| 摘要 |
A braking system primarily intended for use in a cargo-carrying cart of conventional type having a swivel caster at the front and rear ends and a pair of wheels rotatable upon a stationary axle extending across the longitudinal midpoint of the cart. The system includes a brake assembly inwardly adjacent each of the two wheels, each assembly having a rotor affixed to one end of a hollow, cylindrical a hub with a plurality of notches extending axially into the other end. The rotor and hub are rotationally coupled to the cart wheels by the wheel spokes extending into the hub notches. Inboard and outboard brake plates are positioned on opposite sides of each rotor. A pair of cables extends between the outboard brake plates on of the two brake assemblies, one on each side of a vertical plane through the rotational axis of the wheels, rotor and hubs. When tension is applied to one or both of these cables, the outboard plates are drawn inwardly to contact the rotors, and the rotors are moved laterally to contact the inboard plates, thereby engaging the brakes and inhibiting rotation of the wheels. In a first embodiment, the brakes are normally engaged, being disengaged to permit movement of the cart only upon operator movement of a push bar assembly to which a cable is attached for releasing tension on the brake plate cables. In another embodiment, the brakes are normally disengaged, becoming engaged upon operator manipulation of a handle assembly to which a cable is attached for applying tension to the brake plate cables. In both embodiments, the braking system is operable from either end of the cart. |
