US285912A - Furniture-caster - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

D. C. MEEHAN.

FURNITURE GASTBR. No.' 285,912. Patented oct. 2, 1823.

UNTTED STATES ATENT trice.

DAviD c. Munn/xiv, or coLnMBUS, GHI@ FURNITUREwCASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 285,91?, dated October 2, 1883.

v Application filed May 1, 1893. `(No model.)

To all zoll/0m, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID (l. MEEHAN, of Columbus, in the eouilty of Franklin and State ol' Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Furnitnre-Casters, ot' which the following is a clear, full, and exact description, reference beingI had to the accompanying drawings, making a part ot' this specification, in which- Figure lA is a perspective view of a 'furniturecaster with my ilnprovemeilts attached. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same with the rear wheel removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a: .fr ol' Fig. 2. Fig. 4; is a bearing- Vframe with an oscillating axle. Fig. 5 .is an elevation ot one of my improved wheels. Fig. (i is a separate view of the axle with its inclined pivot or spindle.

My invention relates to that class of casters commonly known as plate-castersf7 and it consists i n the several combinations of devices hereinafter explained and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the exact manner in which I `have carried it out.

The usual manner ot' making plate-casters is to provide the plate with a large center piece or ste1n,of a diameter about equal to one-half ofthe diameter of the plate, and which projects up into a hole made in the furniture, leaving only a narrow outside annular space for screwholes, if the caster be applied to the legs of a chair, thus rendering the caster very insecure. To overcome this difficulty I avoid entirely the use of the large central stem, and provide steadying-pins, (one or more,) cast near the periphery of the plate, with holes between for the reception of screws or nails for securing the plates in position. I also make my plates slightly dished out in the center to avoid rocking and to compensate for any slight irregularities ofthe surface to which the plate is to be applied. rllhis I am enabledto do by avoiding the use of the central stem.

In the drawings, A represents the plate by which the caster is attached to the furniture, provided with one or more steadying-pins7 B, and holes for screws or nails. The central piece being omitted l'rom my improved plate, there is no central hole, and this enables me to pass the screws or nails diagonallyacross the grain oi" the wood, thus giving them a firm hold on the it'urniture-a great advantage gained over screws or nails passed straight with the grain of the wood, as isnecessary with the present construction of the plate.

The oscillating axle C is cast with the lugs l) on its upper edge to bind against each side ot' the shank or central. bearingi'rame, E, as shown in Fig. 4, thus allowing the lower portion of the axle a sufficient .play through the bearing-frame to give oscillation. to the axle and to the wheels F. After the axle has been cast,it is set up in the mold, and the bearingframe E is cast around it, and to prevent the metal el the bearing-trame from sticking to the axle'in the mold the center of the axle, between thelugs l is covered with sand, shellac, or other suitable substance. By this construction I secure within the bearing-frame a cheap and efficient oscillating axle :t'or the wheels of a caster.

rlhe wheels of casters are usually made with plain concave sides, which, in brass, require much time to iinish up. By my manner of making the wheels I secure a much cheaper finish and at the saine time handsome ornamentation. I cast the wheel with a portion of the web on the same plane and a portion of it sunken below the plane. For instance, I may cast the hub, spokes, and rim ofthe wheel on the same plane and sink the rest of the wheel below the plane, as shown in Fig. 5. By a single stroke on an emery wheel or belt, the raised parts d of the wheel are perfectly iinished, leaving the depressed portions e rough and forming a beautiful contrast. I- do not mean to limit myself to any particular design or to any particular parts of the wheel to .bc raised or sunk, as these may be greatly varied. Vhcn iron wheels are cast inthis forni, they may be japanned in any desired color, and when dry the japan should be ground oli' the raised parts. rlhe wheel may then `be put through a copper bath inthe usual way, when the raised parts will present a beautiful cop` per finish, andthe depressed portions japanned in /any desired color. By thus casting the wheels with a portion of the surfacev sunken, the c'ost of finishing` is greatly reduced, and at the same time an ornamentation secured which will add greatly to popular demand for the. caster. It ,isevident that the raised parts of the wheel maybe on the same or on different planes 'without departing,` from the spirit of `my invention. Y

I am aware that a caster-plate provided with a central opening to secure the holding` of the plate to the furniture has been provided with small pins or teeth to keep the plate from turning; but such is not my invention. My pins B receive the thrust and steady the caster in place, while the small screw serves to hold the plate in contact with the furniture.

Having` thus explained my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y l. In a' furniture-easter, a plate provided with two or more steadying-pins on its upper face away from the center, and with apendent stem, in combi-nation with a lcaster frame swiveled on said stem, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. n

2. The central bearing-frame, E, in combination with the loosely-fitting oscillating aXle` C, provided with the lugs D, or their equivalents, substantially as and for the purpose set 3o forth.

DAVID C. MEEHAN.

Wi tn esses:

DAVID T. RAMSEY, JOSEPH M. LOWE.

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