Caster assemblies having cam-operated brakes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12472773-B2
Application number	US-202318170939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2023
Priority date	Feb 17, 2023
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

Caster assemblies are disclosed herein. An example caster assembly includes a caster frame assembly including a caster frame, a caster mounting plate, and a brake arm; a pin having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the second end to engage the brake arm; and a lever arm having a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end, the lever arm to pivot relative to the caster frame assembly between a first position and a second position, movement of the lever arm to the first position to cause the fourth end of the lever arm to actuate the pin in a first direction to move the brake arm to the engaged position to restrict rotation of the wheel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A caster assembly comprising:
a caster frame assembly including a caster frame, and a caster mounting plate, the caster frame rotatably coupled to the caster mounting plate to enable a wheel to swivel relative to the caster mounting plate, the caster frame assembly including a swivel lock adjustable between an unlocked condition to enable the wheel to swivel relative to the mounting plate and a lock condition to prevent the wheel from swiveling relative to the mounting plate, the caster assembly including a wheel lock that operates independently from the swivel lock, the wheel lock including: a brake arm rotatably coupled to the caster frame, the brake arm to engage the wheel when the brake arm is in an engaged position; a pin having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the second end to engage the brake arm; and a lever arm having a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end, the lever arm to pivot relative to the caster frame assembly between a first position and a second position, movement of the lever arm to the first position to cause the fourth end of the lever arm to actuate the pin in a first direction to move the brake arm to the engaged position to restrict rotation of the wheel, movement of the lever arm to the second position to cause the fourth end of the lever arm to actuate the pin in a second direction to move the brake arm to a released position to enable rotation of the wheel, the second direction opposite the first direction.

2 . The caster assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fourth end of the lever arm includes a cam to engage the pin.

3 . The caster assembly of claim 1 , wherein the caster frame assembly includes a brake arm bracket coupled to the caster frame, the brake arm rotatably coupled relative to the caster frame via the brake arm bracket.

4 . The caster assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lever arm includes a base portion defining the fourth end and a handle portion defining the third end, the handle portion oriented at an angle relative to the base portion.

5 . A caster assembly comprising:
a caster frame assembly including a caster frame, a caster mounting plate, and a brake arm, the caster frame rotatably coupled to the caster mounting plate to enable a wheel to swivel relative to the caster mounting plate, the brake arm rotatably coupled to the caster frame, the brake arm to engage the wheel when the brake arm is in an engaged position; a pin having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the second end to engage the brake arm; and a lever arm having a third end and a fourth end opposite the third end, the lever arm to pivot relative to the caster frame assembly between a first position and a second position, the lever arm includes a base portion defining the fourth end and a handle portion defining the third end, the handle portion oriented at an angle relative to the base portion, the angle being between 25 degrees and 35 degrees.

6 . The caster assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pin includes a first portion having a first diameter and a second portion having a second diameter less than the first diameter.

7 . The caster assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first portion extends between the first end of the pin and a transitional portion of the pin, and the second portion extends between the second end of the pin and the transitional portion, the transitional portion positioned between the first end and the second end and defines a tapered surface between the first diameter and the second diameter.

8 . The caster assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pin is made of beryllium copper.

9 . The caster assembly of claim 8 , wherein the brake arm includes a buffer pad, and the second end of the pin engages the buffer pad to move the brake arm into the engaged position, the buffer pad made of stainless steel.

10 . A transport dolly comprising:
a dolly frame; and a plurality of caster assemblies, the caster assemblies each including:
a wheel;
a caster frame assembly including a caster mounting plate, a caster frame and a brake arm, the wheel coupled to the caster frame, the brake arm rotatably coupled to the caster frame, the brake arm to rotate between an engaged position and a released position, the brake arm to engage the wheel when in the engaged position to restrict rotation of the wheel relative to the caster frame, the brake arm to disengage the wheel when in the released position to enable rotation of the wheel relative to the caster frame;
a first pin having a first end extending at least partially through the dolly frame and a second end opposite the first end extending at least partially through the caster frame;
a lever arm rotatably coupled to the dolly frame, the lever arm including a handle and a cam, the lever arm to move the brake arm between an engaged position to restrict rotation of the wheel relative to the dolly frame and a released position to enable rotation of the wheel relative to the dolly frame via the cam and the first pin when the lever arm is rotated relative to the dolly frame;
a first sleeve to couple to the caster mounting plate;
a second sleeve to couple to the caster frame; and
a second pin to couple to the first sleeve and the second sleeve when the first sleeve is radially aligned with the second sleeve, the second pin to fix a swivel position of the wheel when the second pin is coupled to the first sleeve and the second sleeve.

11 . The transport dolly of claim 10 , wherein a first portion of the first pin is disposed within the dolly frame and is supported by at least one bushing.

12 . The transport dolly of claim 10 , wherein the caster frame assembly includes a caster mounting plate, further including a dolly frame assembly including a dolly mounting plate coupled to the dolly frame, the caster mounting plate coupled to the dolly mounting plate.

13 . The transport dolly of claim 10 , wherein the lever arm is coupled to the dolly frame via a clevis joint, the clevis joint including a bracket and a hinge pin, the hinge pin extending through the bracket and the lever arm.

14 . The transport dolly of claim 13 , wherein the cam engages the first end of the first pin, and the second end of the first pin engages the brake arm.

15 . The transport dolly of claim 14 , wherein rotation of the lever arm relative to the dolly frame in a first rotational direction is to cause the cam to actuate the first pin such that the brake arm moves to an engaged position to restriction rotation of the wheel.

16 . The transport dolly of claim 15 , wherein rotation of the handle relative to the dolly frame in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction is to cause the cam to actuate the first pin such that the brake arm moves to a released position to enable rotation of the wheel.

17 . The transport dolly of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of the caster assemblies includes at least one of a first caster assembly, a second caster assembly, a third caster assembly, and a fourth caster assembly.

18 . The transport dolly of claim 10 , wherein the first pin operates independently from the second pin.

19 . The caster assembly of claim 5 , wherein movement of the lever arm to the first position to cause the fourth end of the lever arm to actuate the pin in a first direction to move the brake arm to the engaged position to restrict rotation of the wheel, movement of the lever arm to the second position to cause the fourth end of the lever arm to actuate the pin in a second direction to

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Frizzell Matthew James
• Wagner Richard Kurt
• Flach Joseph Edward

Classifications

• B60B33/0081 Primary

  acting on tyre tread · CPC title

• B60B33/0092

  actuated remotely, e.g. by cable or electrically · CPC title

• B60B33/0018

  in the form of a flat mounting plate · CPC title

• B60B33/021 Primary

  combined with braking of castor wheel · CPC title