GB2230694A

GB2230694A - Wheel fittings

Info

Publication number: GB2230694A
Application number: GB8909118A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Joseph James
Original assignee: Global Castors Ltd
Current assignee: Global Castors Ltd
Priority date: 1989-04-21
Filing date: 1989-04-21
Publication date: 1990-10-31
Also published as: GB8909118D0

Abstract

A wheel fitting 1 is self retaining in an end portion 2 of a tubular member 3. The fitting 1 comprises a hollow mounting body 4 profiled as a close fit within the tubular member 3, and it is fitted into the open end of the tubular member 3 with a wheel 11 rotatable in the body 4 projecting through an open-ended slot 15 at the bottom of the tubular member 3. The body 4 is moulded with a catch tongue 5 which on fitting engages an aperture 7 in the tubular member 3 to provide longitudinal location of the fitting 1 within the member 3. <IMAGE>

Description

"WHEEL FITTINGS" The invention relates to wheel fittings, and in particular to wheel fittings which mount a ground support wheel to a tubular frame member.

The mounting of a wheel to a tubular member usually positions the wheel alongside the member and normally requires the fitting and securing of an axle spindle or the like through the tubular member, and/or modification of the basic shape of the tubular member, with fitting being a relatively complex procedure involving the use of tools or special equipment. Known mountings are, in particular, certainly not suited to self-assembly by purchasers of domestic KD furniture sold in packaged kit form.

The invention provides a novel wheel fitting, which is relatively easily fitted and can be designed for fitting without the use of tools or separate fixings.

According to a broad aspect of the invention a wheel fitting mounts a ground-support wheel in a tubular member so as to project downwardly therefrom, and comprises a mounting body which rotatably supports the wheel and which is dimensioned to suit the cross-sectional shape of the tubular member so that it can be fitted through an open end of the latter.

Preferably the mounting body when fitted is self locating within the tubular member, not only laterally but also longitudinally thereof. For longitudinal location the mounting body may have a projecting catch member or formation which engages, at the fitted position of the mounting body, an appropriately positioned formation, deformation, recess or aperture of or in the tubular member. The mounting body is conveniently a plastics moulding, with said catch member provided by a resiliently flexible tongue projecting at one end of the mounting body.

This tongue may have an end tooth or pawl-like projection adapted to engage an aperture in the wall of the tubular member. The moulding may also provide an end cap or closure member blanking off the open end of the tubular member, in which case the catch member may be moulded at the inner end of the mounting body.

The fitting of the invention is preferably designed to be fitted as an assembly, including the wheel, into the tubular member which at the bottom is then formed with an open-ended slot which receives the wheel and through which the latter projects. The side edges of this slot may at least assist in retaining the wheel of the fitting in position in the mounting body, which may then be moulded with downwardly-facing bearing recesses in which stub axles of the wheel, conveniently also a plastics moulding, are rotatably received.

According to another aspect of the invention an assembly of a tubular frame member and ground-support wheel fitting comprises the tubular member with a mounting body of the wheel fitting fitted into one end of the tubular member, the latter having a bottom slot through which the wheel projects.

Preferably the mounting body is self-retaining in the fitted position within the tubular member, both laterally and longitudinally of the latter. The mounting body of the wheel fitting is preferably a hollow plastics moulding the overall profile of which fits closely within the tubular member. The tubular member may be of any desired cross-sectional shape.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, a wheel fitting and an assembly including the fitting in accordance with the invention. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is an underneath view of the assembly, illustrating the wheel fitting fitted into a tubular member of the assembly Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line II-II in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line III-III in Fig. 2.

The assembly illustrated comprises a wheel fitting 1 which is self-retaining in a corresponding end portion 2 of a tubular member 3 which in this case is of rectangular cross-section. The fitting 1 comprises a hollow mounting body 4 the overall profile of which is such that it is a close fit within the tubular member 3, thereby being self-locating laterally of the tubular member 3 in both the vertical and horizontal senses. The mounting body 4 is injection moulded from plastics material with a resiliently flexible tongue projecting at the inner end at the bottom of the moulding. This tongue 5 provides a catch member with a pawl-like downwardly-projecting tooth 6 at the free end of the tongue, and in the fitted position this engages a rectangular aperture 7 in the bottom wall 8 of the tubular member 3.Such engagement retains the fitting 1 within the tubular member 3, providing longitudinal location of the mounting body 4 in the outward direction.

The mounting body 4 provides an end closure for the tubular member 3, having an outer end portion 9 which provides a closure cap which is flush with the outer surface of the tubular member 3. A step 10 at the inner side of the cap portion 9 engages the end of the tubular member 3 to provide longitudinal location of the fitting 1 in the inward direction.

A ground support wheel 11 of the fitting 1, which is also a plastics moulding, is rotatably mounted in the mounting body 4 with side stub axles 12 of the wheel 11 engaging downwardly facing bearing recesses 13 moulded in the mounting body 4. To provide an adequate bearing surface for each recess 13, which is of inverted U shape in side view, the side walls of the mounting body 4 are each moulded with a localised thickening 14 in the region of the corresponding recess 13. Thus the mounting body 4 provides for the wheel 11 what could be looked upon as upper "shell" bearings.The recesses 13 may be moulded so that the stub axles 12 are a snap-in fit into the respective recesses 13, but the wheel is in any case effectively retained by marginal portions 8a (see Fig. 3) of the bottom wall 8 on opposite sides of an elongate aperture 15 through which the wheel 11 projects for ground engagement.

The wheel 11 is assembled to the mounting body 4 before the fitting 1 is inserted as a whole and by hand into the tubular member 3. To receive the wheel 11 the bottom slot 15 is open ended, and when the fitting 1 reaches the fitted position illustrated the step 10 engages the end of the tubular member 3 and the catch member 5 engages the retaining aperture 7 in the tubular member 3.

Thus fitting is accomplished without the use of tools or any special equipment, or separate fixings, and in the completed assembly no fixing or retention means are visible at the top or sides of the tubular member 3 whilst the normal outer appearance of the latter unimpaired.

Formation of the aperture 7 and slot 15 in the tubular member 3 prior to assembly is easily effected in a single press operation, with the press punch extending into the tubular member through the open end thereof. The ease of fitting to the tubular member particularly suits the wheel fitting to use with KD furniture, such as TV stands for example, sold in kit form for assembly by the purchaser.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A wheel flitting which mounts a ground-support wheel in a tubular member so as to project downwardly therefrom, comprising a mounting body which rotatably supports the wheel and which is dimensioned to suit the cross-sectional shape of the tubular member so that it can be fitted through an open end of the latter.

2. A wheel fitting according to claim I, wherein the mounting body when fitted is self locating within the tubular member, both laterally and longitudinally thereof.

3. A wheel fitting according to claim 2, wherein for longitudinal location the mounting body has a projecting catch member or formation which is adapted to engage, at the fitted position of the mounting body, an appropriately positioned formation, deformation, recess or aperture of or in the tubular member.

4. A wheel fitting according to claim 3, wherein the mounting body is a plastics moulding and said catch member is provided by a resiliently flexible tongue projecting at one end of the mounting body.

5. A wheel fitting according to claim 4, wherein said tongue has an end tooth or pawl-like projection adapted to engage an aperture in the wall of the tubular member.

6. A wheel fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting body also provides an end cap or closure member for blanking off the open end of the tubular member.

7. A wheel fitting according to any one of the preceding claims, designed to be fitted as an assembly, including the wheel, into the tubular member which at the bottom is formed with an open-ended slot which receives the wheel and through which the latter projects.

8. An assembly comprising a tubular frame member and a wheel fitting according to any one of the preceding claims fitted into one end of the tubular member.

9. An assembly according to claim 8, wherein the wheel fitting is in accordance with claim 7 and the side edges of said open-ended slot at least assist in retaining the wheel in position in the mounting body.

10. An assembly according to claim 9, wherein the mounting body is moulded with downwardly-facing bearing recesses in which stub axles of the wheel are rotatably received.

11. An assembly comprising a tubular frame member and a ground-support wheel fitting with a mounting body fitted into one end of the tubular member, the latter having at the bottom an open-ended slot through which the wheel projects.

12. An assembly according to claim 11, wherein the mounting body is self-retaining in the fitted position within the tubular member, both laterally and longitudinally of the latter.

13. An assembly according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the mounting body of the wheel fitting is a hollow plastics moulding the overall profile of which fits closely within the tubular member.

14. A wheel fitting for mounting a ground-support wheel in a tubular member, or an assembly comprising the fitting and tubular member, substantially as herein particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.