US2748418A - Non-binding caster - Google Patents

Description

June 5, 1956 J. ARMOUR 2,748,418

NON-BINDING CASTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1, 1955 FIG: 5 FIG 7- HCPI". 3

35 INVENTOR. Jo/m Armaur,

PM (PM ATTORNEYS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1955 INVENTOR. J0/7/7 Arman",

Paul 4- PM ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 2,748,418 NON- BINDING CASTER John Armour, Delray Beach, Fla.

Application March 1, 1955, Serial No. 491,259

9 Claims. (Cl. 16-18) This invention relates to a non-binding caster.

It is well known that conventional casters, when used in textile mills and in other places where fibers and yarns are found on floors and the like, that the fibers or yarns tend to be wrapped around the axles of casters which are rolled along the floors. For example, carts or other conveyances which are used in textile mills and supported on casters have been frequently rendered inoperative as a result of binding or locking caused by the wrapping of free fiber or yarn around the axles by the turning of the caster wheels.

Many factories have encountered a similar problem and have attempted without success to provide a caster that does not bind when exposed to fibers or yarns. in the manner heretofore indicated. Various shields or guards have been designed for application to casters, but those shields or guards have been relatively expensive and some have proved either cumbersome or at least partially ineffective.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an efiicient and inexpensive non-binding caster. Another object of this invention is to provide a simple means which may be associated with a wheel which revolves around an axle, which means prevents yarns and threads from wrapping around the axle and binding the wheel against rotation. Other objects and advantages of this invention, including the simplicity and economy of the same, will further become apparent hereinafter and in the drawings whereof:

Fig. 1 represents a view in perspective illustrating one specific form of non-binding caster constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectional View through the caster, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows II--II which appear in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 represent sectional views taken as indicated by the lines and arrows III-III and IV-IV respectively which appear in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 represents a view in side elevation of a rotatable cutter member of the non-binding caster illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 represents a view similar to Fig. 5, of the stationary cutter member illustrated in Fig. 1;

Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar to Figs. 5 and 6 showing modified forms of rotatable and stationary cutter members, respectively; and

Fig. 9 represents a view in perspective, partially broken away, showing a preferred form of the invention.

Turning now to the specific form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-6 of the drawings, the number 10 designates a movable body member such as a wagon, cart or the like which is supported on a yoke member 11 by means of a conventional vertical pivot which includes a corresponding bearing member 12. Extending transversely through the arms of the yoke 11 is an axle 13 which supports a plurality of roller bearings 14 supporting a wheel 15. The construction and arrangement just 2,748,418 Patented June 5, 1956 described is quite conventional and may represent any one of a variety of standard casters presently available.

In accordance with this invention, cutter means are provided intermediate the yoke 11 and the wheel 15. As illustrated in Figs. 1-6 of the drawings, the cutter means includes a rotatable cutter disc 16 having on its outer peripheral edge a plurality of teeth 17. The rotatable cutter disc 16 is secured by pins 20 to an outer bearing race 18, which is fixed to the wheel 15, whereby the disc 16 rotates about the axle 13 along with the wheel 15.

Outwardly of and immediately adjacent to the rotatable cutter disc 16 is a stationary cutter disc 21 which has around its outer periphery a plurality of teeth 22. A spring clip 23 which is afiixed by a pin 24 to a yoke 11, resiliently bears against the stationary cutter disc 21 which has a key 25 extending into a keyway 26 formed in the axle 13.

A spring member 27 is disposed around the axle 13 intermediate the yoke 11 and the stationary cutter disc 21, urging cutter disc 21 against cutter disc 16 and urging both discs toward the wheel 15.

It will accordingly be appreciated that, when the wheel 15 is rolled along a supporting surface S in the presence of a fiber F, and the fiber F attains a position where it would tend to wrap around the axle 13, the fiber is severed by the relatively rotating cutter members 16, 21 and the fiber is accordingly prevented from wrapping around the axle 13. It will be appreciated that any given fiber may be severed once or any number of times by the relatively revolving cutter members, eliminating any possibility that the fiber might wrap around the axle 13.

It will further be appreciated that means are provided for urging the cutter members tilghtly against the caster Wheel 15 and for continuously maintaining the cutters under pressure against the wheel 15, thereby preventing the entry of fibers between the wheel and the adjacent cutter and between the cutters themselves. It will further be apparent that the outer stationary cutter serves as a guard for the inner rotatable cutter and may be sealed to the axle 13 to prevent the entry of fibers between the cutter and the axle.

Figs. 7 and 8 show cutters which are revolved relative to one another in the manner heretofore shown and described. The cutter discs of Figs. 7 and 8 have cutter members 30, 31 of substantially rectangular form as distinguished from the substantially triangular cutter teeth 17, 22 illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig. 9 shows a preferred form of the invention. The inner cutter 40 is vulcanized or otherwise afiixed to the wheel and has an open central portion to permit removal of the roller bearings 14. The outer cutter 41 is maintained against the inner cutter 40 by a spring clip 42 which is seated in a groove 43. Outer cutter 41 is keyed or otherwise afiixed to the shaft 13 as heretofore described or in any desired manner.

It will be appreciated that various forms of relatively rotatable cutter means may be substituted for the specific forms shown in the drawings, without departing from the scope of this invention. It will further be understood that other structural means may be resorted to for insuring their relative rotation. For example, the drawings show the innermost cutter as rotatable and the outermost cutter as stationary. This arrangement may be reversed or means may be provided for merely rotating the cutters at different speeds or in opposite directions. All such modifications are within the spirit and scope of this invention.

It will further be appreciated that, by providing a spring clip 23 which exerts a suflicient resilient force upon the outer cutter member, it is not always necessary to provide an additional spring member 27. Similarly, any other resilient means may be substituted for either spring member-- 23or 27, orboth, provided an operative means is supplied for insuring the relative rotation of the cutter members and their snug engagement with the sideso f the from the spirit and scope of-this invention as defined in' the appended claims.

Having thus described myinventiomI claim:

1. A non-binding caster comprising a yoke, a shaft extending through said yoke, a wheel-car1-ied on said shaft within said yoke, andcutter means intermediate the yoke and wheel,- said cutter means including a pair of adjacent,

rubbing cutter discs which are smaller than the diameter of the wheel and movable relative to one another when said wheel-is rotated.

2. The caster defined in claim 1, wherein the cutter discs include an inner cutter dtsc which is fixed for rota tion with the wheel and an outer cutter disc which is fixed against-rotation relative to said yoke.

3. The caster defined in claim 2-, wherein spring means extend intermediate said yoke and said outer cutter urging said outer cutter toward said inner cutter.

4. The caster defined in claim 3, wherein the spring meansis a resilient clip fixed to the inside of the-yoke arid adjacent theshaft. V

5; In a non-binding; caster, the combination comprising a support, an axle supported by the supportand fixed against rotation thereon, a wheel rotatable on said; axle relative to said support, acutter disc adjacent said wheel and secured for rotation with said-wheel, another cutter disc parallel to and immediately adjacent the fir st mentioned cutter disc, andfinrubbing contact therewith, and

means securing said other cutter, disc against rotation relative to said axle, said cutter discs having at their peripheral edges a pair ofnlatching rows of 'adjacent, coacting cutter teeth, and both said cutter discsbeing of substantially less diameter than the outside diameter of said wheel.

6. A non-binding caster comprising spaced supports, a shaft extending between said supports, said shaft being non-rotatably connected toatleast one of said supports, a wheel mounted for rotation on saidshaft, a plurality of bearings intermediate the wheel and shaft, an outer bearing race fixed tosaid wheel, cuttermeans-adjacent the wheel and fixed tosaidrace for rotation about said shaft with said race, and another cutter means adjacent the first mentioned cutter means andkeyedtothe shaft.

7. The non-binding caster defined in claim 6, wherein spring means are provided between the support and said other cutter means urging said other cutter means against said first mentioned cutter means, and urgingboth said cutter means against the wheel i 8. A- non-bindingpcaster comprising a support, a shaft supported by saidsupport, a wheel carried on said shaft, a rotatable cutter disc vulcanized tosaid wheel, a statienary cutter disc fixed relative to saidisha ft, and means maintaining said cutter discsin rubbing contact. with one another so that said disc have a cooperative cutting action when said wheel is revolved about said shaft.

9. The caster defined in claim 8, wherein bearings a e providedintermediate said wheel and said shaft, and said rotatable cutter disc has an open central pottionofa size to permit access to said bearings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTSv 337,174 Love I Mar. 2, 1885 1,991,305 Willits Feb. 1 2,"19'35' 2,496,327 Beck F, n, 7, 1950 2,666,570 Howard Ian 19 19 54

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