US2553730A

US2553730A - Package carrying crutch attachment

Info

Publication number: US2553730A
Application number: US128951A
Authority: US
Inventors: Taylor Clyde Wyndon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-11-23
Filing date: 1949-11-23
Publication date: 1951-05-22
Anticipated expiration: 1968-05-22

Description

y 95 c. w. TAYLOR 2,553,730

PACKAGE CARRYING CRUTCH ATTACHMENT Filed NOV. 23, 1949 5 INVENTOR (gm/W ATTORNEY$ Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT VOFFICE PACKAGE CARRYING CRUTCH ATTACHMENT Clyde Wyndon Taylor, Jacksonville, Fla.

Application November 23, 1949, Serial No. 128,951

Claims. 1

The present invention relates to package-carrying attachments for crutches, and more particularly to an attachment comprising a small box-like hollow device adapted to be secured between the downwardly converging, generally vertical members of a conventional crutch, said device lying substantially entirely within the plane of the crutch when not in use, and hence permitting free use of the crutch and presenting no projections or obstructions which might cause difliculty in the ordinary use of the crutch.

It is an object of the invention to provide a package-carrying attachment of the type described, comprising a hollow device including top, bottom, front, rear, and end walls, the device being slightly wedge shaped so as to fit between the downwardly converging members of a conventional crutch, the front wall of the device being hingedly secured to the forward edge of the bottom wall thereof and releasably secured to the top wall, whereby the said front wall may be swung downwardly into horizontal position for supporting a package.

A further object is the provision, in an attachment of the character described, of elastic means positively secured at one end to the device and adapted to encircle a package supported on the lowered front wall, the free end of the said elastic means being provided with means for attachment to the crutch, for securing the encircled package tightly thereagainst.

Another object is the provision, in an attachment of the character described, of means secured to the front wall and normally extending downwardly thereof, said means being adapted to engage the bottom wall of the device when the front wall is lowered into horizontal position, to serve as a support for the front wall or platform.

Other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the description which follows, read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device of the invention in use to support a package;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a central vertical section through the device of Figure 1;

Figure 4 .is a perspective view of the device in closed position;

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a modification of the device.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made to the embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptive language is employed. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the invention is thereby intended and that various changes and alterations are contemplated such as would ordinarily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

The crutch attachment of the present invention comprises generally a box-like device or casing including fixed top and bottom walls i0 and H, end walls l2 and I3, and rear wall [4, and a movable front wall 15 hingedly secured to the forward edge of the bottom wall II, as at l6. Secured to, or formed integrally with the front which, when the wall I5 is swung downwardly into open position, as illustrated in Figure 3, is adapted to engage the bottom wall I l to prevent further downward movement of the front wall [5 and serve to maintain the latter in generally horizontal position under load.

As best seen in Figure 2, spaced pairs of laterally extending flanges l9 and 25 are provided, formed integrally with or associated with respective end walls l2 and I3. The latter are con-v verged downwardly at the same angle as the respective generally vertical members 2| and 22 of a conventional crutch with which the attachment is intended to be used, so that the attachment may be firmly secured, by wedging action, between the members 2| and 22, displacement of the attachment except by a vertical upward movement being prevented by the flanges l9 and 20.

The front wall l5 of the device is preferably strengthened by the provision, on its inner side, of a corrugated or otherwise deformed reinforcing member 23, permanently secured to the wall l5 by welding, soldering or riveting. The member 23 may conveniently be formed to provide

channels

24 and 25 in order to strengthen the wall l5and, at the same time, to provide convenient means for attachment of elastic package-securing means to be described. Such package-securing means may, for example, comprise

elastic straps

26 and 21, one end of each being formed to provide a loop or sleeve 28 encircling a spring clip 29 which in turn is secured to the member 23 by having its inturned ends 30 inserted through suitable apertures formed in the outer walls of

channels

24 and 25, respectively. The free ends of the

elastic straps

26 and 21 are provided with hooks 3! and 32 for engaging the

members

21 and 22 of the crutch with which the device is used, in order to firmly secure a package 33 against the said members, the said package also resting upon the horizontal platform provided by the front wall l5 when swung downwardly into horizontal position.

When the device is not in use for package-carrying purposes, the

straps

21 and 28 may be folded and carried within the hollow interior of the device, the door being swung to closed position, in which position it is retained by a spring catch 34. The latter may be released by depressing a button 35 which extends outwardly through a suitable aperture in the top wall of the device, and is resiliently maintained in place by the catch 34. The latter may -comprise a strip of spring metal bent approximately at right angles, the vertical portion thereof being riveted to the rear plate M as at 36, and the lower end of said strip projecting through a slot in the bottom wall H to provide a second spring catch 39 for engagement with the extension I! of the front wall, when the latter is in lowered position. The hook shaped end of the catch 34 is, of course, adapted to engage a suitable hook 31 provided at the outer edge of the wall l5.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 6, the

flanges

19 and 28 are eliminated, and the device is intended to be permanently secured between the members 2| and 22 of the crutch as by means of screws 33, or by welding, riveting, etc.

The utility and mode of operation of the attachment will be obvious from the foregoing description. When the crutch user desires to transport a package, it is only necessary for him to press the button 35 releasing the wall l5, and swing the latter downwardly into the position illustrated in Figure 3. The wall 15 is retained in this position by the spring catch 39, which engages the free end of the extension [1. The

straps

26 and 21 are then adjusted about the package to be carried, and secured to the crutch members 2| and 22 by means of the hooks 3| and 32, respectively. Due to their elasticity, the

straps

26 and 21 will serve to secure packages of widely differing sizes, in firm engagement with the crutch. When the package is removed, the straps may be folded and stowed within the attachment,

as illustrated in broken lines in Figure 3, and the 4 wall 15 swung upwardly into closed position, as also illustrated in broken lines, the spring catch 39 first being flexed to release the extension 11.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Attachment for crutches comprising a hollow casing having fixed top, bottom, rear and end walls and a movable front wall, said front wall having hinged engagement with the front edge of said bottom wall, means releasably securing said front wall in closed position against said top and end walls, elastic means secured at one end inwardly'of said casing and adapted to encircle a package supported on said front wall, means for securing said casing to a crutch, means for securing the free end of said elastic means to said crutch, and means supporting said front wall in generally horizontal position when the latter is open.

2. A device according to claim 1, said end walls converging downwardly to fit between the downwardly converging members of a conventional crutch.

3. A device according to claim 2, including a pair of spaced flanges extending laterally from either end of said casing and adapted to receive between the flanges of each pair one of the downwardly converging members of a conventional crutch.

4. A device according to claim 1, including means secured to said front wall and adapted to engage said bottom wall, when said front wall is in open position, for supporting said front wall in generally horizontal position.

5. A device according to claim 4, including a spring catch on said casing for engaging said supporting means and releasably holding the same in engagement with said bottom wall.

CLYDE WYNDON TAYLOR.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,151,293 Dross Mar. 21, 1939 2,311,049 Hedden Feb. 16, 1943 2,423,635 Blum July 8. 1947