A wheelchair apparatus for permitting a user to sit in an upright position while operating a wheelchair. The wheelchair apparatus includes a chair member being designed for supporting the user. The chair member has a seat portion. The chair member has a frame portion. The chair member has at least one drive wheel. The drive wheel is rotatably coupled to the frame portion. The chair member has at least one support wheel. The support wheel is coupled to the frame portion. The support wheel is designed for permitting the chair member to roll along the support surface. At least one lever assembly is operationally coupled to the drive wheel. The lever assembly is coupled to the chair member. The lever assembly is for rotating the drive wheel for propelling the chair member across the support surface when the lever assembly is actuated by the user.
A wheelchair includes a standard foldable frame for supporting a seat with a first and second drive wheel driven by drive levers. Each wheel has a transmission providing for three forward speeds and a reverse speed, as well as a neutral position. The transmissions for the two wheels may be constructed of identical parts with the wheels being caused to rotate in opposite directions from the driving lever merely by reversing the direction of the pawls within the transmissions. The ratchet drive surfaces are provided with pawl engaging surfaces which may be driven in either of two directions. The wheelchair does not require any bulky equipment and the hub containing the transmission may be the size of a bicycle hub. The transmissions in both wheels are shifted by a single control. The wheelchair is provided with disk brakes.
