Year: 1886

page_text: I CHARLES WELLIN of 132 Fleet street in the city of London, civil engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in casters or rollers used for tables, chairs,
beds, pianofortes, and other articles of furniture.
The improvements bear specially on the caster or roller itself which is constructed
as follows:-The cylindrical body which forms the caster or roller is provided all
round its outer surface or periphery with a flange of a semi-circular section
running from edge to edge of the cylindrical body in an oblique way to the length
of the latter in such a manner that this flange makes in zig-zags the entire tour of
the cylindrical body. The angle of obliquity of the flange, that is to say, of each
branch of the zig-zags in regard to the length of the cylindrical body of the caster
ought to be 45 to ensure a perfect working but any other angle of obliquity
will do.
In the rotary motion of the caster the cylindrical body does not touch the ground
or floor, the flange only touches it. This construction enables the caster to follow all
the movements imparted to the article of furniture without the axle of the caster
being at a distance from the centre of gravity of the leg of the furniture. In this
invention the axle of the caster is only about of an inch out of the centre of
gravity of the leg of the furniture and then the said caster may be called an
upright caster.
The flange may be made of two, four, six or more branches.
I may use any kind of frame or mounting for holding this improved caster but
I suggest a frame or mounting constructed as follows:-
It consists of a block provided with two vertical arms which block may revolve
on a spindle fixed to the leg of the furniture. The spindle at its lower end is of
a conical shape in order to lessen the friction and it rests in a cylindrical hole made
in the top part of the block; a pin which passes through the said block and in a
groove formed round the spindle secures the former to the latter. The vertical
arms act as bearers of the axle of the caster.

page_text: I, CHARLES WELLIN, of 132 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what mannor the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to improvements in casters or rollers for furniture, such as
tables, chairs, bedsteads, pianofortes, and other like articles.
I proceed with reference to the accompanying drawings to fully describe my
Invention, in which, Fig. 1, is a front view of the improved caster. Fig. 2 a side
view of the same, and Fig. 3 a partial sectional elevation.
1
My improvements relate more especially to that part of the castor, technically
termed the "bowl" A, which I construct as follows:-The cylindrical body which
forms the bowl is provided all round its outer surface or periphery with a flange B,
semi-circular in cross section, and running from edge to edge of the cylindrical
body of the bowl and obliquely to the direction of the axis of the latter, in such 1
a manner that, this flange makes, in a zigzag direction, the entire tour of the
cylindrical body. The angle of obliquity of the flange, that is to say, of each
branch of the zigzag, in regard to the axis of the cylindrical body of the bowl,
should be 45° to ensure a perfect working of the caster, but any other angle of
obliquity will do, as it is not always possible, on account of the required diameter
and width of the bowl, to obtain the said angle.
In the rotary motion of the caster, the cylindrical body of the bowl does not
touch the ground or floor, the flange only touches it. This construction enables
the caster to follow all the movements imparted to the article of furniture without
the axle C, of the bowl A, being at a distance from the centre of gravity of the
leg of the furniture, as is the case with casters generally in use. In this invention,
the vertical plane in which the axle C, of the bowl A, is situated, is only about
of an inch out of the central line of gravity of the leg of the article of furniture,
and thus the weight of the furniture acts almost perpendicularly upon the axis
of the bowl A, which circumstance allows this castor to be considered as an
upright one.
The slight eccentricity which exists between the axle of the bowl, and the
central line of gravity of the leg of the furniture, is necessary to give, at each
change of direction of the movement of the piece of furniture, a certain
impulse to the frame of the caster for its turning motion. The flange B, which
makes, by a series of zigzags, the entire tour of the cylindrical body of the bowl
may be composed of two, four, six or more branches. In the drawings six are
shewn,
I may use any kind of frame or mounting for holding my improved bowl, but
with this difference, that the arms which bear the axis of the bowl, should be
vertical instead of inclined as in the casters gonerally in use. But to ensure
a perfect working of this improved caster I prefer to make use of a frame or

page_text: mounting having two vertical arms F, (which bear the axis of the bowl A) cast in
a piece with a top block H. This block H, is provided with a cylindrical hole,
shewn in Fig. 3, into which enters a spindle D, whose lower extremity is of a
conical shape with a slightly rounded end; the bottom of the cylindrical hole has
also the form of a cone, as shewn in the drawings. The spindle is provided with
a disc L, which is fixed to the extremity of the leg of the piece of furniture, by
means of three or more screws, as in the ordinary system; a screw thread K, with
which this spindle is provided at its top part, and extending above the disc L,
allows the caster to be screwed into the leg of the furniture. A pin I, which
passes horizontally through the block H, and across groove a, formed around the
spindle D, secures the said block to the spindle and, at the same time, allows the
frame or mounting to turn freely around the spindle.
Having now described the nature of the said invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim :-
1. The bowl formed with a flange arranged in a zigzag direction around its
periphery, as herein described and as shewn in the drawings.
2. The construction of the frame or mounting for the improved caster bowl, as
described and as shown in the drawings.