Patent GB-1515581-A (GB)
Title: Caster roller assembly
IPC: A45C5/14
Filed: 1975-10-25
Abstract: 1515581 Castors MARUWA ECHO CO Ltd 25 Oct 1975 43964/75 Heading A4U [Also in Division B7] A castor for luggage comprises a base 9, Fig. 2, for detachably mounting on a seat B secured to the luggage, and a bracket 1 rotatably supporting a roller 5 and having male and female interengagement with the base 9, the bracket and the base being made of synthetic resin, e.g. polyacetal, and having opposed surfaces slidably movable relative to each other. As shown a male member 6 on the bracket 1 engages in a female member 12 on the base 9, a shaft 14 on the base engages in a hole 8 in the bracket and an annular body 15 also of synthetic resin and having semi-spherical projections 16 slidably engages grooves 7, 13 in the bracket 1 and the base 9. The shaft 14 is polygonal in crosssection, Fig. 3 (not shown), the corners being slightly curved, and it is retained in position by a clamping member 18 and packing 17. Alternatively, the male member 6 may be on the base 9 and the female member 12 on the bracket 1. The end surface of the female member 12 has projections 19 for contacting the bracket 1. In a second embodiment, Figs. 4 and 5 (not shown), a separate rod (20) replaces the shaft 14, and the male member 6 has projections on its end and is polygonal in cross-section, the annular body 15 being dispersed with. Alternatively, the female member 12 has projections on its base and its inner surface is polygonal in cross-section. In a third embodiment, Figs. 6 and 7 (not shown), the male member 6 has radially extending grooves (24) in its end surface and vertically extending grooves (25) in its periphery. In a fourth embodiment, Figs. 8, 9 and 10 (not shown), an annular thrust body (26) is disposed between the end of the male member and the base of the female member 12 and bush (27) is disposed between the periphery of the male member 6 and the inner surface of the female member 12, the body (26) having semi-spherical projections on each side and the bush (27) having vertically extending ridges (29) on its outer and inner surfaces. In a fifth embodiment, Fig. 11 (not shown), similar to the second embodiment a thin stainless steel annular member (30) is disposed between the projections on the end of the male member 6 and the base of the female member 12. The base 9 may be clamped into the seat B against spring loading. In a sixth embodiment, Figs. 12 to 16 (not shown), the male member 6 has two stepped circular portions which fit in complementary portions of the female member 12, the base and end of the female member 12 having projections and its inner surfaces having vertically extending ridges for engaging the male member 6. A thin stainless steel annular member (38) is disposed between the projections on the base of the female member 12 and the stepped end of the male member 6. The synthetic resin may be impregnated with oil. The roller, Fig. 19, comprises a rim 51 and a boss (52) of synthetic resin, e.g. nylon, the rim having ribs 53 which are embedded in a polyurethane resin tread 54, e.g. by moulding or bonding. A rotatable sleeve bearing 50 extends through the boss, the bearing being of oil-impregnated synthetic resin and receiving a shaft 4 connecting the roller to the bracket 1.