IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS FOR FURNITURE, SEWING MACHINES, AND FOR LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes.
and Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS FOR FURNITURE, SEWING
MACHINES, AND FOR LIKE PURPOSES."-A communication from abroad
by Joseph Bradford Sargent, of the City and County of New
Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 19th December 1871, and dated the 22nd June 1871.
'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd June 1871.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son,
Patent Agents, 123, Ohancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS FOR FURNITURE,
SEWING MACHINES, AND FOR LIKE PURPOSES," a communication to me from
abroad by Joseph Bradford Sargent, of the City and County of New

page_text: Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America, to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to an improvement in the construction and
application of furniture castors, especially designed for sewing machines,
but applicable to other articles of furniture, and it consists,―
First. In the application of castors to the legs of furniture, so that
when the furniture stands upon a level the feet or ends of the legs will
bear upon the floor, but when one end or side of the article is raised
the weight will be thrown upon the castors on the opposite end or
sides.
Second. In an adjustable castor to be applied to the opposite end to
which the fixed castors are attached, so that when raised that end may
also be supported on the castor.
Third. In a modification for securing the castor wheels to the legs of
sewing machines.
Fourth. In the adjustment of a fixed castor wheel, so that the
relative position may always be maintained.
proper
Fifth. In the construction of castor wheels, so that the wheel may be
set at different angles to govern the direction of movement of the
furniture.
Sixth. In the arrangement of castors whereby when desired to move
the machine, the castor wheels may be made to take the bearing or
weight of the machine, and at other times the machine stands firmly on
the floor.
In the first part of this Invention, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a
table with the castors attached to the end of the legs at one side;
Fig. 2 an elevation of the table, the broken lines denoting the position
to bring the weight on to the castors; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the
leg with the castor attached. A, A, are the legs of the table at one end
and at each foot is formed an outward projection B. This projection
may be in either direction from the table, and upon this foot is fixed the
saddle D, as seen in Fig. 3. In this saddle the castor wheel i is arranged
in such relative position to the foot that when standing upright on a
level, the foot bears upon the floor and the wheel does not, but when
the opposite end or side of the table is raised as denoted in broken lincs,

page_text: Fig. 2, the weight is thrown on to the castor, and the foot B raised clear
of the floor.
In the second part of this Invention Fig. 4 is a side view, Fig. 5 a
front view, and Fig. 6 a front view, the covering plate removed to
illustrate the operation. This part of the Invention relates to castors
for sewing machines designed to be applied to the cross bar between
the legs at the opposite end to which the fixed castors are applied; A*
is the support, the clamp constructed so as to be applied to the lower
part of the frame at one end. On the front is a vertical slide C³ ex-
tending down to receive and support the yoke D³ carrying the wheel E³,
over this a covering plate F is arranged secured by two screws a², b³.
The lower screw & passes through a slot D' in the slide C³ into the
part A, the upper screw a³ also extends into the part A'. The upper
end of the slide O' has a recess formed therein, as seen in Fig. 6, to set
on to the screw a³ or a stud, as the case may be. Therefore standing as
seen in Fig. 6, the castor is held in a vertical position supporting tho
machine, which is the position required when the machine is to be
moved. If the machine is to remain stationary, raise the table as denoted
in broken lines which carries with it the part A², lifting the screw or
stud a' out of the recess in the slide C³ which frees the slide O³, so that
by the foot it may be swung to one side as denoted in broken lines,
Fig. 6, then the machine dropped the legs come firmly on the floor
free from the support of the castor. When it is desired to move the
machine, raise the end of the table upon which this castor is arranged,
and the castor will from its own weight fall into a perpendicular position
and when the table is released will cause the stud or screw a³ to set
again into the notch in the end of the part O³ and hold the castor in
position for moving the machine.
In the third part of this Invention Fig. 7 is a perspective view, and
Fig. 8 a vertical central section showing the application of the castor to.
the legs of a sewing machine; A' is the yoke constructed so as to
fit the leg of the machine at the foot, and provided with projecting.
arms B³, B³, to recieve and support the wheel C³ and to the yoke is fitted
a bar D³ secured by screws a³. To attach the castor the clamping
bar D³ is removed or loosened, so that the yoke A³ may be set on the
leg E³ of the machine and the clamping bar by means of the screw a³
upon the back side of the leg draws the yoke hard down and binds it

page_text: firmly to the leg, the wheel C³ being in such relative position to the
yoke that it will lie flush or nearly so with the floor, so that by slightly
tipping the machine, the weight is thrown on to the wheel or when
free the table will rest on the foot of the leg. In order to more securely
hold the yoke in position I form upon the lower edge of the clamp D³ a
flange projecting under the leg, as seen in Fig. 8. For machines
in which the leg is of different form, the yoke must be constructed
accordingly, but all machines of the same make are so nearly alike that
one form or pattern for the yoke will fit the legs of all machines.
In the fourth part of this Invention Fig. 9 is a top view; Fig. 10, a
side view, the adjusting screws arranged perpendicularly, and Fig. 11, a
side view, the adjusting screw arranged horizontally; A' is the yoke
fitted to the leg of the machine and secured thereto in the manner.
described in the third part of the Invention. B‘, B', are two arms of a
yoke, within which the wheel O' is hung in the usual manner for castors,
and this yoke is pivoted or hinged to the yoke A* at o'. From the
yoke A' an arm D' extends out through which a screw d' is placed
bearing upon a bar E' in the yoke B', so that by turning down the said
screw, the wheel will be depressed and vice versa, or a vertical arm F*
may be formed upon the yoke, as seen in Fig. 11, and the screw d
pressed there through to bear against the yoke A', and the turning in of
the screw depresses the wheel and vice versa. By thus hanging the
wheel and combining therewith the adjusting screw the wheel may be
set at the required elevation although the yoke A* may be necessarily in
different positions on different legs.
In the fifth part of this Invention, Fig. 12 is a side view; Fig. 13,
a top view of the castor removed from the socket: Fig. 14, an under-
side view of the socket; Fig. 15 a side view of the wheel and yoke
detached from the socket. This part of the Invention relates to castors
designed for heavy furniture, as pianos, bedsteads, &c. In moving
articles of furniture upon castors as heretofore made, that is, hung upon
a vertical spindle at one side from the axis, it is well known that after
the furniture has been moved in one direction a sufficient force must
be used in returning the furniture to turn the castor around in an
opposite direction, and in doing so the furniture is unavoidably turned
from its course and great difficulty is experienced in returning it to
the desired or original position. By this part of the Invention these

page_text: difficulties are entirely overcome; A³ is the wheel hung in a yoke B*
in the usual manner, the said yoke being constructed with a spindle a*
or other means by which it may be set into the socket c', and so that
the wheel may be set relative to the socket in different positions by
preference eight different positions, and this may be done by an eight
sided stud on the yoke B³ and a corresponding seat in the socket, as seen
in Fig. 14, or by a stud d³ on the yoke, and a corresponding perforation
in the plate of the socket as seen in Fig. 14. By this construction the
castor may be set relative to the furniture, so as to move it directly
forward and back, or either side and back or upon an angle of 45° and
back, always returning in the same track and to the point from which
it was removed.
.
In the sixth part of this Invention Fig. 16 is a perspective view
of the castor detached from the machine, and Fig. 17 an end view of
the lower portion of the leg with the castor attached. This part of
the Invention relates to an improvement in castors for sewing machine
tables to be operated in such manner that when desired to move the
machine the castor wheels may be made to take the bearing or weight
of the machine, and when at rest or in position the wheels are relieved
from the weight that the machine may stand firmly on the floor. As
a suitable means for connecting the castor to the table leg I form a
base A with a recess a³ therein, within which the foot of the table leg
is set, as denoted in Fig. 17. From this base a bracket B' extends up,
and through the said bracket a spindle d of the yoke f* passes, being
fitted therein so as to turn freely and also to play freely up and down.
In the said yoke à wheel or roll 6ª is arranged in the usual manner for
furniture castors. At a convenient point in the bracket I pivot a cam
or lever C one arm of which rests upon the spindle of the castor and
the other employed to depress, or force the spindle. downward in the
bracket, therefore when the bracket or attachment is firmly fixed to the
table leg operating, the cam Cª presses down the spindle, and as that rests
upon the floor the result is that the leg of the table will be raised, the
spindle acting as a fulcrum upon which the lifting lever bears. Upon
each leg of the table I arrange a corresponding attachment, and to
operate the two simultaneously I arrange a double crank lever Lº at a
convenient point e, from the opposite arms of which extend a con-
necting rod to each of the cams or levers co, and from the third arm of
the lever L' a rod m³ extends up to any convenient point near the top

page_text: •
of the table. The person desiring to move the table takes hold and
raises the rod m³ which operation bearing upon the spindle of the castors
raises the machine, throwing the weight on to the castor rolls, in which
position the table may be trundled to any desired point. The weight
of the machine resting in the. recess a holds the castor in position, t
but I do not wish to confine myself to this precise method of securing
the attachment B as other devices may be employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special
licence that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Thomas
Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS FOR FURNITURE, SEWING MACHINES, AND FOR LIKE
PURPOSES," a communication to me from abroad by Joseph Bradford
Sargent, of the City and County of New Haven, State of Connecticut,
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Edward Thomas Hughes, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to an improvement in the construction and
application of furniture castors, especially designed for sewing machines,
but applicable to other articles of furniture, and it consists,―
First. In the application of castors to the legs of furniture, so that
when the furniture stands upon a level the feet or ends of the legs
will bear upon the floor, but when one end or side of the article is
raised the weight will be thrown upon the castors on the opposite end
or sides.
Second. In an adjustable castor to be applied to the opposite end to
which the fixed castors are attached, so that when raised that end may
also be supported on the castor.
Third. In a modification for securing the castor wheels to the legs of
sewing machines.
Fourth. In the adjustment of a fixed castor wheel, so that the proper
relative position may also be maintained.
Fifth. In the construction of castor wheels so that the wheel may
be set at different angles to govern the direction of movement of the
furniture.
Sixth. In the arrangement of castors whereby when desired to move
the machine the castor wheels may be made to take the bearing or
weight of the machine, and at other times the machine stands firmly on
the floor.
In the Drawings Figs. 1; 2, and 3, illustrate the first part of my
Invention; Figs. 4, 5, 6, the second part; Figs. 7 and 8, the third part;
Figs. 9, 10, 11, the fourth part; Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, the fifth part, and
Figs. 16 and 17, the sixth part.
In the first part of this Invention Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a
table with the castors attached to the ends of the legs at one side;
Fig. 2 an elevation of the table, the broken lines denoting the position
to bring the weight on to the castors; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the
leg with the castor attached. A, A, are the legs of the table at one end
and at each foot is formed an outward projection B. This projection

page_text: may be in either direction from the table and upon this foot is fixed
the saddle D, as seen in Fig. 3. In this saddle the castor wheel O
is arranged in such relative position to the foot, that when standing
upright on a level, the foot bears upon the floor and the wheel does not,
but when the opposite end or side of the table is raised as denoted
in broken lines, Fig. 2, the weight is thrown on to the castor and the
foot B raised clear of the floor.
screws a³, 6º.
In the second part of this Invention, Fig. 4 is a side view; Fig. 5 a
front view, and Fig. 6 a front view, the covering plate removed to
illustrate the operation. This part of this Invention relates to castors
for sewing machines, designed to be applied to the cross bar between
the legs at the opposite end to which the fixed castors are applied.
A is the support, and B³ the clamp, constructed so as to be applied
to the lower part of the frame at one end. On the front is a vertical
slide O³, extending down to receive and support the yoke D³ carrying
the wheel E. Over this a covering plate F³ is arranged secured by two
The lower screw 63 passes through a slot in the
.slide O³ into the part A³, the upper screw a³ also extends into the
part A³. The upper end of the slide C³ has a recess formed therein,
as seen in Fig. 6, to set on to the screw a³ or a stud, as the case may
be; therefore, standing as seen in Fig. 6, the castor is held in a vertical
position supporting the machine, which is the position required when
the machine is to be moved. If the machine is to remain stationary
raise the table as denoted in broken lines, which carries with it the
part A³, lifting the screw or stud a³ out of the recess in the slide C³, 1
which frees the slide C³ so that by the foot it may be swung to one side,
as denoted in broken lines Fig. 6, then the machine dropped, the legs
come firmly on to the floor free from the support of the castor. When
it is desired to move the machine, raise the end of the table upon
which this castor is arranged, and the castor will from its own weight
fall into a perpendicular position, and when the table is released will
cause the stud or screw a² to set again into the notch in the end of the
part C³, and hold the castor in position for moving the machine.
In the third part of this Invention, Fig. 7 is a perspective view, and
Fig. 8 a vertical central section showing the application of the castor to
the legs of a sewing machine. A³ is the yoke constructed so as to fit the
leg of the machine at the foot, and provided with projecting arms B³, B³,

page_text: to receive and support the wheel C³, and to the yoke is fitted a bar D³
secured by screws a³. To attach the castor the clamping bar D³ is
removed or loosened so that the yoke A³ may be set on to the leg. E³ of
the machine, and the clamping bar by means of the screw a³ upon the
back side of the leg draws the yoke hard down and binds it firmly to
the leg, the wheel O being in such relative position to the yoke that it
will lie flush or nearly so with the floor, so that by slightly tipping the
machine the weight is thrown on to the wheel, or when free the table.
will rest on the foot of the leg. In order to more securely hold the
yoke in position, I form upon the lower edge of the clamp D³ a flange d³
projecting under the leg, as seen in Fig. 8. For machines in which the
leg is of different form, the yoke must be constructed accordingly, but
all machines of the same make are so nearly alike that one form or,
pattern for the yoke will fit the legs of all machines.
In the fourth part of this Invention Fig. 9 is a top view; Fig 10, a
side view, the adjusting screw arranged perpendicularly, and Fig. 11
a side view, the adjusting screw arranged horizontally. A is the yoke
fitted to the leg of the machine and secured thereto in the manner
described in the third part of my Invention; `B', B', are two arms of a
yoke within which the wheel C' is hung in the usual manner for castors,
and this yoke is pivoted or hinged to the yoke A' at a*. From the
yoke A* an arm D* extends out, through which a screw d is placed.
bearing upon a bar E' in the yoke B', so that by turning down the said
screw the wheel will be depressed, and vice versa, or a vertical arm F*.
may be formed upon the yoke as seen in Fig. 11, and the screw d
pressed therethrough to bear against the yoke A, and the turning in-
of the screw depresses the wheel, and vice versa. By thus hanging the:
wheel and combining therewith the adjusting screw the wheel may be
set at at the required elevation, although the yoke A* may be necessarily
in different positions on different legs.
In the fifth part of this Invention Fig. 12 is a side view; Fig. 13, a
top view of the castor removed from the socket; Fig. 14, an under side
view of the socket, and Fig. 15 a side view of the wheel and yoke
detached from the socket. This part of my Invention relates to castors
designed for heavy furniture, as pianos, bedsteads, &c.
In moving articles of furniture upon castors as heretofore made, that
is, hung upon a vertical spindle at one side from the axis, it is well.

page_text: known that after the furniture has been moved in one direction a
sufficient force must be used in returning the furniture to turn the
castor around in an opposite direction, and in doing so the furniture is
unavoidably turned from its course, and great difficulty is experienced
in returning it to the desired or original position. By this part of the 5
Invention these difficulties are entirely overcome. A5 is the wheel
hung in a yoke B' in the usual manner, the said yoke being constructed
with a spindle a³, or other means by which it may be set into the
socket C" and so that the wheel may be set relative to the socket in
different positions, by preference eight different positions, and this may 1
be done by an eight-sided stud on the yoke B³ and a corresponding seat
in the socket as seen in Fig. 14, or by a stud d' on the yoke, and a
corresponding perforation in the plate of the socket, as seen in Fig. 14.1
By this construction the castor may be set relative to the furniture so
as to move it directly forward and back, or to either side and back, or 1
upon an angle of 45° and back, always returning in the same track and
to the point from which it was removed. .
:
In the sixth part of this Invention Fig. 16 is a perspective view of
the castor detached from the machine, and Fig. 17. an end view of the
lower portion of the leg with the castor attached. This part of the a
Invention relates to an improvement in castors for sewing machine.
tables to be operated in such manner that when desired to move the
machine the castor wheels may be made to take the bearing or weight
of the machine, and when at rest or in position the wheels are relieved
from the weight that the machine may stand firmly on the floor. As
a suitable means for connecting the castor to the table leg I form a
base A® with a recess a³ therein, within which the foot of the table leg
is set, as denoted in Fig. 17. From this base a bracket B extends up,
and through the said bracket a spindle d' of the yoke fª passes, being
fitted therein so as to turn freely and also to play freely up and down.
In the said yoke a wheel or roll 6º is arranged in the usual manner for
furniture castors. At a convenient point in the bracket I pivot a cam
or lever c³, one arm of which rests upon the spindle of the castor and
the other employed to depress or force the spindle downward in the
bracket, therefore when the bracket or attachment is firmly fixed to
the table leg operating, the cam c presses down the spindle, and as that
rests upon the floor the result is that the leg of the table will be

page_text: raised, the spindle acting as a fulcrum upon which the lifting lever
bears. Upon each leg of the table I arrange a corresponding attach-
ment, and to operate the two simultaneously I arrange a double crank
lever L at a convenient point c³, from the opposite arms of which
extend a connecting rod to each of the cams or levers co, and from the
third arm of the lever Lº a rod m³ extends up to any convenient point
near the top of the table. The person desiring to move the table takes
hold and raises the rod me, which operation bearing upon the spindle
of the castors raises the machine, throwing the weight on to the castor
rolls, in which position the table may be trundled to any desired point.
The weight of the machine resting in the recess a holds the castor in
position, but I do not wish to confine myself to this precise method of
securing the attachment B' as other devices may be emploved.

page_text: the weight of the table is thrown on to or from the castor, substantially
in the manner described.
Seventh. In combination with castors constructed and operating as
described I claim the lever L' with the connecting rods nº, nº, and
lifting rod mo, substantially in the manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-one.