A brake apparatus for a wheelchair is mounted on one side of a wheelchair, with a corresponding brake apparatus mounted on the opposite side of a wheelchair. The brake apparatus includes an upper assembly mounted on the wheelchair frame just below the padded arm rest of the wheelchair. The upper ass
A brake apparatus for a wheelchair is mounted on one side of a wheelchair, with a corresponding brake apparatus mounted on the opposite side of a wheelchair. The brake apparatus includes an upper assembly mounted on the wheelchair frame just below the padded arm rest of the wheelchair. The upper assembly includes a brake lever and brake handle for locking and unlocking the wheels on each side. The upper assembly is connected to an adjustable strut, which connects to the lower assembly. The lower assembly includes a system of link arms that allows a brake arm having a brake shoe to lock and unlock the wheel on the wheelchair. The length of the strut may be adjusted and the position of the upper and lower assemblies may also be adjusted so that the brake assembly can be configured for operation on various sizes of wheelchairs.
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What is claimed is: 1. A hand-operated brake apparatus for a wheelchair having wheels and a frame, said frame having a generally horizontal upper tubular frame member and a generally horizontal lower tubular frame member on each side of the wheelchair, said upper tubular member disposed below and a
What is claimed is: 1. A hand-operated brake apparatus for a wheelchair having wheels and a frame, said frame having a generally horizontal upper tubular frame member and a generally horizontal lower tubular frame member on each side of the wheelchair, said upper tubular member disposed below and adjacent a padded arm rest, said lower tubular frame member disposed adjacent a wheel, the apparatus comprising: an upper assembly connected to said upper tubular member, said upper assembly positioned to operate below the padded arm rest; a lower assembly connected to said lower tubular member, said lower assembly configured to engage said wheel for braking; and a strut having an upper end and a lower end, said first end and said second end each having a single opening, said strut connected at said upper end to said upper assembly, said strut connected at said lower end to said lower assembly. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said strut further comprises: a first separable and connectable portion having a first end and a second end, said second end including a threaded section; and a second separable and connectable portion having a first end and a second end, said first end having a threaded receiving collar to engage said threaded section, whereby, the strut may be adjusted in length by the movement of the threaded section within the threaded receiving collar when said threaded section and said threaded receiving collar are disposed between said upper end and said lower end. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein upper assembly further comprises: a mounting channel attached to said upper tubular frame member, said mounting channel having an inner side wall, an outer side wall, and a lower connecting wall between the inner side wall and the outer side wall; a brake lever pivotably connected to said outer side wall by a pivot pin extending between said brake lever and said mounting channel, said brake lever having an inner surface, an outer surface, a forward end and a rearward end; and a brake handle having a first end and a second end, said brake handle connected at said first end to said forward end of the brake lever. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further including a gripping knob attached to the second end of the brake handle. 5. The apparatus according to claim 3, further including a torsion spring mounted between said outer side wall of the mounting channel and the inner surface of the brake lever, said torsion spring encircling said pivot pin. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a pair of spring pins to control the expansion and contraction of the torsion spring, one spring pin mounted on the outer side wall of the mounting channel, the other spring pin mounted on the inner surface of the brake lever. 7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further including a stop mounted on said outer side wall of said mounting channel, whereby, rotation of the brake lever is limited by the contact between the stop and the spring pin located on the inner surface of the brake lever. 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the torsion spring, spring pins and stop bias the brake apparatus to a brake off position. 9. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said lower connecting wall includes a slot for slidably adjusting the position of said mounting channel along said upper tubular frame member. 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lower assembly further comprises: a mounting channel attached to said lower tubular frame member, said mounting channel having an inner side wall, an outer side wall, and an upper connecting wall between said inner side wall and said outer side wall; a brake arm having a first end and a second end pivotably connected to said mounting channel at said first end, said brake arm further having a brake shoe at said second end; a link arm having a first end and a second end connected to said brake arm at said second end of said link arm; and a pivot arm having a first end, a second end, and an angle, said pivot arm pivotably connected to said link arm at said second end of said pivot arm, said pivot arm pivotably connected to said outer side wall at said angle. 11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said connecting wall further includes a slot for slidably adjusting the position of said mounting channel along said lower tubular frame member.
Hector, Jr., Melvin G.; Yentzer, Dana R., Structure, components and method for constructing and operating an automatically self locking manually propelled vehicle such as a wheel chair.
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