A NEW CASTER FOR FURNITURE.
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Maurice Valkenhuyzen, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, Gentleman, for the Invention of "A NEW CASTER FOR
FURNITURE.
Sealed the 23rd October 1863, and dated the 27th April 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Maurice Valkenbuyzen
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th April 1863.
I, MAURICE VALKENHUIZEN, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW CASTER FOR
FURNITURE," to be as follows:-
My improved caster consists essentially of two plates, which are indis-
pensable to its rotation. One of these plates is of one piece with and is on
the top of the cap in which the friction roller is held by its spindle. The
other plate is of one piece with the pin which enters into the bottom of the
foot of the piece of furniture, and also with a cup or shoe, which embraces the
foot. Between these two plates I place loosely in a double circular groove
hard balls or beads, intended to render the rotary movement as easy as durable.
By this means the rotation of the caster having become very easy, the cap or
arm of the friction roller may be placed almost vertically instead of nearly
horizontally, as hitherto.

page_text: In some cases the leg of the table or other piece of furniture may be entirely
secured in a cup or shoe without any pin passing into it, but there will always
be a fixed rivet set in the upper plate, and a moveable one of the same stem
in the lower plate, to facilitate the movement of the cap in every direction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Maurice Valkenhuyzen in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th October 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MAURICE
VALKENHUTZEN, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Maurice Valkenhuyzen, Her special licence, that I, the said Maurice
Valkenhuyzen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Maurice Valkenhuyzen, 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 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 ""A NEW
CASTER FOR FURNITURE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Maurico Valkenhuyzen, 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
Soal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Maurice Valkenhuyzen, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawing hereunto annexed,
and forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures and letters of
reference placed thereon:-
In the casters hitherto used the cheeks or cap B enveloping the roller or

page_text: bowl A extend laterally from it in a nearly horizontal direction, and terminate
in a socket or tube in which sometimes turns an iron rod, which enters
vertically into the foot of the piece of furniture to fix the caster; a plate,
traversed by and fixed to this rod, is placed immediately above the socket, and
serves to hold the caster under the foot of the piece of furniture by means of
two pins sunk in holes left for this purpose. This plate does not form part of
the system of rotation of the caster, which turns only around the vertical rod,
therefore the plate could be suppressed without in any way interfering with
the rotation of the caster. In my new caster, on the contrary, two plates are
indispensable to form the rolling, a first plate G forming one piece with the
cheeks or cap B of the roller or bowl, and placed on the summit of these cheeks
in a nearly vertical position, and a second plate which forms one piece with
the vertical rod D, which enters the foot of the piece of furniture and with the
socket or shoo C which embraces the bottom of this foot, and it is between
these two plates in a double circular groove that are placed hard balls or
beads, intended to render tho rotary notion as easy as durable. My Inven-
tion, therefore, consists above all in the use of two plates enclosing between
them balls or beads of hard material, rolling in a double circular groove, and
the rotation of the roller having in consequence of this arrangement become
very easy, it has become possible to place the checks B of the roller in an
almost vertical instead of the nearly horizontal position which they have
hitherto assumed. And this almost vertical direction of the cheeks of the
roller or bowl is also one of the essential characteristics of my Invention.
On the annexed Sheet of Drawing A, Figures 1 and 2, indicates the roller,
which may be of wood, horn, metal, or any other hard substance; B (same
Figures) is the vertical metal cap or cheeks, in which the roller or bowl A is
fixed by means of the riveted axle F; G (same Figures) is the first plate of
onc piece, with the summit of the cheeks B, and hollowed by a circular groovo
shewn in section at E (Figure 2), and in plan E, Figure 3; H (Figure 2)i
the second plate, of one piece with the socket or shoe C; in this second plate
also is sunk a circular groove, corresponding with that of the plate G; E
(Figure 2), section of the place reserved for the rotation balls or beads between
the two plates; and the plan, Figure 3, shews the circular groove of one of
the plates furnished with its balls or beads; C is a socket or shoc, of one piece
with the upper plate, and which is to embrace the foot of the piece of furniture,
and prevent its being split by the rod or stem D; this socket may be more or
less high, according to taste, and be furnished with a ring or edge to give it
more strength.

page_text: Figure 4 shews the lower and Figure 5 the upper plate of a modification
of the caster I have just described. This caster is intended to be placed under
a piece of furniture having no legs, and the plates shewn are to be fixed to the
furnituro by nails or screws passing through the four holes at the angles; the
checks (which are not shown on the Drawing) are fixed as at Figures 1 and 2
beneath the plate Figure 4, on which Figure is shewn the groove intended to
receive the hard balls or beads, and corresponding with another similar
groove traced underneath the plate, Figure 5. In this modification the rod or
stem fixed in the central hole of the plate, Figure 5, does not pass beyond the
top of this plate, and is riveted loosely in the lower plate, Figure 4, as for the
caster shewn Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 6 elevation, and Figure 7 section, of a socket or shoe of considerable
height and of circular form, to embrace the foot of a piece of furniture without
the necessity of letting a rod or stem into the furniture, as at Figures 1 and 2,
the rod or stem being here reduced to the height necessitated by the thickness
of the two plates. It is needless to observe that the sockets or shoes may be
made of greater or less height than those illustrated, and of triangular, diagonal,
or other shape, according to the shape of the foot of the piece of furniture, and
that the rod or stem D may be lengthened or shortened at pleasure, or entirely
suppressed exteriorly, as described in referenco to Figures 4 and 5. Also,
that the several parts may be made by casting or moulding, cutting or stamp-
ing, or otherwise, and of copper, brass, cast or wrought iron, or any other
suitable metal or hard substance; and where great strength is required, the
inner faces of the two plates might be strengthened with a lining of sheet iron,
steel, or other metal.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the means by
which I carry it into practical effect, I desire it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details above described, and illustrated on the
annexed Sheet of Drawing, as modifications may be made therein without
departure from my Invention, which I declare to be, and I claim,-
Firstly, the use of a double plate to constitute the system of rotation.
Secondly, the use of a double circular groove, corresponding between the
two plates to serve as channel for the rotating balls or beads.
Thirdly, the use of loose balls or beads of hard material rolling in the
circular groove between the two plates.
Fourthly, fixed riveting of a rod or stem, more or less long, in the upper
plate, and loose riveting of the same in the lower plate, to facilitate the
movement of the cheeks or cap in every direction.

page_text: Fifthly, the nearly vertical cheeks or cap forming one piece with the lower
plate.
The whole substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated on the
annexed Sheet of Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Maurice Valkenhuyzen, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
MAURICE VALKENHUYZEN. (L.B.)