around a wheelchair.

The object of the invention is to provide a hoist with a mobile chassis which is of simple non-adjustable construction but can nevertheless be used with wheelchairs, adopting a forward approach procedure, whilst still being narrow enough to pass through doorways. A further object of the invention is to provide such a hoist with a chassis which can be of exceptionally low height so that it will pass beneath most domestic furniture such as armchairs, settees and divan beds, for example.

According to the invention an invalid hoist comprises an upstanding column associated with invalid elevating and support means, and mounted adjacent the rear of a mobile chassis which over at least a front end portion has a width which is considerably smaller than the length of the chassis, two fixed-axis support wheels being disposed adjacent the front corners of the chassis which has two rear castor support wheels the track of which is materially greater than that of the front fixed-axis wheels.

Thus the invention provides a hoist with a chassis of which at least said front end portion is exceptionally narrow so that, in contrast to the normal front approach procedure, it can enter between the front wheels of all normal wheelchairs. It will similarly enter between the front legs of furniture on which an invalid to be lifted may be seated, for example a domestic easy-chair or armchair.

The chassis preferably has a front end opening disposed between the front support wheels so that it can be wheeled around a WC pan or pedestal for toileting purposes and, in preferred embodiments, the chassis is in the form of a platform which may comprise a metal plate, a sandwich construction or a light alloy moulding. In this case the front support wheels may project above and below the platform so that the diameter thereof, say- 5 cm, represents the overall height of the front portion of the chassis which has to pass beneath a wheelchair or other furniture. Adequate ground clearance for entry of the hoist is accordingly present with most domestic furniture, including settees and divan beds.

When the chassis is in the form of a platform with a front end cut-out for toileting use it very conveniently provides footpads on either side of the column in a hoist adapted to raise an invalid from a seated to a substantially standing position facing the column. Hoists operative to raise invalids in this manner are disclosed in our co-pending Patent Application No 84 13661 (Publication GB 2 140 773 A).

Preferably the chassis comprises a platform of uniform width from front to rear with the rear castor wheels mounted beneath upswept outrigger arms at the rear corners of the platform. For increased manoeuvrability, particularly on deep-pile carpets, two intermediate fixedaxis support wheels are conveniently provided adjacent the side edges of the platform and disposed with the points of floor contact thereof lower than a plane containing the points of floor contact of the front and rear wheels. Thus the intermediate wheels always contact the floor, and the arrangement is preferably such that the combined centre of gravity of the hoist and a raised suspended patient is disposed a short distance to the rear of the intermediate wheels so that during transport the hoist runs on these wheels and the rear castor wheels.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying perspective drawing which illustrates, by way of example, a preferred construction of invalid hoist embodying the invention. The hoist shown comprises a mobile chassis 1, which includes a flat platform 2 of metal plate, and a detachable upstanding column 3 from which associated invalid elevating and support means 4 project over the chassis 1.

A U-shaped cut-out 5 provides a front end opening of the chassis 1 which enables it to be wheeled around a WC pan or pedestal for toileting purposes. The platform 2 is of a constant width W which is considerably less than its length L, for example the length L being about twice the width W, and it has two fixed-axis support wheels 6 disposed adjacent the front corners of the platform 2. At the rear corners the platform 2 has laterally projecting and upswept outrigger arms beneath which are mounted castor support wheels 8, of twin-wheel castor type, so that these rear wheels 8 have a track which is materially greater than the track of the front wheels 6.

This arrangement provides adequater stability whilst lifting and transporting an invalid, with a narrow chassis which will pass between the front wheels of a normal wheelchair or the front legs of an armchair or easy-chair. The width W may, for example, be about 43 cm.

The front wheels 6 are positioned in through slots in the platform 2, with their common axis of rotation disposed within the thickness of the platform, so that they project above and below the latter. Thus the overall height of the front portion of the chassis 1 is the diameter of the wheels 6, typically about 5 cm, so that the chassis will pass under normal domestic furniture such as settees, divan beds etc which do not have sufficient ground clearance to allow entry of a conventional hoist chassis. The rear castor wheels 8 can be of any desired greater diameter.

Two intermediate fixed-axis wheels 9, identical to the wheels 6, are mounted in the platform similarly to the front wheels 6. The arrangement of the wheel axes is such that the points of ground contact of the intermediate wheels 9 are lower than the plane containing the points of ground contact of the wheels 6 and 8. Thus the wheels 9 always contact the ground, and the chassis 1 is able to rock about these wheels so that either the front wheels 6 or the rear castor wheels 8 contact the ground.

The column 3 is of square section tubular steel and is detachably supported in a socket 10 welded centrally to the platform 2 adjacent the rear end thereof. The socket provides a slight backward inclination of the column 3 of about 5". The elevating and support means 4 comprise a lifting arm arrangement which pivots on the column 3 at 11 and comprises an inner section 12, which projects from the pivot 11, and a U-shaped outer section presenting two laterally spaced lifting arms. A lifting sling S can, as shown, be detachably secured to attachment points 1 3a at the ends of the arms 13.The elevating mechanism comprises an elevating screw (not visible) within the col umn 3 and which can be turned manually by means of a top winding handle to raise and lower the arms 13, through the medium of a pivotal strut 15 which supports the inner arm section 12 and is attached to a traveller 16 which projects through a longitudinal slot 17 in the front of the column 3 and embodies a nut engaged with the lifting screw.

Thus the attachment points 13a swing through an arc about the pivot 11 to raise an invalid supported by the sling S which, in use, is passed around the back of the invalid be neath the arms thereof. This enables the in valid to be lifted from a seated position facing the column 3, to a raised substantially stand ing position with the feet of the invalid on footpads 18 on the platform 2 and the knees thereof engaging knee abutments 19 which project at knee height from the column 3. In use the hoist is first wheeled up to the invalid, with the front of the chassis 1 freely passing under the wheelchair, armchair of the like on which the invalid is seated. The feet are positioned on the footpads 18 with the knee abutments 19 locating the knees with the lower legs substantially vertical.With the sling positioned as described the arms 13 can be raised, by turning the handle 14, to raise the invalid into a substantially standing position.

Whilst so supported the invalid can be transported as desired, for example to a WC, and then returned to the wheelchair and deposited back thereon in the original seated position.

With the invalid supported in the substantially standing position, the combined centre of gravity of the invalid and the hoist is disposed slightly behind the axis of rotation of the intermediate wheels 9, so that the chassis 1 is supported on these wheels and also on the rear castors 8. This provides a short wheelbase with a high degree of manoeuvrability during transport, whereas the wheels 6 which are normally now off the ground act as stabilizers which prevent the hoist tipping forwardly. They also act as stabilizers and contact the ground whilst the invalid is being raised from the seated position and over a major portion of the lifting movement when said centre of gravity is disposed in front of the axis of the wheels 9.

Handgrips 20 which project laterally of the arms 13 can be gripped by the invalid to provide a sense of security, and so that the invalid if strong enough can assist in the lifting operation and support in the raised position.

Lateral handgrips 21 fixed to the column 3 are provided for use by the operator in movement of the hoist.

Typical dimensions of the illustrated embodiment are as follows: W = 43 cm L = 84 cm Track of rear castor wheels-62 cm Height of arm pivot 11-125 cm Radius of movement of attachment points 13a-44 cm Lowest height of attachment points-95 cm Highest height of attachment points-169 cm

Claims

1. An invalid hoist comprising a mobile chassis and, mounted on the chassis adjacent the rear thereof, an upstanding column associated with invalid elevating and support means, wherein said chassis over at least a front end portion thereof has a width which is considerably smaller than the length of the chassis, and has two fixed-axis support wheels disposed adjacent the front corners of the chassis and two rear castor support wheels, the track of said rear castor wheels being materially greater than the track of said front fixedaxis wheels.

2. An invalid hoist according to claim 1, wherein said chassis has a front end opening disposed between the front support wheels so that the hoist can be wheeled around a WC pan or pedestal.

3. An invalid hoist according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said chassis is in the form of a generally flat platform.

4. An invalid hoist according to claim 2 and claim 3, wherein the hoist is adapted to raise an invalid from a seated to a substantially standing position, and said platform provides, on either side of the column, footrests for the feet of an invalid during the raising procedure.

5. An invalid hoist according to claim 4, wherein said elevating and support means include a pivotal lifting arm arrangement which presents two laterally spaced arms with attachment points for a sling to support the invalid, with the sling passing around the back of the invalid below the arms thereof, during the raising procedure.

6. An invalid hoist according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the chassis platform comprises a metal plate, is of sandwich construction or is a moulding, for example a light alloy metal moulding.

7. An invalid hoist according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the front support wheels project above and below the platform and the diameter of these wheels represents the overall height of said front portion of the chassis.

8. An invalid hoist according to claim 7, wherein the diameter of the front support wheels is about 5 cm.

9. An invalid hoist according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the platform is of substantially uniform width from front to rear, and the rear castor wheels are mounted beneath upswept outrigger arms adjacent rear corners of the platform.

10. An invalid hoist according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the chassis includes two intermediate fixed-axis support wheels respectively mounted adjacent the side edges of the chassis and disposed with the points of floor contact thereof lower than a plane containing the points of floor contact of said front and rear support wheels.

11. An invalid hoist according to claim 10, wherein said intermediate support wheels are so positioned lengthwise of the chassis that the combined centre of gravity of the hoist and a raised invalid supported on the hoist is disposed some distance to the rear of the intermediate wheels so that, during transport of the raised invalid, the hoist will normally run on the intermediate wheels and the rear castor wheels.

12. An invalid hoist according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said front end portion of the chassis has a width of about 43 cm and the chassis has a length of about 84 cm, with the track of the rear castor wheels being about 62 cm.

13. An invalid hoist according to claim 5 and claim 12, wherein the effective radius of lifting movement of said attachment points is about 44 cm and the pivotal axis of the arm arrangement is at a height of about 125 cm,

14. An invalid hoist constructed and arranged substantially as herein particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing.