AU2021103664A4

AU2021103664A4 - Castor Lock

Info

Publication number: AU2021103664A4
Application number: AU2021103664A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Douw Jacobs
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-07-23
Filing date: 2021-06-28
Publication date: 2021-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 2025-07-23
Also published as: AU2017206288A1; AU2017101912A4

Abstract

CASTOR LOCK ABSTRACT There is disclosed herein a castor lock (10). The castor lock (10) comprises a first and second coupling assembly (18, 20) for operative attachment to a respective first and second castor assembly wherein the first and second castor assemblies are adapted for operative pivotal movement about respective first and second vertical axes. The castor lock (10) further comprises a lock body (22) for operative connection of the first coupling assembly (18) to the second coupling assembly (20). The lock body (22) is adapted to deter pivotal movement of the first and second castor assemblies about the first and second vertical axes when the first and second couplings (18, 20) respectively are coupled to the first and second castor assemblies. 520 30 FIGURE 3 3FU FIGURE 4

Description

30

FIGURE 3

3FU

FIGURE 4

CASTOR LOCK FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a castor lock, in particular but not exclusively, a castor lock for use with a steerable shopping trolley, or a shopping cart as it is referred to in the United States.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Supermarkets supply customers with shopping trolleys for use inside a shop to transport merchandise while shopping to a checkout counter for purchase. In Australia a typical shopping trolley comprises a basket receptacle fitted with four castors. To facilitate steering of the shopping trolley the four castors are adapted to swivel independently. Shopping trolleys are normally produced from metal and/or plastic and are designed to nest in a line so as to facilitate storage in allocated shopping trolley bays and then to enable store personnel to collect and return a plurality of trolleys to the shop in a single trip.

[0003] A problem associated with shopping trolleys incorporating four independent swivelling castors, particularly when traversing an inclined surface, is difficulty in steering a trolley in a controlled manner. The strain experienced by an operator in manoeuvring such a trolley can lead to injury, particularly if the operator is frail or not physically strong. However, limiting the number of swivelling castors to two only will hamper the manoeuvrability of a line of nested trolleys which, for example, is to be pushed by store personnel between a trolley bay in a parking area to a trolley bay at a shop front.

[0004] To address the above problems, numerous modifications to shopping trolleys have been trialled to reduce steering difficulties. Such modifications have focussed on alterations to existing shopping trolleys. Owners of shopping trolleys have been slow to introduce proposed trolley modifications due to associated cost an installation difficulties.

OBJECT

[0005] It is an object of the present invention substantially to overcome or at least ameliorate the above disadvantages associated with conventional shopping trolleys employing four independent swivelling castors.

SUMMARY

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed herein a castor lock comprising:

a first and second coupling assembly for operative attachment to a respective first and second castor assembly wherein the first and second castor assemblies are adapted for operative pivotal movement about respective first and second vertical axes; and

a lock body for operative connection of the first coupling assembly to the second coupling assembly, the lock body adapted to deter pivotal movement of the first and second castor assemblies about the first and second vertical axes when the first and second couplings respectively are coupled to the first and second castor assemblies.

[0007] Preferably the first and second coupling assembly each includes a clip adapted for releasable attachment to the respective first and second castor assembly.

[0008] Alternatively the first and second coupling assembly each includes a magnet adapted for releasable attachment to the respective first and second castor assembly.

[0009] Preferably the lock body is elongate and longitudinally extends between a first lock body endandasecondlockbodyend.

[0010] Preferably the first coupling assembly is located at the first lock body end and the second coupling assembly is located at the second lock body end.

[0011] Preferably the lock body is of telescopic construction and is adjustable between extended and collapsed positions.

[0012] Preferably the lock body includes an adjustment assembly for securing the lock body in the extended or collapsed positions.

[0013] Preferably the lock body comprises a first tube and a second tube which telescopically receives the first tube.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompany drawings.

[0015] Inthedrawings:

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment castor lock secured between rear castors of a shopping trolley;

[0017] Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic representation of the castor lock and shopping trolley of Figure 1;

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the castor lock of Figures 1 and 2 and the manner in which it is attached to a castor of the shopping trolley;

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a portion of the castor lock attached to castor of the shopping trolley;

[0020] Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a first coupling assembly of the castor lock of Figure 1;

[0021] Figure 6 is a schematic representation of an adjustment assembly of the castor lock of Figure 1; and

[0022] Figure 7 is a schematic representation of another embodiment castor lock for use with a shopping trolley.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Figures 1 and 2 show an embodiment castor lock 10 retro-fitted in position between a first and a second castor assembly 12, 14 located at the rear of a conventional shopping trolley 16. Without the castor lock 10 in position the first and second castor assemblies 12, 14 act as conventional castor assemblies in that they are adapted for operative swivelling / pivotal movement about respective non-illustrated first and second vertical axes. Such pivotal movement serves to assist a user in steering the shopping trolley 16. Typically all four castor assemblies of shopping trolleys employed in food retail outlets in Australia are adapted to undergo pivotal movement about a vertical axis. Having four such pivoting / swivelling castor assemblies will assist a user to manoeuvre around tight corners. Also when a large number of shopping trolleys are nested, having four pivoting castor assemblies will assist store personnel in manoeuvring a long line of nested trolleys.

[0024] Referring also to Figure 3, the castor lock 10 comprises a first and a second coupling assembly 18, 20 respectively for operative attachment to the first and second castor assembly 12,

14. The castor lock 10 comprises a lock body 22 for operative connecting the first coupling assembly 18 to the second coupling assembly 20. With thefirst and second coupling assemblies 18, 20 attached to the first and second castor assemblies 12, 14 the lock body 22 is adapted to deter pivotal movement of the first and second castor assemblies about the first and second vertical axes when the first and second castor assemblies 12, 14 are parallel orientated in a forward direction. The reason for this is that the steering pivot point of the trolley and user is moved from (a) the position where the user is standing to (b) the midpoint of the handle bar of the trolley. This change results in enhanced manoeuvrability of the trolley 16.

[0025] Users of shopping trolleys, particularly elderly or frail users, would have experienced the difficulty of manoeuvring a shopping trolley with four swivelling / pivoting castor assemblies along an inclined surface. By deterring pivotal movement of the castor assemblies 12, 14, in this case those castor assemblies located at the rear of the shopping trolley 16, uncontrolled sideways wandering of the shopping trolley is reduced. With only the front castor assemblies 24, 26 of the shopping trolley 16 capable of undergoing pivotal movement about a vertical axis an elderly or frail person is able to have greater control over the movement of the shopping trolley 16 when a sloped surface is traversed.

[0026] In the embodiment castor lock 10 the first and second coupling assembly 18, 20 each includes a clip 28, 30 adapted for releasable attachment to the respective first and second castor assembly 12, 14. The embodiment lock body 22 is elongate and longitudinally extends between a first lock body end 32 and a second lock body end 34. The clips 28, 30 of the first and second coupling assembly 18, 20 are respectively located at the first and second lock body ends 32, 34 of the lock body 22.

[0027] Referring also to Figures 4 and 5, each clip 28, 30 comprises two parallel, co-extensive and laterally spaced apart channel members 36, 38 which are connected by a transverse channel member40. The channel members 36,38 define a holding channel 42 for receiving a fork member 44, here in the form of a plate, of a fork 46 of the castor assemblies 12, 14. To assist in locating the fork member 44 within the holding channel 42 the channel member 36 is provided with a tapering guiding lip 48.

[0028] Once the fork member 44 is located within the holding channel 42 it is required to be secured therein. This is achieved by providing biasing means 50. In this embodiment biasing means 50 is provided in the form of a resilient tongue 50 which is secured to the channel member 38. The tongue 50 extends outwardly into the holding channel 42. With the fork member 44 located in position, the tongue 50 becomes biased so as to apply a force on the channel member 36. The result of this is that the fork member 44 is held in a friction fit within the holding channel 42.

[0029] The embodiment lock body 22 is of telescopic construction and is adjustable between extended and collapsed positions so as to accommodate different wheel track widths of different shopping trolleys. The lock body further includes an adjustment assembly 52 for securing the lock body in the extended or collapsed positions, as discussed below.

[0030] Referring to Figure 6, the lock body 22 comprises a first tube 54 and a second tube 56 telescopically received within the first tube 54. Portions of the first and second tubes 54, 56 are located within the adjustment assembly 52. The embodiment adjustment assembly 52 comprises a male member 58 which threadingly engages a female member 60. The female member 60 defines an internal tapering guide surface 62 which houses a locking member 64 located on the first tube 54. By screwing the male member 58 into the female member 60 the tapering guide surface 62 causes the locking member 64 to contract onto the first tube 54 until it is locked in position. When locked, the locking member 64 will deter relative telescopic movement of the first and second tubes 54, 56. When the male member 58 is unscrewed from the female member 60 the locking member can be unlocked so that the male and female members 54, 56 can again be telescopically adjusted. By providing a lock body 22 which is adjustable, the castor lock 10 can be sized as required to accommodate trolleys of differing track width.

[0031] Ina non-illustrated embodiment, instead of biasing means the first and second coupling assembly each includes a magnet adapted for releasable attachment to the respective first and second castor assembly.

[0032] The castor lock can be attached / retro-fitted by a user to a shopping trolley as required. After use of the shopping trolley the castor lock can again be removed by the user so that it is available for future use on other trolleys.

[0033] Figure 7 shows another embodiment castor lock 70 adapted for retro-fitment between non-illustrated first and a second castor assemblies located at the rear of a conventional shopping trolley. The castor lock 70 comprises a first and a second coupling assembly 18, 20 respectively for operative attachment to the first and second castor assembly of the shopping trolley. The castor lock 70 comprises a telescoping lock body 22 for operatively connecting the first coupling assembly 18 to the second coupling assembly 20. With thefirst and second coupling assemblies

18, 20 attached to the first and second castor assemblies the lock body 22 is adapted to deter pivotal movement of the first and second castor assemblies about their vertical axes.

[0034] In this embodiment the first and second coupling assembly 18, 20 each comprises a locking member 72, here in the form of a flat plate. Typically a castor assembly will include a wheel 74 and a castor fork 76. The fork 76, in turn comprises two parallel, laterally spaced apart fork plates 78 which support an axle 80 about which the castor wheel 74 rotates. The locking members 72 are operatively adapted to fit between the fork plates 78 and are secured in position with a rare earth magnet 84 which is adapted to be attached to a bottom surface 86 of the fork 76.

[0035] Although the invention is described above in relation to preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is not limited to the embodiment, but may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims

1. A castor lock comprising:

2. A castor lock according to claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling assembly each includes a clip adapted for releasable attachment to the respective first and second castor assembly.

3. A castor lock according to claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling assembly each includes a magnet adapted for releasable attachment to the respective first and second castor assembly.

4. A castor lock according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lock body is elongate and longitudinally extends between a first lock body end and a second lock body end.

5. A castor lock according to claim 4, wherein the first coupling assembly is located at the first lock body end and the second coupling assembly is located at the second lock body end.

6. A castor lock according to claim 5, wherein the lock body is of telescopic construction and is adjustable between extended and collapsed positions.

7. A castor lock according to claim 6, wherein the lock body includes an adjustment assembly for securing the lock body in the extended or collapsed positions.

8. A castor lock according to claim 7, wherein the lock body comprises a first tube and a second tube which telescopically receives the first tube.

9. A castor lock according to claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling assembly each includes a locking member operatively adapted for location between castor plates of a castor fork of the first and second castor assembly.

10. A castor lock according to claim 9, wherein the locking member includes a magnet operatively adapted to attach the locking member to a bottom surface of the castor fork.

Douw Jacobs Patent Attorneys for the Applicant Meyer West IP