US1839396A

US1839396A - Caster

Info

Publication number: US1839396A
Application number: US503588A
Authority: US
Inventors: John A Kimball
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1930-12-19
Filing date: 1930-12-19
Publication date: 1932-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 1949-01-05

Description

Jan. 5, 1932. J KM L 1,839,396

CASTER Filed Dec 19. 1930 NNNNNN OR 2 AAAAA EV;

\ i vision of a caster having a flat roller ing the support transferred to the Patented Jan. 5, 1932 JOHN A. KIMBALL, F TAYLORVILLE, ILLINOIS CASTER Application filed December 19,- 1930. Serial No. 503,588.

This invention relates'to casters and has especial relation to casters for use uponfurniture.

An object of the invention is to provide a caster which may be rotatably mounted within the leg of an article of furniture so that the said article may be moved forward and reverse in a direct line without requiring a roller to pivot on its vertical center, as is necessary in the use of casters of the ordinary type. This pivoting of the roller on its vertical center results in twisting and frequently tearing a rug or carpet, as well as inarring the surface of a floor where the furniture is moved over a bare floor, and the present invention has been designed for the purpose of overcoming these disadvantages.

Another object of the invention is the prowhich is freely movable in a direct horizontal line upon opposite sides of the vertical center of the cast-er and wherein the weight of a supported article of furniture is transferred from the roller trunnions to the periphery of the roller during such movement.

lVith the above and other objects in View, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of. construction,

to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of the invention shown attached to the leg of an article of furniture with the leg in section, the View also showing the reverse position of the roller by dotted lines. 7

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view showperiphery of the roller. 1

Figure 3 is an edge View of the invention per se.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of reference denote cor This top plate responding parts, the referencecharacter indicates the opposite parallel sides of a carriage, while 11 indicatesa top plate which connects the upper edges of the sides 10.

12 for the passage of a shank 13 whereby the caster may be attached to the leg 14 of an article of furniture. The leg is provided with a socket 15 which receives a split sleeve 16, the latter having a toothed flange 17 wvhereby this sleeveimay be secured to the leg 14. The shank 13 is provided with a head 18 for insertion in the split sleeve whereby the "caster may be attached as is usual in devices of this character.

The shank 13 carries a ball race 19 for antifriction balls 20 and these balls bear upon the top plate 11 while the ball race bears against the under face of the flange 17 so that the cage may be freely rotated about its vertical center.

The side plates 10 of the cage are providedwith horizontally disposed elongated slots 21 and theseslots are adapted to receivetrunnions 22 which extend from opposite sides of a roller 23. The upper edges of the slots 21 bear upon the trunnions'22 and the sides '10 are provided with outwardly disposed reinforcing flanges 24 at opposite ends of the slots which provide bearings for the trunnions 22. The upper; walls of the. slots 21 extend up wardly as'shown at 25 from points spaced inward from the opposite ends of the slots, so

is provided with an opening 5 that when the trunnions move. inward from I beneath the bearing flanges 24, the periphery of the roller 23 will'have engaged a head 26 which is carriedby the shank 13, so that the weight will be transferred from the trunnions togthe periphery of the roller 23. By providing the head 26, a reinforced bearing surface for the roller 23 is provided at this point.

Then an article of furniture casteris attached is moved in ofthe arrow a in Figure 1' of the drawings,

to which the the direction reverse direction, the trunnions 22 of the roller will move longitudinally through the slot 21, the weight'being supported upon the trunnions until the latter reach approximately a parallel tending slots therein and a top wall connectthe beginning of the curved portion 25 of the slot. The periphery of the roller will then have engaged the head 26, so that the weight will be transferred from the trunnions to the periphery of the roller and the latter will freely roll to the opposite end of the cage with the trunnions engaging within the opposite ends of the slots 21 as shown by the dotted line position in Figure 1. In Figure 2 the roller 23 is shown as supporting the weight.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details ofconstructionand the right is herein reserved to make such changes asproper-1 ly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described claimed is 1. In a caster, a cage, means to mount the cage for horizontal rotary movement, a floatthe invention what is ing roller supporting the cage, and 'means to transfer-the support of" the cagefrom the ing the side walls, a shank extending upwardly from the cage intermediate the length of the slots and having a head disposed within the cage, a roller having its trunnions extending into and freely movable throughout the length of said slots and supporting the cage, and said slots having their upper walls curved for a distance spaced from the ends of the slots to transfer the weight from the trunnions to the periphery of the roller.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

7 JOHN A. KIMBALL.

'trunnions of the'roller to the periphery there- 2,111 a caster, a cage comprising spaced parallel side Walls having longitudinally disposed slots therein and a top wall connecting the side walls, a roller having its trunnions extending into said slotsand supporting the cage, means'to mount the cage for horizontal rotary movement, and means to transfer the support of the cage from the trunnions to the periphery of the roller.

3. In a caster, a cage comprising spaced parallel side walls having longitudinally disposed slots thereln'and a top wall connecting the side walls, a shank extending upwardly.

from the cage intermediate the length of the slotsand having a head disposed within the cage, a roller having its trunnions extending into said slots and supporting the cage, and means to transfer the'weight from the trunnions to the periphery of the roller.

4; In a caster, a cage comprising spaced parallel side walls having horizontally extending slots therein and a top wall connecting the side walls, a shank extending upwardly from the cage intermediate the length of the slots and having a head disposed within the cage, a roller having its trunnions extending into and freely movable throughoutthe length of said slots and. supporting the cage, and means -to transfer the weight "from the trunnions to the periphery of the roller.

5. In a caster, acage comprising spaced side walls having horizontally ex-