US537079A - smith - Google Patents

Description

(NoModel.) Y l, W. TfsMTfL GATBR.

No. 537,079. Patented Apr. 9, 1895.'

5ML/vanto@ l ALJ.- M Y m10., WASHINGTON. u. c.

NITE STATES PATENT EFICEel WILLIAM T. sMITH, Vor BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AssIeNoR VTo THE WILLIAM HNARE a oo. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, oF sAME PLACE.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,079, dated April 9, 1895.

Appnaaon nearebmry 9,1895. serial No. 537,797. m man Be it known that I, WILLIAM'T. SMITH, of

Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have in-V vented certain new and useful Improvements in Roller-Casters; and I do hereby declare the following to4 be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. ro My invention relates to an improvementin roller casters, and it consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims. I5 In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 Y represents a view of my improvement;`and

Fig. 2 is a view in section of the same.

A represents the horn,which is preferably of' the form in common use, and to which the roller B is attached in the usual manner.

Bf is a spindle projecting upwardly from thehorn and provided nearits upper end with an annular groove b, in which rests the free end of pin c, while the opposite end thereof is secured in the side wall of socket C. Thus it will be seen that spindle B is movably secured within socket C through the medium of pin c. Socket O is provided with an extended outwardly projecting flange d having countersunk holes therein for the reception of screws, by means of which the caster is secured in its operative position. Interposed between the upper face of horn A and the lower surface of flange d, is spring D, which latter is preferably of the form shown in the drawings. The coiled portion e which encircles spindle B rests on the horn A, while the outwardly and upwardly extending arms f, f, bear against the under face of flange d. The spring is coiled twice around the spindle and as each end bears against the under side of the iian ge, each operates, practically, as an independent spring. When the roller is applied to an article, the springs yield or give at their outer ends while the coiled sections thereof are forced upwardly, each bend of the spring as at g acting as a fulcrum on V which the spring rests. If the weight on the caster be sufficient, the upper coil will be forced into contact with the Hangs cl, while 5o the lower coil will assist in supporting the l upper one. Thus it. will benseen that when the weightis sufficient to'overoome the spring armsf, f, the coils which operate as additional elastic supports are brought into action, and assist in sustaining the object carried by the casters. The springs being fulcrumed at the bends g can yield on both sides of the bend and thus yieldiugly sustain any object carried thereon. Y

In supporting heavy articles with casters constructed as above described, it will be seen that when the springs are fully compressed the weight is supported to a large extent by the spindles and when it is desired to change the course of the rollers, considerable power is required to revolve the spindles in the sockets, as the former have a tendency to bind in the latter, and hence in order to overcome this difficulty and to render the opera- 7o tion of the spindles active, I have located on the upper ends of said spindles ball bearings h, which latter also bear against the inner top surface of the sockets, tlierebyre` moving friction and rendering the spindles more easy of operation.

It is evident that changes in the construction and relative arrangement of the several part-s might be made without avoiding my invention and hence I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the particular construction and a1 rangement of parts shown and described, but, l

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an article of manufacture, a caster consisting of a socket, a horn having a roller therein, said horn havinga shank inserted in the socket, one of said parts provided with a wide annular groove and the other with means projecting into the groove to prevent the parts from being separated but to permit a limited vertical play relative to each other, rollers confined betweenthe shank and inner end of the socket and a spring interposed between the horn and socket, substantially as set forth.

2. As an article of manufact-nre, a caster In testimony whereof I have signed this comprisnga. socket, ahorn the shank of which specification in the presence of two subscribis fitted to and adapted to turn in the socket, ing witnesses.

and a spring` consisting,lr of a piece of spring WM. T, SMIT] I. wire bent around the shank of thehorn and Witnesses: its ends bent outward to bezu on the socket, CHAS. L. HUTCHNS,

substantially as set forth. C. I. DUNN.

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