US314949A - Caster - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

S. O. MENDENHALL.

.OASTEIL Patentd Mar. 31, 18 85.

FIGJ.

STATES ATENT @FFICE.

STEPHEN C. MENDENI-IALL, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ?atent No. 314,949. dated March 31, 1885.

Application filed August 22, 188-1. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN O. Manner:- HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, ayne county Indiana, (present business address Gincinnati,in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furniture-Casters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to stemcasters; audit consists in a peculiar method of constructing a chamber for loose horizontal anti-friction rollers and in the means for holding the parts of such chamber and consequently the rollers therein contained together.

The socket or pod of my improved caster has at bottom a flange from which a rim projects downwardly. The upper part of the fork or saddle is flattened into the form of a circular disk of such size as to fit loosely within the socketrim, and horizontal anti-friction rollers rest upon and are carried by the said circular disk. The spindle,which is fixed to the saddle,passes centrally between the anti friction rollers, thus having free horizontal bearing. The spindle is held in place and the several parts of the caster thus held together by a screw, pin, or equivalent projection in the pod or socket entering an annular groove in the spindle.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure I is a perspective view of my improved caster. Fig. II is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. III is a side elevation of the saddle, floor-wheel, and spindle. Fig. IV is an under side view of the socket-plate, showing the anti-friction rollers.

The shell top or socket of my improved caster may consist of cast-iron or other cast metal, and has the customary tubular portion or stem A to occupy the orifice in the foot of the piece of furniture. The socket A is provided below with flange B,carrying on its under side a rim, 0, forming a cup. The socket is attached to the furniture-leg by screws passing through the countersunk holes (1, provided therefor in the flange B. The floor-wheel J is supported in a yoke or saddle, G, in customary manner, and the top of said saddle is flattened out in the form of a circular disk, as shown at D. The upper face of the disk D is made perfectly smooth, and the horizontal anti-friction rollers I are laid thereon. The spindle F is formed integrally with the saddle, and arranged to pass centrally between the rollers I, the shouldered portion f of the spindle finding thus horizontal bearing against said rollers. The rollers I are without trunnions or bearings. They move freely with the saddle and spindle,and are of a diameter equal to the width of the annular chamber formed between the spindle and the rim 0, so as to prevent any loose motion of the spindle. For convenience of representation, the rollers are shown in Fig. IV of somewhat less than proper diameter. It will be seen that when the spindle is placed in the socket the disk D and rim or cup 0 will retain the rollers in place, and

all the parts are then secured together by a screw, pin, or other projection, E, entering an annular groove,e,in the spindle. In a spindle of this construction all vertical strain is transmitted to the spindle through its conical top f, between which and the socket there can be little friction, and the strain upon the rollers I is horizontal only. There is no possibility of the rollers being so jammed together as to prevent the spindle from moving freely.

Great economy and simplicity in the male ing of a non-separating caster is effected by having the roller-supporting disk formed integrally with the saddle so that the whole device is held together by a single screw or pin.

I am aware that it has before been proposed to employ loose vertical anti-friction rolls supported within a rim of the furniture attachment by a housing or saddle, which rolls have been employed for equalizing the vertical strain on the caster.

I am aware also thatit has before been pro posed to take up vertical strain on a caster by means of anti-friction balls inserted between the top plate and saddle.

I am also aware that horizontal rolls having fixed axles have been placed in a chamber in the furniture-top for taking up lateral strain of the spindle.

I am also aware that it is not broadly new to use a stud or pin for retaining the spindle in the socket of a non-separating caster.

That which it is desired to claim in the pres ent application is such a combination of these various elements as shall produce a neat and simple non-separating casterin which all vertical strain of the furniture is supported di- 5 rectly upon the top of the spindle,while lateral strain is taken up by loose anti-friction rolls supported by a disk on the spindle.

Having thus described my invention, the following is What I claim as new therein and I0 desire to secure by Letters Patent:

Ina caster for furniture and other purposes, the combination, with a socket or stem having a circular flange, B, at bottom, screw-holes a near the margin ofsaid flange, adownwardlyc5 projecting circular rim upon said flange in-

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