GB2171470A

GB2171470A - Supports permitting relative movement

Info

Publication number: GB2171470A
Application number: GB08530186A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Harry Nelson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-12-13
Filing date: 1985-12-05
Publication date: 1986-08-28
Also published as: GB2171470B; GB8530186D0

Abstract

A turntable 10 comprising a base 12 having a central boss 24 on which is rotatable a plate 15 in which are mounted angularly spaced rotatable balls 17 which engage the base and an upper plate 21 which in use supports an article 30. A screw 25 holds the parts together. The ball mounting member 15 can be annular and of L-section or may be shaped for relative longitudinal movement e.g. rectangular and movable between a central elongate post and a surrounding rectangular housing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Supports permitting relative movement This invention relates to supports for permitting relative movement between two elements.

One such support is a circular roller bearing as used to support for rotation a vertical stem of the chair of a typist; such supports are restricted in diameter. Another such support has two sheets each with a circular groove arranged so that the grooves confront each other, with a plurality of bearings in the groove so that one sheet can rotate on the bearings relative to the other sheet; again such a support has a restricted diameter.

According to this invention a support for permitting relative movement between a first structure and a second structure comprises a mounting member, a plurality of bearings mounted in the member so as to extend to both sides of the mounting member and be rotatable therein for engaging the first and second structures.

The support can be placed between and in engagement with the first and second structures to permit the relative movement.

There may be a plurality of angularly spaced bearings.

There may be a plurality of bearings in each of a plurality of radially spaced rows for relative rotary movement.

The mounting member may be annular of Lsection with a row of said bearings in each arm of the L-section.

The mouhting member may be a tube for example a rectangular tube with one or more bearings in each side, for example two rows of bearings in each side parallel to the tube axis.

The support may include upper and lower or inner and outer members, the bearings engaging the upper and lower members, respectively for connection to the first and second structures.

There may be motor means for effecting said relative movement.

There may be a motor operatively connected to the outer member for effecting said relative movement.

There may be a motor operatively connected to the upper member for effecting said relative movement.

Each bearing may be supported in shaped elements respectively secured on opposite sides of a flat portion of said mounting member.

Each bearing may comprise a ball.

The invention includes a support however defined for permitting relative movement.

The invention also includes an article incorporating a support as above.

The invention may be performed in various ways and some specific embodiments with possible modifications will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a turn table support; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a linear support; Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical section of another linear support; Fig. 5 is a section through a ball mounting; Fig. 6 is a vertical section through another arrangement; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of part of Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 & 5, a turn table support 10 has a lower portion 11 which has a flat stiff circular base 12 with a vertical peripheral rim 13. An intermediate portion 14 is a flat stiff circular plate 15, for example as shown with a plurality of cut-outs 16 to reduce weight. A plurality of roller bearings 17 are mounted in the plate 15.

The bearings are preferably spherical as shown but could be cylindrical with the axis of the cylinder extending radially. Each ball 1 7 is located in an aperture 18 in the plate 15 and is held in place by two annular washers 19 each held to the plate 15 by diametrically opposed pop rivets 20. The bearings 17 are free to rotate. As shown there are eight bearings, an inner three at the same radial distance from the centre of the plate 15 and an outer five all at the same but larger radial distance from the centre.

The support includes a top plate 21 having a central annular boss 22, with an annular brass or nylon liner, arranged in the assembled condition to extend through centre aperture 23 in plate 1 5 and embrace circular boss 24 on base 12. A screw 25 extends through the boss 22 and is threadedly received in a bore 27 in boss 24 to hold the parts together. A washer is shown at 28. A nylon or brass bearing washer 23a is secured to plate 15 around aperture 23 for engaging boss 22.

Thus the top plate 20 can rotate relative to the base 12 about the boss 24, the bearings 17 engaging the plate 20 and the base 12.

The plate 1 5 may rotate with the plate 20 normally at a slower speed but the plate 15 may remain substantially stationary.

The plates are preferably of metal and can readily be formed by pressing.

For turn tables of larger diameter, additional radially spaced rows of angularly spaced bearings can be provided in the plate 15 as appropriate. The base 12 can be fixed to a mounting and an item, e.g. disc 30 to be rotated, can be secured to the top 21 for rotation therewith. The support 10 could be disposed upside down from the position in Fig. 1.

The invention can also take a linear form.

Thus the bearings 17, Figs. 2, 3 can be mounted at the midpoints of the sides of a square plate 15a with, for example, a central cut-out 31. The plate 15a is located between upper and lower elements 32, 33. A securement device 34 holds the plate to the element 32 whilst allowing the balls 17 to rotate.

Another arrangement is shown in Fig. 4.

Here the plate 15b is a square-section tube with two rows of balls 17 mounted in each side parallel to the tube axis to engage a central post 35 and the inner surfaces of the sides of a square section hollow outer element 36. Thus the element 36 could be a drawer slider arranged to slide on the horizontal post 35. The bearings could be cylindrical with axes parallel to plate 15b. The tube need not be rectangular but could take other shapes e.g. circular with corresponding surfaces on elements 35, 36.

Figs. 6 and 7 show another arrangement. In this an L-section metal element 40 is bent to annular form and has vertical outer arm 41 and horizontal top arm 42 defining aperture 43. Each arm has mounted in apertures therein one or more rows of angularly spaced ball bearings 17. In this case each ball 17 is freely rotatable in washers 44, one on each side of the respective arms, and which have a flat outer peripheral portion 45 and an inner annular portion 46, bent to part-spherical form so that the ball 17 extends laterally beyond the washers on both sides. Rivets 47 connect the portions 45 and respective arm.

The balls engage respective inher and outer annular L-section members 48, 49 having arms 48a, 49a and 48b, 49b. The arms 48b, 49b defining inner apertures so that the member 48 can rotate about a central vertical axis.

The arm 48a is secured to a base 50. An article 51 to be supported can rest on or be secured to arm 48b. The article can be rotated manually, which may cause member 40 to rotate for example at a slower speed, but as shown the article 51 rests on a plate 52 having depending peripheral gear 53 engage a gear 54 driven by electric-motor 55 supported on base 50, the plate 52 resting on or secured to arm 48b. The other arrangements may also be motordriven. The bearings could be cylindrical with radial axes.

The turntable may for example support a VDU or TV set, a bar stool, a display basket or container or other display, a food serving tray, a kitchen unit, office file, a model, or other article.

The plate 52 may for example have a diameter of 150 cm or more.

The support is easy and inexpensive to make and versatile in use and can take various forms.

Claims

1. A support for permitting relative movement between a first structure and a second structure comprising a mounting member, a plurality of bearings mounted in the member so as to extend to both sides of the mounting member and be rotatable therein for engaging the first and second structures.

2. A support as claimed in Claim 1, including a plurality of angularly spaced said bearings.

3. A support as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, including a plurality of bearings in each of a plurality of radially spaced rows.

4. A support as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the mounting member is annular of L-section with a row of said balls in each arm of the L-section.

5. A support as claimed in any preceding claim, including upper and lower members, the bearings engaging the upper and lower members, respectively for conhection to the first and second structures.

6. A support as claimed in Claim 1, in which the mounting member is in the form of a tube.

7. A support as claimed in Claim 6, in which the tube is rectangular with one or more bearings in each side.

8. A support as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7, including inner and outer members, the bearings engaging the inner and outer members, respectively for operative connection to the first and second structures.

9. A support as claimed in any preceding claim, including motor means for effecting said relative movement.

10. A support as claimed in Claim 8, including a motor operatively connected to the outer member for effecting said relative movement.

11. A support as claimed in Claim 5, including a motor operatively connected to the upper member for effecting said relative movement.

12. A support as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which each bearing is supported in shaped elements respectively secured on opposite sides of a flat portion of said mounting member.

13. A support as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each bearing comprise a ball.

14. A support for permitting relative movement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, or Fig. 2, or Fig. 3, or Fig. 4, or Figs. 6 and 7, of the accompanying drawings.

15. A support however defined for permitting relative movement.

16. An article incorporating a support as claimed in any preceding claim.