IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL CASTORS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HENRY JEYNES, of 161 Southampton Street, Camberwell, in the County of
Surrey, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL CASTORS," to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to manufacture ball castors in an improved
manner; and my invention is applicable to the legs of tables, chairs, piano-fortes,
and all other articles which require or are usually fitted with castors.
In fitting my improved castors to the legs of tables, I provide a metallic socket,
which (usually) is made to fit the outside of the leg, and to which it is secured by
any of the ordinary methods or the same may have a central screw to enter the
leg, and be thereby held in its place. In fitting other articles the same or similar
methods of attachment are adopted, where suitable; but the form of the upper part
of the socket may be varied according to the nature of the article to which it is
to be applied.
The lower part of the socket is suitably formed to receive and retain a ball or
globe of metal, glass, hard wood, or other suitable material. The ball is so fitted
that a portion thereof projects below the socket in a vertical line, which projecting
portion or zone rests upon the floor, and sustains the weight placed above it.
The inner portion of the socket is fitted with three sinall balls, which are
recessed in pockets formed to receive them, and are placed at angles of 120 degrees
apart, reckoned horizontally, and about 45 degrees from the centre of the ball or
globe, reckoned vertically. The large ball is therefore always in contact with the
three small balls, at equidistant points of contact; and such small balls act as anti-
friction rollers, to the motion of the large ball or globe; the small balls rolling in
their sockets, and also upon the surface of the large ball, as it revolves.
I form the large ball (by preference) of glass, and sometimes also the three
small, antifriction balls, of the same material; but I do not confine myself to that
inaterial
From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the pressure is always
central and in a vertical direction; there being no leverage tending to distort and
strain the castor, as in those of the ordinary form fitted with a trailing wheel or
roller.

page_text: I, HENRY JEYNES of 161 Southampton street, Camberwell in the County of
Surrey, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN BALL CASTORS and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of my invention is to manufacture ball castors in an improved
manner, and my invention is applicable to the legs of tables, chairs, piano-fortes,
and all other articles which require or are usually fitted with castors.
In fitting my improved castors to the legs of tables, I provide, a metallic socket,
which (usually) is made to fit the outside of the leg, and to which it is secured by
any of the ordinary methods, or the same may have a central screw to enter the
leg, and be thereby held in its place. In fitting other articles similar methods
of attachment are adopted where suitable: but the form of the upper part of the
socket may be varied according to the nature of the article to which it is to be
applied.
The lower part of the socket is suitably formed to receive and retain a ball" or
globe of metal ivory, glass, hard wood, stone, marble, agate, vitrified clay, stone,
china, china or composition in imitation of such materials, or of any other suitable
material. The ball is so fitted that a portion thereof projects below the socket in a
vertical line, which projecting portion or zone rests upon the floor, and sustains the
weight placed above it.
The inner portion of the socket is fitted with three or more small balls (three
being preferred) which are recessed in pockets formed to receive them, and are
placed at angles of 120 degrees apart, reckoned horizontally, and at about
45 degrees from the centre of the ball or globe, reckoned vertically. The large
ball is therefore always in contact with the three small balls, at equidistant points
of contact, and such small balls act as anti-friction rollers, to the montion of the
large ball or globe, the small balls rolling in their sockets, and also upon the surface
of the large ball, as it revolves.
I form the large ball (by preference) of glass, and sometimes also the three small,
antifriction balls, of the same material, but I do not confine myself to that material
as it is obvious any suitable material can be used,
From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the pressure is always
central and in a vertical direction, there being no leverage tending to distort and.
strain the castor, as in those of the ordinary form fitted with a trailing wheel or
roller.
And in order that my said invention may be more particularly described and
ascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which
similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig 1. is a sectional elevation, shewing one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a
plan view of the roller with the three anti-friction balls in position; and Fig 3
illustrates its application to slanting legs, and other cases where it is convenient to
make the attachments in two parts.

page_text: In Fig. 1 a is the socket in which the table leg or other article is fitted. b is the
large ball which rests or rolls upon the floor. c is the body of the castor, formed
of brass or other suitable material. Three recesses or pockets, as at d, Fig. 1 in
which the balls g are placed, are formed in the upper part of the globular
receptacle, and which balls receive the thrust of the roller and roll upon its surface
as it revolves. e is the lower part of the body of the case, which may be united
to the upper part c by screwing the same together, as shewn in Fig. 1, or in any
other convenient manner.
The lower part e of the case is formed to receive a washer f, of leather, felt, or
other suitable material, which keeps the ball roller from touching the metal socket,
and thus ensures silent action of the same as it rotates. The washer also tends to
prevent dirt and dust from gaining access to the upper recess and keeps it clean.
In Fig. 2b is the ball roller, and ggg are the anti-friction balls.
The upper part of the castor may be varied in its form, and ornamentation; and
when fitted with a screw or a spike to enter the article to be supported provision
is made for turning the same, or striking plates for driving the spike. In Fig. 3
a is the lower end of a sloping leg of a chair or other article c¹ is a socket fitted to
the leg having a screw h which screws into the screw socket c, to which to castor
ball is fitted, as before described.
I do not confine myself to any particular number of antifriction balls, or to any
particular kind of material in the construction of my improved castors.
In some cases (if preferred) the washer f may be dispensed with, the lower edge
of e being sufficient to keep the ball b in position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The method of enclosing the balls of ball castors in globular bearings, pro-
vided with antifriction balls resting or revolving in pockets, substantially as
described and shown on the drawings.
2. The general construction combination and arrangement of parts, together
forming my Improvements in ball castors, substantially as herein before described
and shewn on the drawings.