1. A hand rail system comprising:
at least two spaced apart vertical rails having upper and lower ends;
at least two spaced apart horizontal rails engaged with said vertical rails and positioned above said lower ends of said vertical rails;
a plurality of slip-on structural fittings for engaging said horizontal rails with said vertical rails, each fitting having a securing mechanism that secures said rails to said fitting; and
a plastic coating covering and sealing the vertical and horizontal rails and the structural fittings.
2. The hand rail system as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the fittings comprises a T-shaped member having a hollow interior, each leg of the T-shaped member having an interior matching the exterior profile of the horizontal rails and the vertical rails, the interior profile having a diameter equal to or greater than the exterior diameter of the rails.
3. The hand rail system as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the fittings comprises an L-shaped member having a hollow interior, each leg of the L-shaped member having an interior profile matching the exterior profile of the horizontal rails and the vertical rails, the interior profile having a diameter equal to or greater than the exterior diameter of the rails.
4. The hand rail system as defined in claim 1, further comprising:
a third vertical rail, the horizontal rails being engaged with the third vertical rail; and
the plastic coating covering the third vertical rail.
5. The hand rail system as defined in claim 1, wherein the spaced-apart vertical rails and the spaced-apart horizontal rails define a framed area, the system further including an infill panel having an area which substantially consumes the framed area; the panel being mounted in the framed area, and the plastic coating covering and sealing the infill panel.
6. The hand rail system as defined in claim 5, further comprising one or more sections of U-channel affixed to each of the vertical rails and the horizontal rails for mounting the infill panel.
7. The hand rail system as defined in claim 5, wherein the infill panel is a mesh screen.
8. The hand rail system as defined in claim 5, wherein the infill panel is a solid panel.
9. The hand rail system as defined in claim 1, wherein the plastic coating is a spray on polyurea.
10. A hand rail assembly comprising:
a perimeter frame composed of steel tubing covered with plastic sheathing, the perimeter frame surrounding a framed area;
an infill panel disposed in the framed area such that the panel is surrounded by the perimeter frame; and
a plastic coating covering and sealing the perimeter frame and the infill panel.
11. A hand rail assembly comprising:
a pair of spaced apart vertical posts each having a lower end and an upper end, the lower ends being configured to engage a support surface;
an upper rail extending between the upper ends of the vertical posts;
a lower rail extending between the vertical posts and positioned below the upper rail;
the vertical posts and the rails together defining a perimeter frame having a framed area defined therein, the framed area having a top edge defined by the upper rail, a lower edge defined by the lower rail, and sides defined by the vertical members;
an infill panel supported in the framed area; and
a plastic coating covering the posts and rails and infill panel.
12. The hand rail assembly according to claim 11, further comprising structural fittings interconnecting the rails with the posts, at least one of the structural fittings comprising a slip-in fitting having a base with a radiused end surface matching the outer diameter of one of the posts or rails, the fitting further having an engagement member extending from the base, the engagement member configured to engage the inner diameter of one of the posts or rails.
13. The hand rail assembly according to claim 12, wherein the structural fitting further comprises a connector operable to connect the fitting to one of the posts or rails such that the end surface mates with the outer diameter of the post or rail.
14. The hand rail assembly according to claim 12, wherein the base of the structural fitting has an outer diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the rails.
15. The hand rail system according to claim 12, wherein the engagement member comprises a pair of engagement fingers shaped to fit into the inner diameter of the post or rail.
16. The hand rail assembly according to claim 11, further comprising structural fittings interconnecting the rails with the posts, at least one of the structural fittings comprising a slip-on fitting having an inner diameter greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the posts or rails.
17. A hand rail assembly with an infill panel, comprising:
a pair of spaced apart vertical posts each having a lower end and an upper end, the lower ends being configured to engage a support surface;
an upper rail extending between the upper ends of the vertical posts and engaged to the upper ends of the vertical posts;
a lower rail extending between the vertical posts and positioned below the upper rail, the lower rail engaged to the vertical posts;
the vertical posts and the rails together defining a perimeter frame having a framed area defined therein, the framed area having a top edge defined by the upper rail, a lower edge defined by the lower rail, and sides defined by the vertical posts;
an infill panel supported in the framed area; and
a spray on polyurea coating covering the posts and rails and infill panel.
18. The hand rail assembly according to claim 17, further comprising structural fittings interconnecting the rails with the posts, at least one of the structural fittings comprising a slip-in fitting having a base with a radiused end surface matching the outer diameter of one of the posts or rails, the fitting further having an engagement member extending from the base, the engagement member configured to engage the inner diameter of one of the posts or rails, the polyurea coating covering the fittings along with the posts and rails so as to seal the fittings to the posts and rails.
19. The hand rail assembly according to claim 18, wherein the structural fitting further comprises a connector operable to connect the fitting to a post or rail such that the end surface mates with the outer diameter of the post or rail.
20. The hand rail assembly according to claim 18, wherein the base of the structural fitting has an outer diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the rails.
21. The hand rail system according to claim 18, wherein the engagement member comprises a pair of engagement fingers shaped to fit into the inner diameter of the post or rail.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An assembly for attachment to a frame of a wheelchair having an axle-coupling arrangement comprising:
a main wheel configured for connection to said axle-coupling arrangement so as to enable quick-release attachment and detachment of said main wheel to said frame;
a lever drive coupled to said main wheel to translate strokes of a lever to rotation of said main wheel;
a clamp configured for attachment to a frame member of said frame, said clamp having a first alignment feature; and
an attachment device for releasably connecting said lever drive to said clamp, said attachment device having three dimensions of adjustment to accommodate attachment to wheelchair frames of various geometries, said attachment device having a free end with a second alignment feature configured to mate with said first alignment feature of said clamp, said attachment device being rotatable at a second end opposite to said free end to provide angular adjustability, said attachment device being adjustable in length to provide length adjustability, said attachment device being connected at said rotatable second end by hardware which provides offset adjustability in a direction generally parallel to a rotational axis of said main wheel.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein rotation of said second end to provide said angular adjustability occurs in a plane that is generally perpendicular to said rotation axis of said main wheel.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said hardware which provides said offset adjustability includes a cooperation of threaded elements to displace said attachment device as a consequence of relative rotation of said threaded elements, said attachment device being threaded to said hardware such that said angular adjustability is enabled by a threaded connection of said hardware and said attachment device.
4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a first one of said first and second alignment features is a pin and wherein said clamp includes a spring-biased member positioned to secure said attachment device when said pin is inserted into a second one of said first and second alignment features, said second one being an opening.
5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said clamp includes a curved interior surface dimensioned for attachment to a tubular frame member.
6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said clamp includes a spring-biased latch for releasably securing said attachment device when said clamp is clamped to a horizontal said tubular frame member.
7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said main wheel includes an axle dimensioned for a slidable fit within said axle-coupling arrangement of said frame, said assembly further comprising a fixed-length reaction arm extending from a region about said axle to said lever and said second end of said attachment device.
8. The assembly of claim 6 further comprising an adjustable power link coupling said lever to a transmission-containing hub of said main wheel.
9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said attachment device includes a fixed member and a telescoping member, said fixed and telescoping members having a plurality of coupling locations that enable selectability in locking said telescoping member relative to said fixed member, thereby providing said length adjustability.
10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said second alignment feature of said attachment device is within a region of said telescoping member that includes an arcuate edge to accommodate attachment to said clamp at a range of available angles.
11. An assembly for attachment to an axle bearing and a frame of a wheelchair comprising:
a main wheel having an axle and central wheel hub, said axle being dimensioned to mate with said axle bearing;
a clamp dimensioned to clamp onto a frame member of said frame, said clamp including a first alignment feature located to be accessible from a direction perpendicular to an axis of said frame member when said clamp is attached thereto;
linkage extending from a region of said main wheel to a distance from said wheel hub; and
a telescoping attachment device having a rotatable member that is connected to an end of said linkage opposite to said wheel hub, said rotatable member being connected to a pivot axis, said telescoping attachment device having a second member which adjustably extends from said rotatable member, said rotatable member being secured along said pivot axis such that said rotatable member is adjustable in location along said pivot axis, said second member including a second alignment feature configured to seat with said first alignment feature of said clamp;
wherein said first alignment feature of said clamp, said second alignment feature of said second member, said linkage and said telescoping attachment device releasably attach the main wheel to the frame.
12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said rotatable member is secured along said pivot axis by threaded members that enable adjustment in said location along said pivot axis and that enable rotation of said telescoping member about said pivot axis.
13. The assembly of claim 11 wherein threaded hardware secures said rotatable member of said telescoping attachment device to permit said adjustable location along said pivot axis, such that rotation of said threaded hardware when said telescoping attachment device is rotatably fixed displaces said rotatable member along said pivot axis and such that rotation of said telescoping attachment device when said threaded hardware is rotatably fixed provides rotational adjustment relative to said clamp.
14. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said pivot axis is generally parallel to said axle of said main wheel.
15. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said wheel hub couples to said axle bearing of said wheelchair by a quick-release mechanism.
16. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said clamp is configured to mate with said telescoping attachment device when said clamp is secured to a horizontal said frame member.
17. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said first and second attachment features are a pin and an opening.
18. The assembly of claim 11 further comprising a lever connected to said linkage and said main wheel to drive said main wheel in response to lever motion, said linkage including a reaction arm.
19. An assembly for attachment to an axle bearing and a frame of a wheelchair comprising:
a main wheel having an axle and central wheel hub, said axle being dimensioned to mate with said axle bearing;
a clamp dimensioned to clamp onto a frame member of said frame, said clamp including a first alignment feature located to be accessible from a direction perpendicular to an axis of said frame member when said clamp is attached thereto;
linkage extending from a region of said main wheel to a distance from said wheel hub; and
a telescoping attachment device having a rotatable member that is connected to an end of said linkage opposite to said wheel hub, said rotatable member being connected to a pivot axis, said telescoping attachment device having a second member which adjustably extends from said rotatable member, said rotatable member being secured along said pivot axis such that said rotatable member is adjustable in location along said pivot axis, said second member including a second alignment feature configured to seat with said first alignment feature of said clamp; wherein one of said clamp and said second member includes a latch mechanism to secure said telescoping attachment device to said clamp when said first and second alignment features are seated together.
20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein said second member has an edge geometry configured to accommodate operation of said latch mechanism over a range of angles of said second member relative to said clamp.