Centrifugal shopping cart brake

摘要

A shopping cart has a brake added as an improvement. The assembly is completely enclosed within a wheel of the shopping cart and is automatically engaged when a predetermined speed is reached. When the cart is propelled beyond a normal operating speed either by being pushed or when unattended, the brake will engage. The brake is actuated by centrifugal force acting on a mechanism contained within the wheel, consisting of rotating weights and ratchet assemblies that engage to dissipate rotational energy by means of a friction connection to the axle of the wheel. Gears cause the weights to rotate at a faster rate than the wheel, so that heavier weights and counter weight springs may be used, making the brake less susceptible to actuation by jolts when the cart is pushed over uneven surfaces. The brake, being internal to the wheel assembly is protected from the effects of weather and physical abuse.