IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL CASTORS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Wilson Heath, of Crayford, in the County of
Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL CASTORS."
Sealed the 1st June 1880, and dated the 17th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Wilson Heath at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th December 1879.
GEORGE WILSON HEATH, of Crayford, in the County of Kent. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BALL CASTORS."
The difficulty heretofore experienced with ball castors in which the ball is made
of steel or iron is that of the rusting of the ball; this is specially the case when they
are kept in stock at the wholesale and retail ironmonger, or in transit for some little
time. Now according to this Invention I first turn, grind, or otherwise produce a ball
perfectly true and smooth, and I then coat it with copper or nickel or other non
rusting metal or alloy, and I make the coating so thin that the smoothness of the
ball is not in any way impaired thereby. This thin coating is not of any material
advantage after the castor has been taken into use, and hence it may and will soon
wear off in use. I prefer to coat the ball by means of the electrolytical process.
I mount the metallic ball of the castor in such a manner that its uppermost point
rests against a part of a sphere, and I cause it to have a bearing at one part or
point of the circumference only. The bearing part or piece may be a hard metal
casting of a saucer form inside, but with a raised part spherical middle against
which the top of the ball rests, and with its rim a trifle larger than the circum-
ference of the ball at this point. This bearing piece I prefer to bed in the socket
with a washer of india rubber or other flexible material between, or it may be
formed with a projection passing through the bottom of the socket, which I at this
part screw outside for receiving a cap, the bearing piece being thus securely bedded
or secured in the socket.
I avoid any lateral contact, or pressure, or friction between the ball and the
socket can

page_text: ALION In pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent nied by
the said George Wilson Heath in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
June 1880.
GEORGE WILSON HEATH, of Crayford, in the County of Kent.
IN BALL CASTORS.”
"IMPROVEMENTS
One difficulty heretofore experienced with ball castors in which the ball is made
of steel or iron is that of the rusting of the ball; this is especially the case when
they are kept in stock at the wholesale and retail ironmongers, or in transit for
some little time Now According to this Invention I first turn, grind, or otherwise
produce a ball perfectly true and smooth, and I then coat it with copper or nickel
or other non rusting metal or alloy, and I make the coating so thin that the
smoothness of the ball is not in any way impaired thereby; this thin coating is not
of any material advantage after the castor has been taken into use, and bence it
may and will soon wear off in use. I prefer to coat the balls by means of the
electrolytical process, sometimes I also coat the steel or iron piece or pieces, against
which the ball has its bearing. This part of my Invention is applicable to steel
and iron castor balls and bearing pieces in general, and I thereby make ball castors
more saleable or commercially valuable.
The next part of my Invention refers to a novel construction of ball castor, and
will be understood from reference to the accompanying Drawings; Figure 1 is an
outside elevation, and Figure 2 a vertical section of a castor.
I mount the metallic ball A of the castor in such a manner that its uppermost
point rests against a part of a sphere, as shown at a, and I cause it to have a lateral
bearing at one part or point of the circumference only; and above the centre of the
ball, as shown at b, the bearing part or piece B may be a hard metal casting of a
saucer form inside, but with a raised part spherical middle against which the top of
the ball rests, and with its rim a trifle larger than the circumference of the ball at
this point; this bearing piece I prefer to bed in the socket C with a washer D of
india rubber or other flexible material between, and it may be formed with a
projection passing through a hole c in the bottom of the socket C, which I at this
part screw outside for receiving a cap F; the bearing piece B being thus securely
bedded or secured in the socket C. I avoid any lateral contact, or pressure, or
friction between the ball A and the socket cap F. A lubricating pad G may be
inserted in the bearing piece or cup B, as shown.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a castor with a slightly different arrangement of
bearing piece B, and socket C with cap F.
I prefer to make the cap F of the enlarged part-spherical form shown, and to screw
it to the socket C at the part e of the same, as shown in the Drawing.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this Invention, and in
what manner the saine is to be performed, I declare that I am well aware that
coating iron and steel with nickel, copper, or other nonrusting metal or alloy is
now frequently used for the purpose of permanently protecting against rust or
oxydation, but such is not the object of the part of my Invention here referred to,
although I am unaware that it has been proposed before the date of my Patent
application to coat iron or steel castor balls or bearing pieces with any coating with
the view to permanent protection against rust or oxydation, such a thick coating
would however peel off and clog the castor when in use.
I am also aware that it is not new to use a hard spherical or convex bearing
against the top of a castor ball, such ball having also a lateral bearing at or below
the centre of the ball; nor is it new to use a concave or flat bearing against the top

page_text: of the castor ball, such ball having also a lateral bearing above or below the centre
of the ball. I claim,-
First. The application of a coating of nickel, copper, or other rust resisting metal
or alloy to castor balls and bearing pieces for the purposes set forth.
Second. The castor ball bearing piece B constructed and applied, substantially as
described and shown.
Third. The form and configuration of the ball socket F, shown in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Wilson Heath, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
GEORGE WILSON HEATH. (L.S.)