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[Mr Skrunts]

Doing some calcs to help out with a specialist wheel chair.

Working on a wheel chair base being 36" x 36" (square) need to work out the minimum door opening required for clearance and the radius required to go through the door and turn into a hall way at a right angle.

So basic questions are?

1.  Minmum width of door required for the wheel chair

2.  Minimum width of hall required during turning wheel chair into the hall.

3.  What is the diagonal length of the chair from corner to corner.

Very much appreciated for any help.

TIA.  

Taking your qustions literally...

1. 36" plus an allowance for fingers on wheels. Say 2" each side = 40" or
1016 mm
2. Wheelchairs pivot from (effectively) the rear corners of the 36" square, so the radius is the same as the next question. This is assuming fingers are not required on the inside wheel...
3. Diagonal is the side times square root of 2, according to Pythagoras. So 36 x 1.4142 = 50.9" or 1293 mm.

I actually agree with Bandits edited version.

The 1st one took the corner to half way accross the opposite side.

My theory was that if the wheel chair was pushed sqaurely through the door and turned to either side the maximum size (width) reqired would be the diagonal (Corner to Corner) measurment.

In reality this should be the MAXIMUM required as the turn would be tighter.

The plan is to for double doors to each room, the issue became the hall way which they wanted to widen from 1 metre to 2 metres.



Many thanks to everyone for all of your help.  I think you have given me the information needed to make a drawing to help out with.    

[jereboam]

Both answers are the same .. in the case of a square ...

36 * 1.4142 =  50.91

root((36*36)+(36*36)) = root (1296+1296) = root(2592) = 50.91

simply proved by

root(x² + x²) = root(2x²) = root(2) * root(x²) = root2 * x

if I could use a root sign it would be even easier to read  

You mean like this:

x = [ch8730](36² + 36²)

I don't know how to that either

[Bandit127]

There's a site here that has some data but it's not referenced so it's difficult to tell how relevant it is to your problem
http://www.accesscode.info/general/4_1m.htm

[MikeDundee]

Doing some calcs to help out with a specialist wheel chair.

Working on a wheel chair base being 36" x 36" (square) need to work out the minimum door opening required for clearance and the radius required to go through the door and turn into a hall way at a right angle.

So basic questions are?

1.  Minmum width of door required for the wheel chair

2.  Minimum width of hall required during turning wheel chair into the hall.

3.  What is the diagonal length of the chair from corner to corner.

Very much appreciated for any help.

TIA.  

Taking your qustions literally...

1. 36" plus an allowance for fingers on wheels. Say 2" each side = 40" or
1016 mm
2. Wheelchairs pivot from (effectively) the rear corners of the 36" square, so the radius is the same as the next question. This is assuming fingers are not required on the inside wheel...
3. Diagonal is the side times square root of 2, according to Pythagoras. So 36 x 1.4142 = 50.9" or 1293 mm.

I actually agree with Bandits edited version.

The 1st one took the corner to half way accross the opposite side.

My theory was that if the wheel chair was pushed sqaurely through the door and turned to either side the maximum size (width) reqired would be the diagonal (Corner to Corner) measurment.

In reality this should be the MAXIMUM required as the turn would be tighter.

The plan is to for double doors to each room, the issue became the hall way which they wanted to widen from 1 metre to 2 metres.



Many thanks to everyone for all of your help.  I think you have given me the information needed to make a drawing to help out with.    

I did'nt wish to complicate matters ..so I kept my reply simple

[Mr Skrunts]

Looks like I am in for a busy night of reasearch for them.

I really do appreciate all this help.

Cheers Guys.  

[HolyCount]

I stand corrected -- forgot to double my 36 squared  

[Vamps]

Unless I have got this wrong, and I am not thinking of the Maths you need much more room that the basic area of the wheelchair, elbows, feet and knees, bags on the back etc. Also think you are thinking of a small chair, dissabled access has to allow for much larger, self propelled chairs.
Don't ask cos I do not know the details but there are rules for domestic properties, particularly if the mods are being done via a Local Authority grant.

I appologise if I have gone off on the wrong tangent.

[Mr Skrunts]

Not at all matey.

All the information is usefull.

Basically the allowances have allready been made.

My suggestion was to take a piece of cardboard based on the size of the chair, then add allowances for hand control and clearance etc, hence coming up with the size given.

At this point it becomes obvious that door frames are not big enough.

The options then go from bigger doors, to sliding doors and on to double doors.

Then something gets added, ths has to be considered etc etc.

It then ends up the person with the pending problems gets left out of the conversation and basically gets talked about. ending up with nothing to say about what they actually want.

The card board template was my idea of a make shift way of visulising what actual problems may occur.

[Entwood]

Not at all matey.

All the information is usefull.

Basically the allowances have allready been made.

My suggestion was to take a piece of cardboard based on the size of the chair, then add allowances for hand control and clearance etc, hence coming up with the size given.

At this point it becomes obvious that door frames are not big enough.

The options then go from bigger doors, to sliding doors and on to double doors.

Then something gets added, ths has to be considered etc etc.

It then ends up the person with the pending problems gets left out of the conversation and basically gets talked about. ending up with nothing to say about what they actually want.

The card board template was my idea of a make shift way of visulising what actual problems may occur.

An excellent idea for the basic concept, as the ability to move the basic chair can be assessed, however, IMHO, there are several other points to consider, which the cardboard template may miss....

Position of handles, switches, locks etc... the occupant of the chair needs to be able to reach and operate these.

Shelves, window ledges, radiators etc can all cause problems that don't immediately seem obvious

The effect of gravity on the doors ... don't laugh .. the council fitted an extra wide door to a friends house but as soon as she pushes it open it swings shut on her due to how it's been hung, so she ended up trying to power the wheels with one hand and hold the door with the other !! We have had to position a piece of cord and some pulleys to enable her to hold it open while she "transits" the space ... hopefully it will be rehung soon .. BTW I was categorically told NOT to rehang it for her

Having seen the way her wishes are ignored by idiots who THINK they know better, I really wish some of them could be strapped in a chair for 3 months ... perhaps they would learn to listen ... the user of the chair knows far better what is required than all of us .. usually !!

[Vamps]

Not at all matey.

All the information is usefull.

Basically the allowances have allready been made.

My suggestion was to take a piece of cardboard based on the size of the chair, then add allowances for hand control and clearance etc, hence coming up with the size given.

At this point it becomes obvious that door frames are not big enough.

The options then go from bigger doors, to sliding doors and on to double doors.

Then something gets added, ths has to be considered etc etc.

It then ends up the person with the pending problems gets left out of the conversation and basically gets talked about. ending up with nothing to say about what they actually want.

The card board template was my idea of a make shift way of visulising what actual problems may occur.

Who is financing this Job, is it the council / disabilities team.?

[Mr Skrunts]

I think that reflects various councils all over.

My girlfriend used to work in a department that was funded by the health authority and the council.  The office revolved arround the special needs cases and the office was full of a mix of social services and occupational therapists at varying times, and she picked up on area's that they were so scared of things with a potential of catching them out that they put every measure into play just so that there was no possible come back on them.

Far far far too much red tape, this then costs the government too much money and then at the end of the financial year there is no money left in the kitty to do the simple things that really matter.

[Elite Pete]

Not at all matey.

All the information is usefull.

Basically the allowances have allready been made.

My suggestion was to take a piece of cardboard based on the size of the chair, then add allowances for hand control and clearance etc, hence coming up with the size given.

At this point it becomes obvious that door frames are not big enough.

The options then go from bigger doors, to sliding doors and on to double doors.

Then something gets added, ths has to be considered etc etc.

It then ends up the person with the pending problems gets left out of the conversation and basically gets talked about. ending up with nothing to say about what they actually want.

The card board template was my idea of a make shift way of visulising what actual problems may occur.

An excellent idea for the basic concept, as the ability to move the basic chair can be assessed, however, IMHO, there are several other points to consider, which the cardboard template may miss....

Position of handles, switches, locks etc... the occupant of the chair needs to be able to reach and operate these.

Shelves, window ledges, radiators etc can all cause problems that don't immediately seem obvious

The effect of gravity on the doors ... don't laugh .. the council fitted an extra wide door to a friends house but as soon as she pushes it open it swings shut on her due to how it's been hung, so she ended up trying to power the wheels with one hand and hold the door with the other !! We have had to position a piece of cord and some pulleys to enable her to hold it open while she "transits" the space ... hopefully it will be rehung soon .. BTW I was categorically told NOT to rehang it for her

Having seen the way her wishes are ignored by idiots who THINK they know better, I really wish some of them could be strapped in a chair for 3 months ... perhaps they would learn to listen ... the user of the chair knows far better what is required than all of us .. usually !!

Couldn't agree more.

[Vamps]

Are you going to the lakes??

[Mr Skrunts]

Not at all matey.

All the information is usefull.

Basically the allowances have allready been made.

My suggestion was to take a piece of cardboard based on the size of the chair, then add allowances for hand control and clearance etc, hence coming up with the size given.

At this point it becomes obvious that door frames are not big enough.

The options then go from bigger doors, to sliding doors and on to double doors.

Then something gets added, ths has to be considered etc etc.

It then ends up the person with the pending problems gets left out of the conversation and basically gets talked about. ending up with nothing to say about what they actually want.

The card board template was my idea of a make shift way of visulising what actual problems may occur.

Who is financing this Job, is it the council / disabilities team.?

No idea Mike.

It may be a private job, but I think they are savvy enough to get grants etc.  I know they have an Occupationional therapist but not sure if the house is private or council.  I will ask later if they come online as I have the information to pass on that you guys gave me.

[Vamps]

Not at all matey.

All the information is usefull.

Basically the allowances have allready been made.

My suggestion was to take a piece of cardboard based on the size of the chair, then add allowances for hand control and clearance etc, hence coming up with the size given.

At this point it becomes obvious that door frames are not big enough.

The options then go from bigger doors, to sliding doors and on to double doors.

Then something gets added, ths has to be considered etc etc.

It then ends up the person with the pending problems gets left out of the conversation and basically gets talked about. ending up with nothing to say about what they actually want.

The card board template was my idea of a make shift way of visulising what actual problems may occur.

Who is financing this Job, is it the council / disabilities team.?

No idea Mike.

It may be a private job, but I think they are savvy enough to get grants etc. I know they have an Occupationional therapist but not sure if the house is private or council.  I will ask later if they come online as I have the information to pass on that you guys gave me.

Private or Council does not matter, as they have an OT seems like it might be a grant, client MUST be listened to and the OT should have done this, but some of them seem to forget the client and think they know best, I have seen this and had to intervene on a couple of occasions. Is this person disabled now or is this in anticipation? A decent Social Worker from the disabled team should be able to put the persons concerns to the OT and make them listen, it is hard but it can be done.