US1980205A - Furniture caster - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 1934. R0. ISOLA 7 1,980,205

FURNITURE CASTER Filed July 14, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 13, 1934 r I v 1, 80 2 Farm 1 om FURNITURE CASTER H 1 Raymond O. Isola, Alabaster, Mich., assignor of twenty per cent to August E. Proulx, Alabaster,

Mich.

Application July 14, 1933, Serial No. 680,419

2 Claims.

This invention relates to caster devices and more particularly to a structure provided with hinged casters and in which the part supported by the casters, such as a chair, davenport, bed, or

' .li other heavy article of furniture, may be raised and supported by the wheels when necessary, so that it may easily be rolled to any desired point or place.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide a hinged caster device including a frame which can be readily secured to the article of furniture, and provide simple, practical, and substantial means for swinging the casters down into operative position so that the article of furniture will be supported thereby, and so that it may be readily moved as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide readily operable foot actuated means for swinging the casters into position to support the article of furniture, said means being of neat and attractive appearance.

A further object is to design a caster frame device which is economical to manufacture and install, which is almost completely concealed from view, and by means of which heavy pieces of furniture can be readily moved with a minimum of effort.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary part sectional front view of a chair showing my caster device in place thereon.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional side view.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the foot actuated pedal.

Fig. 4 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the caster frame and actuating mechanism, the broken lines indicating the outline of the chair frame.

Fig. 6 is a front view of the caster frame attached to a chair, the solid lines showing the casters swung to raised position, the broken lines showing them in position for supporting the chair.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 indicates a conventional fireside chair of heavy construction which is too heavy to be conveniently moved by one person, which is also true of davenports and other heavy articles of furniture. End and side members 6 and 7 respectively form the bottom frame of the chair, and .a preferably metal housing 8 is secured to these side members by means of screws (not shown) or the like, and at a point intermediate the length of the chair.

A horizontally disposed shaft member 9 is journaled in the member 6 and housing 8 respectively, one end of said shaft projecting slightly beyond the back of the chair, and a foot pedal 10 is secured thereon and. is provided with wings 11, said wings being shaped and disposed so that they are readily engageable by the operators' foot when it is desired to adjust the mechanisms.

Longitudinally disposed pins 12 are mounted in the housing 8, and caster frames 13 are pivotally mounted thereon and include a rubber tired swivel caster 14 which can be of any conventional design, each caster frame including a shoulder 15 which, when the casters are swung down to position to support the chair, engage the face of the side frame members 7 as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 6 of the drawings.

Spaced apart ears 16 are provided on each caster frame in position as shown, and actuating rods 17 are pivotally secured thereto by means of pins l8,'the opposite end of each rod being pivotally secured to a crank 19 which is formed integral with or can be secured to the shaft member 9 by means of a. pin, these cranks being opposed so that both casters are simultaneously raised or lowered as the shaft is rotated.

An additional crank lever 21 is provided on the inner end of the shaft 9, and one end of a spring 22 is secured thereto, the opposite end being anchored to a pin 23 which is in turn anchored to the frame, and it will be obvious that this spring serves to hold the casters in their adjusted position, the spring serving to oppose the rotation of the shaft when the casters are in either raised or lowered position.

The housing 8 can be formed of any desired material and comprises the top and side walls, the bottom being open, the top having an opening 24 therein to accommodate the upper crank 19. A collar 25 is provided on the shaft 9 directly adjacent the side wall of the housing 8 and serves to prevent end movement of said shaft.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have perfected a very simple, practical, and convenient adjustable caster attachment by means of which heavy articles of furniture can be readily moved.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with the frame of an article of furniture, of a pair of spaced apart caster frames hingedly secured thereto and formed with shoulders adapted when in lowered position to engage the lower face of the furniture frame, a

horizontal transversely disposed shaft, cranks on said shaft, links connecting said cranks and the caster frames, a foot pedal mounted on the shaft and adapted when actuated to shift said caster frames to raised or lowered position, and resilient means for holding said shaft and caster frames in adjusted position. 7

2. The combination with the frame of an article of furniture, of a housing secured thereto, caster frame assemblies pivoted to the side walls of the frame, a shoulder on each frame for said caster frame assemblies in adjusted position.

RAYMOND O. ISOLA.

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