US3545462A - Single pole forearm crutch and basket - Google Patents

Description

I United States Patent 1111 3,545,

[72 Inventor Richard AtbMahoney i Hollywood, California UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 pp 788,575 1,838.986 12/1931 Callender 135/47x I 1 Flled Jan-2,1969 2,311,049 2/1943 Hedden 135/47 1 Famed Dec-3,1970 2,750,951 6/1956 Barnwell.. 135/47 1 Asslsnee 3,213,869 10/1965 Frank 135/475 acorporationolcahfnrnia. by directand v meme assignments Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell [54] SINGLE POLE FOREARM CRUTCH AND BASKET 501 FieldofS earch 135/47,47.5

Attorney- Pastoriza & Kelly basket is secured in a convenient position for carrying articles. 1

wmrgnmsm 8545462 INVENTOR RICHARD A. Q'MAHONEY BY 6250a 9 7 4A??? A770 NEYS.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is very difficult for crippled persons to carry articles or packages when using their crutches since both hands and arms are generally with simply properly supporting themselves. The problem has been solved heretofore firstand the case of underarm-type crutches wherein each crutch includes a pair of bowed wood or metallic members converging together towards their lower ends and including an underarm yoke at their upper ends. In these structures, it is relatively simple to secure the container basket to the two bowed portions of the crutch intermediate I the upper and lower ends. Since the crutch includes a pair of bowed-wooden members, any basket or container secured thereto may readily be d by utilizing clips or other suitable means on the basket-engaging horizontally spaced points on the bowed crutch portions.

More recently, improved-type crutches have been introduced generally known as single pole forearm crutches. Each of these crutches includes a single elongated pole terminating at its lower end in a ground-engaging portion and at its upper end ina forearm-encircling portion, generally in the form of semicylindrical-shaped segments which will comfortably engage a person's forearm immediately below the elbow. A single handle extends normally from the single pole structure a short distance below the forearm-encirclingportion so that great stability is afforded the user.

With single pole crutch structures of the foregoing type, it is very difficult to provide any suitable type of securing means for a basket or container for the crutch. The primary difficulty resides in the fact that the basket will tend to swing around the axis of the pole itself particularly if the basket is loaded with packages which lend it considerable weight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION With the foregoing considerations in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel basket struc ture with securing means particularly adapted to single pole forearm-type crutches wherein the basket itself may readily be secured or removed without requiring any special tools and without requiring any modification of the crutch structure itself and wherein there is fully realized the advantage of a very stable securement such that swinging of the basket and the like about the single pole longitudinal axis is minimized.

Briefly, this object is realized by, providing a basket structure including a suspension link having a circular portion for looping about the handle of the crutch merging into diverging leg portions the lower ends of which are secured to the upper rear wall portion of the basket at a given horizontal spacing. The link defines generally a hair pin configuration and the basket hangs from the link facing in a forward direction directly beneath the handle. The rear wall of the basket also includes resilient clip. means preferably including first and second vertically spaced clips which include resilient arms arranged to engage diametric opposite portions of the single poleportion of the crutch below the handle. The arrangement is such that a force moment is created by the weight of packages and the like in the basket tending to force the resilient meansinto tighter clipping engagement withthe pole.

The encircling portion of the link and diverging leg structure in turn serves to stabilize the basket in cooperation with the clip structure to the pole such that revolving of the basket about the pole axis is inhibited.

Finally, the overall structure is such that the basket may readily be removed or inserted relative to the crutch without any special tools.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A better understanding of the invention will be had by now referring to a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a single poleforearrn crutch and basket in accord with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross section taken in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 3 isa fragmentary cross section taken in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT doubleheaded arrow 14. The forearm encircling structure may include semicylindrically shaped cradles 15 and 16 for comfortably engaging the persons forearm below the elbow.

The crutch structure also includes a handle 17 extending generally normally from the pole :structure 10 at an intermediate position below the forearm- encircling portions 15 and 16. The handle will generally include the maximum diameter portion as indicated by the letter D and a reduced diameter portion adjacent to the end secured to the pole structure 10.

Arranged to cooperate with the foregoing described crutch is a basket 18 having an open top 18a. and a rear wall 18b. A

suspension link 19 is arrangedto be looped over the reduceddiameter portion of the handle 17 and includes diverging legs secured to the upper portion of the rear wall 18b of the basket as shown. The rear wall of the basket also includes resilient clip means in the form of first and second vertically spaced clips 20 and 21 arranged to engage about diametric opposite will exert a weight generally in the direction of 'the arrow W.

Since the suspension link 19 is forward of the pole structure 10, there will be generated force moments as indicated by the arrows F1 and F2 tending to urge the clips 20 and 21 into tighter engagement with the pole structure 10. This tighter engagement with greater weight as well as the design of the suspension link 19 will aid in inhibiting any revolving or rotational movement of the basket about the longitudinal vertical axis of 'the pole structure 10 all as will become clearer as further details of the structure are described.

Referring now to the fragmentary cross section of FIG. 2, it will be noted that the suspension link 19 is generally of a p hair,

pin configuration and includes a circular portion 24 merging into first-and second-diverging legs 25 and 26. These legs are secured at their lower ends as by welding or any other equivalent means to the upper rear wall portion 18b of the basket as indicated at 27 and 28. Each .leg has a length L between the portion where it diverges from the circular portion 24 to its connection point to the basket. This length in conjunction with a givenhorizontal distance designated by the letter d between the securement points 27 and 28 is specifically designed such that the basket and suspension link may readily be removed from the crutch structure. In this respect, the length L and distance d are such that the maximum diameter D of the handle can readily be received between the diverging leg portions. Thus, when the basket is urged upwardly, the reduced diameter portion of the handle indicated at D will biasthe upper portions of the legs apart and drop into the position between the diverging legs wherein the entire basket and suspension .clip may readily be pulled awayfrom I the crutch structure off of the handle. Reverse steps are taken when attaching the basket to the crutch structure.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the second resilient clip 21 is shown in greater detail. The first clip 20 described in FIG. 1 is of identical construction and therefore detailed description of one will suffice for both.

As shown in FIG. 3, the clip includes a base 29 which may be welded or otherwise secured .asat 30 to the rear wall l8bof the basket. From this base there extends flexible arms 31 and 32 contoured to frictionally engage about the pole structure 10. The open ends of the arms face rearwardly such that when the basket 18 is pulled forwardly as viewed in FIG. 1, the arms will be biased apart to release the pole structure 10.

OPERATION In operation, it will be understood that there would be normally provided two single pole forearm-type crutches such as shown in FIG. 1. One or both of these crutches may be provided with baskets.

To secure the basket 18 to the crutch, the basket is positioned in a slightly raised level over that shown in FIG. 1 such that the end of the handle 17 may be received between the diverging legs of the suspension link 19. The basket is then simply slid towards the single pole structure until the circular portion of the suspension link is positioned over the reduced diameter portion of the handle 17. The basket 18 is then urged downwardly so that this reduced diameter portion of the handle 17 snaps into the circular portion of the link. The clips 20 and 21 are then urged into engagement with the pole 10 and the basket is thus secured in position. This operation is relatively simple and can be carried out without the use of any special tools.

When packages or other articles are placed into the basket 18, their weight as described heretofore will tend to urge the clips 20 and 21 into tighter engagement with the pole and thus increased friction holding the basket in its forward or inner position will be realized. This fact in combination with the suspension link structure 19 wherein the circular portion 24 as described in FIG. 2 snugly engages about the reduced diameter portion of the handle 17 will inhibit rocking or revolving movement of the basket about the vertical axis of the pole.

It will be noted that the basket is forward of the pole structure itself. Thus when a person is using the crutch in walking, inertia forces of the basket will be against the front surface of the pole and there will not be created any appreciable moments tending to cause a revolving of the basket about the pole as would be the case were the basket oriented to the side of the pole. Further, the open top 18a of the basket is conveniently located immediately under the handle 17 so that a person can place objects inthe basket or pick objects from the basket without having to move his arm any appreciable distance.

Normally the baskets may remain in position on the crutches and they serve an additional function of rendering it very easy to lean the crutches against a wall without the crutches toppling over. However, should a user wish to remove the basket, it is a simple matter to unclip the clips 20 and 21 by exerting a forward force on the rear wall 18b of the basket and then urging the basket vertically upwardly to position the handle 17 between the diverging legs of the suspension link 19. In this position, the maximum diameter of the handle will be as indicated at 17' in FIG. 2 by the dashed lines and it will be evident that the basket may readily be removed from the crutch structure by simply urging it forwardly away from the pole 10 until the handle passes completely from between the diverging legs.

In the event that small articles are to be collected in the basket, the plastic basket liner 22 may be used to prevent such small articles from passing between the wire frame structure of the basket.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that the present invention has provided a greatly improved basket structure particularly useful for single pole forearm-type crutches wherein all of the various advantages heretofore described are fully realized. I

I claim:

1. A single pole forearm crutch and basket combination comprising:

a. a single pole crutch structure terminating at its lower end in a ground engaging portion and at its upper end in a forearm-encircling portion;

b. a handle extending substantially normally from said single pole crutch structure at a level below said forearm-encircling portion;

0. a basket having an open top and a rear wall;

d. a suspension link including an upper circular portion merging into downwardly extending diverging legs of 7 given length to define a hair pin configuration, the lower ends of said legs being secured at a given horizontal spacing from each other to the upper end portion of said rear wall of said basket;

e. and resilient clip means secured to said rear wall of said basket in a position below the midpoint of said given horizontal spacing;

f. said handle having a given maximum diameter and a reduced diameter adjacent to its securement to said single pole crutch structure, said circular portion of said link encircling in snug engagement said reduced diameter of said handle, and said resilient clip means engaging said single pole crutch structure below said handle, said given length of said diverging legs and said horizontal spacing being greater than said given maximum diameter; and whereby said basket may be urged upwardly to move said handle from said circular portion of said link to a position between said diverging legs and thence pulled away from said single pole crutch structure to thereby separate said basket from said crutch structure, said diverging legs and horizontal spacing stabilizing said basket against swinging movements about the axis of said single pole crutch when said basket is secured thereto.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 in which said resilient clip means comprise first and second clips secured to said rear wall in vertically spaced relationship, each clip including a base portion secured to said rear wall and merging into firstand second-spring arms for frictionally engaging opposite diametric portions of said single pole crutch structure.

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