Motorized portable system and method for aiding persons in ascending or descending stairways

A portable system for aiding persons in ascending or descending stairways comprises either a motorized portable upper body support assembly or a motorized vehicle for detachably drivingly engaging elongate tracks associated with different stairways. The detachability of the motorized unit from the track, combined with its portability, enables the user to employ the same portable unit interchangeably with any stairway in any location so long as the stairway is equipped with a mating track, thereby enabling an unlimited number of stairways in private or public buildings to be adapted inexpensively for use by physically impaired persons. The portable motorized unit is readily able to adapt to stairways of different slopes and configurations, and to tracks on either the right-hand or left-hand side of the stairway, so as to maximize the versatility of the portable unit for use with virtually any track-equipped stairway.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to systems for aiding physically impaired 
persons in ascending or descending stairways. More particularly, the 
invention is directed to a motorized portable system which can be used 
transferably with a virtually unlimited number of different stairways to 
minimize cost, and which nevertheless is extremely safe and reliable. 
The majority of previously developed systems are permanent installations. 
In such systems a motorized moving handgrip or a motorized supporting 
platform or chair is permanently mounted in conjunction with a particular 
stairway so that a person can walk or ride up or down the stairway with 
the aid of the device. A principal drawback of a permanent installation is 
that a separate motorized system is needed for each separate stairway, 
thereby maximizing the capital cost for each stairway and thus severely 
limiting the number and locations of stairways for which the system is 
usable. Systems of this general type are exemplified by the following 
publications: 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,567 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,916 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,264 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,708 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,521 
German Patent Publication No. DE 3934431A1 
German Utility Model G8710943.3 
German Utility Model G8217206.4 
French Patent Publication No. 2517287 
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-43678 
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-58584 
Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-61278 
LIFTA Treppenlifte brochure (undated) published by LIFTA GmbH of Cologne, 
Germany. 
HIRO LIFT brochure (undated) published by Hillenkotter & Ronsieck GmbH of 
Bielefeld, Germany. 
Another general class of prior systems consists of free-standing 
stair-climbing vehicles. These units require no mounting whatsoever of 
hardware on each stairway, and thus possess the adaptability for use with 
different stairways which the permanent installations lack. However, these 
systems, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,573,877 and 3,592,282, must 
depend on proper stair surface conditions and friction for adequate 
traction, and upon proper weight distribution for stability, neither of 
which is reliable from a safety standpoint. Alternatively, such systems 
could include their own portable tracks, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,564,086, but this would severely restrict their versatility for use with 
different lengths and slopes of stairways. 
A few systems have been conceived in the past in which an assisting device 
can detachably engage a stair-mounted track to provide a reliable tractive 
and stable interconnection with the stairway, and yet can be used 
transferably on other similarly tracked stairways. U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,287 
shows a nonmotorized handgrip which detachably engages tracks on both 
sides of a stairway and thus may be portably transferred between the 
tracks of different stairways. However, motorizing such a handgrip in a 
manner consistent with its detachability from the track is highly 
problematic. Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 58-20271 shows a 
wheelchair detachably connectable to a stairway track assembly. Although 
the wheelchair would apparently be transferable between the respective 
tracks of different stairways, the wheel-chair has no mechanism for 
adjusting to tracks and stairways of different slopes without affecting 
the horizontal attitude of the wheelchair, and engagement of tracks 
located on different sides of respective stairways is possible only by 
disassembling and remounting a trackengaging pinion. Moreover, the 
extremely forward position of the pinion relative to the wheelchair 
requires that the track extend significantly beyond the top or bottom of 
the stairway to enable the wheelchair to be stably positioned before it is 
disengaged from the track. Such a track extension is impossible in the 
common situation where a hallway transversely intersects the top or bottom 
of a stairway. In addition, the track engagement pinion of the wheelchair 
projects permanently outwardly of the wheels thereby inhibiting the 
ability of the wheelchair to pass through narrow spaces. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The principal objective of the present invention is to overcome the 
above-described drawbacks of prior systems by providing a motorized system 
for aiding persons in negotiating stairways which is adaptable for use 
transferably with a virtually unlimited number of different stairways to 
avoid the high capital costs associated with permanent installations, and 
yet has all of the safety and reliability characteristics of a permanent 
installation. 
The invention accomplishes this objective by providing a portable motorized 
upper body support assembly or motorized vehicle (depending upon the 
degree of physical impairment of the user) which is detachably engageable 
with a simple, relatively inexpensive track permanently installed in 
conjunction with any stairway. The portable upper body support assembly or 
vehicle, preferably having an integral driving motor, can be carried or 
otherwise transported from one track-equipped stairway to another and 
thereby used interchangeably in a highly versatile manner. The system is 
extremely cost effective because only a single, portable, transferable 
unit is required for each user, regardless of the number of different 
stairways for which the system is used. Despite its low capital cost, 
however, the system maximizes safety and reliability by drivingly engaging 
the portable unit with a permanently mounted track to prevent any chance 
of mishap. 
The system's versatility is unrestricted by differences in lengths, slopes, 
and other variable features of each stairway. For example, vertical 
adjustability of the motorized upper body support assembly (which may 
consist of a handgrip, or an elbow or forearm support, etc.) adapts it for 
different slopes, and for either ascending or descending a stairway. The 
motorized vehicular unit can engage tracks having different slopes while 
maintaining the horizontal attitude of the unit constant due to a 
track-engaging device on the vehicle which assumes variable positions 
relative to the vehicle automatically in response to the slope of the 
track. Moreover, each motorized unit is readily engageable with a track 
whether mounted on the right-hand or left-hand side of a stairway. Despite 
these versatile capabilities, the width of the vehicular unit is not 
enlarged because the track-engaging device is selectively retractable, 
thereby minimizing the space requirements of the vehicle. The system is 
adaptable even to stairways intersected transversely by hallways at the 
foot or head of the stairway, because the system minimizes the length of 
track required to extend beyond the head or foot of the stairway. Any 
minimal extension of the track into a transverse hallway area is merely 
temporary due to the retractability of the extension portion of the track. 
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the 
invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the 
following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with 
the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Portable Motorized Upper Body Support System 
A preferred embodiment of a portable motorized upper body support system in 
accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 and comprises a 
track assembly, designated generally as 10, and a portable motorized 
handgrip assembly, designated generally as 12, for detachably drivingly 
engaging the track assembly. Alternative upper body support systems could 
include elbow, forearm or other appropriate supports instead of a 
handgrip. 
The track assembly 10, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, comprises an elongate 
metal track 14 having upper and lower ends 16 and 18. The track is 
fastened by screws 20 to a spacer 22 (FIG. 4) which is in turn fastened by 
screws such as 24 to a wall 26 alongside a stairway 28. The track 14 is 
fastened so as to extend longitudinally at the same slope as the stairway 
28, except where the ends 16 and 18, respectively, curve gradually into a 
horizontal attitude in the regions above the respective landings, such as 
30, at the head and foot of the stairway. The track 14 has a generally 
E-shaped cross-section as seen in FIG. 4, where top and bottom legs 32, 34 
of the cross-section contain opposed V-grooves opening toward each other 
and extending continuously along the length of the track. The middle leg 
36 comprises a rectangular housing having a slot 38 formed continuously 
along the length of the track with an elongate roller chain composed of 
rollers 40 extending longitudinally within the housing, the roller chain 
being pinned to the housing by pins such as 42. The cross-section of the 
track is completely open and exposed on each end 16, 18, as shown with 
respect to one of the ends in FIG. 4. 
The track is preferably composed of straight sections such as 14a, 14b 
(FIG. 1) and curved sections such as 14c. The curved sections of the 
roller chain are composed of conventional "circular chain" links enabling 
curvature about an axis perpendicular to the link pins. If desired, the 
track can also include sections which permit it to curve horizontally 
through an angle of 180.degree. and continue up or down an adjacent flight 
of stairs. 
The portable handgrip assembly 12 comprises a handgrip 44 and a handgrip 
support 46 having four rollers 48 which supportably matingly engage the 
facing V-grooves formed in the legs 32 and 34 of the track 14, as shown in 
FIGS. 3 and 4. The handgrip support 46 further includes a bidirectional 
electric motor 50 powered by a rechargeable battery 52 supported removably 
in a housing 53. The motor 50 has a conventional worm gear drive assembly 
54 with a sufficiently large mechanical advantage that it can only be 
driven by the motor and cannot drive the motor. The drive assembly 54 
drives a shaft 56, journaled in upper and lower supports 58 and 60, which 
drives a sprocket 62 affixed thereto. The teeth of the sprocket 62 mesh 
matingly with the rollers 40 of the roller chain through the elongate slot 
38 as shown in FIG. 4. 
The handgrip support 46 also includes a pair of vertical guides 64, 66 
having oppositely facing channels 68, 70 for slidably engaging a slide 
assembly 72 to enable vertical reciprocation of the slide assembly. 
Supported in cantilevered fashion by the slide assembly 72 in a direction 
transverse to the longitudinal direction of the track 14 is the handgrip 
44. Also carried by the slide assembly 72 is a spring-biased pin 74 with a 
handle 76 which permits manual retraction of the pin from respective 
apertures 78 formed in the guide 64, so that the slide assembly 72, 
together with the handgrip 44, can be adjusted vertically to different 
fixed positions with respect to the handgrip support 46, and thus with 
respect to the track 14 when the handgrip support and track are engaged 
with each other. This vertical adjustability enables the handgrip 44 to be 
adjusted not only to accommodate the height of the user but also to 
accommodate stair-descending versus stair-ascending usage. The latter 
requirement arises because the user may need the handgrip 44 to be at a 
higher elevation relative to the track when descending a stairway than 
when ascending it. 
The cantilevered support for the handgrip 44 is composed of a round, 
tubular stub shaft 80 on the slide assembly 72 having a centrally located 
clevis 82 extending therefrom. The clevis 82 is sandwiched between the 
legs of another clevis 84 affixed to the handgrip 44, the clevis 84 being 
pivotally connected to the clevis 82 by means of a pin 86. A sleeve 88 
slidably and rotatably surrounds the handgrip 44 so that, when the sleeve 
is in a position as shown in FIG. 5, the handgrip 44 may be pivoted 
downwardly to retract it from its normally cantilevered position and 
thereby enable free passage up and down the stairway even though the 
handgrip assembly is engaged with the track. To return the handgrip 44 to 
its normal cantilevered position as shown in FIG. 4, the handgrip is 
simply pivoted upwardly about the pin 86 until it is coaxial with the 
shaft 80 and the sleeve 88 is slid over the clevises 82 and 84 past the 
pivot pin 86 until a pin 90 on the shaft 80 is engaged by a locking slot 
92 on the sleeve. Then the sleeve is twisted to its o locked position as 
shown in FIG. 2, thereby firmly supporting the handgrip 44 in its 
cantilevered position. 
A conventional three-position electrical toggle switch 94 allows the user 
to select high or low speeds of operation of the motor 50, while a pair of 
spring-biased push button switches 96 and 98 on the handgrip 44 enable the 
operator to select the proper direction of rotation of the reversible 
motor 50 and activate it by pushing the button nearest to the user. The 
toggle switch 94 also has an OFF position which prevents activation of the 
motor despite any accidental pressing of a button switch 96 or 98, for 
example, when the handgrip assembly is being carried by the user. An 
electrical conduit 100 extending from the switches 96 and 98 passes 
through the center of the handgrip 44 and through the central space of the 
clevis 82 over the pin 86 as shown in FIG. 5, and thence through the 
hollow center of the tubular shaft 80 into a space 102 at the back of the 
slide assembly 72 from which the conduit passes through an aperture 104 to 
the motor 50. This routing of the conduit 100 enables both the pivotal 
downward movement of the handgrip 44 about the pin 86, and the vertical 
adjustability of the handgrip 44 by movement of the slide assembly 72, in 
a manner compatible with the presence of the conduit 100. The remainder of 
the motor control circuitry is conventional. 
An eyebolt 106 connected to the handgrip support 46, and another eyebolt 
108 connected to the outer end of the handgrip 44, enable a strap 110 to 
be detachably fastened by conventional spring clips 112 to the portable 
handgrip assembly for purposes of connecting the handgrip assembly to the 
user independently of any manual gripping of the assembly by the user. 
This serves two purposes: first, if the user loses his grip on the 
assembly for any reason while ascending or descending a stairway, the 
strap prevents the user from falling down the stairway; second, the strap 
may be slung over the shoulder of the user after the user has detached the 
handgrip assembly 12 from the track 14 to enable him to transport the 
assembly more easily to another location. 
The open-ended configuration of the track 14, coupled with the fact that 
the roller chain contained within the slotted housing 36 of the track does 
not extend completely to either end of the track as exemplified by FIG. 3 
with respect to the end 18, make it feasible to use the handgrip assembly 
12 transferably with different tracks 14 associated with different 
stairways. Because of its easy portability, the handgrip assembly 12 can 
be carried to either end of the track 14 and the rollers 48 detachably 
engaged supportably in the opposing V-grooves of the legs 32 and 34 by 
sliding the handgrip assembly through the end of the track to a position 
such as shown in FIG. 3. This can be done without the necessity of 
simultaneously engaging the drive sprocket 62 with the roller chain and 
actuating the motor, which would be difficult to coordinate. Instead, the 
V-grooves are able to provide initial engagement, support and alignment of 
the handgrip assembly with the track. After this has been accomplished, 
the user need only push the handgrip assembly slightly further along the 
track to achieve automatically aligned engagement of the drive sprocket 62 
with the recessed end of the roller chain. 
After connecting the strap 110 around his waist as depicted in FIG. 1, the 
user can press the appropriate button switch 96 or 98 and begin to ascend 
or descend the stairway while gripping the handgrip assembly. In the 
course of negotiating the stairway, the user may move the handgrip 
assembly in increments along the track by intermittently releasing the 
button switch to stop the progress of the handgrip while the user prepares 
for his next step. Whenever the button switch is released, the handgrip 
assembly is effectively locked to the track by the above-described worm 
gear drive assembly 54 (or any other equivalent drive structure which 
prevents the handgrip assembly from moving along the track when the motor 
is deactivated). The user may also find it useful to intermittently press 
the other button switch to reverse the direction of the handgrip assembly 
momentarily to properly position it for his next step, such as when he has 
inadvertently moved it too far ahead for his next step. 
At the opposite end of the track the drive sprocket 62 will automatically 
disengage from the roller chain before the rollers 48 cease to support the 
handgrip assembly on the track, again because of the recessed, inward 
location of the end of the roller chain relative to the end of the track. 
Thus it is impossible for the drive sprocket 62 to drive the handgrip 
assembly accidentally off the end of the track before the user is ready to 
detach it and carry it away. Rather, the user is assured that he will have 
time to stop, detach the strap 110 from his waist, and reposition the 
strap over his shoulder if he wishes, before he disengages the handgrip 
assembly from the track by sliding it out the open end. He may then carry 
it to another stairway having a similar track and repeat the foregoing 
procedure. 
In some applications the foot or head of a particular stairway is 
intersected transversely by a hallway, so that the wall 26 ends abruptly 
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. This makes it impossible for the track 14 to 
extend permanently beyond the wall 26 above the landing 30. However, in 
such applications the t rack 14 can include a hinged extension portion 14a 
as shown in FIG. 3 which the user can temporarily extend into the hallway 
when needed and then retractably pivot upwardly and rearwardly about the 
hinge 114 when not in use. The roller chain can extend through the hinged 
joint by using a two-section chain with pins 42 on each side of the joint 
at positions which maintain the normal roller spacing across the joint. 
It is preferred, for reasons of economy, that the drive motor 50 be mounted 
on the portable handgrip assembly 12 or other upper body support assembly 
as shown in the drawings. However, the provision of a motor-driven 
continuous roller chain on the track assembly 10, trained around 
respective motor-driven and idler sprockets near the respective ends of 
the track and detachably engageable and disengageable by fixed teeth on a 
portable upper body support assembly, could be feasible for at least some 
applications and is therefore within the scope of the present invention. 
In such an application the driven continuous roller chain would be turned 
axially 90 degrees from the orientation shown in the drawings, and would 
be engaged by fixed teeth on the portable assembly from above or below the 
roller chain rather than horizontally as in the drawings. Alternatively, 
the handgrip 44 or comparable upper body support member could detachably 
engage a motorized trolley which is driven along the track and is a 
permanent part of the track. 
Power for any version of the portable upper body support system can be 
supplied by a battery or batteries carried on or in the portable assembly, 
as shown, or carried separately by the user in a vest or other convenient 
holder. Alternatively, if desired, the track assembly can include an AC or 
transformed DC power source with conductors along the length of the track 
which slidably or otherwise detachably engage contacts on the portable 
unit to complete circuits through the control switches and/or motor 
carried by the portable unit. The latter alternative subtracts the weight 
of the battery from the portable unit and avoids any possibility of a 
depleted power source, but adds cost to the original installation. 
The handgrip 44 can take forms other than the transverse bar shown in the 
drawings. For example, a handgrip resembling a bicycle handlebar with 
grips on each end could be supported by the handgrip support 46 in an 
orientation either transverse to the track or parallel to the track (the 
latter for persons preferring to negotiate the stairway by side-stepping). 
The handgrip assembly could also include ground-engaging elements if 
desired such as a depending shaft enabling the assembly to serve as a cane 
for the user when detached from the track, or multiple depending shafts 
enabling the assembly to serve as a walker. 
Vehicular Systems 
For those situations where a person's physical impairment is such that a 
vehicle, such as a wheeled walker, wheelchair, or three- or four-wheeled 
scooter is needed for movement over level surfaces, the upper body support 
assembly of the previous embodiment is replaced by such a vehicle equipped 
with a motorized track-engaging device detachably engageable and 
disengageable interchangeably with different track assemblies mounted 
alongside different stairways. In the embodiments to be described 
hereafter, the preferred track assembly is of a different configuration 
than that previously described for use with the portable upper body 
support assembly. However, both an upper body support assembly and vehicle 
could be equipped with compatible track-engaging devices and thus used 
interchangeably with a single track configuration, which would be 
desirable for institutional or public usage. 
FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of a vehicular system in accordance with the 
present invention which comprises a two-part track assembly 120, and a 
vehicle comprising a specially modified wheelchair 122 for detachably 
drivingly engaging the track assembly. 
The track assembly 120 comprises a pair of elongate metal tracks 124, each 
having upper and lower ends and each fastened by screws 126 to a spacer 
128 (FIG. 8) which is in turn fastened by screws such as 130 to a wall 132 
alongside a stairway 134. Both tracks 124 are fastened so as to extend 
longitudinally at the same slope as the stairway 134, except where the 
ends such as 136 assume a horizontal attitude above the respective 
landings, such as 138, at the head and foot of the stairway. Each of the 
tracks 124 has a generally C-shaped cross section as seen in FIG. 8, where 
top and bottom legs 140, 142 of the cross section contain opposed 
V-grooves opening toward each other and extending continuously along the 
length of the track. Below the leg 142 of each track is a rectangular 
housing 144 having a slot 146 formed in the bottom thereof extending along 
the length of the track. An elongate roller chain 148 extends 
longitudinally within the housing, the roller chain being fastened to the 
housing by pins such as 150 at the ends of the chain. The cross section of 
the track is completely open and exposed on each end for detachable 
engagement and disengagement by the wheelchair 122. 
Preferably, the tracks are sectioned into straight and curved portions as 
described previously with respect to the portable handgrip system. If it 
is desired that the tracks curve horizontally through an angle of 
180.degree. to continue up or down an adjacent flight of stairs, this can 
be accomplished either with "circular chain" links or by orienting the 
chain and drive sprockets similarly to the orientation shown with respect 
to the portable handgrip system, in combination with appropriately curved 
cast track sections. 
The wheelchair 122 is composed of a frame 152 supported in a conventional 
manner by front casters 154 and rear drive wheels 156. The frame 152 
conventionally includes a seat 158, back 160, arm rests 162 and foot rest 
164. Suspended from each of a pair of horizontal frame members 166 are a 
respective pair of tubular slide guides 168 having respective front and 
rear transverse slides 170, 172 mounted therein so as to reciprocate 
slideably along a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the 
wheelchair. On the opposite ends of the slides 170, 172 respective plates 
174 are affixed. Protruding outwardly from each plate 174 is a respective 
pair of shafts 176, upon each of which is journaled a respective rotatable 
sleeve 178 and a respective roller 180 mateable with the V-grooves in the 
legs 140, 142 of the tracks 124. Each rotatable sleeve 178 has a 
respective web 182 affixed thereto to which are journaled a respective 
further roller 181 identical to rollers 180 and a respective sprocket 
shaft 184 or 186 as the case may be. The axes of the rollers 181, and the 
axes of the sprocket shafts 184 and 186, are thus pivotal about the 
respective shafts 176 upon which their respective sleeves 178 and webs 182 
are mounted as indicated, for example, by the directional arrow 188 in 
FIG. 7. The sprocket shaft 186 traverses between the respective lower webs 
182 on each side of the wheelchair, while the respective sprocket shafts 
184 are rotatably mounted separately in the upper webs 182 as shown in 
FIG. 8. Fixedly mounted on the outer extremities of the respective 
sprocket shafts 184 and 186 are drive sprockets 190 mateable through the 
slots 146 with the roller chains 148 of the track assembly. Inwardly 
mounted sprockets 192, also affixed to the respective sprocket shafts 184 
and 186, interconnect the lower sprocket shaft 186 and upper sprocket 
shafts 184 through respective chains 194 so that the shaft 186 is able to 
drive all upper and lower drive sprockets 190 in unison. The shaft 186, in 
turn, is driven through sprocket 196 and chain 200 by a sprocket 198 which 
is coaxial with the shafts 176 upon which the lower webs 182 are pivotally 
mounted. Thus, the distance between sprockets 196 and 198 remains constant 
even though the sprocket shaft 186 pivots about the lower shafts 176. 
Sprocket 198 is driven by a reversible multispeed electric motor 202 
through a worm gear assembly 204 similar to that described previously with 
respect to the portable handgrip assembly. The motor 202, worm gear 
assembly 204 and sprocket 198 are all suspended from the rear slide member 
172 by a bracket 206. The motor 202 is powered by a battery 208 through 
control switches (not shown) mounted on the wheelchair which function 
similarly to those described previously with respect to the portable 
handgrip assembly. 
The pivotability of the axes of the drive sprockets 190 and rollers 181 
about the axes of the respective shafts 176 maintains the wheelchair at a 
constant attitude with respect to horizontal while moving along the track 
assembly regardless of the slope of the track assembly. For example, if 
the slope of the track assembly increases, the respective webs 182 pivot 
in a clockwise direction about the respective shafts 176 while the chains 
194 ensure that the upper and lower drive sprockets 190 rotate in unison 
and thus maintain their vertically-aligned relationship on the tracks 124. 
This in turn ensures that the shafts 176 likewise maintain their vertical 
relationship and thus that the wheelchair retains its horizontal attitude 
as the slope of the track assembly changes. This arrangement also has the 
advantage of enabling the rollers 181 to adjust pivotally to any 
difference in height between the track assembly and the rollers during the 
track-engaging process, such differences in height possibly occurring due 
to such variables as wear of the wheels 154, 156 or wear of the floor in 
the landing area. 
Different equivalent arrangements of drive sprockets and rollers will 
achieve substantially the same results with different track 
configurations. Basically all that is necessary to achieve the automatic 
adaptability to different track slopes while maintaining a horizontal 
attitude are variable-position rollers or variable-position drive 
sprockets whose axes are capable of moving to different vertical 
positions, relative to some other track-engaging member on the vehicle, 
automatically in response to the slope of the track. All such 
automatically self-adjusting arrangements are considered to be within the 
scope of this particular inventive feature of the system. 
A conventional double-acting electrically powered ballscrew linear actuator 
210 has its housing fixedly mounted by means of a bracket 212 to a rear 
slide guide 168, while its shaft 214 is connected by another bracket 216 
to the rear slide member 172. The actuator 210 has a reversible electric 
motor 211 which drives the shaft 214 to selectively either retract or 
extend the shaft from a central neutral position when the actuator is 
energized, depending on the direction selected. Thus, by retracting the 
shaft 214, the rear slide member 172 extends the plate 174 on one side of 
the wheelchair transversely outwardly of the wheels 156 so as to engage 
the track assembly as shown in FIG. 8. Conversely, by extension of the 
shaft 214, the plate 174 on the opposite side of the wheelchair can be 
extended for track engagement while retracting the opposite plate 174. At 
the central neutral position of the actuator 210, the trackengaging 
devices on each side of the wheelchair are within the outer profile of the 
wheels 156 so that the track-engaging devices do not, during normal 
operation of the wheelchair on level surfaces, widen its profile. Thus, 
the wheelchair retains the same ability to pass through narrow spaces as 
if no track-engaging devices were provided. Because the motor 202 and worm 
gear assembly 204 are mounted on the rear slide member 172, they likewise 
move transversely in unison with the trackengaging devices. 
The wheels 156 can be driven by a separate motor (not shown). 
Alternatively, the sprocket 198 can be slidably connected to another drive 
sprocket which drives the wheels 156 through a separate chain and sprocket 
arrangement so that the motor 202 also drives the wheels 156. Any such 
drive connection between the motor 202 and the wheels 156 should also 
include an overrunning clutch allowing the wheelchair to coast when the 
motor 202 is deactivated since the worm gear assembly 204, as in the 
portable handgrip assembly, has a high mechanical advantage preventing the 
wheels 156 from driving the motor. 
As in the portable handgrip system, the roller chains 148 are recessed with 
respect to the ends 136 of the tracks 124 as shown in FIG. 7 so that, when 
engaging the wheelchair with the track assembly, the vehicle first engages 
the tracks only with the rollers 180 and 181 and thereafter detachably 
engages the motor-driven sprockets 190 with the roller chains 148. This 
provides substantially the same automatic sprocket alignment and 
disengagement advantages previously discussed with respect to the portable 
handgrip assembly. Upon engagement of the drive sprockets 190 with the 
chain 148, the motor 202 is activated by the user and the wheelchair is 
driven up the tracks 124 supported in a horizontal attitude by the rollers 
180 and 181. At the opposite end of the track the drive sprockets 190 
disengage from the roller chains 148 before the rollers 180, 181 have 
become disengaged from the track, at which time the wheels 156 should be 
in contact with the landing and can be turned to drive the wheelchair 
forward off the ends of the tracks. 
Also, as in the previous portable handgrip embodiment, the ends of the 
tracks may be hinged for selective extension and retraction as illustrated 
at 124a in FIG. 6 for those instances where a transverse hallway 
intersects the foot or head of a stairway. If desired, a pivotal link such 
as 218 can interconnect the back surfaces of the hinged track portions 
124a to enable them to be easily extended and retracted in unison. 
Conventional shock-absorbing spring assemblies (not shown) can also be 
used to facilitate the hinged movement of the track portions 124a. 
After disengagement from the tracks 124, the vehicle may travel in its 
customary manner to another stairway and engage a comparable track 
assembly even though the track assembly and stairway have a different 
slope than that of the previous stairway and track assembly. Between track 
engagements, the track-engaging devices of the vehicle are retracted 
within the profile of the wheels 156, and then extended to one side or the 
other by the actuator 210 only when approaching a stairway preparatory to 
engaging the track assembly. 
FIGS. 9 and 10 show alternative exemplary types of vehicles which can be 
employed in the present system for negotiating the same stairway 134 
equipped with the same track assembly 120. Each vehicle contains the same 
track-engaging devices as shown in FIGS. 6-8, with track-engaging rollers 
180 and 181 and drive sprockets 190 driven by a motor 202. The vehicle of 
FIG. 9 is a wheeled walker having a handle 220 pivotal between a raised 
position, for operation on level surfaces and for descending a stairway, 
and a lowered position for ascending a stairway. The vehicle of FIG. 10 is 
another wheeled walker having a downwardly pivotal platform 220 upon which 
the user can stand when ascending or descending a stairway. 
Because the ends of the tracks must extend horizontally over the landings 
at either end of the stairway in order to enable the vehicle to engage the 
tracks while on one landing and be deposited on the other landing prior to 
disengagement from the tracks, it is desirable that the drive sprockets 
190, at least when engaging horizontal track sections, have axes located 
rearwardly of the location where the forward wheels of the vehicle engage 
the ground. This will tend to lessen the amount of extension of the tracks 
which is required over the landings. Preferably, in order to minimize the 
necessary track extension over the landings, the axes 228 (FIG. 10) of the 
drive sprockets 190, when engaging a horizontal track section, should be 
located as near as possible horizontally to the midpoint 224 of the 
distance 226 separating the forward and rearward ground-engaging points of 
the front and rear wheels. Such mid-positioning may be difficult to obtain 
on a wheelchair such as that shown in FIG. 6 because of the large diameter 
of the rear wheel which causes the drive sprockets to be positioned more 
forwardly. With other types of vehicles, however, such as those shown in 
FIGS. 9 and 10, or with a three- or four-wheeled scooter, the much smaller 
diameters of the rear wheels makes it feasible to position the axes of the 
drive sprockets 190 horizontally nearer to such midpoint than to the 
forward or rearward ground-engaging points of the wheels. 
Like the portable upper body support systems, the track-engaging devices of 
any of the above-described vehicles may derive their power from a battery 
or batteries carried by the vehicle. Alternatively, they can obtain their 
power from an AC or transformed DC power source on the track assembly 
having conductors along the length of the track which slidably detachably 
engage contacts on the vehicle to complete circuits through the control 
switches and motor carried by the vehicle. Obviously, any vehicle having 
driven wheels, such as an electrically powered wheelchair or scooter, will 
carry its own battery. However, even for such vehicles, an electrically 
powered track has the advantage of avoiding any possibility of a depleted 
power source when negotiating stairways. 
The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing 
specification are used therein as terms of description and not of 
limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and 
expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described 
or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention 
is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.