Patent ID: 6173986
Filing Date: 2001-01-16
Classification: A61G

Abstract:
A wheel chair, comprising:a wheel chair frame including a seat portion, axle means and two lateral wheels mounted to said axle means for rolling the wheel chair over a support surface;and a manual propulsion mechanism comprising first and second clutches mounted to said wheel axle means, each said clutch having an outer clutch drum which engages and rotates an internal clutch core affixed to said wheel axle means when rotated in one direction and disengages said clutch core and spins freely when rotated in the opposing direction; a lever arm affixed to a lever arm axle rotatably fitted through the frame to a drive cable pulley; a drive cable engagingly wrapped around said drive cable pulley and engagingly around the first said clutch drum, and extending from the first said clutch drum engagingly around a reversing pulley rotatably mounted on a pulley stem secured to said frame, and from said reversing pulley engagingly around the second clutch drum wound in the opposite direction from its winding around the first said clutch drum, and then returning to the drive cable pulley to form a continuous cable loop;such that pivoting said lever arm in one direction rotates the first and second clutch drum about said wheel axle means in opposing first rotational directions such that the first clutch drives said wheel axle means in a forward rotational direction while second clutch does not engage, and pivoting said lever arm in the opposite rotational direction to rotate the first and second said clutch drums about the wheel axle in second opposing rotational directions causing the second clutch to drive the wheel axle means in a forward rotational direction while the first clutch does not engage.