Caster brake and latch assembly

Claim 2

A brake and latch assembly, comprising; a pintle, a horn rotatably carried by said pintle, said horn rotatably carryinG a wheel, brake means rotatably carried by said horn and manually rotatable for engaging the periphery of said wheel to brake said wheel, a latch member secured to said pintle for rotation with said pintle relative to said horn, a pawl, and means rotatably mounting said pawl on said horn about an axis generally parallel to the axis of said pintle independently of said brake means, said pawl being positioned to be engaged by said brake means for rotation in response to rotation of said brake means to engage said pawl with said latch member for thereafter preventing relative rotation between said pintle and horn.

Claim 3

The brake and latch assembly claimed in claim 1 in which said latch member comprises a cup having a back wall and a plurality of teeth formed in the peripheral wall of said member with said teeth equally spaced about the circumference of said peripheral wall.

Claim 4

The brake and latch assembly claimed in claim 2 in which said horn is U-shaped and includes a back leg with said pintle extending rotatably through the back leg of said horn and said pawl is rotatably supported on said back leg intermediate the ends of said pawl for rotation about said axis parallel to said pintle.

Claim 5

The brake and latch assembly claimed in claim 3 in which the back wall of said latch member cup has a noncircular opening therein for press fit engagement with a correspondingly shaped portion of said pintle.

Claim 6

The brake and latch assembly claimed in claim 4 in which a ball bearing assembly rotatably supports said pintle in said back leg and said latch member teeth are spaced radially outwardly of said ball bearing assembly.

Claim 7

The brake and latch assembly claimed in claim 3 in which said brake means comprises an L-shaped wire having one leg pivotally supported in said horn legs with an offset portion formed in said wire one leg for engaging said wheel.

Claim 8

The brake and latch assembly claimed in claim 6 in which said wheel is rotatable about an axis extending through said horn legs, and said brake means inclludes a treadle rotatable about said wheel axis independently of said wheel and engaging the other leg of said L-shaped wire for rotating said offset portion into engagement with said wheel periphery.

Claim 9

An improved brake and latch assembly for use with a caster having a pintle rotatably carrying a horn with said horn rotatably carrying a wheel, comprising brake means rotatably carried by said horn and manually rotatable for engaging the periphery of said wheel to brake said wheel, a latch member secured to said pintle for rotation with said pintle relative to said horn, a pawl, means rotatably mounting said pawl on said horn independently of said brake means with said pawl engaged by said brake means for rotation in response to rotation of said brake means to engage said pawl with said latch member for thereafter preventing relative rotation between said pintle and horn, said latch member being a cup having a plurality of teeth formed in the peripheral wall of said member with said teeth equally spaced about the circumference of said peripheral wall, said horn being U-shaped with said pintle extending rotatably through the back leg of said horn and said pawl being rotatably supported on said back leg intermediate said pawl ends for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of said pintle, said brake means being an L-shaped wire having one leg pivotally supported in said horn legs with an offset portion formed in said wire one leg for engaging said sheel, said wheel being rotatable about an axis extending through said horn legs, and said brake means including a treadle rotatable about said wheel axis independently of said wheel and engaging the other leg of said L-shaped wire for rotating said offset portion into engagement with said wheel periphery, said pawl having an integrally formed arm in partially encircling engagement with the other leg of said L-shaped wire and being adapted to move longitudinally relative to said other L-shaped wire leg.

Claim 10

An improved brake and latch assembly for use with a caster having a pintle rotatably carrying a horn with said horn rotatably carrying a wheel, comprising brake means rotatably carried by said horn and manually rotatable for engaging the periphery of said wheel to brake said wheel, a latch member secured to said pintle for rotation with said pintle relative to said horn, a pawl, means rotatably mounting said pawl on said horn independently of said brake means with said pawl engaged by said brake means for rotation in response to rotation of said brake means to engage said pawl with said latch member for thereafter preventing relative rotation between said pintle and horn, said latch member being a cup having a plurality of teeth formed in the peripheral wall of said member with said teeth equally spaced about the circumference of said peripheral wall, said horn being U-shaped with said pintle extending rotatably through the back leg of said horn and said pawl being rotatably supported on said back leg intermediate said pawl ends for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of said pintle, said brake means being an L-shaped wire having one leg pivotally supported in said horn legs with an offset portion formed in said wire one leg for engaging said sheel, said wheel being rotatable about an axis extending through said horn legs, and said brake means including a treadle rotatable about said wheel axis independently of said wheel and engaging the other leg of said L-shaped wire for rotating said offset portion into engagement with said wheel periphery, said pawl having an integrally formed arm in partially encircling engagement with the other leg of said L-shaped wire and being adapted to move longitudinally relative to said other L-shaped wire leg.

Claim 11

A brake and latch assembly, comprising; a caster horn having side legs, a caster wheel rotatably carried by said side legs, said caster horn having a back leg rotatably carrying a pintle for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said wheel, a latch member secured to said pintle for rotation with said pintle, a treadle manually pivotable independently of said wheel about an axis perpendicular to said pintle, a brake element pivotally supported by said horn for pivotable movement about an axis perpendicular to said pintle, said treadle engaging said brake element to pivot said brake element into engagement with said wheel in response to pivotable movement of said treadle in one direction, a pawl pivotably supported by said horn for pivotable movement about an axis parallel to said pintle axis and closely adjacent said wheel, and means on said pawl engaging said brake element for pivoting said pawl in response to pivotable movement of said brake element for engaging said wheel to engage said pawl with said latch member to prevent rotation of said pintle relative to said horn, the pivotal axis of said pawl substantially intersecting the pivotal axis of said brake element.

Claim 12

A brake and latch assembly, comprising; a caster horn having side legs, a caster wheel rotatably carried by said side legs, said caster horn having a back leg rotatably carrying a pintle for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said wheel, a latch member secured to said pintle for rotation with said pintle, a treadle manually pivotable independently of said wheel about an axis perpendicular to said pintle, a brake element pivotally supported by said horn for pivotable movement about an axis perpendicular to said pintle, said treadle engaging said brake element to pivot said brake element into engagement with said wheel in response to pivotable movement of said treadle in one direction, a pawl pivotably supported by said horn for pivotable movement about an axis parallel to said pintle axis and closely adjacent said wheel, and means on said pawl engaging said brake element for pivoting said pawl in response to pivotable movement of said brake element for engaging said wheel to engage said pawl with said latch member to prevent rotation of said pintle relative to said horn, the pivotal axis of said pawl substantially intersecting the pivotal axis of said brake element.

Claim 13

A brake and latch assembly, comprising; a caster horn rotatably carrying a caster wheel, a pintle rotatably carrying said caster wheel for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said wheel, a latch member secured to said pintle for rotation with said pintle, a brake element pivotally supported by said horn closely adjacent said wheel for pivotal movement in one direction into engagement with said wheel to brake said wheel, means carried by said horn for pivoting said brake element in said one direction and for holding said brake element engaged with said wheel, a pawl pivotally supported by said horn independently of said brake element about an axis parallel to the axis of said pintle and closely adjacent said wheel, and means on said pawl engaging said brake element for pivoting said pawl in response to pivotal movement of said brake element in said one direction to engage said pawl between said latch member teeth whereby relative rotation is prevented between said pintle and horn.

Claim 14

A brake and latch assembly, comprising; a caster horn rotatably carrying a caster wheel, a pintle rotatably carrying said caster wheel for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said wheel, a latch member secured to said pintle for rotation with said pintle, a brake element pivotally supported by said horn closely adjacent said wheel for pivotal movement in one direction into engagement with said wheel to brake said wheel, means carried by said horn for pivoting said brake element in said one direction and for holding said brake element engaged with said wheel, a pawl pivotally supported by said horn independently of said brake element about an axis parallel to the axis of said pintle and closely adjacent said wheel, and means on said pawl engaging said brake element for pivoting said pawl in response to pivotal movement of said brake element in said one direction to engage said pawl between said latch member teeth whereby relative rotation is prevented between said pintle and horn.

Claim 15

The brake and latch assembly claimed in claim 10 in which said latch member comprises a cup member having a peripheral wall in which a plurality of equally spaced teeth are formed and a back wall in which a non-circular opening is formed for press fitting engagement with said pintle.

Claim 16

The brake and latch assembly claimed in claim 11 in which said pawl comprises a sheet metal member pivotally supported intermediate opposite ends and having teeth adjacent one end for engagement between said latch member teeth, and said means on said pawl is an integrally formed depending arm.

Claim 17

The brake and latch assembly claimed in claim 12 in which said pawl teeth are adapted to engage said latch member teeth to rotate said latch member for aligning said pawl teeth with the spaces between said latch member teeth.

Claim 18

A brake and latch assembly, comprising: a caster horn having legs, a caster wheel rotatably carried by said legs, a back leg rotatably carrying a pintle for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said wheel, a latch member secured to said pintle for rotation with said pintle and having a plurality of teeth spaced radially outwardly of said pintle, a treadle, means mounting said treadle for pivotal movement about the axis of said wheel independently of said wheel, an L-shaped brake element having one leg pivotally supported by said horn legs for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to said pintle and the other element leg extending parallel to one horn leg to engage said treadle, said one leg having an offset portion for engaging the periphery of said wheel in response to pivotal movement of said treadle in one direction to pivot said brake element in a corresponding direction, a pawl pivotable about an axis offset from and parallel to said piNtle axis and closely adjacent said wheel with said pawl having a tooth at one end, and an arm integrally formed on the other end of said pawl engaging said brake element other leg for pivoting said pawl in direct response to pivotal movement of said brake element to thereby engage said pawl tooth between said latch member teeth to prevent relative rotation between said pintle and said horn.

Claim 19

A brake and latch assembly, comprising: a caster horn having legs, a caster wheel rotatably carried by said legs, a back leg rotatably carrying a pintle for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of said wheel, a latch member secured to said pintle for rotation with said pintle and having a plurality of teeth spaced radially outwardly of said pintle, a treadle, means mounting said treadle for pivotal movement about the axis of said wheel independently of said wheel, an L-shaped brake element having one leg pivotally supported by said horn legs for pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to said pintle and the other element leg extending parallel to one horn leg to engage said treadle, said one leg having an offset portion for engaging the periphery of said wheel in response to pivotal movement of said treadle in one direction to pivot said brake element in a corresponding direction, a pawl pivotable about an axis offset from and parallel to said piNtle axis and closely adjacent said wheel with said pawl having a tooth at one end, and an arm integrally formed on the other end of said pawl engaging said brake element other leg for pivoting said pawl in direct response to pivotal movement of said brake element to thereby engage said pawl tooth between said latch member teeth to prevent relative rotation between said pintle and said horn.