Wheel bracket assembly having a resilient element with progressively increasing resistance

A wheel bracket assembly, comprising a first bracket having spaced, downwardly extending first side flanges;

• a second bracket having a top member and spaced second flanges extending downwardly from opposite sides of said top member, said second bracket being disposed between said first side flanges and being pivotally supported on said first bracket for movement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis, said second side flanges having means facilitating rotatable support of a wheel therebetween, and resilient means for yieldably resisting pivotal movement of said second bracket in one direction about said pivot axis, said resilient means including a resilient element having a first end supported by said first bracket at a location above said top member of said second bracket and having a second end opposite said first end which engages said top member of said second bracket, a portion of said resilient element adjacent said second end increasing gradually in thickness toward said first end;
• wherein said first end of said resilient element is a transversely extendng semicylindrical head;
• wherein said resilient element has a transversely extending concave groove on each side thereof adjacent said head;
• and wherein said first bracket includes an omega-shaped clip extending between said first side flanges, and support means on said first side flanges cooperable with respective ends of said clip for securely supporting said clip thereon, said clip securely gripping around said head of said resilient element and each leg of said clip engaging a respective said transverse groove in said resilient element.

A wheel bracket assembly, comprising:

• a first bracket having spaced, downwardly extending first side flanges;
• a second bracket having a top member and spaced second flanges extending downwardly from opposite sides of said top member, said second bracket being disposed between said first side flanges and being pivotally supported on said first bracket for movement about a substantially horizontal pivot axis, said second side flanges having means for facilitating rotatable support of a wheel therebetween;
• resilient means for yieldably resisting pivotal movement of said second bracket in one direction about said pivot axis, said resilient means including a resilient element having first and second ends, said resilient element having a transversely extending semicylindrical head at said first end thereof, having a transversely extending concave groove on each side thereof adjacent said head, and decreasing progressively in thickness from said concave grooves to said second end thereof;
• and approximately C-shaped clip means fixedly supported on said first bracket, said clip means securely gripping around said head of said resilient element and having legs which engage said transverse grooves in said resilient element, said second end of said resilient element being disposed against a surface of said top member of said second bracket.