New wheelchair design

Press, 16 November 1981, Page 27

New wheelchair design

A Christchurch engineering firm has designed a lightweight wheelchair. The final design is the result of consultations with doctors, therapists and wheelchair users.

The managing director of Melville Engineering, Mr J. Joseph, said it had taken

nine months to develop the chair.

During this time the chair was taken around New Zealand to gauge any possible alternatives to the final design.

Its light weight (about 17 kg compared with a conven-

tional wheelchair of about 27 kg) is a result of using an

aluminium frame. The problem of retaining sturdiness with the light weight was solved by the frame linkage.

Instead of having one folding operation, the hew wheel-

chair has a three-phase fold ing.

“There has been a genuine need for a lightweight wheelchair for a long time,” Mr Joseph said. "It still has strength and is far more versatile than lightweight overseas models,” he said. The chair costs little more than a conventional one. The new design also holds wide export potential — 16 chairs are already on order from Australia.