Improvements in Casters for Furniture and other Articles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 23rd Nov.. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Casters for Furniture and other Articles.
I, JAMES C. WEIR of 114 Washington Street, San Francisco, in the County of
San Francisco and State of California, United States of America, Builder do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to ball casters for furniture, trunks and other movable articles ;
and comprises certain novel features of construction, and combination of parts, as
hereinafter fully described.
In carrying the said invention into practice the half-spherical socket is provided
with a flange and the bottom-plate corresponding in diameter with the socket flange
fits closely upon it, so that the screws serve to hold the bottom plate as well as to
secure the socket in place.
Bearing points for the ball are formed of a number of rollers, that are arranged in
two sets in the socket, one above the other. The rollers of each set are strung on a
hoop or ring of cylindrical wire, on which they are mounted to turn loosely and also
to slide longitudinally, and the two sets formed in the same manner, except that the
lower set being located at the bottom of the socket has its ring of larger diameter
than the one that carries the upper set of rollers.
The interior of the socket is divided into several recesses of uniform size by means
of radial ribs that extend from the crown down to the flange, and the cavity being
made sufficiently larger than the ball for this purpose, the edges of the ribs clear the
surface of the ball.
These ribs serve the double purpose of spacing the rollers and furnishing supporting
points for the rings.
Notches are cut in the edges of the ribs to receive the rings, and at these points
around the circle each ring is held out at suitable distance from the interior surface of
the socket cavity to keep the rollers clear and cause them to turn freely, while the
rollers themselves are of suitable diameter to bear on the surface of the ball and keep
it clear of contact at all points within the socket.
As thus constructed and arranged, the rollers are free to slip on the rings as well as
to rotate, under the various motion of the ball, but the sliding movements are limited
by the radial ribs, so that the rollers are separated and properly spaced to distribute
the bearings, points equally around the ball during all its motions in the socket.
A caster constructed in this manner can be made exceedingly light and yet capable
of sustaining considerable weight.
T
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Casters for Furniture and other Articles.
I, JAMES C. WEIR, of 1814 Washington Street, San Francisco in the County
of San Francisco and State of California, United States of America, Builder, 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 :-
-
My invention relates to ball casters for furniture, trunks, and other movable articles;
and comprises certain novel features of construction, and combination of parts, as
hereinafter fully described

page_text: Referring to the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 represents a caster applied to the leg of a piece of furniture.
Figure 2 is a vertical section, on a larger scale, of the ball-socket with the ball in
place.
Figure 3 is a bottom view of the socket with the ball removed.
Figure 4 is a cross section taken through figure 3 at about the line X, X.
Figure 5 shows the roller bearings in detail; and
Figure 6 shows the bottom plate in section.
The same letters of reference are used to denote corresponding parts in the several
figures.
In carrying the said invention into practice a half-spherical socket A is provided
with a flange a and a bottom-plate B corresponding in diameter with the socket flange
fits closely upon it, so that the screws S, S which serve to hold the bottom plate also
secures the socket in place.
Bearing points for the ball are formed of a number of rollers D D*, that are
arranged in two sets in the socket, one above the other. The rollers of each set are
strung on a hoop or ring of cylindrical wire, on which they are mounted to turn
loosely and also to slide longitudinally, and the two sets are formed in the same
manner, except that the lower set being located at the bottom of the socket has its
ring of larger diameter than the one that carries the upper set of rollers.
The interior of the socket is divided into several recesses a² of uniform size by
means of radial ribs A³ As that extend from the crown down to the flange, and the
cavity being made sufficiently larger than a ball C for this purpose, the edges of the
ribs clear the surface of the ball.
These ribs serve the double purpose of spacing the rollers and furnishing supporting
points for the rings.
Notches are cut in the edges of the ribs to receive the rings, and at these
points around the circle each ring is held out at suitable distance from the interior
surface of the socket cavity to keep the rollers clear and cause them to turn freely,
while the rollers themselves are of suitable diameter to bear on the surface of the
ball and keep it clear of contact at all points within the socket.
As thus constructed and arranged, the rollers are free to slip on the rings E as
well as to rotate, under the various motion of the ball, but the sliding movements
are limited by the radial ribs A so that the rollers are separated and properly spaced
to distribute the bearings, points equally around the ball during all it motions in the
socket.
A caster constructed in this manner can be made exceedingly light and yet capable
of sustaining considerable weight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In a ball caster the semi-spherical socket A having the internal radial ribs A³
and the bearing rollers D D mounted and capable of sliding, as well as of turning, on
a hoop E in combination, substantially as described.
Second. The herein-described ball caster, consisting of the socket A having the
separate internal recesses a² and the flange a the bottom plate B. ball Cand the bearing
rollers D D mounted on hoops E all constructed and arranged for operation as set
Dated th: 14L J
1000
Dated this 14th day of September 1800.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.