IMPROVED CASTERS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Heinrich Kernaul and Richard Horstmann, both
of Berlin, Germany, for the Invention of
FURNITURE"
"IMPROVED CASTERS FOR
Sealed the 7th June 1878, and dated the 10th December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Heinrich Kernaul
and Richard Horstmann at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
10th December 1877.
MICHAEL HEINRICH KERNAUL and RICHARD HORSTMANN, both of Berlin, Ger-
many.
"IMPROVED CASTERS FOR FURNITURE,"
This Invention relates to an improved furniture caster.
The object of the said Invention is to provide a furniture caster with an elastic
basis, and to augment the facility of moving a piece of furniture (provided with
such casters) in any direction whatever, especially when meeting with sharp and
difficult angles.
Furthermore by this Invention carpets, springs in beds, sofas, and other articles
will be saved to a considerable extent, and chairs and other articles will be rendered
far more comfortable to the persons using them.
The Invention will also be of use for sanitary purposes.
The said improved caster consists of a case or frame made of brass or other
suitable material, a rolling ball (instead of the form of roller ordinarily used), a
clamping ring, a spring and a pivot. The lower part may be extended into a socket,
by which the caster is fastened to the leg of the piece of furniture, but it may be of
any other suitable form.
The case or frame we prefer to make cylindrical, being closed at the bottom
just where it is extended into the aforesaid socket. In the middle part of the
bottom is (if we use a socket caster) a screw hole for fastening the case or frame to
the leg of the piece of furniture by simply driving a broad headed screw through the
same.
The said spring, which may have two, three, four, or more branches if deemed
necessary, is placed with its branches upon the interior basis of the socket inside

page_text: the case or frame. It should not fit closely into the said case, as it must have room
enough to expand when pressed down. In the centre of the spring is a hole which
serves for the fastening of the aforesaid pivot. This pivot is preferably made of
steel, its upper part being smoothly polished, or it may be inlaid with some hard
and smooth mineral. Its form may be that of a common pivot, or in order to give
it greater stability it may be united to a disc fitting closely into the case or frume.
On the pivot is placed the said rolling ball, which may be made of vulcanized
india-rubber, hard wood, or other comparatively soft material. This rolling ball is
held in its position by the said clamping ring, which is screwed upon corresponding
outer screw threads on the case or frame, the whole being arranged in such manner
as to allow the said rolling ball to rotate freely.
We may fit the ball to run on three small rollers, concentrically fastened on
axles to a disc loosely placed upon the spring, but we consider it preferable to apply
the said pivot on account of its being far less complicated and answering its purpose
better than such rollors would do.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Michael Heinrich Kernaul and Richard Horstmann in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 7th June 1878.
MICHAEL HEINRICH KERNAUL and RICHARD HORSTMANN, both of Berlin, Ger-
many. "IMPROVED CASTERS FOR FURNITURE."
Our said Invention relates to improved casters for furniture. The same consist
of an encasement A, a rolling globe B, a clamping ring b, a three or more legged
spring c, and a pivot d. The lower part of the encasement A is formed into a
socket e, by which it is fastened to the leg of the furniture by simply driving a
broad-headed screw through the hole x.
Figure 1 is a side view of the caster; Figure 2, a vertical section of the same.
Figure 3, a bottom view of the spring a screwed to the pivot d with the disc f.
Figure 4 is a side view of the pivot with disc, and of the spring c fastened
to it.
The above parts forming this caster are arranged as follows:-The spring o is
placed with its legs upon the interior bottom of the encasement A. Upon the
spring c the pivot d is screwed by means of a screw passing through a hole in the
middle part of the said spring, and catching into corresponding thread in the pivot d.
The latter, though, may as well be riveted to the spring c, or fastened to the same
by any convenient means.
The pivot d is best made of steel, its upper part being smoothly polished, or in it
being inlaid some hard and smooth mineral. To this pivot d may be united, forming
one solid part with it, a disc f, which closely fits into the encasement A so as to
prevent a shaking or bending of the pivot d. Upon the smooth surface of the pivot
drests the rolling globe B, being prevented from falling out of the encasement A
by the clamping ring b screwed upon the said encasement A. The said rolling

page_text: globe B having but one point of contact with the flat and smooth surface of the
pivot & will turn freely and easily in every direction, and the piece of furniture
accordingly may be rolled in every direction without lifting its legs or describing
curves.
For
The elastic spring c should not fit closely into the bottom part of the encasement
A, as it requires sufficient room to widen or expand when pressed down.
this purpose the inside diameter of the encasement is a little wider at the
bottom.
Our original idea was to make the globe B turn upon three small steel rollers
concentrically arranged, and turning on axles lying in a disc placed upon the spring
c, but we now prefer the construction, as described before, by which the rolling
globe has only one point of friction with the furniture
Our improved caster giving an elastic rest to the furniture, it will be very
useful for sanitary purposes wheu applied to the legs of sick beds or chairs.
Furthermore, by breaking the shock of one's laying or sitting down, the spring c
will greatly add to save the spiral springs in beds, sofas, and the like, and likewise
the rest on beds, chairs, and the like will become by far more comfortable on
account of the said springs c.
The rolling globe of our improved furniture caster is preferably made of volcanized
india-rubber, horn or hard wood; by this the carpets and floor will much less suffer
by wear and tear than through the ordinary metal rollers in use
Our said furniture caster needs not necessarily to be a socket caster.
well be fastened to the furniture by other convenient means.
It may as
Having thus fully described our said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, we wish it understood that we claim,-
First. In a furniture caster the combination with an elastic spring c of a pivot d,
and a rolling globe B, the latter being held in position by a screw ring b, as and for
the purpose set forth.
Second. In a furniture caster a two, three, or more legged spring c, as and for the
purpose set forth.
Third. In a furniture caster a pivot d, which may be united to a disc f forming
part with the same, and which may be united to the spring c as and for the purpose
set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Michael Heinrich Kernaul and Richard Horst-
mann, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-seventh day
of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
eight
MICHAEL HEINRICH KERNAUL (Ls.)
RICHARD
HORSTMANN.
(L.S.)