Improvements in Ball Castors.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 11th Apr.. 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ball Castors.
I, JOHN BEARDMORE, of Fountain Works, Lennox Street, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to what are commonly known as ball castors for furniture
and other articles which are required to be moved or transported from place to
place by a rolling action, and my invention consists in making the ball of two
parts, secured together after the manner hereinafter shown, also in the arrangement
whereby the small antifriction balls are carried, also in the manner of connecting
the outer case (for the ball), to the socket.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings, the
manner in which my invention is carried out.
Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation of the castor complete.
Fig. 2, is an outside elevation of the said castor.
Fig. 3, is a sectional elevation of the castor showing a modification in the
formation and arrangement of the parts.
Figs. 4, 5, & 6, are detail views of the component parts of the ball.
Fig. 7, is a sectional elevation in detail of the large ball completed.
Fig. 8, is a plan of the removable base for the antifriction balls, and
Fig. 9, is a section of the said base on line C-D.
Fig. 10, is a plan view and
Fig. 11, a sectional view on line A-B, of the antifriction balls carrier plate.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawing.
a, is the primary castor ball or sphere. This ball is made of metal, and pre-
ferably of sheet steel, as follows:-I cut out a blank and by suitable ordinary
stamping tools dish or cup it into a hemispherical form, as seen in Fig. 4; I then
form a band of metal b, similar to that shown in Fig. 5, and insert it into the
hemispherical part, as seen in Fig. 6. These two parts are now firmly soldered or
brazed together. A second hemispherical part is now added and soldered or brazed
thereto, making a complete ball, as seen in Fig. 7. Thus the two parts forming the
ball are firmly united, and at the same time strongly supported or strengthened
about the joint.
c, is a sheet metal case to receive the ball a, and which is stamped and raised from
sheet metal, and contracted at d, either before or after the insertion of the ball, to
a diameter a little less than the said ball, in order to prevent its falling therefrom
when in its completed form.
At e, a screwthread is provided, for unison with the socket f. This socket f, is
first cut in a blank form, from sheet metal, then raised or cupped, leaving at its
larger end a flange which is afterwards turned or rolled over and closed in, to form
the bead g, then the cup end is pierced out, all of which operations are well
known to stampers and piercers in metal.
I then again place the now partly formed socket in suitable press tools, in order
to form the reduced or set back part h, which is then screwthreaded upon its
exterior to receive the case c. i, is a dish shaped base, preferably stamped and
raised (see Figs. 8 & 9) from sheet steel or iron, having a flange j, which supports
it upon the front end of the socket f. I now provide the carrier piece k, (see
Figs. 10 & 11) having holes 1, 1, &c. pierced therein which are of a diameter a little
larger than the balls m, m. This carrier k, is now dropped into the base i, with
the balls m, m, inserted, and the ball a, when the whole are screwed together as

page_text: seen in Fig. 1, the reduced diameter at h, forming a shoulder against which the
case c, may be firmly screwed. The collar n, is soldered or otherwise attached for
ornamental purposes.
As before intimated Fig. 3, shows a modified application of my invention, in
which the stamped socket is attached to the ball case c¹, without screwing. Instead
of piercing out the whole of the end of the case c', a central hole is pierced, and
then the metal drawn as shown at o, by the dotted lines, (see Fig. 3). In a similar
manner, instead of piercing the whole of the end of the socket I also only pierce
a central hole, slightly larger than the extended part o, so that it may be passed
thereonto. In this case
may also dispense with the base i, and in lien thereof
insert into the carrier k, the plain supporting steel plate p..
When the extended
part o, is passed into the front end of the socket by suitable press tools it is
turned over and closed down on to the flange or front of the said socket, thus firmly
uniting the two parts together.
I also provide for the further prevention of the one part turning upon the other,
or becoming loose, by so forming the closing down tools, that a crimping or bending
of the three thicknesses of metal takes place at 7, (see Fig. 3). The carrier k,
plate p, balls m, m, and ball a', are now placed in their respective positions, when
the front end of the case c', is slightly closed over, completing the article.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The stamped sheet metal socket, having the reduced part h, for the purpose
of an external screwthread, and to form a contact shoulder for the upper part of
the case-u.
2. The combination of the dish shaped stamped carrier k, for carrying the anti-
friction balls m, m, with the base i, having the flange j, substantially as described
and shown.
3. In constructing balls or spheres, the combination of the two hemispherical
parts (Fig. 4) with an internal midway band b, (Fig. 5) substantially as described
and shown.
4. The modified combination with the ball a', balls m, m, of the carrier k, having
the supporting plate p, substantially as set forth.
5. The general combination and arrangement of the parts constituting this my
improved castor, constructed substantially as descried and shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4,
to 11 inclusive.
6. In a castor, the modified combination and arrangement of parts, substantially
as described and shown in Fig. 3.
Dated this 10th day of March 1891.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent.