Patent ID: 7712184

Claim:
A caster wheel having integrated electrical braking means comprising: (a) the caster wheel; wherein the caster wheel has a mounting bracket further including a threaded opening in a top surface thereof; wherein the caster wheel has a ball bearing located beneath the threaded opening, which enables the caster wheel to rotate; (b) the electrical braking means; wherein the electrical braking means has a solenoid attached to a pin for moving the pin; wherein the electrical braking means has a bolt along a bottom surface for screwing to the threaded opening to secure the electrical braking means to the mounting bracket, the pin extending through the bolt; (c) a brake wherein the brake attaches to a bottom surface of the pin, and is movable with the pin to engage an outer surface of the caster wheel to provide braking; wherein a spring is positioned between the bottom surface of the mounting bracket and the brake such that a biasing force pushes the brake away from the outer surface of the caster wheel; wherein the solenoid is controlled by a switch and electrical source such that when the solenoid is energized, the pin and thus brake extends downward and touches the outer surface of the caster wheel.