US647675A - Ball-caster. - Google Patents

Description

No. 647,675. Patented Apr. I7, |900.

J. S. KUCH.

BALL CASTER.

(Application led Feb. 5, 1900.)

Patented Apr. I7, |900.

J. S. KOCH.

BALL EASTER.

(Application med Feb. 5, 1900.)

(No Model.)

fggyel l l Il l I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

"NrTi-:D STATES PATENT Prion.

JAMES S. KOCH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES J. FOX, OF- SAME PLACE.

BALL-CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,675, dated April 17, 1900. Application iiled'lehruary 5, 1900. Serial No. 3,969. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES S. KOCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in -Ball- Bearing Casters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to a caster of the ball-bearing type for furniture and other simi-` lar articles; and in such connection it relates to the particular construction of the easter proper and the arrangement of the ball-bearings within the caster proper for the casterball to travel in engagement therewith within the housing of the caster, so as to permit of the free revolution or movement of the caster-ball about and in contact with said ball-bearings without comparatively any f riction and without the caster-ball becoming set against free movement thereof. r

The principal object of my present invention is to provide a comparatively simple, durable, and effective non-frictional or ballbearing caster for furniture and other similar articles in which the caster proper, with its parts for the reception and retention of the ball-bearings of the caster-ball, are so arranged as that the ball will be always pr0p-' erly poised and positioned to insure free movement of the ball about the ball-bearings and in Contact with the peripheral surface of the same Without possibility of the ball becoming set.

My invention, stated in general terms, consists of a ball-bearing caster when constructed and arranged in substantially the manner hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in-connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which- Figure lis a front elevational view of a caster in one of the forms embodying features of my present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper threaded portion or shank of the caster adapted to be tted into the leg of an article of furniture. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the caster-ball housing with its iianged seat for engagement with an article of furniture. Fig. t is a vertical sectional view of the caster of Fig. 1 and in elevation the caster-ball seated on ballbearings and held in the housing. Fig. 5 is an underneath plan view of the doublegrooved seat of the caster with the balls which form the bearings for the casterball and mounted and adapted to travel in the grooves of the said seat by the action of the casterball in contact therewith. Fig. 6 is an ele-` vational view of a slightly-modilied form of caster embodying certain additional features of my present invention. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the caster of Fig. 6, with its hollow shank and with its inner flange or rim. Fig. Sis a vertical sectional view of Fig. 6, showing the internal arrangement of the caster and in elevation the caster-ball in contact with its ballbearings within the housing therefor. Fig. 9 is an elevational View of the upper doublegrooved ball-bearing seat and spindle for the engagement of the latter in the upper portion or shank of the caster-body, and Fig. 10 is an underneath plan view of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the housing of the caster, consisting, in the construction and arrangement of the caster as illustrated in Figs. l to 4, inclusive, of a barrel or tube a, having a tapered lower end a', as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and with an upper ange a2, forming a seat for engaging the article of furniture or the like. The flange has openings a3 therein to permit of the insertion of screws or pinsthrough the flange and into the article to which the caster is to be secured. The interior of the barrel ct is threaded, as at a4, for receiving and securing thereto the upper portion or member l) with its hollow shank b.

b2 is a double-grooved seat located within the .tube or barrel a, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. The seat b2 has two circular or con'- centric grooves or channels b3 and bs, which are adapted to contain, preferably, two series of different-sized small balls b4 and b5. The inner groove b3 is located above the plane of the outer groove be, so that the two series of balls in position in the circular or concentric grooves will occupy different planes with respect to each other, considered as to their se- IOO i barrel a;

d is the caster-ball, mounted in the housing, so as to freely turn or revolve in engagement with the two series of ball-bearings b4 and b5 beyond the center with the peripheral surface of the caster-ball d in the rotation or movement of the same withV comparatively little or no friction and without said ball be.

coming set against movement due to eXtraneous or other causes brought to bear against the same, but always by reason of the character of the bearing-points, as well as the relation of such points tothe caster-ball with an easy and practically frictionless action in any movement of the said caster-ball in connection with an article of furniture.

In Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, the construction of the caster is thesame as hereinbefore explained, withthe exception that the seat b2, as illustrated in Fig. 8, and the balls inthe grooves located in different 4planes and contacting at different points with the peripheral surface of the caster-ball cl, are slightlycloser together, speaking of' the same with respect to their series arrangement, and the periphery of which seat b2 is in sliding con tact with the rim or projection b9 of the upper member b. The seat b2, as shown, iits snugly against the surface of the upper member or plate b, and its spindle 196 lits into the hollow shank of the said plate b, whereby is afforded a slight range of rotary movement induced by the two series of balls b4 and b5, contacting with the cas-v ter-ball d. In the construction of the outer barrel or tube ct of the caster proper, near the lower end a on the inner surface, is provided a groove a5 to form a seat for a series of small balls as, ladapted to become `a slight bearing point or surface for the caster-ball d in the direction of a point central to a line through the caster-ball d to thereby steady the same and at'the same time to support theball at three circumferential points or surfaces, and to thereby avoid jamming or setting through extraneous influences brought' to bear upon the caster-ball d in action. By arranging the member b with a threaded plate and threading the interior of the lower member or housing a the two parts of the caster may be quickly and readily separated for the-purpose of repairs, dac.

Having thus described the nature and object of my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A ball-bearing caster, comprising an upper member or plate' provided with a hollow shank, a seat provided with a double-grooved face and with a spindle fitting into the shank 'of said plate, the grooves of said seat being arrangedin different planes to each other,

' balls mounted in said grooves or channels,a

caster-ball engaging said balls and a housing surrounding said parts and compassing a portion ofsaid caster-ball, substantiallv as and for the purposes described.

2. A ball-bearing caster provided with an upper member or plate having a shank, a double-grooved seat for the reception of balls and having a spindle engaging the shank of said plate, a caster-ball adapted to engage with the balls in series of said seat, a housing provided with a groove near the lower end and provided therein with a series of balls adapted `to contact with theperiphery of said casterball, the construction and arrangement being such, that the balls of said seat and balls of said housing form three bearin g points or surfaces for said caster-hall, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. A ball-bearing caster provided with an upper member or plate with a hollow shank,

,a double grooved or channeled seat with a spindle, said seat engaging said plate and the spindle engagin gin said shank and the grooves of said seat being arranged in diiferent planes, balls of different sizes in detachable engagement with said grooves, a caster-ball adapted to peripherally engage said two series of balls, and a housing partially compassing said caster-ball and concealing said two series of balls forming the bearings for said caster-ball and the seat thereof, substantially las and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set -my signature in the presence' of two subscribing witnesses.

` JAMES S. KOCH.

Witnesses:

J. WALTER DoUGLAss, THOMAS M. SMITH.

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