AU2811300A - Mobile low frame platform with fixed or swivelling metal railing for transporting handicapped persons over short distances - Google Patents

Description

Departement Traduction _ 1 Translation I Off ice (3)04 7803107 Moving low-slung platform with fixed or n- _swivelling guard rail allowing transport of invalids over short distances 5 The fact that we are all tending to live longer means that the number of old people's homes and hospices is also increasing. Ancillary services have to cope with this 10 problem: care, grooming and calls of nature all involve handling operations that are time consuming for care staff because people become more dependent as they grow older. 15 In addition, the forced adoption of a sedentary life style often means that handicapped people gain weight. Nevertheless, amenities in both brand new and old buildings are improving, twin bedded rooms almost always 20 have a bathroom with an appropriate WC, basin and shower. To use these facilities, invalids often have to be accompanied and supported by one, two or even 25 three carers. Such people waste precious time making this slow two-way trip. 30 Nurses often express their wish for an appliance that could be used to transport invalids in a standing position, bearing in mind the possible problems of implementing such an appliance due to major and sometimes contradictory constraints, in 35 particular: \\E SDeparte Traduc n n ,Ton REPLACEMENT SHEET (RULE 26) /- " r Departement Traduction Translation Office 2 (33)04 78003107 The appliance must be as low as possible, not more than 5 cm high because if it is any higher disabled people, who are generally extremely nervous, are affected by movement and will panic, complaining 5 of vertigo and will instinctively try to grab hold of something fixed and this calls for a vertical guard rail to support and steady them. In order to meet these requirements, it is 10 crucial, unless provision is made for movement on an air cushion, to provide extremely small wheels capable of supporting at least 180 kg with an adequate margin of safety. The safety rule whereby the weight must be divided by three gives 60 kg per 15 castor and demands twin wheels which automatically have a larger diameter. In addition, castors must be of good quality and have two ball bearings, be equipped with a brake 20 and, because of this, a 50 mm diameter wheel has a total height (swivel or fixed) of at least 72 mm inclusive. Even a load-bearing deck of minimum thickness 25 (3 mm sheet steel) results in an overall height of 75 mm and, as stated above, this is an unacceptable dimension. According to prior art, patents US 4111445 and 30 WO 9838959 disclose moving platforms for transporting handicapped persons. The invention involves producing raised guards (Figure 1 (1)) in the four outer corners relative to 35 the load-bearing deck (Figure 1 (2)) which make it \\ER Departe ent V Tradu ion tion p.

'Departement Traduction Translation I Office (33)0478003107 3 n - possible to reduce this height and, because of this, the deck is only approximately 35 mm above the floor. Said guards consist of 3 mm thick sheet steel 5 welded to the vertical bend of the corner and the metal frame that forms a structural framework which may be replaced by bent sheet metal of appropriate thickness. 10 A hole through which the swivel of the wheels passes is located so that it allows unrestricted swivelling and unobstructed access to the brake. Nevertheless, according to the invention the 15 overall square shape (Figure 2) is associated with a fixed metal guard rail. To achieve convenient stability for this assembly, it must not be less than fifty centimetres 20 wide. Three holes (F2(T)) are drilled in deck (2) to accommodate a large-diameter bolt fitted with a wide, thick washer. 25 Uprights (F2(4)) that form the guard rail, are mounted on the deck and have an outside diameter of 25 mm. 30 The base of these tubes consists of an internal welded threaded insert. The two vertical tubular uprights (4) face each other and are equidistant from the edge of the 35 deck and the guard, they are connected by horizontal \E Depa ment Tra tion 1IUtion (:, OO31 M/V4 artement duction nslation I4 ffice e 4A 8 3IQ7 tube (5) which is welded approximately 400 mm from n-$ the deck. A third base forming a strut (Figure 1 (6) ) is 5 welded, in its centre, with a slight bend towards the lower end so that it can be lined up with the fixing hole (T) to attach it to the deck. The height of the two vertical uprights (4) is 10 approximately 950 mm. They support a horizontal metal tube (Figure (7) ) forming a hand rail at the front and a hand grab (Figure 2 (8)) at the rear thanks to a curve making it possible to weld them roughly 150 mm from their end. 15 The horizontal tube (Figure 1 (5)) is guarded with a foam rubber sleeve to provide support under the knee. 20 An alternative embodiment makes it possible to compensate for differences between small and large individuals and is also suitable for hemiplegics who need to be supported. 25 According to the invention, bar (5b) that links the two vertical uprights is attached at an approximate height of 650 mm. In the middle of the bar there is a welded small square clamp El (9) fitted with a nut welded in a hole through which a 30 knurled thumb screw can pass - the latter is used to secure a square tube (10) which passes through the small clamp (9) and joins vertically with a very shallow locating protrusion (11) located on the deck and onto which the square vertical 35 tube (10) fits. \ ER 4 Depart ent Trad ion a tion ce )partement 1 Traduction ranslation I Office ZL5 A0O478003107 N Non _ vo By raising said tube, it is possible to slide the round bars with a beam of different lengths which is itself welded to a square with a nut and screw with knurling which slide horizontally as required to 5 provide a foot or knee stop. The length of said round bars will not exceed the distance between uprights (4). They are guarded with flexible foam. Because of the greater height of horizontal 10 tube (5b) that connects the vertical uprights, tube (6) that forms a strut in the first embodiment is replaced by 2 round rods welded half way up the uprights on the one hand and joining in a V shape at their base and merging before they are attached to 15 the deck. According to the invention and bearing in mind the configuration of public and private spaces that are sometimes confined or awkward, there is another 20 useful variant. The rectangular shape is convenient for widened access between the guards for a moving circular disc that rotates around a central axis 25 represented by a screw or bolt that passes through the deck and can be locked by a locknut, thus connecting them. This disc will support the upper structure of the 30 guard rail without any modification in shape or fixing. The circular movement of the disc is matched in a known manner: ball bearing, roller, mini castors are just a few examples from a wide range of 35 possibilities. Departe ent Tradu ion tion (3 3107 -niv4 rtement Junction slation _ 6 ffice "8003107 The edge of the disc is folded over by - "chasing" in order to offer a protective guarding. According to the invention, the entire metal 5 structure is sprayed with epoxy type paint. It is assumed that the brake on the castor is effective, but special attention must be paid to completely immobilising the swivelling disc. 10 Due to its shape and epoxy coating, conventional means of braking cannot be used. According to the invention, a "bayonet 15 fastener" approach was adopted because of its effectiveness. A hole through which a chrome plated round rod of appropriate diameter can pass is drilled through 20 the circular disc at a very short distance from the base of a vertical upright (Figure 2 (4)). Several holes are drilled in a circular pattern around the central axis of deck Figure 2 (2). 25 The distance will be equivalent to that of the hole through the disc. The chrome plated rod is vertical and parallel to the tubular upright. Its end is located below the 30 hand rail (Figure 2 (8)) so that the assistant can operate it with one finger without having to take his hand off the hand rail. A 90 degree bend in the rod roughly 20 mm from 35 its end makes it easy to operate. \\E UDp ent Ttad tion tion L.I IVA rtement actionn slation 7 nice 78 O7 -EV A wide clamp fulfils two functions: it clamps onto the upright tube and allows the rod to slide, ensuring its full length is inserted. 5 There is an inverted L-shaped slot in this tubular part through which a very small protrusion permanently welded on the chrome plated rod can pass, thereby making it capable of limited vertical movement in a down/up and up/down direction and then 10 engaging, by swivelling, in the horizontal part of the slot thereby forming a lock. The clamp will be adjusted in this position with the pointed end of the rod located a few 15 millimetres from deck (Figure 2 (2)). It is obviously apparent that, when released, the rod will drop under its own weight and fit into one of the eight locating holes. 20 It is sufficient for the rod to penetrate ten or so millimetres in order to obtain complete locking. 25 \VER q, Depart ent Trad Ion tion (33 07 . 30 35

Claims (2)

1. Embodiment of a moving square or rectangular shaped deck intended for moving invalids, 5 characterised in that it comprises 4 guards (Figure 1-(1)) that are raised relative to the load bearing deck (Figure 1-(2)) and making it possible to reduce the height of the latter relative to the floor. These guards each support twin swivelling 10 castors with a brake and ball bearing. The said deck has a tubular metal guard rail comprising 2 uprights permanently attached to the deck (square shape) and the guard rail is fitted to a disc (rectangular shape deck) that swivels around a central axis, bolt 15 or screw that passes through the deck, and a thick washer and locknut joins them. The vertical uprights are joined by a bar welded at various heights. The centre of said tube supports a square clamp (Figure 2-(9)) welded on one side through. which a 20 square tube (Figure 2 (10)) can pass, the latter fits vertically over a square forming a stub of smaller cross sectional area (Figure 2 (11)) welded to the platform or disc. The vertical square tube is chrome plated to make it slide easier using one or two 25 clamps that themselves support tubular lateral bars guarded with protective foam providing a knee rest or foot stop. An appropriate welded nut and knurled screw adjustment system is used to position them at the desired height. The deck may also support a 30 circular metal disc that swivels around a central axis, effectively a bolt that joins them together. This disc supports the guard rail structure that is fixed in a manner similar to the way it is fixed to the deck and is also made of sheet steel of 35 appropriate thickness. It has a hole close to upright \wE SDdpa ent Tr tion spartement reduction ranslation I Office 9 3)0478003107 (Figure 2 (4)). This hole will match up with other holes drilled into deck (Figure 2 (2)). The lower holes arranged in a circular pattern around the central axis make sure that the upper hole drilled in 5 the same way will line up precisely with one of them by swivelling the disc.

2. Embodiment of a device as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that the swivelling disc is 10 locked by means of a vertical chrome plated rod which, starting from underneath hand rail (Figure 2 (8) ) , passes through the disc and alternatively passes through deck (Figure 2-2). 15 \\E Ddpa ent Trad ion an tion 20 25 30 35