GB2285916A - Bearing assembly in a castor - Google Patents
Bearing assembly in a castor Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2285916A GB2285916A GB9401623A GB9401623A GB2285916A GB 2285916 A GB2285916 A GB 2285916A GB 9401623 A GB9401623 A GB 9401623A GB 9401623 A GB9401623 A GB 9401623A GB 2285916 A GB2285916 A GB 2285916A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- stud
- support
- bearing assembly
- bearing
- castor
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 235000004443 Ricinus communis Nutrition 0.000 title claims abstract description 14
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 5
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 3
- 240000000528 Ricinus communis Species 0.000 description 2
- 239000004677 Nylon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 125000000218 acetic acid group Chemical group C(C)(=O)* 0.000 description 1
- 230000000295 complement effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000428 dust Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004519 grease Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000008018 melting Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002844 melting Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920001778 nylon Polymers 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
- F16B43/00—Washers or equivalent devices; Other devices for supporting bolt-heads or nuts
- F16B43/001—Washers or equivalent devices; Other devices for supporting bolt-heads or nuts for sealing or insulation
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60B—VEHICLE WHEELS; CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION
- B60B33/00—Castors in general; Anti-clogging castors
- B60B33/0002—Castors in general; Anti-clogging castors assembling to the object, e.g. furniture
Abstract
The bearing assembly is provided in a castor 10 to be mounted on a carrier, e.g. a wheelchair or supermarket trolley. The assembly includes a stud 24 for connection to the carrier, and the stud 24 extends through an aperture 28 in support arm 18 and is supported therein by a bearing 26. Furthermore, one end of the aperture 28 is provided with a resiliently deformable seal 30, which is mounted on the stud 24 and is adjustable to vary the extent to which it is pressed against the surface 46 and, thereby, the degree of friction between the body 20 and the stud 24. <IMAGE>
Description
Bearing assemblies, primarils for castors
The present invention relates generally to bearing assemblies and is more especially, but not exclusively, concerned with the bearing assemblies utilised by castors of the kind found on wheelchairs and supermarket trolleys.
Typically, a castor includes a member mounted for rotation with respect to a support which is itself mounted for rotation with respect to a carrier. For example, a wheel may be mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis between the arms of a fork which is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis below a frame. Naturally, bearings are provided to facilitate said rotation of the member with respect to the support, and of the support with respect to the carrier.
The present invention is concerned particularly with the assembly of that part of the castor including the bearing for facilitating the rotation of the support with respect to the carrier.
If the bearing assembly is too tight there is an unacceptable loss of manoeuvrability - if the bearing assembly is too loose there is an unacceptable onset of a rapid vibration known as "shimmy".
According to one aspect of the present invention a bearing assembly, for use in a castor of the kind including a support to be mounted for rotation with respect to a carrier, comprises a stud for connection to the carrier, the stud extending through an aperture in the support, the aperture being provided with a bearing for facilitating relative rotation between the stud and the support, and one end of the aperture being provided with a resiliently deformable seal, which is mounted for rotation with the stud and is adjustable with respect to the support.
The resiliently deformable seal per se forms another aspect of the present invention.
Preferably, the resiliently deformable seal comprises an annular member of plastics material having any one or more of the following features:
an axially extending inner portion for use as a slide bearing between the support and the stud;
a radially extending abutment portion for use in controlling the friction between the support and the stud; and
an axially extending outer portion;
said axially extending outer portion being of generally concave outline in axial cross-section for use in allowing resilient deformation against the support and/or of generally polygonal outline in radial cross-section for use in receiving a tightening member adjustable along the stud.
A bearing assembly, and a resiliently deformable seal, in accordance with the present invention, will now be described in greater detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a partially sectioned side view of a castor incorporating a bearing assembly in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; and
Figures 2 to 4 are respectively top, sectional and bottom views of a resiliently deformable seal in accordance with another aspect of the present invention.
As shown in Figure 1, a castor 10 incorporating a bearing assembly in accordance with the present invention includes a wheel 12 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis 14 between a pair of arms 16 of a fork 18 whose body 20 is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis 22 defined by a stud 24 connectable to a carrier (not shown).
The fork 18 may be formed of a plastics material, such as an impact modified glass filled nylon, and the stud 24 may be formed of a metal.
To facilitate rotation of the fork 18 with respect to the stud 24, which may be swivelling or complete turning, a conventional roller bearing 26 is provided. The roller bearing 26 is located at a countersunk upper end of an aperture 28 having a countersunk lower end provided with a castor bottom bearing cover 30 and a threaded nut 32. To facilitate mounting of the castor 10, the stud 24 is provided with an integral nut 34 and a dust cap 36 movable in unison with the integral nut 34.
The castor bottom bearing cover 30, which is shown more clearly in Figures 2 to 4, may be formed of a plastics material such as acetyl, and constitutes a resiliently deformable seal in accordance with the present invention.
The cover 30 includes an axially extending inner portion 38, a radially extending abutment portion 40, and an axially extending outer portion 42.
The outer portion 42 is of a hexagonal outline in radial cross-section complementary to that of the threaded nut 32 and is thus movable in unison with the threaded nut 32. The outer portion 42 is also of a dome-like outline in axial cross-section which is flattened to a greater or lesser extent against the body 20 of the fork 18 with greater or lesser tightening of the threaded nut 32.
It will be appreciated that, because the material of the cover 30 is resiliently deformable, the degree of flattening of the outer portion 42 against surface 44 of the body 20 controls the extent to which the abutment portion 40 is pressed against surface 46 of the body 20, thereby controlling the friction between the body 20 and the stud 24 and thus controlling the ease with which the fork 18 is rotated about the vertical axis 22.
Finally, the inner portion 38 not only acts as a slide bearing but also acts to resist the escape of a high melting point grease located in the aperture 28.
Claims (8)
1. A bearing assembly1 for use in a castor of the kind including a support to be mounted for rotation with respect to a carrier, comprising a stud for connection to the carrier, the stud extending through an aperture in the support, the aperture being provided with a bearing for facilitating relative rotation between the stud and the support, and one end of the aperture being provided with a resiliently deformable seal, which is mounted for rotation with the stud and is adjustable with respect to the support.
2. A bearing assembly according to claim 1, in which the resiliently deformable seal comprises an annular member of plastics material.
3. A bearing assembly according to claim 2, in which the annular member comprises: an axially extending inner portion for use as a slide bearing between the support and the stud; a radially extending abutment portion for use in controlling the friction between the support and the stud; and an axially extending outer portion.
4. A bearing assembly according to claim 3, in which said axially extending outer portion is of generally concave outline in axial cross-section for use in allowing resilient deformation against the support.
5. A bearing assembly according to claim 3 or claim 4, in which said axially extending outer portion is of generally polygonal outline in radial cross-section for use in receiving a tightening member adjustable along the stud.
6. A bearing assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
7. A resiliently deformable seal for use with a bearing assembly as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6.
8. A castor for use with a bearing assembly as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9401623A GB2285916A (en) | 1994-01-28 | 1994-01-28 | Bearing assembly in a castor |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9401623A GB2285916A (en) | 1994-01-28 | 1994-01-28 | Bearing assembly in a castor |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9401623D0 GB9401623D0 (en) | 1994-03-23 |
| GB2285916A true GB2285916A (en) | 1995-08-02 |
Family
ID=10749462
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9401623A Withdrawn GB2285916A (en) | 1994-01-28 | 1994-01-28 | Bearing assembly in a castor |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2285916A (en) |
Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB976263A (en) * | 1962-09-15 | 1964-11-25 | Brd Co Ltd | Improvements in or relating to castor wheel assembly suspensions |
| GB1507269A (en) * | 1975-09-27 | 1978-04-12 | Wanzl Metallwarenfab Kg | Caster |
| US4084288A (en) * | 1977-01-12 | 1978-04-18 | Pemco-Kalamazoo, Inc. | Shock absorber for swivel caster |
| EP0016875A1 (en) * | 1978-06-13 | 1980-10-15 | Aktiebolaget SKF | Castor wheel |
| US5214823A (en) * | 1990-01-30 | 1993-06-01 | Screen Stafford T | Castors with swivel damping |
| GB2263397A (en) * | 1992-01-09 | 1993-07-28 | Colson Castors | Castors |
-
1994
- 1994-01-28 GB GB9401623A patent/GB2285916A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB976263A (en) * | 1962-09-15 | 1964-11-25 | Brd Co Ltd | Improvements in or relating to castor wheel assembly suspensions |
| GB1507269A (en) * | 1975-09-27 | 1978-04-12 | Wanzl Metallwarenfab Kg | Caster |
| US4084288A (en) * | 1977-01-12 | 1978-04-18 | Pemco-Kalamazoo, Inc. | Shock absorber for swivel caster |
| EP0016875A1 (en) * | 1978-06-13 | 1980-10-15 | Aktiebolaget SKF | Castor wheel |
| US5214823A (en) * | 1990-01-30 | 1993-06-01 | Screen Stafford T | Castors with swivel damping |
| GB2263397A (en) * | 1992-01-09 | 1993-07-28 | Colson Castors | Castors |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB9401623D0 (en) | 1994-03-23 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |