Importance

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Abstract

A caster assembly for a traveling body has an automatic swivel lock that prevents the caster from swiveling when the caster is a trailing caster on the traveling body and allows the caster to swivel when the caster is a leading caster on the traveling body. The caster assembly includes a lock assembly pivotally mounted to support arms that extend from the swiveling wheel mount. A fixed locking member extends from the traveling body's frame to engage a locking lever extending from the lock assembly when the caster wheel is a trailing wheel on the traveling body. A cam follower engages a cam surface on the inside of the wheel to pivotally disengage the lock assembly from the locking member when the traveling body reverses direction so that the caster, which has become a leading caster, is free to swivel. Upon reversing direction again, the locking lever engages a camming surface on the locking member to pivot the locking lever inward so that the locking lever slips into a recess on the locking lever to prevent the caster wheel from swiveling. Thus, the caster mechanism automatically switches between locked and freely swiveling modes solely in response to a reversal in the direction of the traveling body.

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First Claim