Method and apparatus for a locking caster

摘要

A lockable swivelable caster provides for an interaction between a centering element and a locking element to pivotally urge the locking element into a locking notch of the centering element such that the locking element is captured by the locking notch to prevent swiveling of the caster wheel.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a caster comprising:
a centering element comprising an end cam, the end cam further comprising an end camming surface having a camming profile including at least one locking notch;a locking element comprising an end cam follower configured to contact the end camming surface of the centering element;a biasing element; wherein one of the centering element and the locking element is configured to pivot about a pivot axis and hence comprise a pivoting element, and wherein the other of the locking element and the centering element is configured to remain pivotally stationary about the pivot axis and hence comprise a pivotally stationary element, the pivotally stationary element being further configured to be biased along the pivot axis toward the pivoting element by a biasing force from the biasing element; wherein the biasing element, through interaction between the end camming surface and the locking element, pivotally urges the locking element relative to the centering element toward at least a first orientation wherein the at least one locking notch of the end camming surface captures the locking element such that the pivoting element is restricted from pivoting about the pivot axis until the biasing force from the biasing element is at least one of operatively removed or countered; a disengagement device configured to axially slide the centering element away from the locking element along the pivot axis such that the centering element does not contact the locking element.