US2437778A

US2437778A - Portable support for invalids

Info

Publication number: US2437778A
Application number: US520745A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ames Butler
Original assignee: WALKABOUT Co
Current assignee: WALKABOUT Co
Priority date: 1944-02-02
Filing date: 1944-02-02
Publication date: 1948-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 1965-03-16

Description

FiledV Feb. 2, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 vMaurch 16, 1948 B. AMI-:s

` PORTA-BLE SUPPORT FOR INVALIDS Filed Feb. 2, 1944 5 sheets-sheet 2 March 16, 1948. v B. AMES PORTABLE SUPPORT FOR INVALIDS 5 Sheets-Sheef 5 Filed Feb. 2,` 1944 March 16, 1948. B. AMES -2,437,778-

PORTABLE SUPPORT FOR INVALIDS Filed Feb. 2, 1944 5 sheets-sheet 4.

March 16, 1948. B. AMES 2,437,778

PORTABLE SUPPORT FOR INVALIDS Filed Feb.V 2, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 @MQW Patented Mar. 16, 1948 PORTABLE SUPPORT FOR INVALIDS Butler Ames, Boston, Mass., assigner to The Walkabout Company, Lowell, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 2, 1944, Serial No. 520,745

9 Claims. (Cl. 155-22) This invention pertains to portable supports for individuals, for example persons incapacitated from walking by reason of infirmity or age, or those liable to be subjected to extreme wearines-s from prolonged standing or walking, and relates more particularly to an improved support of the general type disclosed in United States patent to Ames 2,282,689-dated May 19, 1942.

The support of the present invention, like that disclosed in the patent, comprises two substantially rigid supporting units normally disposed in spaced substantially parallel relation and between which the user stands or sits, and a back to which both supporting units are hinged. The frames of the supporting units and back are in general similar to the corresponding parts of the patented device1 being made of thin and light but very stiff and rigid tubing. The top or hand supporting bar or rail of each supporting unit is preferably integrally continuous with the front and rear legs of the respective unit, while the lower, stretcher bar of each supporting unit is welded to the legs, and the constituent bars of the back are welded together. The hinge connections between the supporting units are likewise in general similar in structure and function to the corresponding portions of the patented device, being so designed as to permit the supporting units to be swung through aros of approximately 180 and placed in parallel folded positions for convenience in shipping or storing the support.

As disclosed in the aforesaid patent, the support is provided with wheels at its forward end only and normally rests upon skids at its rear end. These skids are effective in preventing the del/i@ from getting out of control of the user, 'for instance when on an incline, but on the other hand make it necessary to expend more energy than may sometime-s be desirable in propelling the device.

Objects of the present invention are to provide an improved support of the type disclosed in said patent but which is easy to propel, which is light in weight and foldable for transportation; to provide a four-wheeled support having swiveled front wheels thereby to facilitate steering it; to provide a four-wheeled support which is safe for the user even on an incline; to provide a wheeled support having brakes which are readily controlled by the user even though the user be weak infirm: to provide a wheeled support which rrey safely be left standing alone without danger th at it will run away; to provide a support which is and stable; to provide a support having provision for the optional employment of crutch devices to assist in supporting the user; to provide wheel-supported crutches which are independently adjustable as to heighth and relatively movable toward and from each otherto accommodate users of diierent sizes and to yield to bodily movements; and to provide a wheeled support having swiveled front wheels but so designed that the front wheels do not drag when the device is folded for transportation.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein A Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved support set up and ready for use', but omitting the crutches;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1i

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device of Fig. 1 as it appears when folded for storage or transportation, the seat being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the device showing the crutches in operative position, the seat being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, diametrical section to larger scale, showing details of the hinge means which connects the back with each supporting unit;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary diametrical section, to largerscale than Fig. 1, through one of the rear legs illustrating details of the rear wheel brake;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary diametrical section, to larger scale than Fig. 6, showing further details of the brake;

Fig. 8 is a view generally similar to Fig. 6 but illustrating details of the front wheel brake;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section through the hand-supporting rail of one of the units, illustrating details of the brake controller;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a tubular guide member constituting a portion of the hand supporting rail;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a cam sleeve forming a part of the brake controller;

Fig. 12 is a transverse section, to larger scale, substantially on the line l2-l2 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12a is a, fragmentary plan view of the forward end portion of the hand grip of the brake controller showing the retaining latch;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section on the line i3|3 of Fig. 12a;

Fig. 14 is a section on the line Ill- I4 of Fig. 13; Y

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the upper part of the crutch staff showing the arm-pit pad;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in diametrical section, of the upper part of the crutch stai socket and the lower -partv of the restraining bracket;

Fig. 1'7 is a fragmentary plan View of the crutch-restraining bracket;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary side elevation of the stretcher bar of one of the units showing the lower end of the crutch socket attached thereto;

and

Fig. 19 is a plan view of a connecting pin having a, retaining ring associated with it.

Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings,the numeral l designates the back of the support. This back comprises parallel, substantially;horizontal stretcher bars 2 and 3 which are-rigidly united` at their opposite ends, for example by brazing or welding, to a pair of hingesleeveswand. 5 forming a part of the hinge means which connects the back to the respective supporting units. The supporting units are alike and each comprises a. rear leg- 6 (Figs..1 vand 3),.a frontleg V'l Vand `an upper or handfsupportingrail.comprising thealigned members .8 .and .8a. united -by Ya tubular guide l member Y8Xvr (Fig. 10) .hereinafter more .fully described. Each supportingunitalso comprises a stretcher bar-,9l spaced asubstantial .distance below the hand-supporting rail and substantially parallel to the latter, the. opposite .ends of the stretcher bar belngrigidly l.united to the .rear and front legsV Band 1,by.weldingbrazing orthe like. The parts, 1 8, .8a and, aswellas Athe top and bottom rails. 2.and3 ofthe back, are preferably formed ,of ,thin-but very rigidand strong metal tubing, forexample drawn stainless ,steel tubing. As hereillustrated .the .rear leg.6 is integrally joined with the part 8 by a, smoothly ,bent portion HJ4 of thetubular material,while the front leg 'l is integrally united to the part 8- of thel hand-supporting rail by the` smooth bend The front and rear legs 6 and] .of theunit diverge downwardly awayfrom each other, the upper portions of these legspreferably making an angle of approximately 5%. withthevertical. Likewise the hinge members Land 5l of the back diverge downwardly from each othermaking a similar angle of 51A1 with the verticalso that the axes of these hinge sleeves 4 and 5 make angles of approximately 84% with the connectingrails 2 and 3. The downward divergence of 'the'. hinge sleeves!! and 5 provides forv stability Vof thedevice by spreading the supporting unitsapartattheir lower portions, while 'the inclination of thel legs of the unit causes the front wheels of the two units to be elevated from the floor when the device is folded as shown inFig. 3 so Ithat only twoof the wheels, that is tojsayv the rear wheels ofthe device, then contact the floor. Thisl preventssthe freely swiveling front wheels from interfering with the` transportation of the foldedldevice when wheeling it along onits rearwheels in the position of Fig. 3.

As illustrated invFig. 5, the rear leg 6 ,of each unit extends down through a corresponding hinge sleeve 5 of the back member located, above the Astretcher bar v9 of each unit. Each leg is provided with a xed collar vor annulus'l5welded to the leg and having its upper edgeA shaped to. provide teeth i6 of truncated triangularshape. IThe lower` end of the hinge sleeve `5 is swedged to increase its diameter as shown in Fig. 1'7 and within this enlargement there is fixed, asA byubrazing, a ring or annulus i8 whose'loweredge is shaped to provide teeth lf),v also of truncated triangular shape and designedto fit. normally within A,be raised sufficiently to disengage the teeth I5 and 19, whereupon the supporting units may be swung about the axes of the legs 6 so as to dispose thevsupporting units in substantially parallel planeswith the back interposed between them asshown in Fig. 3. rIhe front and rear legs of the device are so bent that their lower portions Ea and 'la (Figs. 1 and 2) are substantially vertical.

Therlower end of each rear leg 5 (Fig. 6) is provided with a iixed collar 22 brazed or otherwise rigidly secured to the leg, such collar constituting the upper part of a forked bracket 23 4v(Fig. 2),having bearings for the rear wheel 2li.

Thisrear wheel may be of conventional wirefspoke construction, having a rubber or other resilient tire 24. As above noted, the collars 22 ,arerigidly secured to the lower ends of the legs 6 and the brackets 23 are so arranged that the Vplanes of the rea-r wheels are always parallel.

Y Referring to Fig. 6, the lower portion 6 of the leg is shown as provided with an internal elongate bushing 25 having a radial flange 2La at its lower end which underlies the collar 22 and this bush-- ing 25 is shaped to provide an elongate chamber '2*5 .which houses a long coiled spring 2l whose upper end bears against the upper wall of the chamber 26 and whose lower end bears against the upper surface of a brake shoe 39 designed to cooperate with the tire of the rear wheel. A

sleeve 28, arranged within the bushing 25, constitutes an inner wall for the spring chamber 26 and provides a guideway for an elongate tubular stem 29 to which the brake shoe 39 is attached. This brake shoe is here shown as a disk having a substantially fiat lower surface 3 for engagement with the tire of the wheel, the axis of this disk 30 being radial of the wheel with which the brake shoe cooperates.

The stem 2S of the brake shoe is internally screw threaded as shown at 32 (Fig. 7) for the reception of an externally screw threaded plug 33 to which the lower end of a length of piano wire or cable 34 is secured b v a swivel connection of any desired type. A lock nut 35 is also arranged within the tubular stem 29 and may be screwed up tight against the lower end of the plug 33 thereby to hold the latter in adjusted position. However by removing the screw 35. a screw driver may be inserted upwardly through the brake shoe and into engagement with a slot 33a in the lower end of the plug and the plug may be turned thereby to vary the effective length of fthe wire 34,

Referring to Fig 8, the lower end ''of each front leg of each unit is provided with spaced

internal bushings

35 and 31 respectively which are brazed or welded in position and which provide bearings for along sleeve 38 which is integral or xedly united to a collar` 39 which forms the upper portion of a forked bracket itl (Fig. l) which provides bearings 4I for a wheel provided with a resilient tire. (l2 and preferably of the same diameter as the rear wheel. The forked bracket 40 Aas shown in Fig. 1, is bent so that the axis 4| Of the front wheel does not lie in the vertical plane of the front leg. The bearing sleeve 38 is free to turn in the

bushings

36 and 31 and thus the front wheel freely swivels with reference to the lower end 1a of the front leg. f

The bearing sleeve 38 is shaped to provide a spring housing chamber 43 within which is arranged a long coiled spring 44, the lower end of which bears against a brake shoe 55. This brake shoe has a stern 46 which is arranged to slide in an axial bore in a bushing l1 disposed within the sleeve 38 and which constitutes the inner wall of the spring chamber 43. A stem E (similar to the stem 29 of the rear wheel brake) is provided with an internal longitudinally adjustable plug (not shown) to which the lower end of the flexible connector 34a is secured by any suitable swivel union. The brake shoe 45 is provided with a lower contact surface which is of frusto-conical shape and of such slope that its surface, which at any time engages the tire 42 of the front wheel is in .a plane substantially tangent to the tire. By making the brake shoe of the shape just described it is equally effective regardless of the position of the front wheel as the latter swivels about the axis of the lower part 1a of the front leg.

The flexible transmitters 3A and 34a (preferably lengths of piano wire or substantially inextensible, non-twisting cable) lead upwardly through the hollow legs of the unit and into the members 8 and i?a respectively of the hand-supporting rail.

Referring to Figs, 9 to 12, the opposed ends 8m of the parts 8 and 8a respectively of the handsupporting rail are shown as of enlarged diameter, for example as the result of swedging, and

within these enlarged portions are welded or 8n respectively. The threads at opposite ends of the guide 8X Iare of right and left pitch respectively, so that when engaged with the collars 8n and rotated, the sleeve 8X draws the parts 8 and 3a of the hand-supporting rail toward each other and into rm engagement with the opposite ends of the member 8X.

The transmitters 34 and 3de extend into the opposite ends of the tubular guide member 8X and the end of each transmitter is secured to a swivel member 49 (Fig. 9) which is arranged to turn freely within a cylindrical plug 5G which slides longitudinally within the bore 5! of the member 8X.

A cam sleeve 52 (Fig. 11) embraces the member 8x, being free to turn on the latter, the opposite ends` of the cam sleeve bearing against the inner ends of the bushings 8 so that the cam sleeve may not move axially. This cam sleeve is provided with axially spaced, oppositely inclined cam slots 53 and 54 extending through its wall and with an opening 55 approximately mid-way between said slots. Preferably, the sleeve is finished with two cam slots 53 and two cam slots 54 located at diametrically opposite points. rIhe tubular member 8X (Fig. 10) is furnished with axially

elongate slots

55a and 55a which underlie the slots 53 and 54 of the cam sleeve, and is likewise provided with a peripheraily elongate slot 551 which underlies the opening 55 A pin 5S is secured to each sliding plug 55. As here shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 9, the opposite ends of pin 56 project outwardly through diametrically opposite slots 54a and through the corresponding cam slots 53. The pin 56 (not shown) for the other plug 50 projects out through the slots 55a of the member 8x and into the cam slots 54 of the sleeve 52. A pin 51 passes through the diametrically opposite openings in the sleeve 52 and through slots 55b of the member 8X. Preferably, as here shown, a cylindrical hand grip 58 is arranged to embrace the enlarged end portions 811 of the members 8 and 8a and to turn upon said enlarged portions, and the pin 51 extends outwardly through openings in this hand grip 58 and is headed over at its opposite ends to prevent its withdrawal.

By turning the hand grip, the pin 51 is rocked freely in the elongate slots 55a of the stationary member 8x and transmits motion of the rotation to the cam sleeve 52. When the cam sleeve 52 is turned, the pins 56, byv engagement with the sloping cam slots 53 and 54, cause the plugs 55 to move toward or from each other. In moving toward each other they draw on the

transmitter

35 and 35 and thus retract the brake shoes from the front and rear wheels. On the other hand, when the plugs 55 are permitted to move away from each other, the

springs

21 and 44 urge the brake shoes toward and into contact with the respective wheels. Since the brake-applying springs are of substantial length and open-coiled, they exert a substantially uniform pressure upon the tires of the wheel even though the tires may become worn from use- In order to prevent application of the brakes, it is preferable to provide locking means to hold the hand grip in the brake-retracting position. For this purpose each handgrip is provided with an elongate slot 8e near its forward end which receives a sliding latch member 59 whose forward end may be caused to engage a slot in the corre spending bushing 8U. This latch member 59 may be actuated by the thumb of the user while his hand holds the grip 58. The latch may thus be advanced to lock the hand grip in the brake-retracting position or may be readily retracted to permit the hand grip to turn and thus allow the springs to apply the brakes. The hand grip turns so freely when unlocked that the springs automatically apply the brakes. Y

As disclosed in the aforementioned patent, eac of the stretcher bars 9 is provided with a xed bracket 6I (Fig. 18) near its forward end, each bracket having a recess 62 which is designed to receive a pin provided at the end of a bar 53 (Fig. l) extending across the forward edge of a flexible seat member 64. The upper edge of this seat member is secured to the upper rail of the back. When in use, the bar 53 is engaged with the recesses or slots 52 of the brackets, thus holding the seat in operative position as shown in Fig. 1, but when the seat is not to be used the bar 33 is disengaged from the bracket 5l and the flexible seat material may be wound about the bars 2 and 3 of the back. As here illustrated each bracket 6I is provided with a transverse opening 55 (Fig. 1) which is designed to receive a pin S5 (Fig. 18) passing through the forked lower end of a plug B1 which is fixed within the lower end of a tubulark crutch socket 69. This crutch socket1 is preferably of thin rigid tubing and of a length (Fig. 4) such as to reach up substantially to the level'of the corresponding hand-supporting rail and is preferably provided at its upper end with a radial flange 10 (Fig. 16). Each hand-supporting rail is provided, at a point just forward of its brake controlling hand grip 58, with a bracket member 1I (Fig. 1) (which may be removable if desired) to which is secured or with which is integral a horizontal member 12l (Fig. 17) provided with an elongate looped lportion 13 (Fig..16 and Fig.-17) which embraces the upper part of the crutchsocket 19 at a point just below the flange l0. the upper part ofy the crutch socket to move laterally within the loop, the crutch socket swinging about its point of connection to the bracket 6l. The crutch socket is designed to receive the lower, substantially straight portion 14 of a crutch staff whose upper end portion 15 is preferably-curved. At its upper end each crutch socket is designed to -receive a plug projecting from an arm-pit rest Yor.pad 16. The straight lower portion of each crutch staff is furnished with a series of spaced openings 11, and the upper part of each crutch socket is furnished with a single opening 18 (Fig. 4). A retaining pin 19 (Fig. 16) may be passed through the opening 18 of the socket and through any selected one of the openings 11 of the crutch staif thereby to hold the crutch staff in vertically adjusted position. Preferably the pins 19 are, as illustrated in Fig. 19, riveted to the closed side of a split resilient ring 80. With this arrangement, when the pin is passed through the openings 11 and 18, the split ring 80 is brought into embracing relation to the socket and thus effectively holds the pin in position until sufficient force .is applied to spread the ring B and permit the pin to be withdrawn. The arm-pit rest 16 is removably secured to the upper end of the crutch stall by a similar pin and ring-88a. The pin 66 which unites thelower end of the crutch staff socket to the bracket 6| is likewise preferably carried by a split ring 8| (Fig. 18) which embraces the lower end 69 of the socket.

In use, the crutch staffs are disposed as shown in Fig. 4 so that their curved upper parts are concave toward each other. This disposes the armpit pads 16 nearer to each other than the handsupporting rails of the respective units so that the arm-pit pads are conveniently located for the user whose arms extend downwardly in diverging relation and whose hands grip the hand-supporting rails. Since the sockets 69 may swing outwardly or inwardly to a limited extent the position of the pads 16 may vary inaccordance with the size of the user and the user is given much more freedom of movement than though the pads were rigidly xed in position. By removing the pins 19 the crutch stalls may be adjusted vertically to accommodate users 0f different heights.

While the device is shown in Fig. 4 as provided with crutches, it is obvious that the crutches may be removed either by removing the stalls from their sockets or by removing the sockets from the brackets El and 12. If desired the brackets 12 may also be removed from thev arm-supporting rails.

In the normal use of the device the two supporting units are disposed so that they are substantially at right angles to the plane. of the back, being held in this position by the tooth members I 6 and I9 of the hinge means. In this position the operator may stand or sit betweenthe supporting units and may propel himself along in any desired direction, supporting a portion or all of his weight upon the wheels. Since the front wheels readily swivel it is easy to guide'the apparatus in any direction. The provision of the brakes makes it possible to provide four wheels for the device without any danger that it will run away and injure the occupant.

When the device is to be stored, or when it is to be transported from place to `place (when not The loop 13 is of such length as to-permit 1 supporting units swung in opposite directions about the hinge means until the supporting units lie at the opposite sides of the back and in substantially parallel planes. By reason of the inclination of the hinged axes this folding operation raises the front wheels from the ground G as shown in Fig. 3, so that the device may be trundled along upon the rear wheels 2f! without danger that the swiveling front wheels 42 will come into contact with the ground and thus impede motion of the device.

Preferably, as hereinabove described, each of the four wheels is provided with a brake, it is contemplated that one pair of brakes might be omitted, if desired. Likewise the seat and crutches may be omitted if it be desired to provide a simpler and less expensive device for more limited use.

While a certain desirable embodiment of the invention has here been shown and descri-bed by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the precise details of construction here shown but is to be regarded as broadly inclusive of any modification or rearrangement falling within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A portable support for invalid or similar use comprising a pair of supporting units, a back, hinge means uniting the back to each unit, the hinge means being so constructed and arranged that, at will, the supporting units may be folded into substantially parallel relation to the back, and a seat interposed between the supporting units, each unit including a hand-supporting rail and each unit having front and rear wheels, a brake for each wheel of each unit, a spring tending to force each brake into operative engagement with its respective wheel, a sleeve mounted to turn on the hand-supporting rail of each unit, a pair of independent, longitudinally movable plugs within each hand-supporting rail, a eXible transmitter uniting each plug with one of the brakes, respectively, of the corresponding unit, and cam means actuated by rotation of the sleeve for drawing the plugs toward each other thereby concomitantly to release the brakes.

2. A portable support for invalid or similar use comprising a pair of supporting units, a back, hinge means uniting the back to each unit, the hinge means being so constructed and arranged that, at will, the supporting units may be folded into substantially parallel relation to the back, and a seat interposed between the supporting units, each unit including a hand-supporting rail and each unit having front and rear wheels, the front wheels being carried by freely swiveling brackets, a brake for each wheel of each unit, spring means tending to force each brake into operative contact with the respective wheels, a brake controller mounted on each hand-supporting rail, ilexible transmitters for transmitting motion from each controller to the brake of the corresponding unit, and individually adjustable means for varying the length of each transmitter.

3. A portable support for invalid or similar use comprising a pair of supporting units, a back, hinge means uniting the back to each unit, the hinge means being so constructed and arranged that, at will, the supporting units may be folded into substantially parallel relation to the back,

and a seat interposed between the supporting units, each unit including a hand-supporting rail and each unit having front and rear wheels, the front wheels being carried by freely swiveling brackets, a brake for each wheel of each unit, spring means tending to force each brake into operative contact with the respective wheels, a brake controller mounted on each hand-supporting rail, the frame of each unit consisting of hollow tubular material, and ilexible transmitters extending through the tubular frame from each lcontroller to the brakes of the corresponding unit, and individually actuable adjusting means for varying the length of each transmitter.

4. A portable support for invalid or similar use comprising a pair of supporting units, a back, hinge means uniting the back to each unit, the hinge means being so constructed and arranged that, at will, the supporting units may be folded into substantially parallel relation to the back, and a seat interposed between the supporting units, each unit including a hand-supporting rail and each unit having front and rear wheels, the iront wheels being carried by freely swiveling brackets, a brake ior each wheel of each unit, spring means tending to force each brake into operative contact with the respective wheels, a brake controller mounted on each hand-supporting rail, each brake including .a shoe and a tubular guide stem, and a iiexible transmitter for transmitting motion from each Controller to the brakes of the corresponding unit, the tubular stem of each brake having within it a longitudinal adjustable plug to which one end of the corresponding transmitter is attached by a swivel connection.

5. A portable support for invalid or similar use comprising a pair of supporting units, a back, hinge means uniting the back to each unit, the hinge means being so constructed and arranged that, at will, the supporting units may be folded into substantially parallel relation to the back, and a seat interposed between the supporting units, each unit including a hand-supporting rail and each unit having front and rear wheels, the front wheels being carried by freely swiveling ibrackets, a brake for each wheel of each unit, spring means tending to yforce each 'brake into operative `contact with the respective wheels, a brake controller mounted on each hand-supporting rail, each brake including a sleeve and a tubular guide stem, and a fiexible transmitter for transmitting motion from each controller to the brakes of the corresponding unit, the tubular stem of each brake being internally screwthreaded and having within it a longitudinal adjustable screw-threaded plug to which one end of the corresponding transmitter is attached by a swivel connection.

6. A portable support for invalid or similar use comprising a pair of supporting units, a back, hinge means uniting the back to each unit, the hinge means being so constructed and arranged that, at will, the supporting units may be folded into substantially parallel relation to the back, and a seat interposed between the supporting units, each unit including a hand-supporting rail and each unit having front and rear wheels, the front wheels being carried :by freely swiveling brackets, a brake for each wheel of eac-h unit, a brake controller mounted on each hand-supporting rail, each brake including a sleeve and a tubular guide stem, a iiexible transmitter for transmitting motion from each controller to the brake of the corresponding unit, one end of each `comprising a pair of transmitter being connected by swivel means to the guide stem of one of the brake shoes, and a coil spring embracing the stem of each brake and arranged to urge the brake lshoe toward the periphery of the corresponding wheel.

'7.'A portable support for invalid or similar use comprising a pair of supporting units and a back and hinge means uniting the back to each supporting unit, the hinge means being so constructed and arranged that, at will, the supporting units may be folded into substantially parallel relation to the back, and a seat normally interposed between the supporting units, each unit including lengths of hollow tubular material shapedV to provide a substantially horizontal hand-supporting rail and front and rear legs, a wheel mounted on each leg, the front wheels being mounted in forked bearings which swivel freely with respect to the front legs, a brake for each wheel of each unit, each brake being movable axially of the corresponding leg of its unit, and a spring urging the brake toward the perphery of its respective wheel, and means for retracting each brake from its wheel, said retracting means comprising a tubular hand grip mounted on and coaxial with each hand-supporting rail, a pair of spaced axially slidable plugs within the hand-supporting rail, av cylindrical sleeve nested within the hand grip and free to turn on the hand rail, said sleeve having a pair of axially spaced oppositely sloped cam slots in its walls, means connecting the sleeve and hand grip whereby rotation of the latter turns the sleeve, a projection on each plug which enters one of the respective cam slots whereby rotation of the' hand grip causes separation or approach of the plugs, and a flexible transmitter connecting each plug to one ofthe respective brakes.

8. A portable support for invalid lor similar use comprising a pair of supporting units and a back and hinge means uniting the back to each supporting unit, the hinge means iloeing so constructed and arranged that, at will, the sup-- porting units may be folded into substantially parallel relation to the back, and a seat normally interposed between the supporting units, each unit including lengths of hollow tubular material shaped to provide a substantially horizontal hand-supporting rail and front and rear legs, each hand-supporting rail including a tubular guide member provided with a bore constituting a guideway, a pair of plugs sliding in said guideway, a flexible transmitter attached to each plug and extending through the hollow hand-supporting rail and to the lower end of one of the respective legs, a wheel carried by each leg, a brake for each wheel, each brake being movable axially of the leg and a spring urging each brake toward the periphery of its respective wheel, means connecting the lower end of each transmitter to one of the respective brakes, a cylindrical sleeve mounted to turn on each of said tubular guide members, each sleeve having a pair of axially spaced, oppositely inclined cam slots in its wall, a pin projecting from each plug into one of said cam slots, and means :for turning the sleeve, thereby to cause the plugs to move toward or away from each other and thus release or apply the brakes to the several wheels.

9. A portable support for invalid or similar use supporting units and a back and hinge means uniting the back to each supporting unit, the hinge means being so constructed and arranged that, at will, the supportshaped to provide a substantially horizontal hand-supporting rail and front and rearA legs, each hand-supporting rail including a tubular guide member provided with a bore constituting a guideway, a pair of plugs sliding in said guideway, a iiexible transmitter attached to each plug and extending through the hollow hand-supporting rail and to the lower end of one of the respective legs, a wheel carried by each leg, a brake for each Wheel, each brake being movable axially of the leg and a spring urging each :brake toward the periphery of its respective Wheel, means connecting the lower end of each transmitter to one of the respective brakes, a cylindrical sleeve mounted to turn on each of'said tubular guide members, each sleeve having a pair of axially spaced, oppositely inclined cam slots in its wall, a pin projecting from each plug into one of said cam slots, and means for turn ing the sleeve, thereby to cause the plugs to move toward or away from each other and thus release or apply the brakes to the several wheels, and a manually-actuable locking element operative 12 at will to connect the cylindrical sleeve to a relatively stationary portion of the hand-supporting rail.

BUTLER AMES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 694,791 Sack Mar. 4, 1902 1,085,573 Adams Jan. 27, 1914 1,521,627 Jacobs Jan, 6, 1925 1,887,351 Hendrickson Nov. 8, 1932 1,917,440 Fiukbeiner et al. July 11, 1933 1,949,163 Kastan et al. Feb. 27, 1934 2,058,205 Bandura Oct. 20, 1936 2,077,569 Kish Apr. 20, 1937 2,129,260 Bowser Sept. 6, 1938 2,282,689 Ames May 12, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,212 Great Britain Jan. 27, 1818 174,000 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1935