Abstract: A swivel yoke assembly is used for supermarket mobile material handling equipment. The yoke assembly includes a yoke, a bearing and a cage. The yoke can be made from low grade steel. The swivel bearing can withstand heavy cart loads and has an outer race and a split inner race. The races cover a large part of the balls, so as to provide support. Also, the balls are tightly packed into the bearing leaving little total space between the balls, again to provide support for the load. The outer race is clamped to the yoke by the cage. The cage is secured to the yoke by staking, wherein tabs are inserted into slots in the yoke and the tabs are formed with double shoulders. A cover is provided to protect the bearing from the environment.

Abstract: A wheel assembly for a material handling cart includes a wheel hub having first and second openings in first and second hub faces, each concentric with and extending along a central axis of the wheel hub. First and second ball bearings are located in the openings. Inner rings of the bearings are wider than the outer rings, and the inner rings contact one another. The outer rings are separated by, and are in contact with, a hub member. First and second bearing sleeves in the first and second openings contact and retain the bearings, and form first and second journal bearings. The sleeves contact journal surfaces on a portion of each inner ring that extends parallel to the central axis from an outer face of each outer ring away from a medial plane of the wheel assembly.

Abstract: A shopping cart wheel assembly having an anti-friction or ball bearing portion and also having a journal bearing. Under severe side loads or conditions of wear, the journal bearing takes over and prevents the wheel from moving significantly out of alignment.

Abstract: A shopping cart wheel bearing which has a smooth inner race and an outer bearing holding with many semi-cylindrical openings. Each of these openings support a roller bearing or a pair of ball bearings which extend inwardly from the outer bearing to contact the inner race. As the wheel turns, each roller or ball bearing turns in the semi-cylindrical opening.

Abstract: An improved swivel yoke assembly for use on shopping carts. The yoke assembly is of the type having a steel yolk with forks which support a wheel. The yolk is permitted to swivel because it is supported between an upper and a lower set of ball bearings. The improvement comprises a polymeric bearing race below the upper set of ball bearings and a second polymeric bearing race above the lower set of ball bearings. The upper ball bearing race has a compound curve. The metal bearing races do not have to be heat treated and, thus, can be more accurately dimensioned. The assembly is better able to withstand the loss of lubricant in shopping cart washing operations.

Abstract: An improved shopping cart wheel having one or two friction disks which rub against the hub to cause sufficient drag to prevent shopping carts from freewheeling and causing damage or injury. In a preferred design, the amount of friction is adjustable by tightening a nut along the axle of the wheel.

Abstract: An improved shopping cart wheel which includes a hub which has bearing supporting cavities. The outer bearing is fabricated from a polymer, and the inner bearing is likewise fabricated from a polymer and has a cylindrical portion which extends into the center of the hub. This construction avoids the corrosion heretofore caused by cleaning solutions on the metal races.

Abstract: A wheel for shopping carts. The wheel has a unitary, polymeric hub with a pair of opposed bearing cavities. An annular tire supporting groove has a pair of sloped sidewalls and a base which includes several sharp ribs. A relatively thick rubber tire is held in the annular groove and is expanded and placed in the groove under tension so that its inner edge is deformed by the sharp ribs, thus holding the tire in place.

Abstract: An improved wheel assembly is provided for use with a shopping cart or the like to restrain the cart against rolling movement when parked. The improved wheel assembly comprises a wheel rotatably supported on the cart or the like by a friction bearing unit which imparts a predetermined frictional resistance to rolling movement of the wheel. The magnitude of the frictional resistance is chosen to prevent the cart from rolling about when parked, for example, on a gentle slope while permitting the cart to be pushed about in a normal manner.