A DEVICE FOR ADJUSTABLE LOCKING OF A CARRYING MEMBER TO A POST

Abstract: A device for adjustable locking of a carrying member (4) to a post (3), the centre of gravity resulting from the own weight of the carrying member and possible other weight on the same being intended to be displaced away from the centre line of the post in a direction towards or past the first side (7) of the post so that the carrying member receives a tendency to pivot in a first direction relative to the post, comprises a first support (8) arranged on the carrying member on said first side of the post, and a second support (10) arranged on the carrying member for application against the opposite second side (10) of the post. The first and the second supports (8 and 10) are firmly arranged on the carrying member. The first support (8) has a support portion (11), which is intended for application against the post, disposed under a support portion (12) of the second support (10) which latter portion (12) is intended for application against the post. A locking member (14) is arranged on the carrying member, said locking member having a locking portion (15) operable towards the post for locking and away therefrom for releasing, said locking portion (15) being intended for application against the second side (9) of the post at a level under the support portion (12) of the second support.

Description: A device for adjustable locking of a carrying member to a post FIELD OF INTENTION AND PRIOR ART , This invention relates to a device of the kind defined 5 in the preamble of claim 1. The post consists preferably of a vertically adjustable part of an apparatus carried by wheels for handling disabled persons, while the carryi . member is comprised in a carrying structure for carrying a person. 10 In such apparatus the need of adjusting the carrying structure in markedly different elevation positions often arises. Although it would be possible to design the post and the components taking care of its movabi- lity so that the desired range of movement is obtained, 15 such an embodiment would tend to be relatively bulky, complicated and costly. Therefore, it has been sugges¬ ted to design the carrying member adjustably lockable to the post in different elevation positions. By the combination of the movement of the post relative to 20 the transport apparatus and the movement of the carry¬ ing member relative to the post one achieves a satis¬ factoryrange of movement. In the known embodiment the second support consists of a clamp gripping about the post, the outer ends of the clamp being fixable to the 25 carrying member via a screw joint. For releasing the carrying member from the post some sort of tool is necessary for operating the screws. Thus, it is a relatively difficult work to adjust the position of - the carrying member in relation to the post. * 30 In another known embodiment corresponding in substance to the preamble of claim 1, the carrying member has the " ' character of a bush. Thus, parts of the bush form the supports and the support portions in question. A locking member in the form of an eccentric enables locking of the bush relative to the post. A drawback with this known embodiment is that the security against unintentional lowering of the carrying " member along the post only is dependent on an irreproachable operation or absence of unintentional releasing of the locking member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to reduce the above discussed drawbacks and to achieve an embodiment which is comparatively simple and which despite this allows a relatively quick and easy adjustment of the position of the carrying member along the post at the same time as an improved safety against unintentional lowering of the carrying member will be obtained. This object is achieved according to the invention by letting the device receive the characteristics defined in the following claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the appended drawings, below follows a - closer description of an embodiment according to the invention illustrated as an example. In the drawings: Fig 1 is a view from behind of a transport vehicle designed according to the invention, Fig 2 is a view of the vehicle from its one side, Fig 3 is a partly cut detail view illustrating the carrying member fastened to the post, and Fig 4 is a view similar to Fig 3 but showing the carrying member during adjustment of its position along the post. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings a vehicle including a chassis 1 pro¬ vided with wheels is illustrated. The chassis 1 carries a pillar 2, on which a post 3 is vertically movably arranged. A carrying member 4 is locked to the post and is included in a carrying structure 5 for carrying a disabled person. The carrying structure has in the example the character of a chair which is firmly connected to the carrying member 4 via a carrying arm 6. The carrying structure 5 could also consist of a bed device. The centre of gravity of the carrying member 4 and the carrying structure 5 connected thereto is dis¬ placed away from the center line of the post in a direction towards or past a first side 7 of the post so that the carrying member receives a tendency to pivot in a first direction (clockwise in Fig 2) rela¬ tive to the post. As a consequence of the carrying structure 5 having its surface for carrying the person located beside the post 3 the weight from a person " sitting on the carrying structure will further tend to displace the centre of the gravity of the assembly consisting of the person, the carrying member 4 and the carrying structure 5 in a .direction away from the center line of the post 3. The carrying member 4 has a first support 8 arranged on the first side 7 of the post 3 and a second support 10 for application against the outer side of the post arranged on the- opposite side 9 of the post. These supports 8 and 10 are firmly arranged on the support member 4. With "firmly arranged" it should be understood that the supports in question when locking and releasing respectively of the carrying member normally are fixed on the carrying member and accor¬ dingly they do not require any frequent manipulation; on the other hand it is not beyond the scope of this 5 invention to arrange the supports 8 and 10 adjustable although then a performed adjustment has a more per¬ manent character. *• The first support 8 has a support portion 11 , which is intended for application against the post, disposed 10 under a support portion 12 of the second support 10, which latter portion 12 is intended for application against the post. In the example the support portion 11 consists of that surface of a plate 13 facing towards the post, while the support 10 has a cylindric outer 15 surface and thus it results in a line-like contact with the side 9 of the post. On the carrying member 4 is arranged a locking member 14, which has a locking portion 15 operable towards the post for locking and away therefrom for releasing. The 20 locking portion 15 is intended for application against the side 9 of the post at a level under the support portion 12 of the support 10. The locking portion 15 is intended for application against the side 9 opposite to or below the support portion 11 of the support 8. 25 The locking member 14 is actuated to locking position by influence of gravity. More precisely, the locking member consists of a pivotally journalled eccentric, the projecting eccentric portion of which constitutes the locking portion 15. An operating member 16 is connec- • 30 ted to the eccentric 14 so that a movement downwardly of the operating member to a lower position (see Fig 2 and 3) results in operation of the eccentric 14 into a locking position. The assembly eccentric/operating member has thus its centre of gravity so located that the force of gravity actuates the assembly from the releasing position (see Fig 4) into the locking posi- tion:(Fig 3). This means security for that the eccen¬ tric is going to the locking position even if the operator would forget to actively actuate the operative member in the locking direction. On the post 3 several separated ledges 11 t intended to constitute bearing means for the support 10, are arran¬ ged. The ledges are formed by plate pieces fastened on the side 9 of the post. The supports 8 and 10 extend between two vertical plates 18, between which also a pivot axis 19 for the " eccentric 14 is extending. The carrying arm 6 is fastened to the plate 13 formed by the support 8. In using the device according to the invention, the operator can adjust the carrying member 4 so that it rests on the ledge 17 corresponding to the desired range of movement for the carrying structure 5. Transferring between different ledges is so performed that the " pe¬ rator with one hand is gripping about the operating mem¬ ber 16 and is bringing this to the position according to Fig 4, where the eccentric 14 is located in "releasing" position. This position means that the carrying member 4 is pivotable in a limited manner in a direction anti¬ clockwise (compare Fig 3 and 4) so that the distance between the support portions 11 and 12 projected on a horizontal plane increases (Fig 4) compared to the cor- responding distance in a locked position (Fig 3). The operator achieves this pivoting of the carrying member 4 by gripping with the other hand somewhere in the car- __O S_ ^ rying structure 5. The carrying member 4 and accordingly the whole carrying structure 5 can now be displaced upwardly or downwardly along the post while the support 10 can pass the different ledges 17. When the carrying meimber 4 is adjusted so that the support 10 is located above the intended ledge 17 the operator releases the carrying structure so that the support 10 will come to rest on the ledge in question. Thereafter the operating member 16 is brought/released so that the eccentric 14 reaches the locking position illustrated in Fig 3, where the carrying member 4 is effectively locked relative to the post. The own weight of the carrying structure 5 and the weight on this will cause a torsional movement on the carrying member 4 in the clockwise direction so that thus the supports 8 and TO are actuated against the sides 7 and 9 of the post respectively. The eccentric 14 operates as a locking which prevents that a tendency to pivoting anti-clockwise of the carrying member 4 rela¬ tive to the post causes release of support 10 from the ledge 17. It is possible to form the eccentric 14 so that it powerfully presses against the side 9 of the post in the locking position. It is also possible to form the eccentric 14 so that it, when it is in its locking position, lies relatively free and allows a certain limited pivoting of the carrying member 4 in a direction towards the position according to Fig 4 before the projectingportion 15 of the eccentric will be app¬ lied against the side 9 of the post. This limited pos- siblity of pivoting in the locking condition of the eccentric may of course not be so large that the support 10 can come out of the engagement with the ledge 17. It is obvious that the invention can be modified in several ways within the range of the spirit of the in¬ vention. As an example, the locking member 14 could be formed for application against the side 7 of the post at a level above the support portion of the support 8, while the locking member preferably is arranged to be applicable against said side 7 of the post opposite or above the support portion 12 of the support 10. Further it would be possible to form the locking member in another way than as an eccentric. The locking member could further be actuated to a locking position by one or several springs, while the design could be such that the gravity has no influence on the operation of the locking member. The number of ledges 17 may of course be varied dependent on the required range of work, the length of the post and its possibility of movement. Further, it would also be possible to apply the inven- tion in other connections than for carrying disabled persons. In the example, the post has an outer rectan¬ gular shape in cross section; also other shapes such as round, oval or the like are possible, whereby correspon¬ ding adaptation of the supports 8, 10 is suitable. According to an alternative embodiment of the invention the eccentric constituting the locking member could be replaced with a locking member having a locking portion which was movable towards and away from the post by means of a screw/nut-device. O H

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A device for adjustable locking of a carrying member (4) to a post (3) , the centre of gravity resulting from the own weight of the carrying member and possible other weight on the same being intended to be displaced away from the center line of the post in a direction towards or past a first side (7) of the post so that the carrying member receives a tendency to pivot in the vertical plane in a first direction relative to the post, said carrying mem¬ ber having a first support (8) on said first side (7) of the post and a second support (10) for application against the outer side of the post on an opposite second side (9) of the post, the first support (8) having a support portion ( 11 ) r which is intended for application against the post, disposed under a support portion (12) of the second support (10), which latter portion (12) is intended for application against the post, so that said support portions can counteract said tendency of pivoting by application against the post, a locking member (14) being arranged on the carrying member, said locking member having a locking portion (15) operable for locking and releasing the carrying member (4), said locking portion being inten- ded for application against the post when being in locking position and allowing displacement of the carrying member (4) along the post when being in re¬ leasing position, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least two ledges (17) separated in the longitudinal direction of the post (3) are arranged on the post and intended to .constitute bearing means for the second support (10) of the carrying member (4), and in that the locking member (14), the locking portion (15) of which, in locking position, is intended for application against the first side (7) of the post at a level above the support portion (11) of the first support (8) or, as an alternative, is intended for application against the second side (9) of the post (3) at a level below the support portion (12) of the second support 5 (10), is adapted, in releasing position, to allow but, in locking position, to prevent pivoting of the carry¬ ing member (4) in the vertical plane in a second di¬ rection opposite said first direction so that the dis¬ tance between the support portions (11, 12) of the 10 first and the second supports (8, 10) projected on a horizontal plane increases to such an extent that the second support (10) can be brought past the ledges (17). 2. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e¬ r i z e d in that the locking portion is intended for 15. application against the first side (7) of the post opposite or above the support portion (12) of the second support (10). 3. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e¬ r i z e d in that the locking portion (15) is intended 0 for application against the second side (9) of the post (3) opposite or below the support portion (11) of the first support (8). 4. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c e¬ r i z e d in that the locking member (14) is actuated 5 to locking position by influence of gravity and/or at least one spring. 5. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e¬ r i z e d in that the locking member (14) consists of a pivotally journalled eccentric, the projecting 0 eccentric portion (15) of which constitutes the locking portion. 6. A device according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e¬ r i z e d in that an operating member (16) is connected to the eccentric (14) so that a movement downwardly of 5 the operating member results in operation of the eccen¬ tric into a locking position, and in that eccentric/operating member has its centre of gravity so located that the force of gravity actuates the assembly into the locking position. 7. A device according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e- r i z e d in that the first and the second supports (8, 10) extend between two vertical plates, between which also a pivot axis (19) for the eccentric extends. 8. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e¬ r i z e d in that the first support (8) consists of a plate, to which a carrying arm (6) is fastened. 9. A device according to claim 1, c ha r a c t e- r i z e d in that the post (3) consists of a vertically adjustable part of an apparatus for handling disabled persons, while the carrying member (4) is comprised in a carrying structure (5) for carrying a person.

Inventors: MAEHLER SVEN, MAEHLER, SVEN
Applicants: SAMARITE AB
Application year: 1984
Main classification: A61G7
IPC codes: A61G7