Caster brake assemblies

Claim 1

A CASTER AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY FOR A HOSPITAL BEDSTEAD COMPRISING AN INCLINED AXLE, A CASTER HAVING A HOLLOW BODY INCLUDING A FLOOR ENGAGING ROLLER MOUNTED FOR ROTATION UPON SAID INCLINED AXLE, A VERTICAL SOCKET BEARING IN SAID CASTER BODY, A HOLLOW SWIVEL PIN SLIDABLE WITHIN AND PROJECTING FROM SAID BEARING, A BRAKE BODY COAXIAL WITH AND SECURED TO SAID PIN, MEANS FOR ATTACHING THE OUTER END OF SAID BRAKE BODY TO A LEG OF A BEDSTEAD TO BE SUPPORTED BY SAID CASTER, SAID BRAKE BODY HAVING AT ITS INNER END A BRAKE FORMING FLANGE COAXIAL WITH SAID SWIVEL PIN AND CONTACTABLE WITH THE TREAD OF SAID FLOOR ENGAGING ROLLER, SAID BRAKE BODY HAVING AN OPENING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE UPPER END OF SAID HOLLOW SWIVEL PIN, A BELL CRANK LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID OPENING WITH ONE LIMB PROJECTING FROM THE LATTER, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID PROJECTING LIMB TO ANGULARLY MOVE SAID LEVER, A TOGGLE LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END WITHIN SAID OPENING TO THE OTHER INTERNAL LIMB OF SAID LEVER, A COACTIVE MEMBER DISPOSED IN SLIDABLE RELATION WITHIN SAID HOLLOW SWIVEL PIN AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID TOGGLE LINK IN COAXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE PIVOT AXIS OF SAID BELL CRANK LEVER, SAID MEMBER HAVING AN EXTENSION PROJECTING THROUGH SAID SWIVEL PIN TO CONTACT THE BOTTOM OF SAID SOCKET BEARING, SAID BODY HAVING A PART OF THE WALL DEFINING SAID OPENING FORMING A STOP TO LIMIT THE EXTENT OF MOVEMENT OF SAID INTERNAL LIMB RESPONSIVE TO THE OPERATION OF SAID MEANS, IN A DIRECTION TO LOCATE THE BRAKE FLANGE IN AN "OFF" POSITION RELATIVELY TO THE TREAD OF SAID ROLLER WHEREBY UPON RELEASE OF SAID MEANS BY THE OPERATIVE, THE BRAKE BODY DESCRIBES A GRAVITIONAL MOVEMENT TO IMPART A WEIGHT IMPOSED APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE FORMING FLANGE TO THE TREAD OF SAID ROLLER.