US3801129A

US3801129A - Roller structures with thread guards

Info

Publication number: US3801129A
Application number: US00313782A
Authority: US
Inventors: B Kotzin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-12-11
Filing date: 1972-12-11
Publication date: 1974-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-02

Abstract

It is well known that the operation of caster wheels or rollers is frequently impeded by the accumulation of threads between these rollers and a bifurcated support or horn normally used to support them. Such interference can be prevented and/or minimized through the use of guard structures on each of the sides of the roller. Such structures should be formed so as to have outer edges fitting in circular recesses in the sides of the wheel. Such a guard structure should, also, be formed so as to extend from such a recess to the surfaces of the legs of the horn remote from the wheel. Preferably the guard structure also includes a hook extending between it and such legs in the areas where the legs straddle the wheel.

Description

United States Patent Kotzin, J r.

Apr. 2, 1974 [54] ROLLER STRUCTURES WITH THREAD GUARDS [76] Inventor: Bernard Kotzin, Jr., 7411 Flight Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90045 [22] Filed: Dec. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 313,782

[52] U.S. Cl. 280/158 R, 16/41 [51] Int. Cl. B60s 1/68 [58] Field of Search 280/158 R; 16/41;

301/37 SC, 37 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,432,966 10/1922 Chestnut 16/41 1,563,152 11/1925 Bowen 16/41 3,222,708 12/1965 Butsch 16/41 2,742,663 4/1956 Meadows 16/41 3,127,190 3/1964 Thesmar 280/158 R Primary ExaminerRobert R. Song [57] ABSTRACT It is well known that the operation of caster wheels or rollers is frequently impeded by the accumulation of threads between these rollers and a bifurcated support or horn normally used to support them. Such interference can be prevented and/or minimized through the use of guard structures on each of the sides of the roller. Such structures should be formed so as to have outer edges fitting in circular recesses in the sides of the wheel. Such a guard structure should, also, be formed so as to extend from such a recess to the surfaces of the legs of the horn remote from the wheel. Preferably the guard structure also includes a hook extending between it and such legs in the areas where the legs straddle the wheel.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED APR 2 I974 ivwzv Q ROLLER STRUCTURES WITH THREAD GUARDS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is primarily directed towards roller structures and more specifically to so-called caster structures. Roller structures of the type to which this invention pertains are widely utilized in hand trucks and a number of other different items for the purpose of supporting these things so that they can be conveniently moved from one location to another. It is considered that present-day roller structures are exceedingly advantageous and utilitarian for most applications.

However, when such structures are utilized in the garment and realted industries a problem has been encountered with them. This problem relates to the fact that as known roller structures are used threads tend to adhere to the rollers for wheels used in them. As these rollers or wheels are turned, these threads tend to accumulate between the commonly used bifurcated supports or horns for supporting these rollers or wheels and such rollers or wheels. Such accumulation in time tends to severly impede normal roller or wheel movement. The obvious remedy for this if, of course, to clean out any accumulation of such threads. This is undesirable because it tends to be both somewhat timeconsuming and somewhat laborious.

A number of structures have been proposed in an effort to combat this problem of thread accumulation. Several such structures are shown in the prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,470,557 issued Oct. 7. 1969, entitled Roller Structure. While the prior structures shown in this patent and other related structures are of a ultilitarian character it is not considered that they are as desirable from a commercial standpoint as they might be. The reason for this are considered to be unimportant to an understanding of the present invention. In spite of the existence of these prior structures it is considered that there exists a continuing need for new and improved roller structures, and more specifically, for roller structures to be utilized in the garment and related industries.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A broad objective of this invention is to fulfill this need. Thus, the invention is intended to provide new and improved roller structures and more specifically roller structures such as are used in casters and the like which can be effectively utilized in application where there is a significant possibility of their operation being impeded or interfered with as the result of thread accumulation. A related objective is to provide roller structures which are constructed in such a manner that such accumulation is effectively prevented and/or minimized because of the nature of these structures.

A further objective of the invention is to provide roller structures as are indicated in the preceding discussion which may be easily and conveniently constructed at a comparatively nominal cost. The invention is, also, intended to provide roller structures capable of prolonged reliable performance. The invention is further intended to provide roller structures which may be easily disassembled for servicing and related problems if such servicing should be required for any reason.

In accordance with this invention these objectives are achieved in a roller structure having a conventionally dish shaped wheel, a bifurcated horn or support having legs straddling the wheel and an axle supporting the wheel by providing the improvement which comprises: a circular recess located within each of the sides of the wheel and a guard structure located at each of the sides of the wheel, each of the guard structures having an outer edge extending in a path corresponding to the curvature of the recess adjacent to it and extending into this recess so as to be spaced inwardly of the side of the wheel. Portions of each of the guard structures used extend from adjacent to their outer edges to a surface of an adjacent leg remote from the wheel. Preferably the guard structures extend between the legs and the wheels and have what may be referred to as a hook means extending across the space between the guard structure and the adjacent leg.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention is best more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing since a summary such as the preceding is inherently incapable of indicating many facets and features of an invention. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of a presently preferred embodiment or form of a roller structure in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a modified guard structure in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 5 is a side-elevational view of a further modified guard structure in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a partial side-elevational view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing a further modified guard structure in accordance with this invention.

The accompanying drawing is primarily intended to indicate for explanatory purposes several presently preferred embodiments or forms of structures falling within the scope of the inventive concepts verbally set forth and defined in the appended claims. It will be realized by those skilled in the field of roller structures that these concepts may be utilized in a number of somewhat differently appearing and somewhat differently constructed roller structures through the use of normal routine engineering skill of ability.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In FIG. 1 of the drawing there is shown a roller structure 10 having a bifurcated support or horn 12 which is provided with a conventional base 14 adapted to be mounted in an established manner. This base 14 carries generally parallel legs 16 having ends 18 located adjacent to and spaced from sides 20 of a generally dishshaped roller or wheel 22. This wheel 22 has an axis (not separately identified) along which there extends a centrally located axial opening 24 extending between the sides 20 and a conventional roller surface or periphery 26. The wheel 22 may conveniently be formed out of a conventional hard rubber or related polymer composition in accordance with established practice.

Preferably, but not necessarily, a metallic cylindrical bearing 28 is located so as to fit closely within the opening 24. This bearing 28 is designed to rotate about a similar cylindrical bearing sleeve 30 located within it and within the opening 24. Within the structure a bolt 32 extends through openings 34 in the legs 16 and through the sleeve 30 so as to serve as an axle for the wheel 22. This bolt 32 has a conventional head 36 and a conventional nut 38 which rest against surfaces 40 of the legs 16 which are spaced from the wheel 22. This bolt 32 also extends through centrally located openings 42 in guards 44 so as to clamp these guards 44 between the legs 16 and the ends (not numbered) of the bearing sleeve 30.

These guards 44 are of a dish-like shape and have concave surfaces 46 facing the sides of the wheel 22. these surfaces 46 terminate in outer edges 48 which extend into circular recesses 50 centered about the opening 24. These outer edges 48, thus, extend in a path corresponding to the curvature of the recesses 50. These outer edges 48 fit within these recesses 50 so as to be spaced inwardly of the sides 20. The guards 44 are held between the legs 16 and the sleeve 30 so that the surfaces 46 and the outer edges 48 do not bear against the wheel 22 in such a manner as to impede rotation of this wheel 22.

Each of the guards 44 carries a number of fingers 52 which extend from the outer edges 48 so as to overlie the surfaces 40 of the legs 16. Preferably three of these fingers 52 are used as shown. These fingers 52, thus, constitute portions of what may be regarded as complete guard structures (not separately numbered) each of which constitutes one of the guards 44 and the fingers 52 carried by it.

The complete structure 10 also preferably includes what may be regarded as a hook means 54 extending from each of the guards 44 to in contact with one of the legs 16. These hook means 54 are located generally between these legs 16 and the wheel 22 as shown. These hook means 54 operate in conjunction with the fingers 52 as the structure 10 is used.

When this structure is used in an area where threads will tend to adhere to the wheel 22, such threads will be picked up by the periphery 26. Usually the majority of them will extend along the sides 20 as the wheel 22 is turned. During such rotation these threads will be deflected away from the wheel 22 by the fingers 52. These fingers 52 are located so as to extend generally from the recesses 50 in such a manner that such threads will not get between the sides 20 and the wheel 22 and the guards 44 during this rotation. As the wheel 22 continues to turn this alone will tend to prevent thread accumulation which might interfere with the operation of the roller structure 10. However, some of such threads will be caught upon the hook means 54 so as to tend to be broken off in such a manner that the operation of the wheel 22 will not be significantly interfered with.

In the structure 10 the fingers 52 are directly secured to the guards 44 as by welding or other techniques. These fingers 52 may, however, be formed in other manners such as by bending back extending tabs 56 on a guard 58 as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing. If desired, the guard 58 used need not be of a complete circular dish shape, but can be of a partial dish shape as shown by the guard 60 in FIG. 5. This guard 60 is provided with fingers 52 which are merely stamped out of its central region 64. If desired, the fingers 62 used can merely be wires 66 extending from a guard 68 corresponding to the guards 44 previously described as indicated in FIG. 7 of the drawing. In the interest of brevity, all other parts in FIG. 7 are not separately indicated herein and are designated in the drawing by the numerals previously used to designate such parts.

I claim:

1. A roller structure having:

a generally dish-shaped wheel, said wheel having an axis, a centrally located axial opening extending along said axis, a circular periphery and opposed, parallel sides,

a bifurcated horn having legs located with respect to said wheel so that said legs straddle said wheel, said legs having ends located adjacent to said axial opening at both of the said sides of said wheel,

an axle extending through said axial opening and supported on said ends of said legs, said axle serving to rotatably mount said wheel upon said horn,

in which the improvement comprises:

a circular recess located within each of said sides of said wheel, said recesses being centered about said axis and being spaced from said axial opening,

a guard structure located at each of said sides of said wheel,

each of said guard structures having an outer edge extending in a path corresponding to the curvature of one of said recesses, said outer edges fitting within said recesses so as to be spaced inwardly of said sides of said wheel within said recesses,

portions of each of said guard structures extending from adjacent to said outer edges to a surface of one of said legs remote from said wheel,

said guard structures being held by contact with said legs so as to be incapable of being rotated with said wheel,

said wheel being capable of being rotated about said axis with respect to said guard structures and said legs,

said guard structures serving to engage threads adhering to said periphery of said wheel during the use of said roller structure as said wheel is rotated so as to deflect such threads so as to tend to prevent their accumulation between said legs and said wheel.

2. A roller structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

portions of said guard structures extend between said legs and said wheel.

3. A roller structure as claimed in claim 2 including:

hook means spaced from said axle located on each of said guard structures so as to extend from each of said guard structures to against one of said legs.

4. A roller structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

each of said guard structures includes an inwardly facing dish-shaped guard located between one of said legs and one of said sides of said wheel, and deflectors secured to each of said guards and overlying the surface of the adjacent one of said legs remote from said wheel.

5. A roller structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

each of said guard structures includes an inwardly facing dish-shaped guard located between one of said legs and one of said sides of said wheel, and deflectors secured to each of said guards and overlying the surface of the adjacent one of said legs remote from said wheel,

each of said guard structures includes a dish-shaped guard having a centrally located opening, said guards being located so that the concave surfaces thereof face said sides of said wheel and so that said axle extends through said openings in said guards,

each of said guard structures also includes a plurality of deflectors secured to the dish-shaped guard in said structure, said deflectors overlying the surface of one of said legs which is remote from said wheel,

said whee] structure includes a bearing sleeve located around said axle which is not intended to rotate with said wheel,

the ends of said bearing sleeve engaging said guards so as to serve to maintain the spacing between said guards so as to preclude said guards from engaging said wheel in order to interfere with the rotation of said wheel,

said axle is a bolt extending through said legs, said guards and said sleeve, said bolt serving to hold the parts it extends through with respect to one another so as not to interfere with rotation of said wheel.

7. A roller structure as claimed in claim 6 including:

hook means located on each of said guards so as to extend between the guard upon which it is located to the adjacent one of said legs at one of said sides of said wheel.

Claims

1. A roller structure having: a generally dish-shaped wheel, said wheel having an axis, a centrally located axial opening extending along said axis, a circular periphery and opposed, parallel sides, a bifurcated horn having legs located with respect to said wheel so that said legs straddle said wheel, said legs having ends located adjacent to said axial opening at both of the said sides of said wheel, an axle extending through said axial opening and supported on said ends of said legs, said axle serving to rotatably mount said wheel upon said horn, in which the improvement comprises: a circular recess located within each of said sides of said wheel, said recesses being centered about said axis and being spaced from said axial opening, a guard structure located at each of said sides of said wheel, each of said guard structures having an outer edge extending in a path corresponding to the curvature of one of said recesses, said outer edges fitting within said recesses so as to be spaced inwardly of said sides of said wheel within said recesses, portions of each of said guard structures extending from adjacent to said outer edges to a surface of one of said legs remote from said wheel, said guard structures being held by contact with said legs so as to be incapable of being rotated with said wheel, said wheel being capable of being rotated about said axis with respect to said guard structures and said legs, said guard structures serving to engage threads adhering to said periphery of said wheel during the use of said roller structure as said wheel is rotated so as to deflect such threads so as to tend to prevent their accumulation between said legs and said wheel.

2. A roller structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: portions of said guard structures extend between said legs and said wheel.

3. A roller structure as claimed in claim 2 including: hook means spaced from said axle located on each of said guard structures so as to extend from each of said guard structures to against one of said legs.

4. A roller structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: each of said guard structures includes an inwardly facing dish-shaped guard located between one of said legs and one of said sides of said wheel, and deflectors secured to each of said guards and overlying the surface of the adjacent one of said legs remote from said wheel.

5. A roller structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: each of said guard structures includes an inwardly facing dish-shaped guard located between one of said legs and one of said sides of said wheel, and deflectors secured to each of said guards and overlying the surface of the adjacent one of said legs remote from said wheel, portions of said guard structures extend between said legs and said wheel, and including, hook means spaced from said axle located on each of said guard structures so as to extend from each of said guard structures to against one of said legs.

6. A roller structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: each of said guard structures includes a dish-shaped guard having a centrally located opening, said guards being located so that the concave surfaces thereof face said sides of said wheel and so that said axle extends through said openings in said guards, each of said guard structures also includes a plurality of deflectors secured to the dish-shaped guard in said structure, said deflectors overlying the surface of one of said legs which is remote from said wheel, said wheel structure includes a bearing sleeve located around said axle which is not intended to rotate with said wheel, the ends of said bearing sleeve engaging said guards so as to serve to maintain the spacing between said guards so as to preclude said guards from engaging said wheel in order to interfere with the rotation of said wheel, said axle is a bolt extending through said legs, said guards and said sleeve, said bolt serving to hold the parts it extends through with respect to one another so as not to interfere with rotation of said wheel.

7. A roller structure as claimed in claim 6 including: hook means located on each of said guards so as to extend between the guard upon which it is located to the adjacent one of said legs at one of said sides of said wheel.