Abstract:
A wheelchair attachment for maintaining the wheelchair in a reduced width position includes an elongate member extending between side frames of the wheelchair and the end portions of the elongate member are looped around the side frames. Both ends are releasably secured in such a manner that the elongate member may be quickly and easily attached to the wheelchair in the reduced width position, and detached from the wheelchair to permit it to expand to its normal width.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to wheelchairs and to improvements therein. People who are required to use a wheelchair often find it very difficult and sometimes impossible to maneuver the wheelchair and themselves through narrow doorways, like those installed on bathrooms and some other rooms of buildings. Most of these doorways are only about twenty-three and one-half inches wide and the full, extended width of a conventional wheelchair is twenty-six inches wide. 
     It is obvious, then, that some means such as an attachment to the wheelchair is necessary to shrink laterally the width of the wheelchair so that it and the occupant can pass through such narrow doors. Such a wheelchair attachment should be readily available and, preferably, carried on the wheelchair in a convenient location. It should be readily and easily attachable and in some instances, may be kept attached to the wheelchair at all times. 
     Devices for reducing or shrinking the lateral width of a wheelchair are known from the prior art and from U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,937,490; 4,264,085; and 4,375,295. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An elongate member is disposed between the side frames of a wheelchair when it is in the partially folded and reduced lateral width position. The end portions of such member are looped around the side frames of the wheelchair, and means is provided for attaching and releasing the looped end portions to keep the wheelchair at a desired reduced lateral width. 
     For a further understanding of the invention and for the features and advantages thereof, reference may be made to the following description and to the drawing which illustrates two embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In the drawing: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic rear elevational view of a conventional wheelchair to which one embodiment of the invention is attached; 
     FIG. 2 is a view of such one embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic view, in perspective, of one end portion of the structure of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a view along line IV--IV of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a view along line V--V of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic view similar to that of FIG. 2, but showing the other embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional wheelchair 11 is shown as one would observe it from the rear. It comprises tubular side frame members 13, 15 a cross bracing 17 that is pivoted at 19, axles 21,23 attached to the side frame members 13,15, and main wheels 25,27 that are journaled to the axles 21,23. A fabric back 29 is attached to the side frame members 13,15 as is a fabric seat 31. The main wheels 25,27 are each provided with a conventional hand-grip wheel 33 for propulsion of the wheelchair by the occupant thereof. 
     The construction of the wheelchair described so far is that of the most common type of folding wheelchair, and a more detailed description thereof is unnecessary for a proper understanding of the present invetion. 
     A device 35 for holding the wheelchair at the reduced lateral width, as best shown at FIG. 2, comprises a pair of opposed hollow turnbuckle-like elements 37,39, and each one of these turnbuckle-like elements is open ended at one end and partially threaded internally therealong for receiving the threaded end portion of eyebolts 41,43. The other end of the turnbuckle-like elements 37,39 is partially closed, forming therein a cavity 45,47 with an aperture in the partially closed end, such aperture being designated 49,51. In the cavities 45,47 of the end portions of the turnbuckle-like elements 37,39, there are stop members, in the form of balls 55,57 that are fixed to the ends of a flexible cable 53 that passes through the apertures 49,51. 
     Associated with each eyebolt 41,43, as viewed in FIGS. 3, 4, are quick attaching and detaching devices 59,61. Each such device 59,61 comprises a length of flexible cable, or the like, 63,65 and a bent plate member 67 having a hole 69 in one end portion and having a keyhole-shaped aperture 71 in the other end portion. One end of the flexible cable 63,65 passes through the hole 69 and is fitted with a stop member 73 to prevent the flexible cable from being withdrawn through the hole 69. The other end of the flexible cable 63,65 is fitted with a stop member 75 that is sized to pass through the larger portion of the keyhole-shaped aperture 71, but cannot pass through the slot portion of the keyhole aperture 71. 
     FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the invention and comprises a length of flexible cable 77, or the like, that passes through the hole 69 in the one end portion of the bent plate 67 and is looped around the side frame members 13, 15. The ends of the flexible cable 77 are fitted with stop members 79,81 that pass freely through the larger hole portion of the keyhole aperture 71, but cannot pass through the narrow slot of the keyhole aperture 71. The length of the flexible cable 77 is such that when it is installed as shown in FIG. 6, the width of the wheelchair is the reduced width that allows it and the occupant to pass through the narrow doorways. 
     In using the device 35 of FIG. 2, one end of the flexible cable 63 passes through the eye of the eyebolt and is looped around the side frame member, say member 13, and through the keyhole-shaped aperture 71 in the bent plate 67. The other flexible cable 65 passes through the other eyebolt and around the side frame member 15 and through the keyhole-shaped aperture 71. In order to install the device 35 as described, the wheelchair 11 will have been folded to a narrow reduced width. If necessary, the turnbuckle-like members 37,39 may be turned on the threaded ends of the eyebolts 41,43 to adjust the width of the wheelchair in the reduced width position. Also, if desired, locknuts may be threaded onto the eyebolts 41,43 to engage the turnbuckle-like members 37,39 to secure them in a selected position. 
     The device of FIG. 6 is used in a similar manner. The flexible cable is looped around the side frame members 13a, 15a when the wheelchair is folded to a reduced width position. The stop members on the ends of the flexible cable 77 pass through the keyhole-shaped apertures 71 and the cable slides down the narrow slot portion of the keyhole-shaped apertures. 
     When it is desired to extend the wheelchair to its full, normal width, the quick attaching and detaching devices may easily be detached. It is necessary to remove only one end of the device 35 from one side frame 13 or 15 to allow the wheelchair to expand to its normal width. A principal feature of the invention is that the device is ever present on the wheelchair and is always ready for use. The free end of the device may be secured on the wheelchair in a convenient location thereon. 
     Those skilled in the art will recognize from the foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawing several features and advantages among which are: 
     That the wheelchair is quickly and easily held at the width when the attachment is applied in the manner described; 
     That the device of the invention is quickly and easily detached from one of the side frames to allow the wheelchair to expand to its normal width; 
     That the device is simple to construct and use; and 
     That the device is inexpensive and is reliable. 
     Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that other modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.