Lexicon: I
Individual brake and central locking system
Where casters are used, they also need to be stopped. It would be hard to imagine a mobile display stand without a braking system, or a hospital bed whose casters cannot be locked. Various types of locking mechanism are available for casters, including individual and central locking systems.
The individual brake is applied to one caster, while the central locking option locks several casters simultaneously. One example of an individual brake is the load-dependent lock, here the wheel brakes when the equipment is not loaded and releases the brake when they are loaded. Such systems, for example, are used for chair casters.
Central locking systems are useful if the casters are difficult to reach or the equipment is regularly moved and locked down. The main advantage is that several, or even all of the casters, can be locked with just one motion.
Wheel, directional and total locks
Caster locking systems are broken down into simple wheel locks, which only lock the wheel itself and leave it free to swivel in the swivel bearing, directional lock, which only prevent the casters from swivelling and thus allow them to act as rigid casters. Rigid casters are advantageous in the case of hospital beds, for example, as they make it easier to push the bed in a straight line. Another option is a lock that brakes the wheel and prevents swivelling at the same time. In this case, we speak of a total lock. TENTE’s automatic locking system offers a particularly high degree of safety and flexibility. This easy-to-use system activates the lock as soon as the handle is released.