US2567441A

US2567441A - Furniture leg glider

Info

Publication number: US2567441A
Application number: US186131A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert E Miller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-09-22
Filing date: 1950-09-22
Publication date: 1951-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1968-09-11

Description

Sept. 11, 1951 R. E. MILLER FURNITURE LEG GLIDER Filed Sept 22, 1950 INVENTOR. oberf E Mlle)- mp. Ww

Patentecl Sept. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IT EPE DE Robert Etlldiller, Bronxville, N. .Y.

Application September 22, 1950, Serial No. 186 1 1 t I 1 This invention relates 'to appliances for' the legs" of furniture and specifically to an improved leg mount on which the furniture is adapted to move substantially noiselessly over the floor.

In my copending application Serial No. 146,808,

filed February 28, 1950, I have disclosed a furni ture leg mount of novel construction which may be readily inserted into a hole in the bottom of the furnitureleg to provide a firm grip on the sidewalls of the hole at all times, the mount being arranged to efiect a cushionin'g action between the floor and the furniture leg. The mount as disclosed in the aforesaid copending application comprises a metal cap'or other floor-engaging element secured to a resilient member or cushion; which may be made of rubber. This cushion is; interposed between thecap and the bottom of-"the' furniture leg. An assembly pin projects upwardl'y'from the cushion through a retainer seat supported by the cushion and extending intothe hole in the bottom of the furnitureleg'when the mount is in place. Above the seat is-a retainer in'the form of a polygonal piece of flexible material; preferably spring metal, which is secured to the assembly pin and held thereby against the seat. The corners of the retainer protrude laterally'from the seat and are adapted to impinge acutely upon the side walls of the leg hole; When the retainer is forced upwardly into the leg hole by'press'ure on the bottom of the mount, the side walls of the hole will flex the outer or corner parts of the retainer downwardly more or less, depending upon the size and shape of the hole. Thus, the retainer provides the necessary bite to hold the mount firmly in place, regardless of whether the hole is round or square and even though the size of the hole does not conform to a certain standard.

One object of the'present invention is to provide an improved mount of the character de scribed which is adapted for use on a furniture leg extending at an acute angle to the floor.

A further object is to provide a mount for a furniture leg extending at an acute angle to the floor, which will readily accommodate different angles of the leg. Y v

Another object is to provide animproved leg mount of the character describedwhich is arranged to provide greater fiexibiilty'of the polygonal retainer than in the mount disclosed in my aforesaid copending application, and which is of a simplified construction.

A mount made according to the invention comprises a floor-engaging element and a cushion secured thereto in position to lie between the '16 Claims. (01. 16-42 bottom of the furniture leg and the floorengaging element; A washer -is supported ontop of the cushion and hasaperip'heral portion engageable with-the bottom of the-furniture legaroun'd a hole inthe-lega In its centralpor-tion, the Washer hasan openingand-a seat surrounding the opening.-- An assembly pin-projects upward from the cushion and through the-washeropening, a compressionspringbeing-coiled around the pin and seated at its lower end onthe washer seat.- A polygonal-flexible retainer o'nthe-pin has corners projecting laterally from the pin and engageable with the side Walls 0f -theleghole to retainth mount on the leg; -Thegpolygonal retaineris held downagainst the coiledvcome pressionspring by meansof a keeper on the: pin, whereby the spring is compressed between the retainer and the seat formed by the washer. Thus the compression spring serves to drawethe assembly pin upward in the cushion and away from. the floor-engaging-element, and it also al.- lows the-retainer-to flex freely and slide downward onthe assembly pin as theretaine-r is forced into the leg hole? Preferably, the keeper forthe retainer consists of nibs-integralwith. the assembly pin and projecting-laterallytherefrom over the central portion of the retainer, and washers are interposed between the: retainer and'the nibs and also betweenthe retainer and the com.- pressionspring or biasingimember. When the mount is to be used for furniture legs extending at an acute'angle to the :fioor, the assembly pin is arranged-to-projectupward from the cushion at an acute angle to the bottom.of the floor-engaging element; and the-central portion of the retaineris-held in-a plane normal to the pin but inclined relativeto the bottomof. the floor-engaging element; In this form of the mount, I prefer to provide between the compression spring and the cushion a washer having in its central portion. a-seat which is inclinedrelative to the. peripheral portionof .the washerfem gaging .the-bottomof the furniture leg the seat thus being approximately normal to the axis .of the compression springer other biasing; element surrounding the assembly; pin and; pressing against the polygonal retainer. This washer may be of an oval shape to-conform generally to the oval opening in thebottom of the, inclined furniture leg.

The retainer of the new m'ount preferably comprises a pair of; superimposed leaf springs extending in the same direction or, if the furniture leg is at right angles to the floor, extending crosswise to each other. In this way, the retainer provides greater holding power and is easier to apply to the furniture leg.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of the new mount, showing it inserted into a hole in the bottom of a furniture leg extending at an acute angle to the floor;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the washer between the biasing element and the cushion, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of part of a modified form of the mount, showing a different arrangement of the leaf springs forming the retainer, and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the lower part of another form of the mount, showing a different arrangement of the assembly pin in the cushion.

Referring to the drawing, the mount comprises a floor-engaging element I which, as illustrated, is in the form of a metal glide shoe. The shoe is secured to an overlying cushion 2, which may be made of rubber, as by turning the edges Ia of the shoe inwardly and embedding them in the sides of the cushion. Above the cushion and supported on it is a metal base member or washer 3 having at its central portion an opening 3a and an inclined seat 31) surrounding the opening. The seat 31) is inclined at an acute angle relative to the horizontal peripheral portion 30 of the washer, which engages the bottom of the furniture leg around the hole therein when the mount is supplied to the leg. The central portion of the washer 3 is raised above the level of the peripheral portion or flange 3c and forms an annular ridge 3d surrounding the inclined seat 3b.

An assembly pin 4, which may be a nail, projects upward from the cushion 2 and through the washer opening 3a, the pin having at its lower end a head 4a engaging the bottom of the cushion but normally raised slightly from the underlying shoe I. As shown particularly in Fig. 1, the head 4a of the assembly pin is off-set from the central part of the cushion 2, and the pin extends upward through the cushion and the washer opening 311 at an acute angle to the bottom of the shoe I. A biasing member 5 is engaged at its lower end on the inclined washer seat 3b, this member being shown in the form of a compression spring coiled around the intermediate portion of the assembly pin 4.

A polygonal retainer 6 made of flexible material, preferably spring metal, is secured to. the assembly pin 4 above the compression spring 5. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the retainer consists of a pair of superimposed leaf springs 6-6a of rectangular shape, and the assembly pin extends upward through central openings in the leaf springs. The corners of the polygonal retainer 6 protrude outwardly from the pin 4 and are normally curved or bowed downward toward the washer 3. The retainer 6 is held against upward movement relative to the pin 4 by a keeper 4b, which preferably consists of nibs formed integrally with the assembly pin and extending laterally over the central portion of the retainer from opposite sides of the pin. A washer I is interposed between the retainer 6 and the upper end of the compression spring 5, and another washer 1a is interposed between the retainer and the keeper 4b. The latter thus serves to hold the retainer 6 down against the compression spring 5, so that 4 the spring is held under substantial compression between the retainer and the inclined seat 31) of the washer. In this way, the head 4a of the assembly pin is drawn upward into the cushion 2 and out of contact with the metal shoe I.

The leg mount as described and illustrated is adapted to be applied to a furniture leg 8 which extends at an acute angle to the floor. When the upper part of the mount is engaged in the hole 8a in the bottom of the furniture leg 8, the corners 0f the spring metal retainer 6 are forced downward as necessary to adapt the mount to the internal dimensions and form of the leg hole Be. That is, the smaller the space in which the retainer 6 is confined, the more the corners of the retainer will be flexed downward by engagement with the side walls of the hole 8a when the retainer is forced upwardly into the hole. The retainer is forced into the leg hole by pressure applied to the bottom of the shoe I, the shoe I being held in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the bottom of the leg 8, with the pin 4 extending into the hole 8a along its central axis. This movement of the retainer into the hole 8a causes the peripheral flange 3c of the washer to engage the bottom of the leg 8 around the hole 8a, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby preventing further movement of the retainer in the leg. Due to the downward flexing of the corner portions of the retainer Ii when it is pushed into the hole 8a, the central part of the retainer acts upon the keeper 4b to draw the pin head 4a upward from the shoe I and further compress the cushion 2. When the upward pressure against the bottom of shoe I is released, after engagement of washer 3 with the bottom of the furniture leg, the cushion 2 and the compression spring 5 will expand and act to draw the central part of the retainer 6 downward, thereby increasing the pressure between the corners of the retainer and the side walls of the hole 801.. This increases the biting of the retainer corners into the side walls of the hole, so that a firmer grip is obtained between the mount and the leg.

The sharp corners of the retainer 6 provide better holding qualities than an ordinary flat surface or toe engaging the side walls of the hole 8a, due to the fact that all of the spring pressure of the retainer is concentrated at four points, that is, at the four corners of the retainer as illustrated. The oblique angle at which the corner portions of the retainer 6 approach the walls of the leg hole 8a affords a strong resistance to buckling of the retainer when a withdrawing force is applied to the mount, as contrasted with prior mounts where a comparatively weak pull will buckle the retainer. Moreover, the new mount can be applied with equal facility to furniture legs having bottom holes of either round or square cross section andof different sizes, and in cases where the holes are of square or rectangular cross section the corners of the retainer 6 may be engaged with either the flats or the corners defining the hole.

The sound insulating properties of the new mount are highly effective as a result of the floating or cushioned coupling between theshoe I and the flexible retainer 6. As previously mentioned, the flexing of the retainer acts to draw the asesmbly pin 4 away from the metal shoe I, thereby insuring against metal-to-metal contact between these parts. The cushion 2 serves to absorb shocks and vibrations incident to moving the furniture, and, together with the compression spring 5', keeps the. mount. tight at all time's..

The oval washer -3 can bemade. to accommodate a wide range of .angles of .the. furniture leg 8 relative to the floor, by making the major. axis of the washer short enough so that the .raised portion of the ,washerwill fitinto thehole of a leg having the nearest angle to.90 with respect to the floor... Itwill beunderstoodthat as the angle of. theleg Burelativeto the floor decreases,.the major axisof theovalentrance to the' l'eg'hole'fl'a will; increase. However, if the washer 3 is so dimensioned that its raised central portion will fit into thehole ea of -a leg having a maximum angle relative tothe floor, thatis, an oval hole having a minimum diameter on its major axis, the raised portion of the washer will also fit into the hole 8a of a leg. having a considerably smaller angle relative to the floor,.that is, an oval hole having aiconsiderably l rger diameter on its mittens. Within this range, thev horizontal flange 3d atthe peripheral portion of the washer will seat firmly against the bottom of the 'leg aroundthe hole" 8a, even though .--the extent to' which"tl'iis"liange may lap under the leg may vary at the opposite sides of the hole on its major axis, as viewed in Fig. 1. It will be appreciated that the angle of the leg 8 relative to the floor may vary considerably without affecting the extent to which the washer flange 30 laps under the leg at opposite sides of the hole on its minor axis, as viewed in Fig. 2.

The new mount also has the advantage that oval washers 3 of special length along their major axes may be furnished to accommodate any particular angle of the furniture leg 8 relative to the floor, the other parts of the mount being standard for any angle of the leg.

By reason of the inclined seat 312 of the washer, the latter can seat itself readily and properly against the bottom of the inclined leg 8, in spite of the inclination of the assembly pin 4 relative to the plane of the bottom of the leg and the bottom of the shoe I. Also, the inclined seat 31), being approximately normal to the axis of the spring 5, holds the spring properly in position to exert the maximum thrust on the retainer 6 and the washer 3. The spring holds the retainer against the keeper 4b so that the central portion of the spring is in a plane normal to the axis of the pin but inclined at an acute angle of the bottom of the shoe I.

I have illustrated in Fig, 4 a modified arrangement of the leaf springs 6-6a which is designed particularly for a furniture leg 80 extending at right angles to the floor. As shown in Fig. 4, the leaf springs 6 and 6a. of the retainer extend at right angles to each other. In this case, the pressure of the retainer against the walls of the leg hole 80a is confined to eight points instead of four points, as in the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Instead of providing a straight assembly pin 4 with its head ofiset from the central part of the cushion 2, as shown in Fig. 1, the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5 may be used. As there shown, the assembly pin 40 has its head 40a centered in the cushion 2; but between the top of the cushion and the washer seat 3b the pin is formed with a bend 400 so that the upper portion of the pin projects from the cushion at the prescribed acute angle to the washer flange 3c and the bottom of the glider I. Thus, at the region of the washer seat 3b and beyond this seat the pin 40 extends 6 in a directionnormalto thefseat 3b and parallel to the axis of. the leg 8.

Iclaim: I 1

1. A mount for insertion in a hole in the bottom of a furniture leg, which comprises a floor-engaging element, a cushion secured to said element and positionedthereon to lie between the -bottom of theleg-and said element, a" washer overlying the cushion and supported thereon, the washer having a peripheral-portion engageable with the bottom Oithe leg aroundsaid hole and also having an opening in its central portion and a seat surrounding the opening, an assembly pin projecting upward from the cushionand through said washer opening, a compression spring coiled around thepin and engaged at its lower end on the seat, a polygonal flexible retaineron the pin having corners protruding laterally from thepin and engageable with the side walls of the leg hole to retain the mount on the leg, and a keeper -on the pin for holding the retainer down ag-ai 'nst the spring, whereby the spring is compressed between the retainer and said seat. Y

2. A mount according to claim -1, in whichthe cornersof the retainer are normally bowed downward 41).":

3. A mount according to claim 1, in which the assembly pin has a head disposed between the cushion and the floor-engaging element but spaced from said element.

4. A mount according to claim 1, comprising also a washer on the pin interposed between the retainer and the upper end of the spring.

5. A mount according to claim 1, comprising also a washer on the pin interposed between the retainer and the keeper.

6. A mount according to claim 1, in which the keeper includes nibs on the pin overlying the retainer.

7. A mount according to claim 1, in which the retainer includes a pair of superimposed leaf springs.

8. A mount for insertion in a hole in the bottom of a furniture leg extending at an acute angle to the floor, which comprises a floor-engaging element, a cushion secured to said element and positioned thereon to lie between the bottom of the leg and said element, a washer overlying the cushion and supported thereon, the washer having a generally horizontal peripheral portion engageable with the bottom of the leg around said hole and also having an opening in its central portion and a seat surrounding said opening and inclined relative to said horizontal portion, an assembly pin projecting upward from the cushion at an acute angle to said horizontal portion and extending through said washer opening, a polygonal flexible retainer on the pin above the washer and having corners protruding laterally from the pin and engageable with the side walls of the leg hole to retain the mount on the leg, a yieldable biasing member interposed between the retainer and the inclined seat, and a keeper on the pin for holding the retainer down against the biasing member, and thereby compressing said member against the seat.

9. A mount according to claim 8, in which the washer is of oval form to conform generally to the shape of the bottom of said hole.

10. A mount according to claim 8, in which the central portion of the washer is raised above the level of said horizontal portion.

11. A mount according to claim 8, in which said biasing member is a compression spring coiled around the pin.

i s 12. A mount for insertion in a hole'in the bottom of a furniture leg extending at an acute angle to the floor, which comprises a floor-engaging element having a horizontal bottom, a cushion secured to said element and positioned thereon to lie between the bottom of the leg and said element, an assembly pin projecting upward from the cushion at an acute angle to the bottom of the floor-engaging element, a polygonal flexible retainer secured to the pin above the cushion and having corners protruding laterally from the pin and engageable with the side walls of the hole to retain the mount on the leg, the central por:- tion of the retainer being in a plane normal to the pin but inclined relative to the bottom of said element, and a yieldable biasing member surrounding the pin and compressed between the retainer and the cushion, the biasing member urging said central portion of the retainer upward. v i

V 13. A mount according to claim 8, in which the assembly pin is substantially straight throughout its length, the pin having at its lower portion a head which is embedded in the cushion at a region offset laterally from the central portion of the cushion.

14. A mount according to claim 8, in which the assembly pin has at its lower portion a head embedded in the central portion of the cushion, the

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 918,082 Palmer Apr. 13, 1909 1,580,781 Fitch Apr. 13, 1926 2,155,829 Herold Apr. 25, 1939 2,238,705 Miller Apr. 15, 1941 2,513,194 Miller June 27, 1950