Mechanical safety brake for a mobile storage system

1. A safety device on a mobile storage unit having a motive system including at least a pair of wheels driven by a drive shaft to move the storage unit, the device comprising:

a) an actuating member adapted to be movably secured to the exterior of the mobile storage unit;

b) a stopping member fixed to the drive shaft of the motive system;

c) a braking device adapted to engage and cease the operation of the motive system for the mobile storage unit, the braking device including an engagement member adapted to engage the stopping member and halt the operation of the motive system for the storage unit and a biasing member engaged with the engagement member and operable to bias the engagement member away from the stopping member; and

d) a connecting member operably connected between the actuating member and the braking device to move the engagement member into engagement with the stopping member fixed to the drive shaft of the motive system against the bias of the biasing member upon movement of the actuating member.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the connecting member is mechanically connected between the actuating member and the engagement member.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the connecting member is a cable.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the stopping member is mechanically engageable with the engagement member to stop the rotation of the stopping member and the drive shaft of the motive system to which the stopping member is secured.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the stopping member comprises a disc secured to the drive shaft of the motive system for the storage unit.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the stopping member includes a number of engagement structures disposed on the stopping member that are engageable by the engagement member.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the engagement member is affixed to the storage unit in a position where the engagement member is disposed generally parallel to the drive shaft of the motive system for the storage unit.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the braking device further comprises a mounting bracket affixed to the storage unit and to which the engagement member is movably secured.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the mounting bracket includes an aperture through which the drive shaft of the motive mechanism of the storage unit extends.

10. The device of claim 9 further comprising a bearing disposed within the aperture to facilitate the rotation of the drive shaft within the aperture.

11. The device of claim 8 wherein the engagement member is pivotally secured to the mounting bracket.

12. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a) a plurality of actuating members movably secured to the exterior of a mobile storage unit; and

b) a plurality of connecting members each operably connected between one of the plurality of actuating members and the braking device to operate the braking device to move the engagement member into engagement with the motive system against the bias of the biasing member upon movement of the actuating member.

13. A storage system comprising:

a) a plurality of mobile storage units that are movably mounted with regard to one another, each of the plurality of mobile storage units including a motive system including at least a pair of wheels driven by a drive shaft to move the mobile storage unit independently of the remaining mobile storage units; and

b) a safety device disposed on each mobile storage unit, the device comprising:

i) an actuating member movably secured to the exterior of the mobile storage unit;

ii) a stopping member fixed to the drive shaft of the motive system;

iii) a braking device that is engageable with the motive system for the mobile storage unit to cease the operation of the motive system for the mobile storage unit, the braking device including an engagement member that engages the stopping member and halts the operation of the motive system for the storage unit and a biasing member engaged with the engagement member and operable to bias the engagement member away from the motive system; and

iv) a connecting member operably connected between the actuating member and the braking device to move the engagement member into engagement with the stopping member of the motive system against the bias of the biasing member upon movement of the actuating member.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the stopping member is mechanically engageable with the engagement member to stop the rotation of the stopping member and the drive shaft of the motive system to which the stopping member is secured.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the braking device further comprises a mounting bracket affixed to the storage unit and to which the engagement member is movably secured, wherein the mounting bracket includes an aperture through which the drive shaft of the motive mechanism of the storage unit can extend.

16. A method for operating a safety device for stopping by the movement of a mobile storage unit having a motive system including at least a pair of wheels driven by a drive shaft to move the storage unit that is part of a mobile storage system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a safety device attached to the mobile storage unit including an actuating member movably secured to the exterior of the mobile storage unit, a stopping member fixed to the drive shaft of the motive system, a braking device that is engageable with the stopping member for the mobile storage unit to cease the operation of the motive system for the mobile storage unit, the braking device including an engagement member that engages the stopping member and halts the operation of the motive system for the storage unit and a biasing member engaged with the engagement member and operable to bias the engagement member away from the motive system, and a connecting member operably connected between the actuating member and the braking device to move the engagement member into engagement with the stopping member motive system against the bias of the biasing member upon movement of the actuating member;

b) actuating the actuating member on the exterior of the mobile storage unit; and

c) stopping the operation of the motive system for the mobile storage unit utilizing the engagement member.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of stopping the operation of the motive system comprises moving the engagement member into engagement with the stopping member to stop the rotation of the stopping member and the drive shaft to which the stopping member is connected.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of moving the engagement member comprises engaging the actuating member with sufficient force to overcome the bias of the biasing member.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the connecting member comprises a cable mechanically interlocked with the actuating member at one end and the engagement member at the opposite end, and wherein the step of actuating the actuating member comprises pulling on the cable with the actuating member to pivot the pivot arm.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the steps of actuating the actuating member and stopping the operation of the motive system occur simultaneously.