US1457617A

US1457617A - Adjustable caster

Info

Publication number: US1457617A
Application number: US529235A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carlson John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1922-01-14
Filing date: 1922-01-14
Publication date: 1923-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 1940-06-05

Description

Patented June 5, 1923.

UNITED STATES;

taster? PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CARLSON, OF LA 'JJU'QUJEI,QUEBEC,v CANADA.

ADJUSTABLE CASTEB.

Application filed January '14, 1922. Serial No. 529,235.

The general object is to provide a caster,

of this character which is simple in construction, which may be readily adjusted, and which will retain its adjustment.

A further object is to provide a caster of this character in whichthe adjustment is secured by means of a nut on the caster, which nut is exteriorly disposed so that an implement may be readily applied thereto at any time to rotate the nutand increase or decrease the effective length of the caster.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description. v

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein 2- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a furniture leg and my improved caster applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken at right angles to the sectional view shown in Figure 1.

Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that my caster consists of practically five pieces. The caster wheel 10 is disposed between the slightly curved and bifurcated end of a shank 11. This shank 11 is tubular and open at its upper end and is exteriorly screwthreaded for a portion of its length, as at 12, these exterior screw-threads being disposed at the beginning of the straight portion of the shank just above the fork within which the wheel 10 is mounted. This shank is transversely slotted, as at 13, the slot beinglower end of this spindle 14 being trans-.

versely slotted, as at 15, this transverse recess or groove in the slot being the same size as the slot 18. The upper end of the spindle 14 is provided with a head 16 having an exterior diameter'the same as the exterior diameter of the shank 11. The upper face of this head is formed with an upwardly projecting step bearing 17, The shank with its interior spindle is adapted to be disposed withinthe socket 18, in turn intended to be disposed within the leg of the article of furniture, as illustrated in Figure 1, this socket being closed at its upper end and at its lower end having the outwardly projecting flange 19. The inner face of the closed upper, end i of the socket is formed with a centrally disposed bearing recess 20 within which the pointed upper end 17 of the spindle l4 bears. Disposed through the slot 13jand the slot 15 is a transversely extending key 21 which may be held from transversemovement through the slot 13 in any desired manner but which has vertical sliding movement in the slot 13,-

and disposed below the key and engaging this key is a nut 22 engaging the screwthreads12.

The parts are assembled in the manner shown in Figure 1, and if it be desired to increase the effective length of the leg of the article of furniture to which the caster is applied, the nut 22 is turned upward, causing the key 21 to rise, and this in turn causing the elevation of the spindle 14 relative to the shank 11 to thereby increase the effective length of the shank. The spindle 14 at its upper end bears against the bearing seat 20 and has, of course, free rotation within the socket 18. If it be desired to decrease the effective length of the shank, the nut 22 is turned in the reverse direction, permitting the shank 11 to move upward within the socket and into position against the flange 16 on the spindle 14. In order to prevent the detachment of the key 21 after it is put in place, the ends of the key may be slightly overturned or pinned to prevent the key from moving longitudinally through the slot 13. The shank of this caster may be with drawn from its engagement with the socket at any time, and. obviously the spindle 14 may be withdrawn from within the shank 11 if it is desired The caster may thus be readily lubricated, put in position, removed, or replaced.

I claim 1. In a caster, a tubular caster wheel supporting shank open at its upper end, a caster wheel, a spindle disposed within the tubular shank and extending above the same, the lower end of the spindle being bifurcated and o ieratively supporting the caster wheel and the caster wheel and spindle oscillating together, means whereby the spindle may be elevated or lowered relative to the shank and held in its adjusted position, and a socket within which the shank and spindle are disposed, the spindle and socket at their upper ends being formed with complementary bearing portions.

2. A caster of the character described comprising caster wheel supporting shank, the shank being tubular and open at its upper end. the lower end of the shank being exteriorly screw-threaded and formed with a transversely extending slot, a spindle disposed within the tubular shank and projecting above the same, a key passing through the slot of the shank and bearing against the lower end of the spindle, a nut engaging the screwsthreads ot' the shank and upon which said key rests, anda socket within which the shank is disposed, the

spindle bearingat its upper end against the upper end of the socket.

A caster of the character described comprising a shank forkedatits lower end, a caster wheel disposed within the shank, the

shank being tubular and open at its upper end, the lower end of the shank above the forked portion being exteriorly screwthreaded and formed with a transversely extending slot having a length equal to'the length of the screw-threads, a keyextending through said slot, a nut engaging the screw-threads and upon which the key rest-s, a spindle fitting within the tubular shank and formed at -its lowerend with a diametricallyextending recess to engage said key, the upper end of the spindle having a head. the upper face of the head being formed with an upwardly projecting bearing, and a hollow socket formed at its lower end with an annular flange, the upper end of the socket being closed and having a bearing re- (less in which the step bearing of the spindle rotatably engages.

4. A caster of the character described comprising a caster wheel supporting shank, the shank being tubular and open at its upper end, the lower end of the shank being exteriorly screw-threaded and formed with a transversely extending slot, a spindle disposed within the tubular shank and extending above the same, a member passing through the slot of the shank and operatively engaged with the spindle, a nutengaging the screw-threads of the shank and upon which said member rests, and a socket within which the shank is disposed, the spin, dle bearing atit-s upper end against the upper end of thesocket.

a caster, a caster wheel having a shank, a socket within which the shank oscillates, and a nut screw-threaded upon the shank atthevlower end thereof and having operative engagement with the socket whereby tocause a retraction of the shank from the socket asthe nut is rotated in one direction and permit the movement of the shank into the socketupon a movement of the nut in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I; hereunto afiix my signature.

JOHN CARLSON.