Automatic shopping cart brake engaged by nesting of carts

Claim 2

A shopping cart brake system, comprising: 1) a first shopping cart having a front end panel and an upwardly pivotal hinged rear panel, said upwardly pivotal hinged rear panel having at least one reinforcement rod extending along the side thereof; 2) a universal wheel brake assembly comprising: a wheel housing mounted to the frame of a shopping cart; a wheel rotatably mounted onto an axle within said wheel housing; a curved brake shoe substantially enclosed within said wheel housing having an outer exterior surface and an interior high surface area contact surface, said brake shoe having a mandrel attached at one end of said exterior surface and a tab extending from said exterior brake shoe surface having at least one hole therein; means for pivotally attaching said brake mandrel within said wheel housing providing for engageable contact of said interior contact surface of said brake shoe with said wheel; spring means within said housing for biasing said brake shoe against said wheel for locking said wheel; and means for retracting said brake shoe permitting rotation of said wheel, said means comprising a cable connection within said wheel housing; and 3) a handle assembly, comprising: a stationary handle; a pivoting handle having a central member with a pair of lateral arms extending therefrom in cooperative communication with said cable connection means; means for pivotally attaching said lateral arms to the frame of said shopping cart, whereby said lateral arms extend past said pivot point; stop means for limiting pivotal movement of said pivoting handle; means for connecting said pivoting handle with said brake assembly whereby manual pivotal movement of said pivoting handle in a backward and downward direction compresses said spring means to unbias and disengage said brake shoe against said shopping cart wheel permitting rotation of said wheel, and releasing said pivoting handle allows pivotal movement of said handle in the opposite direction allowing said spring means to automatically bias said brake shoe against said wheel preventing rotation of said wheel; and said stop means being in cooperative engagement with said pivoting handle for limiting pivotal movement of said pivoting handle and actuating the brake, said stop means being cooperably engageable with said reinforcement rod extending along the side of said upwardly pivotal hinged rear panel of said cart whereby engagement of a front end panel of a second cart being stacked within said first parked cart engages said upwardly pivotal hinged rear panel of said first cart pivoting said hinged rear panel upward moving said reinforcement rod and slidably engaging said stop means of said first cart extending from one or both of said lateral arms of the parked first cart to pivoting said pivoting handle disengaging said brake of said front parked first cart.

Claim 3

The shopping cart brake system of claim 1, wherein said means for pivotally attaching said brake mandrel within said wheel housing is a bolt.

Claim 4

The shopping cart brake system of claim 1, wherein said spring means is a torsion spring.

Claim 5

The shopping cart brake system of claim 1, including a cable conduit surrounding said cable and a retainer eyelet to limit movement of said cable conduit during movement of said cable.

Claim 6

The shopping cart brake system of claim 1, wherein said interior contact surface of said brake shoe is gnarled.

Claim 7

The shopping cart brake system of claim 1, including frictional tape applied to the interior contact surface of said brake shoe.

Claim 8

The shopping cart brake system of claim 1, wherein said means for pivotally attaching said lateral arms to the frame of said shopping cart is one of the rods comprising said shopping cart wire basket frame.

Claim 9

The shopping cart brake system of claim 1, wherein said lateral arms extending pass said pivot point include at least one hole for attachment of a cable.

Claim 10

The shopping cart brake system of claim 1, wherein said stop means for limiting pivotal movement of said handle comprises at least one stud extending perpendicular inwardly or outwardly therefrom.

Claim 11

The shopping cart brake system of claim 9, wherein said stud is slidably engageable with said rod supporting said handle.

Claim 12

The shopping cart brake system of claim 1, wherein said pair of lateral arms are "L" shaped.

Claim 13

The shopping cart brake system of claim 11, wherein said lateral arms are adjustably retained within said central member, said pair of lateral arms being bent vertically at an obtuse angle to provide the necessary travel to disengage said brake shoe upon pivoting of said brake handle.

Claim 14

The shopping cart brake system of claim 12, wherein said pair of lateral have bent at an obtuse angle to provide the necessary travel to disengage said brake shoe upon pivoting of said brake handle.

Claim 15

The shopping cart brake system of claim 1, wherein said lateral arms have flattened distal ends extending pass said pivot point, said flattened distal ends having at least one hole therein for attachment of a cable.

Claim 16

A shopping cart brake system, comprising: 1) a shopping cart comprising: a frame having wheels; a generally rectangularly shaped wire basket having a pair of opposing side panels connected to a front end panel and a floor panel, and a hinged rear panel pivotally connected between the top, rear corner of said side panels; and said wire basket having at least one pair of vertical and diagonal reinforcement rods supporting said wire basket; 2) a universal wheel brake assembly comprising: a wheel housing mounted to the frame of a shopping cart; a wheel rotatably mounted onto an axle within said wheel housing; a curved brake shoe substantially enclosed within said wheel housing having an outer exterior surface and an interior high surface area contact surface, said brake shoe having a mandrel attached at one end of said exterior surface and a tab extending from said exterior brake shoe surface having at least one hole therein; means for pivotally attaching said brake mandrel within said wheel housing providing for engageable contact of said interior contact surface of said brake shoe with said wheel; spring means within said housing for biasing said brake shoe against said wheel for locking said wheel; and means for retracting said brake shoe permitting rotation of said wheel comprising a cable connection within said wheel housing; and 3) a handle assembly, comprising: a stationary handle; a pivoting handle having a central member with a pair of lateral arms extending therefrom in cooperative communication with said cable connection means, said lateral arms being adjustably retained within said central member, said pair of lateral arms being bent vertically at an obtuse angle to provide the necessary travel to disengage said brake shoe upon pivoting of said brake handle; means for pivotally attaching said lateral arms to the frame of said shopping cart, whereby said lateral arms extend past said pivot point; stop means attached to said lateral arms for limiting pivotal movement of said pivoting handle; and means for connecting said handle with said brake assembly whereby manual pivotal movement of said pivoting handle in a backward and downward direction compresses said spring means to unbias and disengage said brake shoe from against said shopping cart wheel, and releasing said pivoting handle allows pivotal movement of said handle in the opposite direction allowing said spring means to automatically bias said brake shoe against said wheel preventing rotation of said wheel; and stacking of a plurality of said shopping carts one behind the other, projects said front end panel of a cart being inserted within said parked cart, pivoting said hinged rear panel of said parked cart upward, whereby said vertical reinforcement rod of said hinged rear panel slidably engages said stop means extending from said lateral arms of said parked cart pivoting said handle disengaging said brake of said preceding cart, so that several carts can be stacked together and controlled with the engaged brakes of the last shopping cart in the stack.

Claim 17

A shopping cart brake system, comprising: 1) a shopping cart comprising: a frame having wheels; a generally rectangularly shaped wire basket having a pair of opposing side panels connected to a front end panel and a floor panel, and a hinged rear panel pivotally connected between the top, rear corner of said side panels; and said wire basket having at least one pair of vertical and diagonal reinforcement rods supporting said wire basket; 2) a universal wheel brake assembly comprising: a wheel housing mounted to the frame of a shopping cart; a wheel rotatably mounted onto an axle within said wheel housing; a curved brake shoe substantially enclosed within said wheel housing having an outer exterior surface and an interior high surface area contact surface, said brake shoe having a mandrel attached at one end of said exterior surface and a tab extending from said exterior brake shoe surface having at least one hole therein; means for pivotally attaching said brake mandrel within said wheel housing providing for engageable contact of said interior contact surface of said brake shoe with said wheel; spring means within said housing for biasing said brake shoe against said wheel for locking said wheel; and means for retracting said brake shoe permitting rotation of said wheel comprising a cable connection within said wheel housing; and 3) a handle assembly, comprising: a stationary handle; a pivoting handle having a central member with a pair of lateral arms extending therefrom in cooperative communication with said cable connection means, said lateral arms being adjustably retained within said central member, said pair of lateral arms being bent vertically at an obtuse angle to provide the necessary travel to disengage said brake shoe upon pivoting of said brake handle; means for pivotally attaching said lateral arms to the frame of said shopping cart, whereby said lateral arms extend past said pivot point; stop means attached to said lateral arms for limiting pivotal movement of said pivoting handle; and means for connecting said handle with said brake assembly whereby manual pivotal movement of said pivoting handle in a backward and downward direction compresses said spring means to unbias and disengage said brake shoe from against said shopping cart wheel, and releasing said pivoting handle allows pivotal movement of said handle in the opposite direction allowing said spring means to automatically bias said brake shoe against said wheel preventing rotation of said wheel; and stacking of a plurality of said shopping carts one behind the other, projects said front end panel of a cart being inserted within said parked cart, pivoting said hinged rear panel of said parked cart upward, whereby said vertical reinforcement rod of said hinged rear panel slidably engages said stop means extending from said lateral arms of said parked cart pivoting said handle disengaging said brake of said preceding cart, so that several carts can be stacked together and controlled with the engaged brakes of the last shopping cart in the stack.