Automatic brake for a shopping cart

Claim 2

An automatic brake for a shopping cart having a frame mounted on roll-about wheels, said brake comprising: rotation-impeding means for at least one of said wheels allowing free rotation of said wheel when in a released position and impeding rotation thereof when in a brake position, said rotation-impeding means comprising a rigid member adjacent the side of said one wheel and spring loaded in said release position, said rigid member being formed to engage said one wheel side when in a brake position, and a solenoid mechanically connected to said rigid member to retain said rigid member in said release position and separable therefrom when actuated to permit said rigid member to move under the force of said spring to said brake position; timing means; said solenoid being actuated by said timing means after a predetermined period of time to separate from said rigid member whereby said rigid member engages said one wheel to brake said cart; and means for actuating said timing means.

Claim 3

An automatic brake for a shopping cart having a frame mounted on roll-about wheels, said brake comprising: rotation-impeding means for at least one of said wheels allowing free rotation of said wheel in a released position and impeding rotation thereof when in a brake position; timing means; means actuated by said timing means to actuate said rotation-impeding means to effect braking by said rotation-impeding means after a predetermined period of time; and means for actuating said timing means comprising electrical circuitry, a photoelectric cell responsive to a light beam of predetermined intensity and/or wave length, means actuated by said photoelectric cell to actuate said timing means, and a light source exteriorly of said cart for providing said light beam.

Claim 4

An automatic brake for a shopping cart having a frame mounted on roll-about wheels, said brake comprising: rotation-impeding means for at least one of said wheels allowing free rotation of said wheel in a released position and impeding rotation thereof when in a brake position; timing means; means actuated by said timing means to actuate said rotation-impeding means to effect braking by said rotation-impeding means after a predetermined period of time; and means for actuating said timing means comprising electrical circuitry, a photoelectric cell responsive to a light beam of predetermined intensity and/or wave length, means actuated by said photoelectric cell to actuate said timing means, and a light source exteriorly of said cart for providing said light beam.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 1 in which said rotation-impeding means is formed to lock said wheel against forward rotation.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 1 in which said timing means comprises an electrically driven timing mechanism, said cart carrying a source of power for said mechanism.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 1 in which said means for actuating said timing meaNs comprises an electrically operable mechanism, said cart carrying a source of power for said mechanism.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 1 including a battery source of power and means for recharging said battery.

Claim 9

An automatic brake for a shopping cart having a frame mounted on roll-about wheels, said brake comprising: rotation-impeding means for at least one of said wheels allowing free rotation of said wheel when in a released position and impeding rotation thereof when in a brake position; timing means operable when actuated to effect locking of said rotation-impeding means after a predetermined period of time; means for actuating said timing means; at least one of said means being an electrically actuated means; a battery source of power for said electrically actuated means; and means for recharging said battery; said cart being formed to be stackable with other like-constructed carts and said recharging means comprising male and female connectors disposed on said cart in opposite forward and rearward directions for mating engagement with counterpart connectors on other like-constructed carts stacked therewith whereby the rechargeable batteries of said stacked carts may be recharged simultaneously from a single source of electrical power.

Claim 10

An automatic brake for a shopping cart having a frame mounted on roll-about wheels, said brake comprising: rotation-impeding means for at least one of said wheels allowing free rotation of said wheel when in a released position and impeding rotation thereof when in a brake position; timing means operable when actuated to effect locking of said rotation-impeding means after a predetermined period of time; means for actuating said timing means; at least one of said means being an electrically actuated means; a battery source of power for said electrically actuated means; and means for recharging said battery; said cart being formed to be stackable with other like-constructed carts and said recharging means comprising male and female connectors disposed on said cart in opposite forward and rearward directions for mating engagement with counterpart connectors on other like-constructed carts stacked therewith whereby the rechargeable batteries of said stacked carts may be recharged simultaneously from a single source of electrical power.

Claim 11

An automatic brake for a shopping cart having a frame mounted on roll-about wheels, said brake comprising: electrically actuated means for impeding rotation of at least one of said wheels; a battery source of power; means for recharging said battery; and means for electrically connecting said electrically actuated means to said battery to draw power therefrom; said cart being formed to be stackable with other like-constructed carts and said recharging means comprising male and female connectors disposed on said cart in opposite forward and rearward directions for mating engagement with counterpart connectors on other like-constructed carts stacked therewith whereby the rechargeable batteries of said stacked carts may be recharged simultaneously from a single source of electrical power.

Claim 12

An automatic brake for a shopping cart having a frame mounted on roll-about wheels, said brake comprising: electrically actuated means for impeding rotation of at least one of said wheels; a battery source of power; means for recharging said battery; and means for electrically connecting said electrically actuated means to said battery to draw power therefrom; said cart being formed to be stackable with other like-constructed carts and said recharging means comprising male and female connectors disposed on said cart in opposite forward and rearward directions for mating engagement with counterpart connectors on other like-constructed carts stacked therewith whereby the rechargeable batteries of said stacked carts may be recharged simultaneously from a single source of electrical power.