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US 4,054,965 AGranted
Self aligning magnetic locking device for module swivel caster assembly
AssigneeAmerican Sterilizer Company
InventorsSatinder K. Vig, Harold J. Koester, William H. Berg, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle having a swivel caster wheel. The caster wheel has two spaced magnets attached to a fixed part of the caster and a third magnet attached to the caster fork so that the third magnet is influenced by the field of the first and second magnets, moving the caster to a predetermined position when the wheels are lifted from the floor. The wheels caster to proper position when they again engage the floor.
Claims10
A swivel caster comprising,
- a caster wheel,
- a caster wheel fork having two legs connected together by a fork bracket,
- top axle means connected to said fork,
- said caster wheel being rotatably received between said legs,
- a bearing plate,
- means for attaching said bearing plate to a vehicle,
- pivot means pivotally connecting said fork top to said bearing plate,
- a first permanent magnet fixed to said fork bracket top at a position spaced from said pivot means,
- a second and third permanent magnet fixed to said bearing plate at a position spaced from said pivot means,
- said pivot means being adapted to allow said caster fork to swing about said bearing plate whereby said first magnet is attracted to said second or third magnet, urging said caster fork with said wheel to swing to a position in alignment with the magnetic field between said first magnet and said second or third magnet.
7 more elements
A caster comprising,
- a fixed member adapted to be supported on a vehicle and
- a caster fork having a wheel therein,
- pivot means pivotally connecting said fork to said fixed member,
- said fixed member having magnetic means producing a magnetic field thereon,
- said fork having second magnetic means thereon, adapted to be attracted by said magnetic field, whereby said caster fork is urged to swing to a predetermined position.
2 more elements
A vehicle comprising a vehicle body,
- at least one caster wheel attached to said vehicle body and adapted to rest on a floor,
- said caster having a fork attached thereto and swingably attached to said body to swing about a pivot,
- first permanent magnet fixed to said body in spaced relation to said pivot,
- a second magnetic member fixed to said fork in a position spaced from said pivot and adapted to swing toward said permanent magent, whereby said caster, if swung to a predetermined position when said vehicle is lifted, moves said caster out of engagement with said floor.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.