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US 7,926,145 B2Granted
Selectively lockable caster
OwnerChaokuo Liaoinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A selectively lockable caster with total locking (wheel brake and swivel lock) as well as directional locking (tracking) functions. A separate lock tooth for each locking function is adapted to engage certain differently configured lock recesses. Specifically, a total lock tooth, which is part of a mechanism that also applies a brake to the wheel, is configured to engage any of the total lock recesses and any of the directional lock recesses to lock the wheel against pivotal movement about the swivel axis in any of a plurality of total lock positions. A directional lock tooth is configured to engage only the directional lock recesses to lock the yoke against pivotal movement about the swivel axis in at least one directional lock (tracking) position while allowing the wheel to rotate.
Claims19
A lockable caster comprising:
- a mounting member adapted to be connected to a load to be supported by the caster;
- a yoke pivotally connected to the mounting member for relative pivotal movement about a swivel axis, the yoke comprising two depending legs interconnected by an upper bight portion;
- a wheel mounted between the legs of the yoke for rotation about a running axis;
- a locking structure between the legs of the yoke adjacent the bight portion and fixed relative to the mounting member, the locking structure comprising recesses spaced so as to at least partially surround the swivel axis;
- a total lock mechanism carried by the yoke, comprising a movable brake member adapted to engage the wheel to lock it against rotation, and a movable total lock tooth configured to engage any of a plurality of the recesses to lock the yoke against pivotal movement about the swivel axis in any of a plurality of total lock positions;
- and
- a directional lock mechanism carried by the yoke and comprising a movable directional lock tooth adapted to engage at least one of the recesses to lock the yoke against pivotal movement about the swivel axis in at least one directional lock position while allowing the wheel to rotate, the number of directional lock positions being fewer than the number of total lock positions,
- wherein the number of recesses engageable by the directional lock tooth is fewer than the number of recesses engageable by the total lock tooth.
5 more elements
A lockable caster, comprising:
- a mounting member adapted to be connected to a load to be supported by the caster;
- a yoke pivotally connected to the mounting member for relative pivotal movement about a swivel axis, the yoke comprising two depending legs interconnected by an upper bight portion;
- a wheel mounted between the legs of the yoke for rotation about a running axis;
- a locking structure between the legs of the yoke adjacent the bight portion and fixed relative to the mounting member, the locking structure comprising recesses spaced so as to at least partially surround the swivel axis;
- a total lock mechanism carried by the yoke, comprising a movable brake member adapted to engage the wheel to lock it against rotation, and a movable total lock tooth configured to engage any of a plurality of the recesses to lock the yoke against pivotal movement about the swivel axis in any of a plurality of total lock positions;
- and
- a directional lock mechanism carried by the yoke and comprising a movable directional lock tooth adapted to engage at least one of the recesses to lock the yoke against pivotal movement about the swivel axis in at least one directional lock position while allowing the wheel to rotate, the number of directional lock positions being fewer than the number of total lock positions,
- wherein the total lock mechanism comprises a total lock lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the yoke, and the brake member and the total lock tooth are at opposite ends of the total lock lever,
- wherein the directional lock mechanism comprises a directional lock lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the yoke, and the directional lock tooth is at one end of the directional lock lever, and
- wherein the total lock lever and the directional lock lever are arranged side-by-side.
7 more elements
A lockable caster comprising:
- a mounting member adapted to be connected to a load to be supported by the caster;
- a yoke pivotally connected to the mounting member for relative pivotal movement about a swivel axis, the yoke comprising two depending legs interconnected by an upper bight portion;
- a wheel mounted between the legs of the yoke for rotation about a running axis;
- a locking structure between the legs of the yoke adjacent the bight portion and fixed relative to the mounting member, the locking structure comprising coplanar recesses spaced along a circle centered on the swivel axis, at least one of the recesses being a directional lock recess, and a greater number of other recesses being total lock recesses, which are configured differently from the at least one directional lock recess;
- a total lock mechanism carried by the yoke, comprising a movable brake member configured to engage the wheel to lock it against rotation, and a movable total lock tooth configured to engage any of the total lock recesses and any of the directional lock recesses to lock the yoke against pivotal movement about the swivel axis in any of a plurality of total lock positions;
- and
- a directional lock mechanism carried by the yoke, comprising a movable directional lock tooth configured to engage only the directional lock recesses to lock the yoke against pivotal movement about the swivel axis in at least one directional lock position while allowing the wheel to rotate,
- wherein the total lock mechanism comprises a total lock lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the yoke, and the brake member and the total lock tooth are at opposite ends of the total lock lever,
- wherein the directional lock mechanism comprises a directional lock lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the yoke, and the directional lock tooth is at one end of the directional lock lever, and
- wherein the total lock lever and the directional lock lever are pivoted to the yoke about a common pivot axis and are arranged side-by-side with their toothed ends adjacent each other.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.