GB2112355A

GB2112355A - Support wheel assembly for cases containers or the like

Info

Publication number: GB2112355A
Application number: GB08215669A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gunter Seigert
Original assignee: Sudhaus Schloss und Beschlagtechnik GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Sudhaus Schloss und Beschlagtechnik GmbH and Co
Priority date: 1981-12-19
Filing date: 1982-05-28
Publication date: 1983-07-20
Also published as: IT1152413B; DE3150452A1; AU1613283A; AU559342B2; IT8221299A0

Abstract

A support wheel (1) for a case or other container is mounted in a housing for attachment to the bottom of the case on a curved spindle (5) the ends (6, 7) of which are supported preferably in downwardly opening recesses (8) in a flange (4) of the housing which are closed by a cap (9) detachably secured to the flange. The curved spindle (5) allows the wheel (1) to rotate and to pivot about a vertical axis. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Support wheel assembly for cases, containers or the like This invention relates to a support wheel assembly for cases, containers or the like, in which the support wheel is rotatably and pivotally disposed in a housing having a depressed portion which engages in hood-like fashion over a part of the support wheel and which is equipped with a flange for mounting on the bottom part of a case or the like.

To facilitate the carrying of suitcases, containers or the like, and particularly those of large size it is known to provide them with one or more wheels disposed at their lower ends. Two main systems are known, one of which employs two wheels which are usually diagonally disposed, but the disadvantage of this system resides in the fact that a part of the weight of the suitcases always has to be borne manually via a carrying handle, while the other employs four support wheels which may be mounted on the end or underside of a case or the like, and which support the entire weight of the case. This lastmentioned arrangement is known from German Utility Model No. 80 05 592. However, the support wheels employed are comparatively expensive since in most cases they consist of a plurality of components because they have to be pivotable at two places at least and also dirigible.

Furthermore, the mounting for rolling movement and that for pivoting movement need to be provided at two quite separate locations which, apart from the many components required, also results in a relatively large construction.

Having regard to the state of the art, the invention is concerned with the problem of providing a support wheel assembly of the kind described which, while avoiding the aforesaid disadvantages, easily permits of both rotary and pivoting motion of the wheel and requires only a comparatively small number of individual parts.

According to the invention, this is achieved by mounting the support wheel on a curved spindle, the ends of which are supported in the housing.

Both rotary and pivotal movement of the support wheel is facilitated by the curved spindle so that a very compact construction results. The ends of the spindle may extend into downwardly open recesses located in a flange on the housing. At least one end of the spindle may be bent over to provide secure anchoring. The flange on the housing may be masked by a cap which also closes the downwardly open recesses in the flange for mounting the ends of the spindle. These recesses are easily produced since in the readyassembled state, they are closed by the cap. the disposition and fixing of the curved spindle may thus be easily and quickly facilitated.

According to a further feature of the invention, the wheel is equipped with inwardly widening bearing bores. However, it is also possible to provide the wheel with integrally mounted bearing bushes. In the latter case, the bearing bushes have inwardly widening bearing bores.

This embodiment permits of easy pivoting movement of the support wheel on the curved spindle.

The housing and the masking cap may have interlocking portions so that they can easily be connected to each other.

The support wheel mounting described comprises only four component parts, namely the housing, the curved bearing spindle, the support wheel and the masking cap.

By way of example, one embodiment of the invention is described hereinafter in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an under plan view showing a support wheel and its housing, with the wheel shown in section and the upper half of the Fig. showing the housing fitted with a masking cap; Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of a detail taken on the line Il-Il in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the component parts, partly in section, while Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views of two forms of support wheel.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a support wheel which is rotatably and pivotally disposed in a housing 2. The housing 2 has a depressed portion 3 which engages in hoodlike fashion over a part of the support wheel 1 so that a part of its tread is exposed. The housing 2 is equipped with an encircling flange 4 which serves for attachment to the lower end of a suitcase or the like.

The support wheel 1 is mounted on a curved spindle 5, the ends 6, 7 of which extend into downwardly opening recesses 8 in the housing 2.

The recesses 8 are disposed in the flange 4 on two opposite sides of the housing 2. One end 7 of the curved spindle 5 is bent over to provide reliable anchoring.

The flange 4 of the housing 2 is masked by a cap 9 which also covers the downwardly opening recesses 8 in the flange 4 of the housing 2.

In the form shown in Fig. 1, the support wheel 1 consists of two centrally connected symmetrical halves 10, 11 of metal on which is fitted a tyre 12. The support wheel 1 is equipped with inwardly widening bearing bores 13 which facilitate pivoting of the support wheel 1 on the curved spindle 5.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the wheel 1 consists of two symmetrical halves 10, 11 of synthetic plastics material, likewise provided with inwardly widening bearing bores 13.

Fig. 5 shows a support wheel 1 having two integrally moulded bearing bushes 14 which likewise have inwardly widening bearing bores 13.

Claims

1. A support wheel assembly for cases, containers or the like, in which the wheel is rotatably and pivotally disposed in a housing having a depressed portion which engages in hood-like fashion over a part of the support wheel

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Support wheel assembly for cases, containers or the like This invention relates to a support wheel assembly for cases, containers or the like, in which the support wheel is rotatably and pivotally disposed in a housing having a depressed portion which engages in hood-like fashion over a part of the support wheel and which is equipped with a flange for mounting on the bottom part of a case or the like. To facilitate the carrying of suitcases, containers or the like, and particularly those of large size it is known to provide them with one or more wheels disposed at their lower ends. Two main systems are known, one of which employs two wheels which are usually diagonally disposed, but the disadvantage of this system resides in the fact that a part of the weight of the suitcases always has to be borne manually via a carrying handle, while the other employs four support wheels which may be mounted on the end or underside of a case or the like, and which support the entire weight of the case. This lastmentioned arrangement is known from German Utility Model No. 80 05 592. However, the support wheels employed are comparatively expensive since in most cases they consist of a plurality of components because they have to be pivotable at two places at least and also dirigible. Furthermore, the mounting for rolling movement and that for pivoting movement need to be provided at two quite separate locations which, apart from the many components required, also results in a relatively large construction. Having regard to the state of the art, the invention is concerned with the problem of providing a support wheel assembly of the kind described which, while avoiding the aforesaid disadvantages, easily permits of both rotary and pivoting motion of the wheel and requires only a comparatively small number of individual parts. According to the invention, this is achieved by mounting the support wheel on a curved spindle, the ends of which are supported in the housing. Both rotary and pivotal movement of the support wheel is facilitated by the curved spindle so that a very compact construction results. The ends of the spindle may extend into downwardly open recesses located in a flange on the housing. At least one end of the spindle may be bent over to provide secure anchoring. The flange on the housing may be masked by a cap which also closes the downwardly open recesses in the flange for mounting the ends of the spindle. These recesses are easily produced since in the readyassembled state, they are closed by the cap. the disposition and fixing of the curved spindle may thus be easily and quickly facilitated. According to a further feature of the invention, the wheel is equipped with inwardly widening bearing bores. However, it is also possible to provide the wheel with integrally mounted bearing bushes. In the latter case, the bearing bushes have inwardly widening bearing bores. This embodiment permits of easy pivoting movement of the support wheel on the curved spindle. The housing and the masking cap may have interlocking portions so that they can easily be connected to each other. The support wheel mounting described comprises only four component parts, namely the housing, the curved bearing spindle, the support wheel and the masking cap. By way of example, one embodiment of the invention is described hereinafter in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is an under plan view showing a support wheel and its housing, with the wheel shown in section and the upper half of the Fig. showing the housing fitted with a masking cap; Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of a detail taken on the line Il-Il in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the component parts, partly in section, while Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views of two forms of support wheel. Reference numeral 1 denotes a support wheel which is rotatably and pivotally disposed in a housing 2. The housing 2 has a depressed portion 3 which engages in hoodlike fashion over a part of the support wheel 1 so that a part of its tread is exposed. The housing 2 is equipped with an encircling flange 4 which serves for attachment to the lower end of a suitcase or the like. The support wheel 1 is mounted on a curved spindle 5, the ends 6, 7 of which extend into downwardly opening recesses 8 in the housing 2. The recesses 8 are disposed in the flange 4 on two opposite sides of the housing 2. One end 7 of the curved spindle 5 is bent over to provide reliable anchoring. The flange 4 of the housing 2 is masked by a cap 9 which also covers the downwardly opening recesses 8 in the flange 4 of the housing 2. In the form shown in Fig. 1, the support wheel 1 consists of two centrally connected symmetrical halves 10, 11 of metal on which is fitted a tyre 12. The support wheel 1 is equipped with inwardly widening bearing bores 13 which facilitate pivoting of the support wheel 1 on the curved spindle 5. In the form shown in Fig. 4, the wheel 1 consists of two symmetrical halves 10, 11 of synthetic plastics material, likewise provided with inwardly widening bearing bores 13. Fig. 5 shows a support wheel 1 having two integrally moulded bearing bushes 14 which likewise have inwardly widening bearing bores 13. Claims

1. A support wheel assembly for cases, containers or the like, in which the wheel is rotatably and pivotally disposed in a housing having a depressed portion which engages in hood-like fashion over a part of the support wheel and which is equipped with a flange for mounting on the lower part of a case or the like, characterised in that the support wheel is mounted on a curved spindle, the ends of which are supported in the housing.

2. A support wheel assembly according to Claim 1, characterised in that the ends of the spindle extend into downwardly open recesses located in the flange of the housing.

3. A support wheel assembly according to Claim 2, characterised in that at least one end of the spindle is angled over.

4. A support wheel assembly according to Claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the flange of the housing is covered by a cap.

5. A support wheel assembly according to Claim 4, characterized in that the cap covers the downwardly open recesses in the flange.

6. A support wheel assembly according to Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the support wheel is equipped with inwardly widening bearing bores.

7. A support wheel assembly according to Claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the support wheel is provided with integrally moulded bearing bushes.

8. A support wheel assembly according to Claim 7, characterised in that the bearing bushes have inwardly widening bearing bores.

9. A support wheel assembly according to any one of Claims 4 to 8, characterised in that the housing and the cover cap have interlocking portions.

10. A support wheel assembly for cases, containers or the like, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to or as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, 4 or 5 of the accompanying drawing.