US3442276A - Foldable swingable walker - Google Patents

Description

May 6, 1969 W, EDW ET AL 3,442,276

FOLD ABLE SW INGABLE WALKER Filed NOV. 29, 1.967

ATTORNEY United States Patent roe, N.Y. 10950 Filed Nov. 29, 1967, Ser. No. 695,537 Int. Cl. A45b 1/00;A61h 3/00 U.S. Cl. 135-45 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A foldable swingable walker is shown having a pair of opposed pivotably movable supports each of which includes a pair of opposed depending legs. Adjoining the top portions of the leg members of each support to one another is a first connecting member. A first transverse bar having a pair of end portions embraceably retaining adjacent leg portions therewithin extends across the walker from one of the supports to the other of the supports. The intermediate portion of the transverse bar extends outwardly.

Connecting the upper intermediate portions of each of the leg members of each support to one another is a second connecting member. A transverse bar having stop members at the end portions thereof is pivotally connected to each second connecting member.

6 Claims This invention relates to a foldable swingable walker having a number of important advantages.

In the conventional walking device utilized by an invalid it is preferable for the walker to swing a predetermined distance as the walker is utilized. The swing cannot exceed the predetermined distance since otherwise the user of the device would no longer have the necessary support. Also, in devices of this character, the walker should be capable of folding into a small package when not in use.

It has been very difficult heretofore to manufacture such a device. Conventional devices have been bulky, hard to handle, expensive, and subject to failure.

The walker of this invention avoids the disadvantages of prior constructions.

The above constitutes a brief description of this invention and some of the objects and advantages thereof. Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

The invention will be further described by reference to the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this specification.

FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of a foldable swingable walker made in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1 with the transverse bar controlling the swinging action in intermediate position.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the transverse bar in one extreme position with one of the stop members engaged.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 3 but showing the transverse bar in the opposite extreme position with the opposite stop member engaged.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the walker of this invention with the parts in folded position.

FIG. 6 is a detail sectional view of the structure used to fold the transverse controlling bar taken along lines 6-6 of FIG. 2.

The invention will now be further described by reference to the specific form thereof shown in the accompanying drawings. In this connection, however, the reader is cautioned to note that the specific form of this invention shown herein is for illustrative purposes and for purposes 3,442,276 Patented May 6, 1969 2 of example only. Various changes and modifications could be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Now referring to the specific form of this invention shown in the drawings for a detailed description thereof thewalker 11 of this invention is formed with a pair ofsupports 12 and 13.Support 12 includes a pair of opposed dependinglegs 14 and 15 andsupport 13 includes a pair of opposed dependinglegs 16 and 17. Secured tolegs 14 and 16 arefeet 18 and 19 respectively and secured tolegs 15 and 17 arefeet 20 and 21.Feet 20 and 21 includelongitudinal recesses 22 and 23 respectively andrespective holes 24 and 25. An outwardly movable pin (not shown) is adapted to fit within holes 24 and '25 and is carried by the adjacent portion oflegs 15 and 17 so thatfeet 20 and 21 may be selectably positioned at spaced points onlegs 15 and 17.

Secured to the two intermediate portions of legs '16 and 17 is a securingmember 25 which bears a pair of downwardly dependingend portions 26 and 27.Portions 26 and 27 are secured toleg members 16 and 17 byrivets 29 and 28 respectively. Similarly a securingmember 30 is provided havingend portions 31 and 32 withrivets 33 and 34 securing said portions tolegs 14 and 15. An outwardly projectingtransverse bar 35 is provided which bears a bar ofsupports 36 and 37 at opposite end portions thereof.Supports 36 and 37 are provided withlongitudinal recesses 38 and 39 respectively which are adapted to embraceably retain adjacent intermediate portions oflegs 14 and 16.

Amember 40 is secured acrosslegs 16 and 17 and anadditional member 41adjoins legs 14 and 15. Amember 42 adjoins the top portions of legs 16- and 17 to one another and amember 43 joins the top portions oflegs 14 and 15 to one another.Member 42 is integral withlegs 16 and 17 andmember 43 is integral withlegs 14 and 15. Ahandle 44 is provided uponmember 42 and ahandle 45 is provided onmember 43.

A controllingtransverse bar 46 is formed of a pair oftelescoping sections 47 and 48 withsection 47 telescoping withinsection 48.Section 47 bears anoflset end portion 49 and apin 50 pivotally securessection 49 tomember 40. Spaced frompin 50 at the junction between intermediate portion 9 and the remainder ofsection 47 is a downwardly dependingstop member 51.Member 48 has anoffset end portion 52 thereupon and apin member 53 securesportion 52 tomember 41. Downwardly dependingstop member 54 is located at the junction ofportion 52 and the remainder ofportion 48. In order to secureportions 47 and 48 in extended relationship apin 55 is disposed within arecess 56 located withinmember 48. Behindpin 55 is a spring 57 normally biasingpin 55 outwardly.

With the foregoing specific description the operation of this invention will not be explained.

Assuming that the walker is in the folded position shown in FIG. 5 all that need be done is to movesupports 12 and 13 in a direction opposite to that shown by the arrow in FIG. 5. As the walker reaches the properunfolded position pin 55 will snap intorecess 56 and retainmembers 47 and 48 in unfolded relationship. Also, in order to adjust the height of thewalker feet members 21 and 20 can be adjusted in a similar manner.

The walker can now be utilized by a patient who simply would grip handles 44 and 45 and walk with the device. As he moves along with thedevice members 12 and 13 will swing as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 with the amplitude of the swing in each direction controlled by impingement ofstop members 51 and 54 againstmembers 40 and 41 respectively.

Because of the fact thatmembers 40 and 41 are downwardly spaced frommembers 42 and 43 respectively by a distance greater than the normal length of an individuals fingers the possibility of the user of the device having his fingers pinched between the operative parts while the walker is pivoting is avoided.

When the walker of this invention is to be foldedpin 55 is depressed so astoclear recess 56. This permitsmembers 47 and 48 to be sealed into one another and permitsmembers 12 .and 13 to be moved inwardly thereby placing the walker in the position shown in FIG. 5.

The foregoing sets forth the manner in which the objects of this invention are achieved.

We claim:

1. A foldable swingable walker comprising a pair of spaced pivotally movable supports, including a pair of leg members, the leg members of each of said supports being inwardly spaced from one another and including top portions, upper intermediate portions, and lower portions; a first joining member connecting the top portions of the leg support to one another, and a third joining member connecting the upper intermediate portions of each of the leg members of each support to one another, a transversely disposed bar having a pair of embracable members at each end thereof pivotally joining said supports to one another, means for preventing said supports from each of said supports 1 bar adapted to sequentially abut said third joining members.

2. A foldable swingable walker as described in claim 1 said second transverse bar including a pair of telescoping portions and means for selectively maintaining said telescoping portions in extended relationship.

3. A foldable swingable walker as described inclaim 2 said stop means upon said second transverse bar including a downwardly depending projecting portion.

4. A foldable swingable walker as described inclaim 3 said first transverse bar having an outwardly extending intermediate portion.

5. A foldable swingable walker as described inclaim 4 one of the leg members upon each of said supports having a foot portion telescopingly secured to the corresponding leg portion, and means for selectively retaining each of said foot portions in spaced positions.

6. A foldable swingable walker as described in claim 5 including an additional foot portion retainedin fixed position upon the opposite leg member of each of said supports.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,708,473 5/1955 Gable et al.

2,960,148 11/1960 Murcott.

3,098,651 7/1963 Murcott.

FOREIGN PATENTS 858,163 1/ 1961 Great Britain.

PETER M. CAUN, Primary Examiner.

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