IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Talbot Ashenhurst, of 7, Sussox Street, Kentish
Town, in the County of Middlesex, Cabinet Maker, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS."
Sealed the 19th December 1876, and dated the 28th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Talbot Ashenhurst at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th August 1876.
JOHN TALBOT ASHENHURST, of 7, Sussex Street, Kentish Town, in the County of
Middlesex, Cabinet Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS "
.
This Invention has reference to improvements in castors for pianofortes and
furniture generally, which improvements comprise greater strength and durability,
and the power of moving the pianoforte or furniture directly in the line of motion
required and not at an angle, that is, avoiding deviation from the central line
Castors as usually constructed consist of a wheel or roller working on a pin or
centre, having bearings in brass or other metal pieces projecting from the bottom of
the legs of the pianofortes or furniture, such pieces for bearings being connected by
another pin or centre to a socket affixed to the legs, or said last-mentioned pin or
centre is screwed or fixed into a plate which is screwed or affixed to said legs.
By this Invention the above-mentioned arrangements are superseded by sub-
stantially the following:-I make two castings, one to be fitted to the other, and
secured firmly together by screws or other equivalent means of securing same, and
provide therein sockets for two or more spherical rollers (three being preferred),
such rollers to be placed in position, so as to protiude not more than one-third size
of saine, before the two castings are secured together I further provide a centre
pin turning freely, which is secured to the upper of the said two castings, this centre
pin being rivetted or otherwise securely fastened to a socket for the leg of the
pianoforte or furniture, or to a plate to be affixed to such leg.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Talbot Ashenhurst in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
February 1877.
JOHN TALBOT ASHENHURST, of 7, Sussex Terrace, Kentish Town, in the County
of Middlesex, Cabinet Maker "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS."

page_text: This Invention has reference to improvements in castors for pianofortes and
furniture generally, which improvements comprise greater strength and durability
and the power of moving the pianoforte or furniture direct in the line of motion
required and not at an angle, that is, avoiding deviation from the central line.
Castors as usually constructed consist of a wheel or roller working on a pin or
centre, having bearings in brass or other metal pieces projecting from the bottom of
the legs of the pianofortes or furniture, such pieces for bearings being connected by
another pin or centre to a socket affixed to the legs, or said last-mentioned pin or
centre being screwed or fixed into a plate which is screwed or affixed to said legs.
By this Invention the above-mentioned arrangements are superseded by sub-
stantially the following:-I make two castings, one to be fitted to the other, and
secured firmly together by screws or other equivalent means of securing same, and
provide therein sockets for two or more spherical rollers or balls (three being
preferred), such rollers or balls to be placed in position, so as to protrude not more
than one-thurd size of same, before the two castings are secured together. I further
provide a centre pin turning freely, which is secured to the upper of the said two
castings, or otherwise properly secured, this centre pin being rivetted or otherwise
securely fastened to a socket for the leg of the pianoforte or furniture, or to a plate
to be affixed to such leg.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and incidentally intimated
in what manner the same is to be performed, I now proceed (aided by the
accompanying Drawings) to further and particularly describe and ascertain in what
manner the same is to be performed or carried out in practice, that is to say:—
Fig. 1 represents an elevation of my improved castors with three balls or rollers;
Fig. 2, under plan view; Fig. 3, sectional elevation of my improved castor on
line A, B, Fig. 2.
Fig. 4, elevation of improved castor shewing casting or socket attached as in an
ordinary ferrule.
In these Figures A is the leg of the article of furniture; B, plate on which the
leg rests. Round said plate is placed socket B¹; this plate B' is cast with a pin or
spindle C which, when the whole of the castor is put together, passes through the
whole and is secured at the lower part at D by rivet, as shewn. E is the upper
casting; the lower portion of the casting E is formed so as to overlap the second or
lower casting H, which said casting H is so formed as to hold the balls or rollers J
in position. F, india-rubber ring placed round the top of casting E, said rubber ring
bearing against the under side of the plate B; the rubber ring or elastic substance F
to retain same in position is partially enclosed by a hollow ring G, as shewn; or the
ring may be put above the rubber, and press the rubber against the upper part of
casting; the said casting E is on the inside made flat and the balls rest against the
said under portion; or, in some cases, a loose plate may be placed between the
casting and the upper part of the balls, so as to facilitate the movement of said
balls. The casting H is first formed so as to admit the balls J, and the edges of
the casting are drawn in below the centre of the balls, and this serves to retain the
balls free to revolve in the sockets. The whole of the arrangements are held
together by the screw bolt C, which forms part of plate B, through the two castings,
and is secured by nut bolt, or by a rivet at D, as before described. On the upper
surface of the plate B is cast screw pin or spindle b, which screws into the leg of the
article of furniture, as shewn in Fig. 1. In Fig. 4 the same letters indicate corres-
ponding parts as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3; B2 is the ferrule.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of "Improvements in Castors,"
substantially as the same is herein-before set forth and described and illustrated by
the accompanying Drawings, wherein the use or combination of two or more balls

page_text: or spheres (three being preferred), arranged substantially as herein-before described,
is a particular point or feature thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Talbot Ashenhurst, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
T. MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventor's Patent Right Ass"., Ld.,
21, Cockspur Street, S.W.
J. T. ASHENHURST. (L.s.)