Roller foot for an article of furniture

A wheel-type support for an article of furniture includes a laterally extending support member defining an outwardly facing end opening and a downwardly facing recess spaced inwardly from the end opening. A wheel is positioned within the downwardly facing recess, and a wheel retainer arrangement is secured to the support member at the outwardly facing end opening. The wheel is rotatably supported by the wheel retainer arrangement. The wheel includes a central passage, and the wheel retainer arrangement includes an axle that extends through the central passage such that the wheel is rotatable on the axle. The wheel retainer arrangement also includes an axle retainer that fixes the axle on either side of the wheel, and an end member that is secured to the support member over the outwardly facing end opening.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a support for an article of furniture, and more particularly to a roller-type furniture support.

Various forms of furniture supports are known, some of which include rollers for facilitating movement of an article of furniture on a support surface such as a floor. A typical wheeled or roller-type furniture support is in the form of a caster that includes a stem, which is received within a downwardly facing passage formed in a leg or other component of the article of furniture. The stem extends upwardly from a bracket, and a roller or wheel is rotatably mounted to the bracket. A furniture support of this type is well suited for many applications, e.g. for an article of furniture such as a chair, which has vertically-extending legs and in which a certain amount of clearance between the lower end of the leg and the floor is either desirable or acceptable. This type of support is not particularly well suited for applications in which the article of furniture includes a laterally or horizontally extending support member adjacent the floor, and/or those applications in which a relatively small degree of clearance between the floor and the furniture support is required.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheeled or roller-type furniture support that is well suited for an article of furniture that has a laterally or horizontally extending support member adjacent the support surface, such as a floor. It is another object of the invention to provide such a furniture support that provides a relatively small degree of clearance between the furniture support member and the support surface, which is especially well suited for low profile furniture supports. A further object of the invention is to provide such a furniture support that is capable of blending with the exterior of the furniture support member, so as not to detract from the overall design or aesthetic of the furniture support member. Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a furniture support which involves relatively few components and which can be easily and quickly assembled to the furniture support member.

In accordance with the present invention, a wheeled or roller-type support for an article of furniture includes a laterally extending support member defining an outwardly facing end opening and a downwardly facing recess spaced inwardly from the end opening. A wheel or roller is positioned within the downwardly facing recess, and a wheel retainer arrangement is secured to the support member at the outwardly facing end opening. The wheel or roller is rotatably supported by the wheel retainer arrangement. The wheel preferably includes a central laterally extending passage, and the wheel retainer arrangement includes an axle member that extends through the central passage such that the wheel is rotatable on the axle member. The wheel retainer arrangement also preferably includes an axle retainer that fixes the axle member in a pair of locations on either side of the wheel, and an end member that is secured to the support member over the outwardly facing end opening.

The axle retainer may be in the form of an axle bracket defining a pair of spaced apart walls and a space within which the wheel is located. The axle bracket is received within a passage that extends inwardly from the open end area of the support member, and the axle is engaged with the pair of spaced apart walls of the axle bracket to fix the axle member on either side of the wheel. The support member may include a lower wall having an open area which at least partially defines the downwardly facing recess. A lower edge defined by each of the pair of walls of the axle bracket includes an axle opening facing the lower wall of the support member, and the support member lower wall functions to maintain the axle member in each axle opening when the axle bracket is received within the passage of the support member. The axle bracket may be secured to the lower wall of the support member via a fastener that extends between and is engaged with the axle bracket and the lower wall of the support member.

The support member may include a laterally extending interior wall, and the end member may be secured to the laterally extending interior wall to maintain the end member in position over the end opening of the laterally extending support member. The lower wall of the support member includes an opening, and the end member is secured to the interior wall of the support member via a fastener that is inserted through the opening of the support member and is engaged with the end member and the interior wall of the support member.

The invention also contemplates a method of mounting a wheel to a furniture support, substantially in accordance with the foregoing summary.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1illustrates a representative article of furniture, in the form of a table10, which incorporates the wheeled or roller-type furniture support in accordance with the present invention. Table10includes a table top12and a pair of end supports14that function to support table top12above a support surface, such as a floor F. End supports14are similarly constructed, and each is in the form of an inverted T-shaped support including an upright support member16connected at its upper end to the underside of table top12, and connected at its lower end to a horizontal or laterally-extending support member18. A wheeled or roller-type support20, in accordance with the present invention, is engaged at each end of laterally extending support member18, for enabling table10to be moved on floor F.

It is understood that table10is representative of any type of article of furniture in connection with which roller-type support20of the present invention may be used. Roller-type support20may be incorporated in any type of furniture other than a table, e.g. a chair, bench, desk, stool, etc., which includes a laterally extending support member located adjacent the floor.

Referring toFIGS. 2-4, laterally extending support member18of end support14includes a pair of side walls22, a top wall24, a bottom wall26and a transverse interior wall28. Representatively, laterally extending support member18may be formed of a metallic material such as aluminum in an extrusion process, although it is understood that any other satisfactory material and forming process may be employed.

Laterally extending support member18defines a laterally-facing open end at which side walls22, top wall24, bottom wall26and interior wall28terminate. The interior of laterally extending support member18is divided by interior wall28into an upper, laterally extending passage30and a lower, laterally extending passage32, both of which extend inwardly from the open end of laterally extending support member18.

A downwardly facing recess or slot34is formed in side walls22and bottom wall26of support member18. Slot34extends across the entire width of bottom wall26, and encompasses a lower portion of each side wall22. The end edges of slot34, shown at36, are located below interior wall28, such that slot34communicates between the exterior of support member18and lower passage32of support member18. A portion of lower wall26and side walls22is disposed between the outer edge of slot34and the laterally facing open end of support member18.

A countersunk fastener opening38is formed in lower wall26of support member18inwardly of the inner edge of slot34. An access opening40is formed in bottom wall26of support member18inwardly of fastener opening38.

Roller-type support20includes a wheel or roller42, an axle44, an axle support in the form of an axle bracket46, and an end member48. In a manner to be explained, these components are configured to be engaged with support member18to facilitate movement of table10on floor F using wheel or roller42.

Axle bracket46includes a top wall50within which an opening51is formed, an outer side wall52, an inner side wall54, and a mounting tab56extending from the lower end of inner side wall54. Outer and inner side walls52,54, respectively, are similarly formed, and include respective downwardly facing notches58,60, which extend upwardly from the lower edges of respective side walls52,54. Axle44includes a head62and a shank64, which has a length slightly greater than the space between axle bracket side walls52,54.

Roller42includes an outer peripheral floor-engaging rim section66and a central hub section68that defines a laterally extending central hub passage70. A pair of washers72are located adjacent the ends of hub section68. The shank64of axle44is received within notches58,60in side walls52,54, respectively, and extends through hub passage70and through washers72. The head62of axle44engages the area of outer side wall52adjacent notch58to maintain the axial position of axle44, and the end of axle shank64is received within a recess74in mounting tab56, which communicates with notch60in side wall54. The outer rim section66of roller42extends through opening51in axle bracket top wall50, and through an aligned opening76formed in interior wall28of support member18.

Axle bracket46is configured to span across slot34, so as to support roller42for rotation within slot34on axle44. The inner area of axle bracket46is maintained in position within lower passage32of support member18via a fastener, such as a screw78. The threaded shank of screw78extends through fastener opening38and into engagement with an opening80in mounting tab56, which is aligned with fastener opening38when axle bracket46is received within lower passage32of support member18. Axle bracket46is configured such that, when secured to support member18in this manner, inner side wall54is located slightly inwardly of the inner edge of slot34and outer side wall52is located slightly outwardly of the outer edge of slot34. The inner surface of support member bottom wall26cooperates with notches58,60in axle bracket side walls52,54, respectively, to maintain engagement of axle bracket side wills52,54with axle shank64in spaced locations on opposite sides of roller42.

End member48defines an upper wall82, a pair of side walls84, an end wall86and a bottom wall88. Upper wall82, side walls84and bottom wall88have a cross section that matches that of the open end of support member18such that, when end member48is secured to the open end of support member18, end member48essentially acts as a continuation of support member18to close the open end of support member18. End member48further includes a pair of guide walls89, each of which extends inwardly from the inner edge of one of side walls84. In addition, end member48includes an inwardly extending mounting tongue90having an inwardly extending barrel92, which together are configured to be received within upper passage30of support member18. Barrel92defines an inwardly open passage94, the inner end of which is threaded. An end member connector96defines a shouldered outer end from which a threaded section98extends. At its opposite end, connector96defines a neck100and a head102. Threaded section98of connector96is engaged with the threaded inner end of passage94in barrel92, such that the shoulder of connector96engages the end of barrel92. With this construction, connector96extends inwardly within upper passage30such that head102is located in vertical alignment over access opening40in support member lower wall26.

A threaded lock member104is engaged within a threaded opening106in interior wall28of support member18, which is in vertical alignment with access opening40in lower wall26. As shown inFIG. 8, the upper end of lock member104includes a recessed area108. The upper portion of lock member104includes a laterally open slot110that extends outwardly from recessed area108and opens onto the outer surface of the upper portion of lock member104. Lock member104further includes a vertically extending noncircular driver passage112that extends upwardly from the lower surface of lock member104. Driver passage112is configured to receive the upper, driving end of a rotary driving tool, representatively shown at114.

In assembly, roller-type support20is assembled to the end of support member18by first inserting axle bracket46into lower passage32of support member18such that opening80in mounting tab56is in alignment with fastener opening38in bottom wall26of support member18. Screw78is then passed through fastener passage38and into engagement with opening80, to fix the inner area of axle bracket46. Washers72are then positioned on opposite sides of hub section68of roller42, which is then positioned in alignment with notches58and60in axle bracket side walls52,54, respectively. Axle44is inserted through outer notch58and central hub passage70and through washers72, such that the inner end of axle shank64is received within notch60and recess74. When axle44is inserted in this manner, head62of axle44engages the outwardly facing surface of side wall52adjacent notch58. Axle44thus serves to rotatably mount roller42within slot34between axle bracket side walls52,54, respectively. Connector96is then engaged with barrel92of end member48as described above, and end member48is advanced toward the open end of support member18such that tongue90and barrel92are received within upper passage30of support member18. Guide walls89are engaged within the outer areas of lower passage32adjacent the facing inside surfaces of side walls22. Before end member48and connector96are fully advanced relative to support member18, lock member104is engaged with threaded opening106in interior wall28such that recessed area108of lock member104is positioned to receive head102of connector96. Once end member48and connector96are fully advanced relative to support member18, such that head102is received within recessed area108of lock member104and the facing surfaces of end member48engage the end surfaces of support member18, lock member104is turned by operation of driving tool114so as to engage neck100of connector96within slot110of lock member104. Head102of connector96remains within recessed area110of lock member104when lock member104is turned in this manner, and engagement of head102with lock member104adjacent slot110functions to prevent outward movement of connector96, and thereby end member48, relative to support member18. When end member48is secured to the outer end of support member18in this manner, an internal bumper wall of end member48engages the outer surface of axle head62, so as to maintain axle44in position between axle side walls52,54. With this construction, end member48can be removed if necessary so as to enable disassembly of roller-type support20, such as for replacement of roller42or for any other reason. Roller-type support20can then subsequently be reassembled as set forth above in the field, with little time and using conventional tools.

While the invention has been shown and described with respect to a specific embodiment, it is contemplated that various alternatives and modifications are possible and are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention. For example, and without limitation, the overall shape of support member18may vary from that which is shown and described. Axle bracket46may be secured to the support member using a fastener such as78or in any other satisfactory manner. It is also contemplated that both sides of axle bracket46may be secured to the support member, as opposed to the one side of axle bracket46as shown and described. In addition, axle44may be maintained in position across slot34in a manner other than by use of axle bracket46. End member48may simply serve the function of closing the open end of support member18, without interfacing with the axle mounting components of support20.