Practical Helps For The Handicapped - http://eiw.com/handi/

Mark's Handi-Tray

The Tray
    I have two of these. One stays in the house, and one travels with me in the van. For each tray assembly, I suggest two small cafeteria trays made of the kind of plastic that will bend before it breaks. These can be had from a restaurant supply or maybe a local cafeteria manager will sell them to you. Two trays put together as shown will have some flex, but will hold 16 pounds. These, a 3/4" Iron Pipe Flange, and a 3/4" female copper tubing to 3/4" Male Iron Pipe copper fitting are the essential parts, except for the special screws described below.

THE SCREWS     You need 4 sets of these. They're called Binding Post Screws. One piece screws into the other, making a neat tray top appearance. You want the outside pieces to fit into the four 1/4" holes drilled through the trays, using the pipe flange as a template. They should be able to close to a thickness of 3/8" to accomodate the two tray thickness and pipe flange assembly. The female piece must be threaded the entire length. They must be metal; plastic will not hold the weight.
FINDING THE RIGHT SCREWS    A lot of stores only have the plastic ones. Some have them where they're not threaded all the way and they won't allow this assembly. Maybe you get lucky and find 'em on your first or second try... maybe not. I've gotten so frustrated at not being able to find the right ones, that I had a big box of 'em shipped to me from the manufacturer; so I make you this offer... If you can't find them locally, send a check or money order for $5 US to my favorite church run charity and print "screws" in the memo area. Make sure your name and address are clear, they will tell me and I will send you the four sets you need. By the time you figure the screws (about $3 at the store), what to ship them in, and the postage, there's so much profit that I decided to give it to the church. If you need them, send your $5 to: Discovery Center - Box 24 - Buford, GA 30515-0024.

Side Arm Handi-Tray Supports

    Find a 3/4" copper T fitting that looks like the one above and cut it as shown in the photos. The ridge of metal that limits insertion of the pipe is mostly on the bottom and is cut off making it easy to mount the fitting to the tubing of the wheel chair side arm with two strap clamps and a sheet metal screw to eliminate the possibility of the tray tipping when loaded. Mounting the fitting as far forward as the strap clamps will allow positions the tray nicely for persons of slender to medium build. I used a Dremel tool and a cut-off wheel. Use eye protection when cutting! After mounting, you can wrap duct tape over the strap clamp areas. It doesn't look great, but it keeps your hands from coming into contact with sharp edges.

    The only other piece you need is a 4" piece of 3/4" hard copper tubing that is inserted into the tray support; and in turn supports the tray.

    For larger people, an alternative method is shown using a piece of 3/4" copper pipe with a 90 degree elbow fitting soldered to it; and part of the tubing cut away as shown. Mount this with the most metal touching the side arm so the bottom edge of the pipe touches the side arm tubing for support against downward bending. Don't forget the sheet metal screw. The upright support piece of pipe (not shown) that supports the tray can be longer than 4" to raise the tray enough to clear their legs.

Side-Arm Socket Handi-Tray Support

    Here you see the tray in use on my "Inside Chair". It uses the rear socket for the side-arm tubing, and has the advantage of allowing the tray to be positioned out of the way when needed. If you use this scheme on an unmodified chair with a lower seat level, the 8" piece of tubing can be 2" shorter.

Using Mark's Handi-Tray
    Moving around in a reasonable way, and encountering no bumps or jerks, you should be able to carry iced drinks, plates of food and such... Cups of coffee spill over easily when bumped and I solve this by using plastic lids. I have a mug that snugly fits a canned cat food cover. Because the tray has some flex, gallons of milk (heavy items) carry best when placed in the area over the tray support. The general rule is to place heavy things or things that can spill easily close to the area over the tray support.

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Ideas, artwork, and elements of this website are the intellectual Property of Mark Krell. If you are a disabled person who wishes to use any of my ideas to help you to improve your life, you have my permission, my blessing, and my sincere hope that I have helped you. If you are interested in manufacturing, marketing, or in some way making money from what you see here, you are not free to do so without compensating me. This is right and fair because I will use your money to develop new ideas and prototypes; thus creating new opportunities for you to profit.

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Because everyone who is disabled has different individual needs due to differing physical conditions; you use any of my ideas with the express understanding between you and me that I cannot be held responsible for anything that may happen to you as a result of such use. It is your responsibility to determine your own physical capabilities. It is your responsibility to consult your physician to make such determinations if you are in doubt. By making use of my ideas, you agree to release me from any and all liability from any occurance connected with such use from this day forth until the end of time. You also agree to the same conditions with any contributor of ideas to these pages other than myself.

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The Tray
I have two of these. One stays in the house, and one travels with me in the van. For each tray assembly, I suggest two small cafeteria trays made of the kind of plastic that will bend before it breaks. These can be had from a restaurant supply or maybe a local cafeteria manager will sell them to you. Two trays put together as shown will have some flex, but will hold 16 pounds. These, a 3/4" Iron Pipe Flange, and a 3/4" female copper tubing to 3/4" Male Iron Pipe copper fitting are the essential parts, except for the special screws described below.


	THE SCREWS You need 4 sets of these. They're called Binding Post Screws. One piece screws into the other, making a neat tray top appearance. You want the outside pieces to fit into the four 1/4" holes drilled through the trays, using the pipe flange as a template. They should be able to close to a thickness of 3/8" to accomodate the two tray thickness and pipe flange assembly. The female piece must be threaded the entire length. They must be metal; plastic will not hold the weight.
FINDING THE RIGHT SCREWS A lot of stores only have the plastic ones. Some have them where they're not threaded all the way and they won't allow this assembly. Maybe you get lucky and find 'em on your first or second try... maybe not. I've gotten so frustrated at not being able to find the right ones, that I had a big box of 'em shipped to me from the manufacturer; so I make you this offer... If you can't find them locally, send a check or money order for $5 US to my favorite church run charity and print "screws" in the memo area. Make sure your name and address are clear, they will tell me and I will send you the four sets you need. By the time you figure the screws (about $3 at the store), what to ship them in, and the postage, there's so much profit that I decided to give it to the church. If you need them, send your $5 to: Discovery Center - Box 24 - Buford, GA 30515-0024.

Side Arm Handi-Tray Supports



Find a 3/4" copper T fitting that looks like the one above and cut it as shown in the photos. The ridge of metal that limits insertion of the pipe is mostly on the bottom and is cut off making it easy to mount the fitting to the tubing of the wheel chair side arm with two strap clamps and a sheet metal screw to eliminate the possibility of the tray tipping when loaded. Mounting the fitting as far forward as the strap clamps will allow positions the tray nicely for persons of slender to medium build. I used a Dremel tool and a cut-off wheel. Use eye protection when cutting! After mounting, you can wrap duct tape over the strap clamp areas. It doesn't look great, but it keeps your hands from coming into contact with sharp edges. The only other piece you need is a 4" piece of 3/4" hard copper tubing that is inserted into the tray support; and in turn supports the tray. For larger people, an alternative method is shown using a piece of 3/4" copper pipe with a 90 degree elbow fitting soldered to it; and part of the tubing cut away as shown. Mount this with the most metal touching the side arm so the bottom edge of the pipe touches the side arm tubing for support against downward bending. Don't forget the sheet metal screw. The upright support piece of pipe (not shown) that supports the tray can be longer than 4" to raise the tray enough to clear their legs.

Side-Arm Socket Handi-Tray Support

Here you see the tray in use on my "Inside Chair". It uses the rear socket for the side-arm tubing, and has the advantage of allowing the tray to be positioned out of the way when needed. If you use this scheme on an unmodified chair with a lower seat level, the 8" piece of tubing can be 2" shorter.

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