CANTED WHEELS CARRIER

Abstract: An object carrier utilizing a pair of canted wheels, both wheels being always engaged with the underlying track to provide a low friction smooth riding non jammable carrier. In one embodiment the wheels are continuously engaged with and drive one another. In another embodiment each wheel is engaged with a separate rolling bearing carried by the carrier wheels axles support block. The canted wheels arrangement causes the carrier to move in a straight line along the direction of pull without crab walking. The carrier (27) includes a carrier block (78) from which divergingly upwardly extend in a common plane a pair of axles (79) which are orthogonal to each other and oriented forty-five degrees to the horizontal and vertical directions. Wheels (81) mounted on the axles (79) engage one another at their upper ends so that as one wheel rotates in a given direction its frictional engagement with the other wheel drives the other wheel in the same direction which prevents twisting or cocking of the carrier (27) within the track. Depending from the carrier block (78) is a stem (83) which carries at its lower end a support chain (85). In a modified carrier, the upper bearing for the carrier wheels (81) is provided by a ballbearing (88) seated in a socket formed in the carrier block (78) proximate to its upper edge. The ball bearings (88) engage the inside surfaces of the wheels (81) and ride within a circular groove (89) formed on the wheels inside surfaces.

Description: CANTED WHEELS CARRIER Technical Field This invention relates to carriers of objects sus¬ pended from track systems for moving such objects along the track, and more specifically relates to curtain carriers for a privacy curtain system such as is used in hospitals and other facilities requiring privacy cubicles. Background Art Prior art wheeled carriers have been either single wheeled or have been multiple wheeled with each wheel func¬ tioning independently of the others. Disclosure of Invention The novel carrier according to the present invention utilizes a pair of canted wheels, both wheels being always engaged with the track to provide a low friction smooth rid¬ ing non-jammable carrier. In one embodiment the wheels are continuously engaged with and drive one another. In another embodiment each wheel is engaged with a separate rolling bearing carried by the carrier wheels axles support block ' . The canted wheels arrangement causes the carrier to move in a straight line along the direction of pull without crab walking. The object of the invention is to provide a novel dual canted wheels non-jammable curtain carrier. Brief Description of Drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of a track section within which is seated the novel dual canted wheel curtain carrier, one wheel of the carrier being also sectioned; Figures 2, 3 and 4 are respectively side, top and bottom views of the carrier shown in end elevation and par¬ tial section in Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 but for a modified form of dual canted wheel curtain carrier. Best Mode For Carrying Out The. Invention Turning now to the showing of Figure 1, the carrier 27 is seen to include a carrier block 78 from which diverg- ingly upwardly extend in a common plane a pair of axles 79 which latter terminate in a frusto-conical end formation 80 having the larger conical base closest to the carrier block 78 and of larger diameter than the axles 79. The axles 79 are orthogonal to each other and oriented forty- five degrees to the horizontal and vertical directions. Wheels 81 are mounted on the axles 79 with the axle re¬ ceiving bores 82 being of frusto-conical cross-section wit the opening closest to the carrier block 78 being of large cross-sectional area than the axles 79 and converging to the size of the axle just inward of the frusto-conical axl end formations 80. The wheels 81 are forced onto the axles 79 by pres¬ sing them inward past the end formations 80, which latter then restrain the wheels 81 from moving outward on the axle 79. The thickness of the wheels 81 is such that when moun¬ ted upon the shaft 79 there is a clearance between the car¬ rier block 78 and the inner surface of the wheel 81. Addi¬ tionally, the wheels 81 engage one another at their upper ends so that as one wheel rotates in a given direction its frictional engagement with the other wheel drives the other wheel in the same direction. Accordingly, each of the whee drives the other which prevents twisting or cocking of the carrier 27 within the track. The outer surfaces of the lower ends of the wheels 81 are spaced slightly away from the inside surfaces of the track walls 57, and the inside surfaces of the wheels 81 do not engage the inner edges of the tracks 56. As a conse¬ quence of this construction, the wheels 81 ride on the hor- izontal surfaces 56 of the track with freedom to move sligh ly laterally, and therefore never laterally bind within the track structure. Depending from the carrier block 78 is a stem 83 which terminates at its lower end in a chain holder 84 within which is replaceably secured a support chain 85. Figures 2, 3 and 4 are respectively side, top and bottom views of the carrier shown in end elevation and partial section in Figure 1. OMPI y_ WIPO A slightly modified carrier 27' is illustrated in Figure 5, the parts being identical to those of carrier 27 except for two differences. In the showing of Figure 5, the upper bearing for the carrier wheels 81 is not provided by having the wheels engage one another, but is provided by having the inside surfaces of each wheel bear against a ball¬ bearing 88 seated in a socket formed in the carrier block 78 proximate to its upper edge. The ball bearings 88 engage the inside surfaces of the wheels 81 and ride within a cir- cular groove 89 formed on the wheel inside surfaces. In both cases, the double bearing supports for the wheels 81 provide a mechanically strong and stable structure. While the axles 79 are shown in Figures 1 and 5 as being orthogonal to one another, it is not absolutely manda- tory that the angle between the axles be precisely ninety degrees. Other angles could be used if desired. However, significantly smaller angles increase the bearings loads and widen the track with no apparent offsetting benefit, while significantly larger angles can increase the required- track height and decrease the upper bearings loads which in extreme cases could cause the wheels in the embodiment of Figure 1 to slip relatively to one another.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A dual wheel carrier for use in conjunction with a car rier track consisting of a pair of parallel longitudinally extending spaced apart tracks, said carrier being charact- erized by, a) an axles support from which extend divergingly upwar a pair of axles, and from which depends means for at¬ taching an item to be carried, and b) a wheel mounted on each of said axles for rotation, the lowest points of said wheels being spaced apart th proper distance so that each wheel is seatable on and rideable along a different one of the spaced apart tra of the aforesaid carrier track, said wheels converging toward one another at their upper edges. 2. A dual wheel carrier as described in claim 1 further including a rolling bearing for each said wheel, said bear ings being positioned at locations closer to each other th are the locations of the bearings of the wheels on the axl and than are the contacts of the wheels with the underlyin tracks. 3. A dual wheel carrier as described in claims 1 or 2 whe in said axles are non-rotatably fixed to said axles suppor and said wheels are centrally apertured to receive said ' axles therethrough, said central wheel apertures being of frusto-conical shape with the smaller base being of substa tially the same diameter as said axle and located proximat to the outer face of the wheel while said wheel aperture larger base is larger than the axle diameter and located at the inner face of the wheel. 4. A dual wheel carrier as described in claim 1 or 2 wher in each said axle is provided on its outer end with a resi iently deformable wheel retainer formation of larger dia¬ meter than the axle, and each said wheel is forced onto sa axle until said wheel retainer passes the outer end of sai wheel central aperture. 5. A dual wheel carrier as described in claim 1 wherein said pair of axles are orthogonal to each other and in use are oriented at forty five degrees to the horizontal plane of the tracks on which the wheels of said carrier are ride- able. 6. A dual wheel carrier as described in claim 2 or 3 where¬ in said wheels are of such diameter that when mounted on said axles they converge at their upper edges into engage¬ ment with one another, said engagement constituting said rolling bearing. 7. A dual wheel carrier as described in claim 2 wherein said rolling bearing comprises a ball bearing journalled in said axles support and engaged with the wheel face clos¬ est to said axles support. 8. A dual wheel ' carrier as described in claim 2 wherein said rolling bearing comprises a ball bearing journalled in said axles support and engaged with the wheel face clos¬ est to said axles support, which wheel face is circularly annularly grooved to receive therein a portion of said ball bearing surface. 9. A dual wheel carrier as described in claim 3 wherein said axles are co-planer and said rolling bearing comprises a ball bearing ' journalled in said axles support and engaged with the wheel face closest to said axles support. ■ BURE-Q; _O PI ■ W1P

Inventors: TODER E
Applicants: TODER E
Application year: 1978
Main classification: A47H15
IPC codes: A47H1, A47H15, E05D15