US3257148A - Foot rest - Google Patents

Description

M. MENUTO June 21, 1966 FOOT REST Filed Feb. 8, 1965 INVENTOR. M u m; Man u'ro CALQC'M United States Patent Vania Filed Feb. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 430,976 Claims. (Cl. 297433) This invention relates to invalid chairs and, more particularly, to foot supports for invalid chairs.

The present invention provides an improvement over previous foot supports for wheel chairs in that an integral flange at the side of the foot support provides a protective edge for keeping the foot of the patient from sliding off of the foot support and, at the same time, the foot support is mounted on the foot support holder so that it does not need any screws or other fasteners to hold it in place. An extension on the flange at the back of the foot support provides an integral stop to keep the foot support in position without screws or any other fabricated part. The foot support has ribs which are formed in such a way that a part of the foot support can be removed to form a smaller size foot support. The tubing which is bent in an L-shape forms the support for the foot support and needs no fabrication.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved foot support.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved foot support in combination with a chair.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an integral foot support which requires no fabrications and no separate screw fasteners to hold it in place.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foot support which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a foot support on according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the foot support;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the foot support; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the foot support taken on line 44 of FIG. 2.

The foot supporting member 12 shown according to the invention is made up of a tubular member round in cross section which has two leg members, a horizontal leg 11 and a vertical leg 10, which are arranged at slightly less than ninety degrees to each other so that when the foot supporting member 12 is in the operative position, it will tend to slide away from the end of the horizontal leg 11 and toward the chair and, therefore, does not require a nut on the end of the horizontal leg 11 to prevent the foot supporting member from sliding off.

The foot supporting member 12 is generally plate like with lateral ribs 13 and a horizontal rib 15 on the bottom. The longitudinal rib 15 is spaced from and parallel to a chair flange 16. Thus, if a childs foot rest is desired, the foot surface 14 which terminates at the outside end in the upwardly extending flange 18. The upwardly extending flange 18 extends toward the chair at end 21 beyond the end of the foot rest and end 21 abuts against, the vertical leg 10 of the tubular member when the foot rest is folded down in operative position.

Spaced boss portions 17 and 23 are providedwith a bore 19 which receives the horizontal leg 11. Thus, the foot supporting member may rotate on the leg 11 which forms a snug fit inside the bore 19. The boss portions 17 and 23 are spaced from each other and a recess 20 is provided between the boss portions and in this recess is received a flat spring 24. The flat spring 24 is bent into arcuate shape with two legs and an intermediate portion. The-legs bear frictionally against the horizontal leg 11 of the support and the intermediate portion bears against the bottom of the recess 20. Thus, the flat spring 24 makes frictional engagement with the outer periphery of the horizontal leg 11 of the support. A gusset 22 is integrally attached to the lateral ribs 13 at the edge and, also, to the boss portions 17 and 23. This makes the foot rest extremely rigid.

In operation, the foot rest may be swung up and laterally into a plane generally parallel with the vertical leg 10 out of working position and can also be swung down and inwardly into operative position when the'flat top surface 14 is generally horizontal. The end 21 of the upwardly extending flange 18 will engage the back side of the vertical leg 10 and form a rigid stop, holding the foot rest rigidly in position.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims. a

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, an invalid chair and a foot support comprising a generally L-shaped arm round in cross section on said chair having a generally horizontal leg and a vertical a,

said foot support having a plate like member having a boss integrally attached to its lower rear edge,

a flange integrally attached to the rear edge of said boss and to the rear edge of said foot support and extending upwardly therefrom,

a bore through said boss,

said generally horizontal leg of said L-shaped arm extending into said bore in said boss,

said flange having an end portion extending from the rear edge of said foot support,

said end portion of said flange engaging the side of said L-shaped arm when the top surface of said plate like member is in operative position, limiting the swinging movement of said foot support.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said boss has two spaced boss portions,

a recess between said spaced boss portions,

and a generally flat spring bent into arcuate shape in said recess,

said arcuate spring terminating in end members engaging said L-shaped arm and the intermediate portion of said spring engaging said foot rest, exerting a frictional force thereon,

said foot rest being held on said L-shaped arm.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said plate like member has a generally flat top,

said top being inclined slightly toward said L-shaped arm when said flange engages said L-shaped arm and said top is in operative position.

4. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said horizontal and vertical legs of said L-shaped arm are disposed at an angle of slightly less than ninety degrees to each other, whereby said foot support is urged by gravity to slide toward said vertical leg.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said foot support has spaced, laterally extending ribs on the bottom thereof,

said foot support being adapted to be broken off along one said rib whereby a smaller size foot support is provided.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Gallagher 188-241 Rideout 297-44 Everest et a1. 297433 Cosper 297-433 Wesman 248345.1

O FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

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