Abstract:
An apparatus for attaching a wheeled element, such as a caster, comprises a caster bracket with means for engaging the caster plate of a caster. The caster is affixed to the caster plate and is then engaged with the caster bracket. The caster bracket is preferably flanged for slidably receiving the caster plate which is positively held in place with the aid of a flexible locking member affixed to the caster bracket. The flexible member is operatively arranged to substantially immobilize the caster plate when the member engages a surface of a slot in the caster plate. The flexible locking member further comprises a tab extension operatively arranged to allow disengagement of the caster safely by direct hand/finger engagement without requiring tools.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention generally relates to an improved system for mounting wheels to an object for greater portability, and more specifically, to apparatus and assemblies for more convenient mounting and ease of removal of casters from furniture, and other articles of manufacture.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The need for a quick and convenient removable connection of a wheel from an object, such as a piece of furniture, is a well known problem. Heretofore, others have tried to address this problem by means of engaging a wheel to a bracket affixed to the object. U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,237 (Murphy), for example, discloses a bracket for engaging a caster plate and caster wheel to luggage. In order to slidably engage the caster plate into the bracket an abutment of a cantilevered arm is required to be depressed sufficiently by applying finger pressure to allow the caster plate to slide lengthwise into a channel. Likewise, the abutment must first be depressed by applying finger pressure to allow removal of the caster plate from the bracket. While the device is generally useful, the need to place the fingers in the path of a sliding caster plate to exert pressure against a stop during the instillation and removal processes is not only inconvenient, but also presents a risk of injury to the finger(s) which may be lacerated in the process. This can occur, for example, when the caster plate is slid into the channels to engage with the stop when needed to be held down in a depressed position using the fingers. Accordingly, while the &#39;237 patent suggests the application of finger pressure in the installation and removal processes, actual performance of these manipulative steps without the aid of a hand tool may result in injury.  
         [0003]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,678 (Park) discloses a caster bracket with four perpendicular flanges. A “U” shaped bar is threaded through holes in the four flanges after a caster plate is inserted proximate the caster bracket. Nuts are then applied to the threaded ends of the bar to hold the bar in place. This invention requires a wrench to apply the nuts, and the nuts and bar are separate pieces.  
         [0004]     Clearly, then, there is a need for an improved system for mounting casters and caster assemblies having a minimal number of component parts that enables casters and other types of wheels to be easily and quickly affixed to an object, and also to be readily disengaged manually, safely and conveniently without actually requiring tools in the process.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Generally, the present invention comprises an apparatus for attaching a caster to an object, wherein the caster can be readily and safely disengaged from its mounting bracket (and re-engaged) all without the aid of hand tools. More specifically, the apparatus comprises a caster bracket having flange means for forming a plurality of channels, preferably a bracket plate seated and affixed to the interior surface of the caster bracket, wherein the caster plate of a caster assembly can be introduced between the flange means and readily guided in place by the channels of the caster bracket and securely locked in place. One of the flanges of the caster bracket may function as a stop for the caster plate. The caster bracket also comprises a flexible member for engaging and securely retaining in place the caster plate of a caster assembly. The flexible member is operatively arranged to substantially immobilize the caster plate when the flexible member engages an edge of or a slot in the caster plate, securely locking the caster plate and caster wheel in place. The flexible member further comprises a tab operatively arranged to disengage the flexible member from the edge or slot in the caster plate when the tab is deflected. Preferably, the tab of the flexible member is adapted for direct manual operation by application of hand and/or finger pressure, so as to safely eliminate the requirement for tools. That is, the caster plate and caster wheel may be conveniently and safely released from the caster bracket by merely applying hand/finger pressure to the tab without injury occurring by extending the length of the tab, so when installing a caster or when removing a caster from the caster bracket hands and fingers are out of harms way. This may be achieved, for example, by extending the tab beyond a perimeter of the caster bracket. The tab extension also imparts leverage for releasing the caster plate of a caster assembly making full depression of the tab an easier, more convenient task to perform, allowing disengagement of the caster plate and wheel assembly from the bracket by hand without tools, i.e., by direct manual deflection of the tab. While the tab extension allows the application of greater force for depression of the tab the bracket plate protects the action of the flexible member from shear and/or possible loss of spring action.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a durable apparatus/hardware device for attaching a wheeled element, such as a caster to a surface of an object.  
         [0007]     It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a device that allows quick and convenient attachment and disengagement of a caster plate and wheel assembly from a caster bracket mounted to the base of objects, such as furniture, for greater portability.  
         [0008]     It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a hardware kit comprising all the essential components for achieving portability of an object, including the device for attaching a wheeled element to the surface of an object. Such hardware kits may also include a wheeled element, such as a caster.  
         [0009]     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art with reading the following detailed description of the invention in view of the drawings and claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of the caster assembly comprising an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention shown with caster mounted to the base of a piece of furniture;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the caster assembly of  FIG. 1 , showing the caster plate with caster being disengaged from the caster bracket;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of a preferred embodiment of the caster bracket of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the caster mounting assembly of the present invention including caster plate and caster;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a side sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 , illustrating the caster bracket, bracket plate and flexible member assembly prior to installation of the caster;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is also a side sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 , illustrating the caster bracket, etc., taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 , but with the flexible member deflected for showing disengagement and withdrawal of the caster plate, and  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a front end view of the caster bracket of  FIG. 5  of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]     It should be appreciated that in the detailed description of the invention which follows, like reference numbers on different drawing views are intended to identify identical structural elements of the invention in the respective views. The accompanying drawings illustrate wheels of the present invention. However, the particular wheel illustrated is merely representative of one type of caster which can be affixed to the base of a piece of furniture by means of the mounting apparatus of the invention. Accordingly, it will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention can be used for mounting a wide range of wheel elements or casters of virtually any design or end-use application to various objects to achieve desired portability, such as cabinets, luggage, pianos, fixtures, dollies, trucks, hand carts, machinery, to name but a few. And, these variations and modifications are intended to be within the spirit and broad scope of the invention as claimed.  
         [0019]     One aspect of the invention is shown by  FIG. 1 , and designated  10 . This is a caster mounting assembly comprising caster bracket  12  having a flexible member  26  (best shown by  FIGS. 3-4 ) affixed to the caster bracket. Caster bracket  12  is typically affixed to the base of an object, such as furniture  46 . Caster bracket  12  receives and securely retains caster plate  42  (shown by  FIGS. 2 and 4 ) having affixed thereto caster wheel  44 . Wheel  44  can be affixed to the caster plate  42  by known means. For example, by means of an axle through the central axis of the wheel and through wheel bracket  40  affixed to caster plate  42 , of conventional design. An exemplary embodiment is shown by  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  4 , wherein wheel  44  is mounted for rotation to wheel bracket  40 . Wheel bracket  40  and caster wheel  44  may be affixed to caster plate  42  by means known in the art. For example, wheel bracket  40  may be swivel mounted to caster plate  42  allowing the path of the rotating wheel and object affixed thereto to be readily altered. That is, wheel  44  and wheel bracket  40  may be mounted for 360° rotation, wherein the wheel while turning on its central axis may also rotate about a plane normal to its central axis allowing the path of rotation to be readily altered. Similarly, wheel  44  and bracket  40  may be rigidly mounted to caster plate  42  wherein the path of the rotating wheel is restricted.  
         [0020]     Accordingly, the caster mounting assembly  10  of this invention is a universal device allowing flexibility in the installation, removal and replacement of virtually any caster-wheel/caster plate assembly with only hand/finger pressure, and without requiring fastening tools and hardware, such as bolts for securing caster plate  42  to the caster mounting assembly  10 .  
         [0021]     Features of the present invention enable wheels to be efficiently and easily attached to and removed from furniture  46 .  FIG. 1  shows wheel  44  attached to the base of furniture  46  through caster mounting assembly  10 .  FIG. 2  shows wheel  44  in a state of disengagement from caster mounting assembly  10  affixed to the base of furniture  46 . When the embodiment of the caster mounting assembly shown in the accompanying Figures is installed on the bottom or base of an object, a user deflects tab  30  by lifting the tab. This disengages locking surface  28  (see  FIG. 6 ) of the flexible member  26  from the edge of caster plate  42 . The released caster wheel  44  and caster plate  42  can then be readily withdrawn from caster bracket  12 .  
         [0022]     Preferably, caster bracket  12  comprises a bracket plate  34  ( FIGS. 3-7 ) seated and affixed to the interior surface of the caster bracket within channels  18  of flanges  16 . Plate  34  is affixed to the inside bed of bracket  12  preferably by means of weldments  39  ( FIG. 3 ). Bracket plate  34  comprises slots or cut-outs  35 ,  36  and  37  ( FIG. 4 ). Slot  36  permits locking surface  28 , an elevation of the flexible member  26  to extend through the slot and protrude past the edge of bracket plate  34  for engaging with an edge of the caster plate  42  or a slot or edge of a slot (not shown) in caster plate  42  locking the caster plate and caster wheel securely in-place. Cut-outs  35  and  37  of bracket plate  34  allow access to flexible member  26  and indentations  22  and apertures  41  ( FIG. 3 ) for mounting caster plate  12  to the base of an object.  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of caster bracket  12 . As previously disclosed, apertures  41  allow caster bracket  12  to be mounted to furniture  46 , for example. Indentations  22  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) allow threaded fasteners (not shown) to be used to affix the caster bracket  12  to the base of furniture  46  while still allowing the caster plate  42  to slide unobstructed within channels  18 .  
         [0024]     While fasteners  32  or other equivalent means, including weldment(s) may be used for affixing the flexible member  26  to caster bracket  12  in a cantilevered fashion, it will be understood the invention contemplates embodiments wherein the flexible member  26  is integral with the caster bracket  12 . Fasteners  32  can be inserted through apertures  20  and  24  to attach flexible member  26  to caster bracket  12 . In a preferred embodiment, fasteners  32  are rivets. However, it should be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that other fasteners are possible, and these modifications are intended to be within the spirit and broad scope of the invention, as claimed. Dual flanges  16  form channels  18  (shown in  FIGS. 3-4  and  7 ) for receiving the edges and guiding the caster plate  42  to locking position.  
         [0025]     In a preferred embodiment, caster plate  42  is inserted into channels  18  until the caster plate abuts end member  14 , a flange or end elevation which performs as a stop. Locking surface  28  of flexible member  26  then engages with the trailing edge of the caster plate  42  securely locking the plate in-place. It should be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that alternative embodiments, such as omitting end member  14  are possible, and these modifications are intended to be within the spirit and broad scope of the invention as claimed.  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  illustrates the caster bracket assembly  12  of the invention prior to installing of the caster plate  42  and being locked in place by locking surface  28  of flexible member  26 . As the caster plate is inserted into channels  18 , caster plate  34  engages slanted surface  29 , deflecting flexible member  26  away from the caster plate. When the caster plate abuts end member/stop  14 , locking surface  28  of the flexible member lines up with the trailing edge of the caster plate allowing the locking surface of flexible member  26  to spring back in-place to lock the caster plate and caster wheel securely in place. If a force is exerted on caster plate  34  in the direction of the arrow on  FIG. 6 , then locking surface  28  engaged against an edge or slot in the caster plate prevents the caster plate from moving relative to the caster bracket. Thus, the caster plate is immobilized by the flexible member. However, when the caster plate is to be removed, a user deflects flexible member  26  by applying direct hand/finger pressure moving the extended tab  30  upwardly. Locking surface  28  is then released allowing caster plate  42  to move with respect to caster bracket  12 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Tab  30  shown extended beyond the perimeter of caster bracket  12  allows a user to conveniently and safely access and move tab  30  by applying finger pressure to release caster plate  42  and caster wheels manually without tools. For example, the tab  30  shown in  FIGS. 5-6  extends a length L from the perimeter of the caster bracket  12 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 7 , a frontal/end view of caster bracket  12 , showing affixed bracket plate  34  in flush engagement with the bottom surface of the caster bracket, and opposing flanges formed as channels  18  operatively arranged to receive caster plate  42  ( FIG. 6 ).  
         [0028]     In a preferred embodiment, flexible member  26  is made of spring steel. However, other materials known in the art may be used, and these modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.  
         [0029]     Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention are efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, and these modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.