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Multifunction wheelchair handbrake especially adapted for ramp climbing

  • US 4,560,033 A
  • Filed: 12/14/1981
  • Issued: 12/24/1985
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1980
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A multiposition handbrake for a wheelchair or the like comprising a housing,a handle member pivotally mounted in said housing and having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being adapted to be grasped by the user of the lwheechair,said housing being adapted to be mounted adjacent the tire of a wheel of the wheelchair and said handle having a plurality of operating positions,a wheel-contacting assembly pivotally mounted in said housing, said wheel-contacting assembly supporting a pad adapted to be operatively disposed adjacent the tread of the tire, said pad having a plurality of pointed teeth, with said teeth possessing considerable angularity,a lower portion of said handle member being operatively connected to said pivotally mounted wheel-contacting assembly,said handle, when in a first position in said housing, causing no movement of the pad into contact with the tread of the tire,the lower portion of said handle, when said handle has been moved by the user to an intermediate position in said housing, causing a corresponding movement of said wheel-contacting member such that the teeth of said pad have comparatively light touching contact with the tread of the tire, the angularity of said teeth at such time permitting forward rotation of the wheel, with rotation in the reverse direction being inhibited,said handle, when moved to a third position in said housing, causing said pad to forcibly contact the tread of the tire, thereby firmly preventing any rotation of that wheel of the wheelchair,said toothed pad being mounted by the use of a pair of opposed pins disposed in angled slots located in said wheel-contacting assembly, the sidewalls of said slots being disposed at non-constant radius with respect to the axis of rotation of the wheel, said pad, when its teeth are in firm engagement with the tread of the tire, being caused by wheel rotation in a certain direction to move such that its pins travel in a pad-wedging direction in their slots, thereby bringing about an intensification of braking effort.

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