To solve the problem that the foot plate of a conventional wheelchair often gets an obstacle to a user in manipulating or getting on or off the wheel chair due to a rod sticking out of the wheel chair or a mechanism part being exposed, as its opening/closing means for the conventional foot plate is connected with the rod, and the foot plate is opened or closed by manipulating an handle installed in front of the armrest of the wheelchair.

A base shaft 1 is inserted into and fixed to a foot plate mounting tube A with its top end cut-off slantwise, a fixing nut with its bottom cut-off slantwise, and a tightening bolt to be engaged with the nut. The mounting hole of the foot plate 6 is inserted in the base shaft 1, and then attached with a bolt 4 so that the foot plate 6 can rotate. A coil-shaped shift spring 2 is installed with its one end fixed onto the bottom part of the foot plate 6 and with the other end fixed on the outer periphery of the base shaft 1. In the hollow part of the foot plate 6, an angular-tube-like floating element 3 having an open button 3a and a lock pin 3b is disposed around the base shaft 1 via a lock spring 5.