Braking and locking system for caster wheels

A rolling device comprising:

• a base portion;
• at least one caster mounted to the base portion, the caster comprising splines defining recesses therebetween and the caster being configured to swivel about a vertical swivel axis to different swivel positions relative to the base portion, and having caster wheels configured to roll about a horizontal rolling axis generally orthogonal to the vertical swivel axis, whereby the rolling device may roll along a support surface;
• and
• a braking mechanism comprising a housing, a brake pin, an actuator pivotally coupled to the housing and operable by a user to selectively engage and disengage the braking mechanism, and an actuation flange extending about the vertical swivel axis of the caster and in operative engagement between the actuator and the brake pin, whereby a first operation of the actuator advances the actuation flange to advance the brake pin into one of the recesses along a second vertical axis substantially parallel to the vertical swivel axis and prevent rolling of the caster wheels, and whereby a second operation of the actuator retracts the actuation flange to retract the brake pin from the one of the recesses along the second vertical axis and allow rolling of the caster wheels, wherein the actuator of the braking mechanism remains fixed in position relative to the base portion regardless of the swivel position of the caster.