U.S. patent number 3,688,789 [Application Number 05/117,387] was granted by the patent office on 1972-09-05 for foldable article and latch mechanism therefor.
Invention is credited to Charles B. Bunch, 2502 Oak St..
United States Patent |
3,688,789 |
|
September 5, 1972 |
FOLDABLE ARTICLE AND LATCH MECHANISM THEREFOR
Abstract
A latch and release assembly for a foldable article such as a
walker wherein the side frame sections may be folded inwardly in
overlapping relationship against a front cross-brace section. The
cross-brace section includes a pair of vertical end sleeves through
which the front legs of the side frames extend. The latching
assembly includes a locking means which locks the legs within the
sleeves in an unfolded set position when the walker is to be used.
An easily actuated lever is provided for quickly releasing the
locking means and thereby permitting the walker to be folded.
Inventors: |
Charles B. Bunch, 2502 Oak St.
(Chattanooga, TN 37404) |
Family
ID: |
22372637 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/117,387 |
Filed: |
February 22, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
135/67; 297/42;
482/66 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61H
3/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61H
3/00 (20060101); A61h 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;135/45A,49
;248/407-409,415,418,423 ;297/5,6,42,254 ;108/129 ;285/282
;287/14,99 ;306/2,3,14 ;16/144 ;280/36,36B,47.17,47.37,278,279 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Peter M. Caun
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Stauch, Nolan, Neale, Nies &
Kurz
Claims
What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:
1. In combination with an inner element positioned within an outer
tubular element, wherein one of said elements is rotatable with
respect to the other of said elements for rotation between a locked
position and an unlocked position, a latch and release assembly
comprising a locking means for locking said one element to said
other element in said locked position, said locking means including
a pin extending through said elements transversely with respect to
the longitudinal axis of said elements and being movable between a
first position in which said elements are locked together and a
second position in which said elements are unlocked, and release
lever means for moving said pin from its first position to its
second position to permit rotation of said one element with respect
to said other element, said release lever means including bracket
means connected to said one element, a lever having a force
applying handle end and a lock releasing end which extends
longitudinally along said one element and is operatively connected
to one actuator end of said pin, said lever being pivotally
connected at a point intermediate its ends to said bracket means so
that, when a force is applied to the handle end of said lever, said
pin is moved to its second position and said one element may be
moved from its locked position to its unlocked position.
2. The combination of claim 1, said locking means comprising spring
means for normally biasing said pin toward said first position.
3. The combination of claim 1, comprising abutment means fixed on
the actuator end of said pin, said lock releasing end of said lever
being forked to fit around said pin in engagement with said
abutment means.
4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said outer element includes
a circumferential slot through which the actuator end of said pin
extends as said inner element is rotated within said outer
element.
5. A foldable walker comprising a pair of side frame sections each
having a vertical front leg, a cross brace section having a pair of
vertical end sleeves each of which surrounds and embraces a portion
of the front leg of one of said side frame sections, said legs
being rotatable within said sleeves between a first locked open
position and a second unlocked folded position, a latch and release
assembly associated with each corresponding leg and sleeve, said
assembly comprising locking means for locking said leg to said
sleeve in said first locked position, said locking means including
a pin extending through said sleeve and said leg transversely with
respect to the longitudinal axis of said sleeve and said leg, said
pin being movable between a first position in which said sleeve and
leg are locked together and a second position in which said leg may
be rotated in said sleeve, and release lever means for moving said
pin from its first position to its second position to permit
rotation of said leg with respect to said sleeve, said release
lever means including bracket means connected to said leg, a lever
having a force applying handle end and a lock releasing end which
extends longitudinally along said leg and is operatively connected
to one actuator end of said pin, said lever being pivotally
connected at a point intermediate its ends to said bracket so that,
when a force is applied to the handle end of said lever, said pin
is moved to its second position and said leg is then rotatable from
its open locked position to its folded unlocked position.
6. A foldable walker as described in claim 5, said locking means
comprising spring means for normally biasing said pin toward said
first position.
7. A foldable walker as described in claim 5, comprising abutment
means fixed on the actuator end of said pin, said lock releasing
end of said lever being forked to fit around said pin in engagement
with said abutment means.
8. A foldable walker as defined in claim 5, wherein said sleeve
includes a circumferential slot through which the actuator end of
said pin extends as said leg is rotated within said sleeve.
Description
This invention relates generally to a foldable article such as a
walker, and more particularly to a novel latch and release assembly
for relatively rotatable inner and outer tubes, the inner of which
is rotatable from a first locked position to a second unlocked
position. As applied to an article such as a walker, the latch and
release assembly very conveniently locks the side frame sections to
a front cross-brace section in open positions for use by an
invalid. Through the use of a conveniently accessible lever, the
assembly enables the invalid to quickly and easily fold the side
frame sections when the walker is to be stored. The novel latch and
release assembly of the invention represents a significant
improvement over prior known systems such as that illustrated in
U.S. Pat. No. 2,996,070.
While the latch assembly will be described with particular
application to a foldable walker, it is to be understood that the
latch assembly itself has a more general utility and is applicable
to any type of foldable article or arrangement which requires a
quickly releasable locking mechanism.
The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a
novel latch and release assembly particularly useful in foldable
articles, such as a walker, or the like.
Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a
novel latch and release assembly for two tubular elements, one of
which is mounted within the other for rotation relative thereto.
The assembly includes a locking mechanism which locks the elements
in one position and a release lever arrangement which is easily
actuated to unlock the locking mechanism and thereby permit
rotation of one of the tubular elements to another position.
Still another object resides in the provision of a novel latch and
release assembly as described above wherein the assembly includes a
locking pin which extends transversely through the inner and outer
tubular elements and is spring loaded to a locking position. A
lever is pivotally mounted on the inner element and has a lock
releasing end connected to the pin so that upon actuation of the
lever, the pin is moved to its unlocking position and the tubular
elements may be rotated relative to each other.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from reading the
following detailed description of the invention wherein reference
is made to the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are
indicated by like numerals throughout.
FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a foldable walker of the
type in which the latch and release assembly of the invention may
be employed;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary partially sectioned side elevation view
illustrating the manner in which the left side frame section of the
walker is connected to the front brace section by the novel latch
and release assembly of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 3--3 of FIG.
2;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation view of the latch and
release assembly taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2 but with the large
end of the actuator knob removed; and
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the walker of FIG. 1 in its folded
condition.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to FIG. 1, the walker 10 includes side frame sections
12 and 14 and a front brace section 16. The left side section 12
includes a top horizontal support arm 18 joined by a vertical front
and rear tubular legs 20 and 22, respectively. Similarly, right
side section 14 includes a top horizontal support arm 24 joined by
vertical front and rear tubular legs 26 and 28, respectively.
Cross-brace section 16 has a cross bar 30 connected to vertical
tubular end sleeves 32 and 34 which snugly embrace and surround
intermediate portions of the front legs 20 and 26, respectively, of
side frame sections 12 and 14.
For convenience of handling and storage, it is desirable that the
side frame sections 12 and 14 be foldable inwardly relative to
brace section 16 to the position shown in FIG. 5. Yet, in order
that the walker be stable during use, it is necessary that the side
legs 20 and 26 be locked to sleeves 32 and 34 against rotation when
in the operative open position shown in FIG. 1.
Accordingly, a novel latch and release assembly 36 co-operates with
each of the legs 20 and 26 and its associated sleeve 32 and 34 to
lock the walker in its operative position of FIG. 1, or to enable
the walker to be folded as shown in FIG. 5. Assembly 36 will only
be described with respect to side frame section 12 and sleeve 32.
However, it is understood that an identical assembly 36 is provided
for side frame 14 and sleeve 34.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 2-4, the novel latch and release
assembly 36 comprises a shaft or pin 38 which extends transversely
through tubes 20 and 32. One actuator end of pin 38 projects
outwardly through an opening 40 on one side of leg 20 and aligned
slot 42 extending around sleeve 32 through an angle of about
90.degree.. A knob 44 is fixed on the actuator end externally of
the sleeve 32.
The other end of pin 38 has an enlarged pawl section 46 which is
adapted to extend through aligned openings 48 and 50 in leg 20 and
sleeve 32, respectively, to lock leg 20 and sleeve 32 together and
retain the walker in its operative open position of FIG. 1. A
biasing spring 52 surrounds pin 38 within leg 20 and normally urges
pawl 34 into openings 48 and 50 when they are aligned as in FIGS. 2
and 3.
To unlock leg 20 from sleeve 32, pin 38 must be pulled rearwardly
so that pawl 46 is completely withdrawn from opening 50 and the end
of the pawl clears sleeve 32. Although this could be accomplished
by pulling on knob 44, it has been found to be very awkward,
inconvenient, and difficult to an invalid using the walker.
Accordingly, to facilitate the retraction of pin 38 and the folding
of side frame 12, a release lever 54 is pivotally connected at a
point 56 intermediate its ends to a bracket 58, which is fastened
around leg 20 at a location just above the upper end of sleeve 32.
The lower lock-releasing end 60 of lever 54 is forked to fit around
pin 38 in abutment with the inside face of knob 44. The upper force
applying handle end 62 of lever 54 is curved away from leg 22 and
generally underlies the horizontal support arm 18 where it may be
grasped by the invalid.
Thus, to unlock leg 20 from sleeve 32, handle 62 is pulled upwardly
and inwardly, causing forked end 60 to pivot outwardly and pull pin
38 rearwardly until pawl 46 clears opening 50. Leg 20 may then be
rotated inwardly to fold frame section 12, since the inner actuator
end of pin 38 will merely ride in slot 42.
As mentioned previously, the latch and release assembly 36
associated with leg 26 and sleeve 34 is identically actuated to
permit folding of side frame section 14 to the position shown in
FIG. 5.
Because of levers 54, it is very easy and convenient for an invalid
to release the pawls 46 and fold the side frame sections 12 and 14
from their open locked positions of FIG. 1 to their folded storage
positions of FIG. 5. Only a minimum amount of force need be applied
to the handle sections 62 of levers 54 to unlock the side frame
sections from the front cross-brace section, and thus enable them
to be folded.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without
departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The
present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects
as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention
being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing
description, and all changes which come within the meaning and
range of equivalency of the claims are therefor intended to be
embraced therein.
* * * * *