Caster with Brake and Transport Cart

Abstract

To provide a caster with a brake and a carrier truck which are economical and rational, and are excellent in maintainability.SOLUTION: The caster is constituted such that wheels 3 are freely rotatably supported by an axle 4 provided between lateral parts of a wheel support leg 2 on a lower part of the wheel support leg 2. The caster includes a pair of brake rings 5, 6, a ring operation tool 7 and a driving mechanism which operates the ring operation tool 7. The ring operation tool 7 and the pair of brake rings 5, 6 are formed into a link mechanism in which brake shoes 15, 16 provided on the pair of brake rings 5, 6 via the ring operation tool 7 are brought into pressure contact with the wheels 3 or pressure contact is released as the driving mechanism goes up and down, and thereby, the wheels 3 are braked or braking is released. The ring operation tool 7 and the pair of brake rings 5, 6 which form the link mechanism are connected such that the brake shoes 15, 16 can be brought into pressure contact with the wheels 3 in such an arrangement as to become an S-shape or inverted S-shape.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of casters with brakes used for transport carts (including hand carts). More specifically, the present invention relates to a caster with a brake configured to obtain a braking force (brake force) by pressing a brake shoe (side surface portion of a brake ring) against an appropriate position of a wheel (excluding the tire).

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a swivel wheel (caster) configured to brake a wheel 4 by pressing brake shoes 80 and 90 provided on a pair of brake rings 8 and 9 against a rim 4a of the wheel 4. More specifically, the pair of brake rings 8 and 9 are configured such that their lower end portions are biased in the opening and closing directions by an elastic body 14, and their upper end portions are connected by a pair of slide portions 6 and 7 (6' and 7'), and a braking means is disclosed in which the wheel 4 is braked or the braking is released in conjunction with the movement of the pair of slide portions 6 and 7 (6' and 7') opening and closing.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a fixed wheel 32, but the upper end of a brake wire 14 is attached to the proximal end side of a brake operation lever 16, and an operation grip portion 18 for one-handed operation is formed on the distal end side of the brake operation lever 16. By gripping the operation grip portion 18 of the brake operation lever 16 and pulling it toward the grip rod 9 side of the handle 7, the brake wire 14 is pulled up to rotate an operating lever 54 to operate a braking mechanism 53, and a braking means is disclosed in which a pair of brake shoes 68 are pressed against the inner surface of a cylindrical portion 57 of a brake drum 51 to apply braking.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] According to the braking means of Patent Document 1, one brake shoe 90 has a strong braking force acting thereon due to the action of being drawn into the rim 4a of the wheel 4, while the other brake shoe 80 has an action of moving away from the rim 4a of the wheel 4. Therefore, a strong braking force does not act compared to the one brake shoe 90, and there is a problem that a strong braking force cannot be obtained as a whole. Further, accordingly, the wear of one brake shoe 90 is larger than the wear of the other brake shoe 80. Therefore, there is also a problem that there is a variation in the replacement of the brake shoes and the number of maintenance times is large. Furthermore, an elastic body 14 for pressing or releasing the pair of brake shoes 80 and 90 against the rim 4a of the wheel 4 has to be separately prepared, resulting in a large number of parts and problems of unreasonableness and uneconomy.

[0006] According to the braking means of Patent Document 2, in order to vary the braking force, it is necessary to adjust the brake wire 14, but there is a problem that it takes time and effort, such as having to adjust the angle of the brake operation lever 16 as well.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a casters with brakes and a transport cart that are economical, reasonable, and excellent in maintainability, such as realizing a simple structure that can exert a braking force by equalizing the pressing of a pair of brake shoes (brake rings) against the rim of the wheel regardless of the swivel casters or fixed casters, so that the wear of the brake shoes is also uniform and the number of maintenance times can be reduced. Another object of the present invention is to provide a casters with brakes and a transport cart that are easy to use and excellent in handleability, such as realizing a structure that can easily vary the braking force with a simple structure, eliminating the need for adjusting the brake operation lever that takes time and effort.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] As a means for solving the above problems, the casters with brakes according to the invention described in claim 1 are casters in which a wheel 3 is rotatably supported at a lower portion of a wheel support leg 2 by an axle 4 provided between side portions of the wheel support leg 2. A pair of brake rings 5, 6 capable of pressing against or releasing pressure from the wheel 3, a ring operating tool 7 supported by the axle 4 and connected to the pair of brake rings 5, 6, and a drive mechanism for operating the ring operating tool 7 are provided. The ring operating tool 7 and the pair of brake rings 5, 6 are formed into a link mechanism in which, as the drive mechanism moves up and down, brake shoes 15, 16 provided on the pair of brake rings 5, 6 are pressed against the wheel 3 via the ring operating tool 7 or the pressure contact is released, thereby braking or releasing the braking of the wheel 3. The ring operating tool 7 and the pair of brake rings 5, 6 forming the link mechanism are arranged in an S shape or an inverted S shape, and are connected such that the brake shoes 15, 16 can be pressed against the wheel 3 for braking.

[0009] The invention described in claim 2 is the casters with brakes described in claim 1, wherein the casters are swivel casters in which the wheel support leg 2 is rotatably attached under a mounting seat 1', and a wheel 3 is rotatably supported at a lower portion of the wheel support leg 2 by an axle 4 provided between side portions of the wheel support leg 2.

[0010] The invention described in claim 3 is the casters with brakes described in claim 1 or 2, which includes an operation portion 10 for operating the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism includes a shaft member 8 that moves up and down by the operation of the operation portion 10 and a lifting member 9 that moves up and down following the shaft member 8. The lifting member 9 is constantly biased downward by a restoring elastic body 81 constituting the shaft member 8. The lifting member 9 is constantly biased downward, and by operating the operation unit 10 to raise the lifting member 9 from the braking state in which the brake shoes 15 and 16 press against the wheel 3, the braking state of the wheel 3 is released to make it in a travelable state. After that, when the operation of the operation unit 10 is stopped, the lifting member 9 descends by the restoring elastic body 81, and the brake shoes 15 and 16 press against the wheel 3 to brake, which is characterized by such a configuration.

[0011] The invention described in claim 4 is claim to 3 In the casters with brakes described, the shaft member 8 of the drive mechanism is between the perpendicular line M1 passing through the wheel tip P and the perpendicular line M2 passing through the axle on or on the extension line L' of the center line L in the front-rear direction of the wheel support leg 2, and is composed of a long bolt 82, a first cylindrical portion 83, a second cylindrical portion 84, and the restoring elastic body 81. By rotating the long bolt 82 to relatively move the second cylindrical portion 84 up and down with respect to the first cylindrical portion 83, the restoring elastic body 81 can be compressed or extended to adjust the braking force, which is characterized by such a configuration.

[0012] The transport cart according to the invention described in claim 5 is characterized by including the casters with brakes described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to the casters with brakes and the transport cart according to the present invention, the following effects can be achieved. (1) It is possible to evenly press a pair of brake shoes (brake rings) against the rim of the wheel to exert a braking force. Along with this, the wear of each of the pair of brake shoes becomes equal, so the replacement work of the pair of brake shoes can be carried out at one time. That is, compared with the prior art (the said Patent Document 1), it is possible to reduce the maintenance frequency of the replacement work, etc., and realize casters with brakes and a transport cart that are excellent in economy, rationality, and maintainability. (2) It can be implemented with a structure that can exert a strong braking force by means of a self-boosting action that is drawn into the wheel by its own friction. Therefore, even if the pressing force of the brake shoe against the wheel (rim) is not very strong, it is possible to reliably stop the transport cart at the desired position. Thus, it is possible to realize a caster with a brake and a transport cart that are excellent in operability (control ability). (3) It is possible to realize a stress-free operation that does not require wasteful time and effort for adjusting the braking force, such as easily adjusting (controlling) the braking force without adjusting the brake lever. Also, when transporting heavy objects, it is possible to easily increase the braking force, etc., and it is possible to realize a caster with a brake and a transport cart that are flexible and quickly adaptable according to the weight of the transported object, easy to use, and excellent in handling performance. (4) Since it has a structure in which the brake is released and it becomes possible to run when the brake lever is operated in the automatic stop state where braking force is generated normally, when the operation of the brake lever is unexpectedly stopped, such as when the hand is released from the brake lever, the brake is automatically applied and it reaches the stop state. Therefore, it is possible to realize a caster with a brake and a transport cart that are excellent in safety. (5) Compared with the prior art (the said Patent Document 1), it is possible to reduce the number of elastic bodies used from two to one, etc., the number of components is reduced, and it is possible to realize a caster with a brake and a transport cart that have a simple structure and are excellent in economy.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Next, embodiments of the casters with brakes and the transport cart according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] The casters with brakes according to the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, have a downward U-shaped wheel support leg 2 attached below a base 1, and a wheel 3 is rotatably supported at a lower part of the wheel support leg 2 by an axle 4 provided between side portions of the wheel support leg 2, which is a fixed caster. The base 1 and the wheel support leg 2 are fixed by joining means such as bolts and nuts. In this embodiment, a downward U-shaped wheel support leg 2 is attached below the base 1. However, the base 1 may not be provided, and the wheel support leg 2 is not limited to the U-shape. The top surface of the wheel support leg 2 may be implemented in a size capable of attaching a carriage mounting bracket 11.

[0017] Also, as shown in FIG. 8 and the like, the casters with brakes include a pair of brake rings 5 and 6 capable of pressing against or releasing the pressure from the wheel 3, a ring operating tool 7 supported by the axle 4 and connected to the pair of brake rings 5 and 6, a drive mechanism (shaft member 8 and lifting tool 9) for operating the ring operating tool 7, and an operation unit 10 for operating the drive mechanism.

[0018] The pair of brake rings 5 and 6 are each made of metal and formed in a semi-circular arc shape following the shape of the rim 3a of the wheel 3 (see also FIG. 7). Brake shoes 15 and 16 are provided at the central part of the outer peripheral surface thereof to increase the frictional force when pressing against the rim 3a of the wheel 3 and ensure the braking force. In this embodiment, as an example, the brake shoes 15 and 16 are made of an elastomer having rubber elasticity. Also, the pair of brake rings 5 and 6 are arranged vertically with respect to the axle 4.

[0019] The ring operating tool 7 is made of metal, and its central part is supported by the axle 4 and formed into a rotatable rod shape (see also Fig. 7). The pair of brake rings 5 and 6 are arranged in a diagonal manner like an S shape (see Fig. 8C) or an inverted S shape (see Fig. 8A), and the ends are connected to each other by joining means such as bolts and nuts. Further, the ring operating tool 7 and the brake ring 6 are clamped together with the lower end of the vertical member 92 that constitutes the lifting tool 9 of the drive mechanism, and a link mechanism is formed in which the ring operating tool 7 and the pair of brake rings 5 and 6 behave in conjunction with the lifting and lowering movement of the vertical member 92. In this link mechanism, in this embodiment, when the lifting tool 9 (vertical member 92) is lowered, the ring operating tool 7 rotates around the axle 4, and the brake shoes 15 and 16 of the brake rings 5 and 6 move in a direction approaching the wheel 3 and are pressed against the wheel 3 for braking. When the vertical member 92 is raised, the ring operating tool 7 rotates around the axle 4, and the brake shoes 15 and 16 move in a direction away from the wheel 3 to release the pressure contact with the wheel 3 and release the braking of the wheel 3.

[0020] The lifting tool 9 and the shaft member 8 together constitute the drive mechanism. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 6 to 8, this drive mechanism includes a shaft member 8 that moves up and down by the operation of the operation unit 10, and a lifting tool 9 that moves up and down following the shaft member 8. The lifting tool 9 is constantly biased downward by the elastic force (pressing force) of a restoring elastic body (for example, a compression coil spring, a cylindrical rubber material) 81 that constitutes the shaft member 8. That is, in the casters with brakes according to the present invention, since the lifting tool 9 is constantly biased downward, normally, the brake shoes 15 and 16 that constitute the link mechanism hold the state of pressing against the wheel 3 for braking (stopping). It should be noted that all the component members of the shaft member 8 and the lifting tool 9 according to this embodiment are made of metal, but the restoring elastic body 81 is not limited to being made of metal, and it can also be implemented with a non-metal material such as a ceramic spring.

[0021] The shaft member 8 of the drive mechanism is located between the perpendicular line M1 passing through the wheel tip P and the perpendicular line M2 passing through the axle 4 on the extension line L’ (refer to the two-dot chain line in Fig. 2C) of the center line L in the front-rear direction of the wheel support leg 2 (refer to the one-dot chain line in Fig. 2C). It consists of a long bolt 82, a first cylindrical portion 83, a second cylindrical portion 84, the restoring elastic body 81, and a rotating pin 85 for rotating the long bolt 82. By rotating the long bolt 82 with the rotating pin 85 to relatively move the second cylindrical portion 84 up and down with respect to the first cylindrical portion 83, the restoring elastic body 81 is compressed or extended, and the braking force can be adjusted. Specifically, as shown clearly in Fig. 6, the long bolt 82 is screwed into and penetrated through the female thread formed over the entire length of the inner wall of the second cylindrical portion 84. Also, the second cylindrical portion 84 is configured to be movable up and down within the first cylindrical portion 83 while the long bolt 82 is screwed in a penetrating state. Further, the second cylindrical portion 84 is formed in a hat shape with a flange portion 84a protruding outward at its lower end. The restoring elastic body 81 is wound around the second cylindrical portion 84 in such a configuration that its lower end rests on the upper surface of the flange portion 84a and its upper end contacts the lower surface of the base portion 1. Note that, as shown in Fig. 3, the second cylindrical portion 84 may be replaced with a nut N.

[0022] In this embodiment, the lifter 9 is joined in a vertically long gantry shape that straddles both side surfaces of the wheel 3 with a downward U-shaped upper member 91 and vertical members 92, 92 connected to both side surfaces of the upper member 91 by joining means such as bolts. As described above, the vertical members 92 are implemented in a substantially L-shaped configuration with their lower ends slightly bent in this embodiment so as to be clamped together with the ring operating tool 7 and the brake ring 6. Note that the lifter 9 can also be implemented in a configuration where the upper member 91 and the vertical members 92, 92 are integrated without being separate members.

[0023] Then, the shaft member 8 and the lifting member 9 are joined by screwing the bolt portion of the headed bolt 14 screwed from below to above into the screw hole (female screw) formed in the long bolt 82 of the shaft member 8 with respect to the upper and lower bearings 13, 13 positioned in the through hole drilled in the central portion of the upper member 91 of the lifting member 9. Thus, when the shaft member 8 moves up and down by the operation of the operation portion 10, the lifting member 9 is configured to move up and down following the shaft member 8, with respect to the shaft member 8 and the lifting member 9 constituting the drive mechanism.

[0024] Also, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the wheel support leg 2 can also be rotatably attached, and the caster with brake according to the present invention can also be configured as a swivel caster. Specifically, the mounting seat 1' and the wheel support leg 2 form a free wheel that can rotate by means of a built-in bearing 23, and as shown in FIG. 8A, a shaft member 8 passing through the turning center axis Y of the swivel caster (caster with brake) is attached in a state that does not prevent the turning of the wheel support leg 2.

[0025] The shaft member 8 of the swivel caster (caster with brake) is between the perpendicular line M1 passing through the wheel tip P and the perpendicular line M2 passing through the axle 4 on the line of the center line L in the front-rear direction of the wheel support leg 2, on the turning center axis Y of the swivel caster (caster with brake), and is composed of a long bolt 82 rotatable around the turning center axis Y, a first cylindrical portion 83, a second cylindrical portion 84, the restoring elastic body 81, and a turning pin 85 for rotating the long bolt 82. By rotating the long bolt 82 with the turning pin 85 to relatively move the second cylindrical portion 84 up and down with respect to the first cylindrical portion 83, the restoring elastic body 81 is compressed or extended, and the braking force can be adjusted. Further, the shaft member 8 is configured to pass through the hole 1'a provided in the mounting seat 1'.

[0026] In this embodiment, the operation portion 10 employs a long groove-shaped member with a downward U-shaped cross-section. When a vertically downward force F is applied to one end of the operation portion 10 (see FIG. 8D), the operation portion 10 is configured to lift the rotation pin 85 of the shaft member 8 in contact with the other end of the operation portion 10 based on the principle of a lever with the coupling portion 17 (formed by bolts and nuts in this embodiment) between the base portion 1 as the fulcrum (refer to the comparison between FIGS. 8A and 8D). Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11 (or FIG. 12), when an operation of gripping the brake lever 18 (or 18') provided on the handle of the transport cart 20 (or 20') is performed, a rod-shaped member connected to the lever 18 (or 18') presses the one end of the operation portion 10 from above to below, that is, it is configured to apply the vertically downward force F. Note that the means for pressing the one end of the operation portion 10 from above to below is not limited to the above configuration, and for example, it can also be implemented by a cam mechanism.

[0027] Therefore, in the caster with a brake according to the present invention, normally, that is, when the operation portion 10 is not being operated, as described in the paragraph

[0020] , since the lifting tool 9 is constantly biased downward by the elastic force (pressing force) of the elastic body 81 for restoration, the brake shoes 15 and 16 constituting the link mechanism hold the state of pressing against the wheel 3 for braking (stopping).

[0028] And during transportation (when carrying), that is, when the operation unit 10 is being operated, as shown in the paragraph

[0026] , when the operation unit 10 is operated, the rotation pin 85 of the shaft member 8 is lifted. Simultaneously with the lifting of the rotation pin 85, the long bolt 82 is lifted. When the long bolt 82 is lifted, the second cylindrical portion 84, which is screw-connected to the same-length bolt 82 and integrated therewith, moves upward within the first cylindrical portion 83. When the second cylindrical portion 84 moves upward, the elastic body 81 for restoration is pressed upward by the flange portion 84a of the second cylindrical portion 84 and contracts. At the same time, the lifting tool 9 (upper member 91, vertical member 92), which is joined via the long bolt 82 and the bolt 14 with a head, also rises (moves upward). When the vertical member 92 rises, due to the behavior of the link mechanism, the brake shoes 15, 16 move in a direction away from the wheel 3, releasing the pressure contact with the wheel 3 and releasing the braking of the wheel 3. In this way, while the operation unit 10 is being operated, the state of releasing the braking of the wheel 3 by the brake shoes 15, 16 is maintained. Therefore, in the case of the transport carts 20, 20' provided with the casters with brakes, while the operation of gripping the brake levers 18, 18' is being performed, the travelable state is maintained.

[0029] Next, when the operation of the operation unit 10 is stopped, one end of the operation unit 10 returns to the lifted state. Therefore, the lifting tool 9 is constantly biased downward by the elastic force (pressing force) of the elastic body 81 for restoration, and the brake shoes 15, 16 interlocked with the lifting tool 9 constantly exert a braking force on the wheel 3. Therefore, in the case of the transport carts 20, 20' provided with the casters with brakes, while the fingers are separated from the brake levers 18, 18', the operation of the operation unit 10 stops. Thus, a braking force constantly acts on the wheel 3, maintaining the automatic stop state.

[0030] Next, when operating the operation unit 10, the steps described in the paragraphs

[0028] and

[0029] such as releasing the braking on the wheels 3 to make the vehicle travelable are alternately repeated. That is, in the casters with brakes according to the present invention, the lifting device 9 is constantly biased downward, and the braking state in which the brake shoes 15 and 16 are in pressure contact with the wheels 3 is released by operating the operation unit 10 to raise the lifting device 9 so that the vehicle can travel. After that, when the operation of the operation unit 10 is stopped, the lifting device 9 descends by the elastic body 81 for restoration, and the brake shoes 15 and 16 are in pressure contact with the wheels 3 to perform braking.

[0031] Next, the braking effect of the caster with a brake according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 9. Incidentally, the symbol S in FIG. 9 indicates the rotation direction of the wheel 3, and the two symbols T respectively indicate the directions in which the brake shoes 15 and 16 are retracted. That is, according to the caster with a brake according to the present invention, as already described, the ring operation tool 7 is implemented by a link mechanism in which the pair of brake rings 5 and 6 are connected at their ends by joining means such as bolts and nuts in an arrangement that forms an inverted S shape (the back side is an S shape; see FIG. 8C). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, when the brake rings 5 and 6 rotate in the same direction as the rotation direction S of the wheel, the brake shoes 15 and 16 are retracted in the same direction (see the symbol T), and each of the brake shoes 15 and 16 can exert a strong braking force due to the self-boosting action of being retracted into the rim 3a of the wheel 3 by its own friction. There are a total of four brake shoes 15 and 16 on both sides of the wheel 3, and since the self-boosting action occurs in all of them, it is possible to generate a very strong braking force. That is, even if the pressure contact force (pressing force) of the brake shoes 15 and 16 on the rim 3a of the wheel 3 is not so high, the self-boosting action caused by the link mechanism effect of the above-described configuration makes it possible to surely stop the transport cart at a desired position. Therefore, it is possible to realize a caster with a brake and a transport cart having excellent operability (control ability).

[0032] In addition, the casters with brakes according to the illustrated examples are implemented in a flexible structure that can gradually adjust the strength of the braking force, as shown step by step in FIGS. 10A to 10C. The specific configuration is as described in the above paragraphs

[0021] and

[0025] . By rotating the rotation pin 85 passed through the upper end of the long bolt 82 constituting the shaft member 8 clockwise around the turning center axis Y of the caster with brakes, the long bolt 82 rotates clockwise, and the second cylindrical portion 84 constituting the shaft member 8 approaches the first cylindrical portion 83. At the same time, since the flange portion 84a of the second cylindrical portion 84 lifts the lower end of the restoring elastic body 81, the restoring elastic body 81 contracts (compresses) (see by comparing FIGS. 10A and 10C), and the repulsive force of the restoring elastic body 81 leads to an increase in the pressing force on the rim 3a of the wheel 3 of the brake shoes 15 and 16. The more this process is repeated to compress the restoring elastic body 81, the more the repulsive force of the restoring elastic body 81 leads to an increase in the pressing force on the rim 3a of the wheel 3 of the brake shoes 15 and 16, and ultimately the braking force is gradually strengthened. Also, when it is desired to weaken the braking force, by rotating the rotation pin 85 counterclockwise, the long bolt 82 rotates counterclockwise, and the second cylindrical portion 84 constituting the shaft member 8 separates from the first cylindrical portion 83. At the same time, since the flange portion 84a of the second cylindrical portion 84 descends, the restoring elastic body 81 extends (elongates) by the amount of its descent, and the repulsive force of the restoring elastic body 81 leads to a decrease in the pressing force on the rim 3a of the wheel 3 of the brake shoes 15 and 16. The more this process is repeated to extend the restoring elastic body 81, the more the repulsive force of the restoring elastic body 81 leads to a decrease in the pressing force on the rim 3a of the wheel 3 of the brake shoes 15 and 16, and ultimately the braking force can be gradually weakened. According to this braking force adjustment mechanism, it is possible to easily adjust the braking force only with the structure of the caster with brakes itself, so there is an advantage that no design changes such as the change in the position of the brake lever and the operation part due to adjusting the braking force as in the prior art are required. Note that the rotation pin 85 is not necessary for implementation. For example, a cross or single-character hole may be provided in the head of the long bolt 82, and the tool tip may be aligned with the cross or single-character hole, and the long bolt 82 can be rotated by rotating the tool around the long bolt 82. Also, if the head of the long bolt 82 has a shape that can be grasped by hand, the long bolt 82 can be rotated without using a tool.

[0033] Next, supplementary explanations will be given for the reference numerals in the drawings. As is clear from FIGS. 11A and 12, the reference numeral 11 shown in FIG. 1 etc. indicates a carriage mounting fitting used for attaching a caster with a brake to the transport carriages 20, 20' (pipes). Also, the reference numeral 12 indicates a wheel cover. As shown in FIG. 7, this wheel cover 12 has a through hole 12a for passing the axle 4 formed in its central portion, and long slotted holes 12b that are long in the vertical direction and allow the vertical movement of the vertical member 92 of the lifting tool 9 are formed at two locations on the outer peripheral portion. Next, in FIG. 7, the reference numeral 21 disposed so as to be hidden on the back side of the brake rings 5, 6 indicates a connecting bolt, and the reference numeral 22 indicates a sleeve member. The sleeve member 22 serves as a spacer for ensuring a stable state of the distance between the brake rings 5, 6 and the flat portion (disk portion) 3b of the wheel 3, and is used for bolt joining. Next, the reference numeral 19 in FIGS. 11B and 11C indicates a flat plate material for loading luggage. Next, the reference numeral K in FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 12 indicates a fixed caster. That is, the transport carriages 20, 20' in the illustrated example are implemented in a four-wheel structure with the front left and right two wheels as fixed casters K and the rear left and right two wheels as the swivel casters (casters with brakes) according to the present invention. Next, the reference numeral J in FIG. 11C indicates a swivel caster. That is, the transport carriage 20 in the illustrated example is implemented in a four-wheel structure with the front left and right two wheels as swivel casters J and the rear left and right two wheels as fixed casters with brakes according to the present invention. Incidentally, for reference only, in this embodiment, as an example only, the diameter of the wheel 3 is implemented to be about 150 mm, and the maximum separation distance between the brake shoes 15 and 16 and the rim 3a of the wheel 3 is implemented with a structural design of about 0.6 mm.

[0034] As described above, the embodiments have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples, and it should be noted that the present invention includes the scope of design changes and application variations that those skilled in the art usually make as needed without departing from the technical idea thereof.

[0035] For example, the brake rings 5 and 6 (brake shoes 15 and 16) do not necessarily have to be provided on both sides of the wheel 3, and can be implemented in a configuration where they are provided only on one side of the wheel 3 according to the structural design. In addition, the casters with brakes according to the present invention are implemented in a configuration in which a self-adjusting function capable of gradually adjusting the strength of the braking force is introduced as described in the above paragraph

[0032] . However, it is of course possible to implement the casters with brakes in a structure that does not adjust the braking force. In this case, the rotating pin 85, the long bolt 82, and the second cylindrical portion 84 can also be implemented as an integrated unit without being separate members. Incidentally, the first cylindrical portion 83 can also be implemented in a structure that is pre-integrated with the base portion 1 by joining means such as welding. Furthermore, an unmanned transport vehicle (not shown) can be attached to a transport cart equipped with the casters with brakes according to the present invention, and the operation unit 10 can be operated as appropriate according to the instructions of the unmanned transport vehicle to brake or release the brakes of the wheels 3, so that it can also be used as an unmanned transport cart.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0036] 1 Base 1' Mounting Seat 1'a Hole 2 Wheel Support Leg 3 Wheel 3a Rim 3b Flat Portion (Disk Portion) 4 Axle 5 Brake Ring 6 Brake Ring 7 Ring Operating Tool 8 Shaft Member 81 Elastic Body for Restoration 82 Long Bolt 83 First Cylindrical Portion 84 Second Cylindrical Portion 84a Flange Portion 85 Rotating Pin 9 Lifting Tool 91 Upper Member 92 Vertical Member 10 Operating Portion 11 Cart Mounting Fitting 12 Wheel Cover 12a Through Hole 12b Loose Hole 13 Bearing 14 Bolt with Head 15 Brake Shoe 16 Brake Shoe 17 Coupling Portion 18 Brake Lever 18’ Brake Lever 19 Flat Plate Material 20 Conveyor Cart 20’ Conveyor Cart 21 Connecting Bolt 22 Sleeve Member 23 Bearing Y Swivel Center Axis of Swivel Caster (Caster with Brake) F Vertically Downward Force S Rotation Direction of Wheel T Direction in which Brake Shoe is Pulled In K Fixed Caster J Swivel Caster L Center Line in the Front - Rear Direction of Wheel Support Leg L’ Extension Line M1 Perpendicular Line Passing through Wheel Tip M2 Perpendicular Line Passing through Axle P Wheel Tip N Nut

Claims

1. In a caster in which a wheel is rotatably supported by an axle provided between side portions of the same wheel support leg at a lower portion of the wheel support leg, a pair of brake rings capable of pressing against or releasing pressure from the wheel, a ring operating tool supported by the axle and connected to the pair of brake rings, and a drive mechanism for operating the ring operating tool are provided, the ring operating tool and the pair of brake rings are formed into a link mechanism in which, as the drive mechanism moves up and down, brake shoes provided on the pair of brake rings are pressed against the wheel or the pressure contact is released via the ring operating tool, thereby braking or releasing the braking of the wheel, the ring operating tool and the pair of brake rings forming the link mechanism are arranged in an S shape or an inverted S shape, and the brake shoes are connected in such a manner that they can be pressed against the wheel to brake, a caster with a brake, characterized in that.

2. The caster is a swivel caster in which the wheel support leg is rotatably attached under a mounting seat, and a wheel is rotatably supported by an axle provided between side portions of the same wheel support leg at a lower portion of the wheel support leg, the caster with a brake according to claim 1, characterized in that.

3. An operation unit for operating the drive mechanism is provided, the drive mechanism includes a shaft member that moves up and down by operating the operation unit and a lifting member that moves up and down following the shaft member, and the lifting member is constantly biased downward by a restoring elastic body that constitutes the shaft member, after the lifting member is constantly biased downward and the brake shoes are pressed against the wheel to be in a braking state, the operation unit is operated to raise the lifting member to release the braking state of the wheel to a travelable state, and then when the operation of the operation unit is stopped, the lifting member descends by the restoring elastic body and the brake shoes are pressed against the wheel to brake, the caster with a brake according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

4. The shaft member of the drive mechanism is located between the perpendicular line passing through the tip of the wheel and the perpendicular line passing through the axle on or along the extension of the center line in the front-rear direction of the wheel support leg, and is composed of a long bolt, a first cylindrical portion, a second cylindrical portion, and the elastic body for restoration. By rotating the long bolt to relatively move the second cylindrical portion up and down with respect to the first cylindrical portion, the elastic body for restoration is compressed or extended, and the braking force can be adjusted. The casters with brakes according to claim 3, characterized in that it has such a configuration.

5. A transport trolley, characterized in that it is provided with the casters with brakes according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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