Device for handling a wheel of a manual wheelchair for a handicapped person, said wheel comprising a coaxial handrim to enable propulsion of the wheelchair, the device being capable of changing from a disengaged position in which the wheel rotates freely about its rotation axis, to an engaged position in which the wheel is driven in rotation about its rotation axis by the device, characterized in that it comprises: - a lever support configured to be installed in rotation about the rotation axis of the wheel, comprising a gripping part for the handicapped person extending outwards from the handrim when the device is placed on the wheel, said lever support comprising a first part (P i) extending inwards from the handrim, between the rotation axis of the wheel and said handrim when the device is in position on the wheel, - a lever support attachment means, capable of putting the lever support into position free to rotate about the rotation axis of the wheel, - a pusher strut fixed on the lever support at said first part (P i), while being installed free to rotate relative to the lever support about a rotation axis, the pusher strut extending between the lever support and a contact point, the contact point being configured to come into contact with the handrim when the pusher strut rotates about the rotation axis, the lever support being capable of rotating about the rotation axis of the wheel in a first direction of rotation tending to move the lever support closer to the contact point of the pusher strut, and in a second direction of rotation, opposite the first direction of rotation, the attachment zone of the pusher strut on the lever support being chosen on said first part (P i) of the lever support such that when the device is in position on the wheel, a force applied on the gripping part to make the lever support rotate about its first direction of rotation causes contact between the distal end of the pusher strut and the handrim, which blocks rotation of the lever support in the first direction of rotation by binding and puts the device in its engaged position, thus causing propulsion of the manual wheelchair, such that a force applied on the gripping part to cause rotation of the lever support in its second direction of rotation cancels the contact or creates slipping contact between the handrim and the pusher strut, which allows free rotation of the lever support in the second direction of rotation, and thus puts the device in its disengaged position. - a lever support configured to be installed in rotation about the rotation axis of the wheel, comprising a gripping part for the handicapped person extending outwards from the handrim when the device is placed on the wheel, said lever support comprising a first part (P i) extending inwards from the handrim, between the rotation axis of the wheel and said handrim when the device is in position on the wheel, - a lever support attachment means, capable of putting the lever support into position free to rotate about the rotation axis of the wheel, - a pusher strut fixed on the lever support at said first part (P i), while being installed free to rotate relative to the lever support about a rotation axis, the pusher strut extending between the lever support and a contact point, the contact point being configured to come into contact with the handrim when the pusher strut rotates about the rotation axis, the lever support being capable of rotating about the rotation axis of the wheel in a first direction of rotation tending to move the lever support closer to the contact point of the pusher strut, and in a second direction of rotation, opposite the first direction of rotation,