US2841208A - Foot rest panel device - Google Patents

Description

July 1, 1958 s. DUKE 2,841,208

FOOT REST PANEL DEVICE- Filed Dec. 19, 1955 30 r @wofixe United Stat p This invention relates generally to invalid wheel chairs and more particularly relates to a novelfoot rest panel construction for chairs of this type in which the foot rest panel automatically is moved to a vertical folded position when the foot of the occupant is withdrawn therefrom.

Heretofore, foot rest panels supplied on wheel chairs have been provided with means designed normally to frictionally retain the foot rest panel in a horizontal position between the side frames of the wheel chair or its normal position of use. In order for the occupant to leave the chair, it was necessary to move the panel against the friction to its vertically folded position. considerable effort for an invalid, such as bending downward to reach the foot rest panel and then manually moving the foot rest panel, or attempting to move the panel with ones foot. Where'themobility of the occupant was considerably impaired, even this simple operation could be impossible for him and at other times, extremely difficult.

Where used with chairs intended to fold, the frictionally held foot rest panels must be raised manually to fold the chain and then lowered to unfold the chair. This of course is annoying and time consuming.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a foot rest panel device for wheel chairs by means of which the disadvantages hereinabove enumerated substantially are eliminated.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a foot rest panel device of the character described which includes helical tension means installed to exert a continuous force normally urging the said foot rest panel to a vertically folded position, said foot rest panel being maintained in its horizontal position of use by the weight of the 'occupants foot thereon and automatically assuming its vertical folded position when the occupants foot is withdrawn.

These and other advantages of the invention will be This required come apparent as the description thereof evolves, in connection with which a preferred embodiment has been described in detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an invalid wheel chair having the foot rest'panel device embodying the invention installed thereon.

Fig. 2 is a front el-evational view of said device illustrating its vertical folded position in solid outline and its horizontal position of use in broken lines.

Fig. 3 is a side elevati-onal view of said device on an enlarged scale showing same in horizontal position, with portions broken away.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the said device in horizontal position, taken generally along line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 1 and in the direction indicated.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character 2,841,208 l ate'n'ted July 1, 1958' ice 10 designates generally an invalid chair intended to be representative of the type to which the foot rest panel device 11 embodying the invention is capable of being assembled. Chair 10 includes a pair of vertical side frames, a portion 12 of one side frame being illustrated in Fig. 1. Each side frame includes a vertical front support post 13 on which is mounted a drive wheel 14 at the front end thereof, although in other model chairs, the drive wheel may be mounted at the rear of the chair. Rigidly or hingedly supported at the front end of each side frame isa foot rest support post 15 which projects forwardly and downwardly of the seat of the chair. Post 15 preferably is a hollow tubular metal member and the horizontal runner 16 of a side frame may be permanently secured thereto or rest thereagainst.

Usually, a pair of foot rest panels is provided, one attached to the post 15 of each side frame. The foot rest panels are capable of being arranged horizontally substantially to span the distance between the said side frames for supporting the feet of an occupant. To permit the occupant to leave the chair or for other purposes, such foot rest panels have been movable to a vertically folded position withdrawn from between the side frames. The foot rest panel device embodying the invention pro- .vides a construction which automatically moves said panel to said vertical folded position merely upon lifting of the occupants foot from the panel, thus eliminating entirely any bending or other manual exertion by the occupant or by others, as required in folding the chair ormoving it close to some object, for example.

The device 11 includes an elongate rigid tubular leg 17 the cross-sectional dimension of which permits said leg to be telescopically engaged within support post 15 through the open lower end 18 thereof and thereafter secured by means of suitable fasteners or friction means. The leg 17 is sufiiciently long to provide a protruding portion 17 to which the pintle or shaft 19 is secured adjacent the free end thereof. The pintle or shaft 19 extends forwardly of the front end of the chair, substantially normal to post 15. Rotatively mounted on pintle 19 is a fiat foot rest panel member or plate 20 upon the upper surface of which may be provided ribs 21. The plate 20 is formed with an upstanding formation or knuckle 22 integral with one end 23 of said plate, the formation or knuckle 22 is hollow on its interior and provided with end bearings 24 journalling pintle 19 therein. A stop such as split ring 25 is mounted on the pintle adjacent leg 18 to prevent lateral movement of the panel 20 along said pintle in the direction of said leg. The length of the knuckle 22 is substantially less than the length of pintle or shaft 19 so that there is a free end portion 26 of said pintle or shaft exposed. The relation of the diameter of journals 24 and pintle 19 is such as to permit relatively free rotary movement of the panel 20 about said pintle.

The pintle or shaft 19 preferably is a hollow tubular metal provided with an elongate slot 27 opening to the free end 28 of portion 26. Wound on the shaft or pintle is a helical spring 29, one end of which is bent to provide a finger 30 which is frictional engaged with the face of said end 23 of the plate member. The opposite end 31 is frictionally engaged within the inner end of an axially extending slot 27 in said shaft 19. The helical spring member 29 is designed so that a torque is exerted constantly to urge the plate 20 to a vertically folded position shown in solid outline in Fig. 2. When the occupant presses downwardly against said plate 20 with a foot, the panel may be moved to a horizontal position of use as shown in broken outline at 32, and maintained in that horizontal position so long as the occupant keeps the weight of his foot pressing downwardly on the said plate 20.

Should the voccupant desirefl to leave the chair, all -he need do is lift his foot from the foot rest panel 20. Withdrawing of the weight of the foot enables spring 29 automatically to swing or rotate the plate 20 about the imi e a al y elded pn n em ved mmthe tweenthe side frames of the chair. Thus, the occupant is relieved frorn any bending to'reaeh the foot panel or from exerting any manual efio-rt;to move saidpanel.

Since the panel 20 is returned to itsvertically'fol ded, position automatically, a I resilient ring or bumper 35 may be secured over post 15 in position to intercept the panel 20 upon its upward swinging movement and absorb the shock occasioned by panelc20 coming to rest against post 15.

It is contemplated that several modifications may be made in the manner of attaching the spring29. Thus, the

There is shown in Fig. 1 rubber shoe 36 inserted over the free end 28 of portion 26 which acts as a bumperlor cushion in a well known manner. However, shoe 36 may be of sufiicient length to engage against the spring 29 at its point of attachment with shaft 19 and thereby assist in maintainingend 31 properly secured to said shaft. This is readily apparent especially where the slot formation 27 is utilized. shaft 19'inside the formation or kunckle 22 at the clearance space 37 between. said shaft and the formation 22.

It is believedthe invention has been described in sufficient detail tovenable the skilled artisan to understand and practice the same. preferredembodiment may be had without departing from the scopeandprinciples of the invention as set forth in the claimhereto appended.

I claim: Incombination with a wheel chairhaving a downwardly The spring 29 also could be wound on the Minor variations from the disclosed.

' extending leg and having a forwardly extending shaft arranged normal to the longitudinal axis of said leg and rigidly secured atone end'thereoffo the lowe'r po'rtionof the leg, a footrest panel haviiig a hollow knuckle adjacent one edge thereof rotatably receiving said forwardly extending shaft for movement of said panel between a vertical folded position against said leg and a horizontal position for supporting a foot ofthechairs occupant, said leg being provided at the lower end thereof with stop means for engaging said, fqotrestpanel and for preventing movement thereof beyond a horizontal position when downward force is applied thereto, said shaft having a free end aa mele n arwe dl e nd i uskle va I provided with a slot opening therein, bearing means'provided by said shaft between said knuckle and said leg for limiting rearward movement of said knuckle longitudinally along said shaft, a helical spring under continuous tension being wound about the free end portion of said shaft,

1 said spring havinglone end thereof disposed within said sl ot'opening, and havihg the opposite en d ther e of frictio nally engaging the edge of said panel adjacent said knuckle,,and a resilient shoe mounted upon said free end.

portion ,and eXtending over 'said slot opening for maintaming the end of said spring therein, whereby, said spring automatically rotates said panel member into vcrticalpositionagainst. said leg when an occupants foot is lifted fromthe panel, the continuous tension of saidspring being operative. to hold the panel firmly against said leg when th'e foo trest panel is not in use, and said spring also being operative to urge said rearwardly along said shaft andintocontinuous engagement with said bearing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,856,297 Marie et a1. May 3, 1932. 2 59 1 246 Everest Apr. 1, 1952.

FOREIGN PATENTS 109,675 Austria Aug. 10, 1925 '5 23 ,32 Germany May 5, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE @ERTIFIQATE OF CORIEUHON Patent No, 2,841,208 July I, 1958 Sam Duke It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as correctedsbelow.

In the grant, lines 1 to 3, for "Sam Duke, oi Chicago, Illinois," read Sam Duke, of Chicago, Illinois, assignor to Institutional Industries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio, line 12, for "Sam Duke, his heirs" read Institutional Industries, Inc. its successors in the heading to the printed specification, line 3, for "Sam Duke, Chicago, Ill read Sam Duke, Chicago, Ill. assignor to Institutional Industries, Inc, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corpora tion of Ohio Signed and sealed this 4th day of November 1958.

(SEAL) fittest:

KARL H, AXLINE I ROBERTRIJ, wATsor 'a is A. .hutfis ting; Officer Commissioner of Patent

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