Castor locking device with freely pivotable curved tongue engagement
OwnerGraham Scott Carpenterinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for arresting the swivelling movement of a castor. The device (2) is particularly useful for use on a shopping trolley (1). The device comprises support means (1) secured to the base of the trolley, and engagement means (11) adapted to pivot between first and second positions. In a first position, a tongue (11) is engaged between the arms (5) and (6) of the fork member (4) to prevent swivelling movement of the castor. In a second position, the tongue (11) is disengaged from between the arms (5) and (6) of the fork (4) to permit swivelling movement of the castor (3) relative to the base of the trolley (1).
Claims22
A device for arresting the swivelling movement of a castor, said castor having a fork-type attachment means with a pair of depending arms, an upper end of said attachment means being rotatable relative to a base portion of a trolley so that said castor is capable of swivelling about a vertical castor rotation axis, and a lower end of said attachment means having an axle between said arms of said fork-type attachment means to which said castor is attached for rotation about a substantially horizontal wheel rotation axis extending along said axle, said device comprising:
- support means, secured to said base of said trolley and having an upper surface facing away from said castor;
- and
- engagement means, comprising a tongue having a first end pivotally attached to said support means and a second end curved with respect to said first end and adapted to be displaced between first and second positions, said first end of said engagement means being pivotally attached at an attachment location on said upper surface of said support means spaced apart from both said castor rotation axis and said wheel rotation axis, said engagement means extending from said first end to said second end in a direction away from said castor rotation axis;
- wherein:
- said engagement means is freely pivotally moveable between said first and second positions;
- in said first position, said second end of said tongue engages and spans between said arms of said fork-type attachment means, thereby preventing swivelling movement of said castor relative to said base about said castor rotation axis;
- and
- in said second position, said second end of said tongue is disengaged from between said arms of said fork-type attachment means and is positioned above said upper surface of said support means, the weight of said tongue maintaining said second end of said tongue in said second position without requiring engagement with a movement inhibiting element, such that swivelling movement of said castor relative to said base about said castor rotation axis is permitted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.