Patent ID: 6041894
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: B62B,F16D

Abstract:
A cargo cart with an automatic wheel brake mechanism, the cart having a frame, a front castor, a pair of rear wheels, and a handle, the wheel brake mechanism comprising:a handle lever member attached to the handle, the handle lever member movable between a first and a second position;a cable having first and second ends, the first end connected to the handle lever member, the cable extending downwardly from the handle lever member to at least one rear wheel;a brake linkage, the second end of the cable connected to the brake linkage, the brake linkage contained within the at least one rear wheel, the linkage slidably mounted to a fixed plate within the at least one rear wheel, the linkage having first and second cams;a brake drum fixably attached to an inner surface of the at least one rear wheel;a brake shoe configured to shift between an engaged position against the brake drum and a disengaged position away from the brake drum, the brake shoe in an engaged position when the handle lever member is in the first position and the brake shoe in a disengaged position when the handle lever member is in the second position, the shoe having first and second curved brackets, each bracket having a pivot end and a free end, the pivot end of each curved bracket pivoting about a common brake shoe pivot, an outer surface of each bracket having a brake shoe surface for contacting the brake drum and locking the at least one rear wheel, each bracket having a cam slot configured to slidably engage a respective first and second cam;a spring connected between the free ends of the first and second curved brackets, the spring in compression and forcing the brake shoe against the brake drum when the handle lever member is in the first position, the spring configured to compress such that each brake shoe surface is not contacting the brake drum when the handle lever is in the second position.