US1650826A - Foldable wheel chair - Google Patents

Description

E., FARGO FOLDABLE WHEEL CHAIR July 24, 1924 Filed Nov. 29, w27.

Patented Nov. 29, i921?.

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EDWIN FARGO, OIE" SYRACSE, NEW YORK.

roLnaBLn vinnen. CHAIR,

Application filed July 34,

This invention relates to a wheel chair of the folding type adapted to be used by invalids or others, in anupright or reclining posture.

The main object is to provide a chair of this character in which the seat and arm rests will be held in a substantially horizontal position, while permitting theadjustn ment of the back and foot rests to different inclinations or angles from a substantially vertical to a substantially` horizontal position and vice versa.

Another object is to provide 4adjustable means for bracing and holding'the folding members in their different positions of ad justment.

A further object is to enable the seat to remain in substantially the samefhorizontal position while theother parts are being adj uste d;

A still further object is to enable thevfoot rest to conform to` diderent positions of the feet during said adjustments. i i i y Other objects and uses relatingto specific parts of the chair will be brought out in the following description.

porting an axle -S-"which carries a pairl of wheels -ll-q said wheels being provided with annular rings 5 secured to the outer end faces thereof for propelling the chair by hand. e

The rear end of the frame 1,- is provided with a single central bearing -6` carrying a downwardly and rearwardly in clined steeringr post -7- which is prefer]- ablyforked or bifurcated and is adapted to receive and support a suitable steering' Wheel 8- some distance to the rear of and 1nidway between the wheels 4 y f rlhe main frame 1- Vis adapted to receive and support a suitable seat or cushion -9- and is provided with opposite side bars --l0- extending forwardly and rearieae. seriai Np. 727,948.

below the upper face Aof the seat -9- and above the axle -3. Y y l i These side bars --10- extend forwardly and rearwardly beyond the seat -9- and serve vasa means of support for some ofthe folding parts presently described.

Opposite pairs of parallel bars or levers -11- `are pivoted intermediate their ends at 12* to the forward extensions fof the bars S9- and extend some distance above and below said bars `for receiving and sup- Y porting at their lowerends,` suitable connecting links '1S-, their' upper ends being Y pivotally attached at 16. to opposite arms -17- of thechair. u f

The rear ends of the arms 17 are pivotally attached at b 18" to the intermediate portions ofopposite sides of aback rest @19.- which in turn is pivotally supported at its lower ends at M20 to therearward extensions .of the bars l0- l y t,

A pair of braces -21- are ,pivotedfat their upper ends to vthe pivotalbolt H16- and are provided with longitudinal lengthv Wise slots +22- for receiving clamping members as bolts -.28- on the side bars rnvv10-4, said bolts being` provided with hand nuts *2li-.by which the braces may be clamped `in different positions ofadjustment as the folding parts are adjustedto different positions. l

The links --l3 are pivotally connected at 14 to the lower ends of the correwardly in a substantially horizontal plane 1 spondinp;` pairs of parallel arms -11--vto i assist in holding said arms in parallelism, y

it being understood that the 4distance between the pivots --Mfand also between the pivots --12-` and between y the pivots 41dat each'side of the chair are spaced equal distances apart for maintaining` the Vparallelism of, the Ybars l1- in. all posi-r.

tions of adjustment. y f t lt willalso be observed that the distance between the pivots 12 and 16- at each sido of the chair is equal to the distance between the pivots 20- and 18" connecting the rear .ends of` the arms *17m and bars -l 0- tothe back rest -l9-- thereby maintaininga parallel relation between said bars 10" and'arins-lin all positions of adjustment of the arms and back rest.

A legirest -l5- is secured to and between the lower portions of the rear bars -11 directly in front of the seat 9- and main frame m1, vand also in front ofthe axle vin '-3-1 wholly between the bars -f-lO- and links -13- so as to move with the arms -11- as the latter are adjusted to ditferent anales. J

foot Irest -25- is pivoted intermediate its front and rear edges to the lowerv ends of thev front upright arms 1lby the same pivotal bolts -14-, which connects said arms to the links -13-, so as to swing freely about the axis of said pivot between said 'arms and to diderent angles relatively thereto, as the folding parts of the chair ar'adjusted to diiferent'positions2 ythe rear edges of the' foot rest being provided with laterally projecting shoulders 26- adapted to enga e `the undersides' of the links forlimiting the'forward and downward swinging movement of the front edge of the footrest to a substantially horizontal positionwhen thefolding parts are adjusted to their normal upright positions `as shown by `:llulllin'es in Figure?, Yand at 'the same timex'perinitting the front edge ofthe `foot rest to rock upwardly and rearwardly indeendently of the links-il3 and to,k dif- .erent arglesrelatively to the arms -l 1-. lThey object ot' this freedom ot movement ofthe foot rest --25- is to enable it to autoadjust *itself tothe feet of the occupantV when' the folding parts are adjusted to various positions according vto thc `co:nvenifence of the ocup'ant.l j The yu per ends of the braces 2lare pivotally vc cinfnected to the arms -l-'by f the new pivots +16- which, Garnet the fupper endsk of the` rear arm/ s -l-lltoK the Aarm rests -ll-` said braces inclininfr downif D i i "wardly. and rearwardly'fiom their upper endsfacross the bars iQ-. 1r between the back restV +19- and rear arms 7411--,` andare,

free 'to slide across the bars -lO--Mas the -folding parts are adjusted to different positions, the v'clamping nuts serving to tighten and loosen the braces andv thereby to and release thetoliling partsin and from their different positions of adjustment. 'lhet seat -Q-,bafck rest 19`-7 and, leg rest elli-f are upholstered in any suitable vthe occupant, while the foot rest -25- is provided with a suitable tread-mat. Q7- to avoid slipping of the feet thereon and also for the greater convenience and safely of the occupant.

The pivot connecting the rear upright Operation.

It will be noted that the various folding )arts are assembled in such manner that the akrest -9- and leg rest l5-A- may be folded from substantiallyvertical positions to approximately horizontal positions so that the chair may be usedin various inclined positionsl orextended 'to be used as a couch, and that in all of these, various positions of adjustment the arms rests ,-17- remain in a substantially horizontal position while the freedoni'of movement of the Atoot rest 255'- permits it to readily conform to the'varying positions ot the feet from a horizontal to a substantially vertical position or any intermediate positions of inclination, all of which increases thc safety and convenience ot the apparatus and enablesthe occupant to control they movements otv the chair through the medium of the hand rings -5 "claim In yunfolding chair, a rigid seat, hingedy rest'tfor pivotal movement' independently of the" backVV and leg rests and outwardly dirented lues at the under side of the opposite ,ends of t `e foot rest at the inner, edge thereof adapted forengagcment with the under sides or' the adjacent links to limit downward movement ot' the outer edge of the foot rest'. ln witness whereofl have hereunto set my hand this 16th day otf July, 1924. j

A j l' EDWlN FARGQ.' Y'

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