Patent ID: 9387723
Filing Date: 2016-07-12
CPC Classification: B60B

Claim Text:
1. A caster comprising: a body; a wheel operatively rotatably connected to the body and being rotatable about a wheel axis; a wheel lock having a wheel teeth lock movable between a locked position in which the wheel teeth lock engages the wheel so the wheel is prevented from rotation about the wheel axis and a unlocked position in which the wheel teeth lock disengages from the wheel so the wheel is rotatable about the wheel axis; a stem operatively connected to the body and being rotatable about a stem axis, the stem axis being perpendicular to the wheel axis; and a stem lock having an interlocking spline shaft and spline bushing, the spline shaft having a longitudinal axis coaxial with the stem axis, the spline bushing having a center axis aligned with the spline shaft longitudinal axis, the stem lock movable between a fixed position in which the spline shaft and spline bushing are engaged so that the stem is prevented from rotation about the stem axis, and a swivel position in which the spline shaft and spline bushing are disengaged so that the stem is rotatable about the stem axis; wherein when the stem lock is in the swivel position, the spline shaft is spaced from the spline bushing along the spline shaft longitudinal axis, and when the stem lock is in the fixed position, the spline shaft engages the spline bushing along the spline shaft longitudinal axis; wherein the wheel lock further comprises a lever, the lever being operatively connected with the wheel teeth lock to move the wheel teeth lock between the unlocked position and the locked position, the lever having a length with opposite first and second ends, the lever first end having a pivot connection with the body and the lever second end extending from body and configured to be actuated by a user to move the wheel teeth lock between the locked position and the unlocked position, the lever having a spline shaft stop intermediate of the first and second ends; wherein when the lever moves the wheel teeth lock to the unlocked position, the wheel lock lever spline shaft stop engages the stem lock spline shaft to maintain the stem lock in the swivel position, and when the lever moves the wheel teeth lock to the locked position, the wheel lock lever spline shaft stop disengages from the stem lock spline shaft allowing the stem lock to move to the fixed position.