초록 ▼

Disclosed is a wheelchair having a pair of levers along its opposite sides connected with sprockets on drive wheels. In one form, each lever is connected to its sprocket by a rack. The drive wheels have a clutch enabling the power stroke of the lever to drive the wheels through the rack-and-pinion e

Disclosed is a wheelchair having a pair of levers along its opposite sides connected with sprockets on drive wheels. In one form, each lever is connected to its sprocket by a rack. The drive wheels have a clutch enabling the power stroke of the lever to drive the wheels through the rack-and-pinion engagement, yet permitting the sprocket to rotate in the reverse direction freely upon the return stroke of the lever. The rack includes an arcuate extent void of teeth to enable disengagement of the drive connection between the lever and sprocket whereby the wheels may move freely in either direction. In another form, a chain interconnects the lever and a return spring connected to the wheelchair frame. The chain has an extent void of pins to enable disengagement of the drive connection between the lever and sprocket, whereby the sprocket and, hence, drive wheel are free to rotate in either direction. A speed change mechanism is employed to vary the torque applied to the sprocket by the lever.

대표청구항 ▼

A manually-propelled device comprising: a frame having a seat for supporting an individual; means supporting said frame for locomotion of said device including a pair of wheels carried by said frame adjacent opposite sides thereof; means for mounting said wheels for rotation relative to said frame;

A manually-propelled device comprising: a frame having a seat for supporting an individual; means supporting said frame for locomotion of said device including a pair of wheels carried by said frame adjacent opposite sides thereof; means for mounting said wheels for rotation relative to said frame; and means carried by said frame and operable by the individual seated in the device for propelling said device in a forward direction, including at least one lever pivotally connected to said frame, a rotatable drive sprocket carried by said frame for rotating at least one of said wheels in a direction to propel the device in a forward direction, and means interconnecting said lever and said sprocket for rotating said drive sprocket to propel the device in the forward direction; said interconnecting means including an element movable through two positions relative to and in engagement with said sprocket, said element in said first position thereof relative to said sprocket engaging and driving said sprocket, said element in said second position thereof relative to said sprocket engaging said sprocket in non-driving relation thereto thereby disconnecting the drive connection between said lever and said sprocket and freeing said one wheel for rotation.