CERTAIN IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CASTORS FOR FURNITURE
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Allman, of 13, Bedford Row, in the County
of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CASTORS FOR FURNITURE."
Sealed tho 26th July 1861, and dated the 3rd June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Allman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd June 1861.
I, HERBERT ALLMAN, of 13, Bedford Row, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CASTORS FOR FURNITURE,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention for certain improvements in the construction of castors for
furniture may be generally described as follows, by referrence to the Drawing
annexed.
Fig. 1 is a side view, part in section, of what is commonly called a socket
castor. In this description of castor I make the socket a, and the frame b, b,

page_text: in which is fitted the foot roller c, c, all in one piece, or in more than one piece,
but rigidly united. Inside this socket a, a, and fixed to the piece of furniture,
is an inner socket or shoe d, d, in which is fixed the cone centre e, c, which
said cone centre works loose in the socket a, a, aud is rivetted at f,f. The
socket a, a, rotates freely on this centre e, which takes the verticle thrust, and
receives a large proportion of the friction. The lateral thrust is at the contact
of inuer and outer sockets at 9, 9. By this arrangement greater strength,
durability, and greater freedom of action is obtained.
Fig. 2 exhibits a castor of the usual construction, as to movement of foot
roller a, a.
In this castor I split or divide the socket b, b, so that the leaves
so formed may adapt themselves to the cone or shape of leg of furniture.
As a further improvement, I use bolts, which pass through the woodwork, and
are screwed into the metal at opposite side of socket or metal forming the
leaves at d, d.
I claim the making the outer socket and foot roller frame in one rigid 1
piece.
I claim a metal frame or shoe with a he or sho centro in foot, the outer
socket revolving on or by the said centre.
I claim splitting the socket, as herein set forth.
I claim the use of bolt screws or metal pins passing through woodwork of
furniture leg.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Herbert Allman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th November 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HERBERT
ALLMAN, of 13, Bedford Row, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IIer Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Ier heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Herbert Allman, Her special licence that I, the said Herbert Allman,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Herbert
Allman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the a

page_text: term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
.CONSTRUCTION OF CASTORS FOR FURNITURE," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Herbert Allman, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Herbert Allinan, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My Invention for "Certain Improvements in the Construction of Castors
for Furniture," may be described as follows, by the Drawing annexed and
letters of reference...
Figure 1 is a section of a socket castor. I make the socket a, a, a, a, a, a,
and horns b, b, which carry the wheel in one piece, or several pieces rigidly
united. The socket revolves freely on the cone c, which forms part of a plate f,
fixed by screws to the leg of furniture d, d; at the top of socket are friction
rollers 9, 9, 9, which run on leg of furniture. The plate f is screwed to leg of
furniture through a hole in socket, which by turning the socket is made to
coincide with each screw successively; I sometimes use the socket without
friction wheels.
I claim making the socket so as to run on the leg of furniture, either with
or without friction wheels in combination with the cone.
Figure 2 exhibits a socket a, a, split into leaves to fit leg of furniture. The
iron pin 6 is firmly fixed to socket at c. The upper end of pin enters the leg
of furniture; but the frame d, d, revolves freely on the lower part of the pin
outside the socket. The vertical thrust is taken on the cone of pin f. I do
not claim any particular form of split or segment in the socket, as many forms
may be suitable for bending. I make the centre pin on which the wheel
franie revolves, long, and place it tangentially to circumference of wheel, so as
to ensure strength and steadiness.
Figure 3 exhibits a double socket castor a, a, being the inner socket to
which the cone 6 is fixed; the outer socket c, c, revolves on the cone b, which
takes the vertical thrust. The lateral friction is received at the upper edges of

page_text: sockets. The inner socket a, a, is screwed to the leg of furniture, through an
opening in the outer socket d.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Allman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
above-named Herbert Allman,
in the presence of
.
J. YORK,
Law Stationer,
Birmingham.
HERBERT ALLMAN. (L.S.)