IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Cuthbert Scott, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CASTORS."
Sealed the 12th December 1870, and dated the 16th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Cuthbert Scott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th June 1870.
JAMES CUTHBERT SCOTT, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS."
My Invention consists in an arrangement whereby the weight of the article to be
supported is thrown to the centre of the leg or other such part to which the castor
is fixed, while at the same time facility is afforded for turning the said article in
any direction. To accomplish these objects I attach a swivelling piece to the leg
or other such part, and upon this I mount a pair of wheels placed at an angle so
that their inward parts nearly reach at the centre, and I propose to bevil the said
wheels in order to obtain a flat bearing on the floor; one wheel only may be used,
but I prefer to use two or more.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Cuthbert Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
December 1876.
JAMES CUTHBERT SCOTT, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS."
My Invention consists in an arrangement whereby the weight of the article to be
supported is thrown to the centre of the leg or other such part to which the castor
is fixed, while at the same time facility is afforded for turning the said article in any
direction. To accomplish these objects I attach a swivelling piece to the leg or
other such part, and upon this I mount a pair of wheels placed at an angle so that
their inward parts nearly reach the centre of motion, and I bevil the said wheels in
order to obtain a flat bearing on the floor; one wheel only may be used, but I prefer
two or more.
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page_text: In order that my Invention may be more clearly understood I proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Figure 1 is
a section of the castor, and Figure 2 an end view.
At a is a disc of metal through which there passes an axis b kept in its place as
regards downward motion by a pin c; an elongation d of this axis is formed as a
screw to which is adapted a cross piece e formed with angular sides of radiating
from the centre line of the axis b, the said cross piece being secured to the screw
by a pin or other ordinary means. Against these angular sides are placed rollers g
secured to the cross piece e by means of axes h upon which they are capable
turning freely. The rollers g are formed.with angular peripheries, and their inclined
position causes them to converge towards the centre line of the axis b, thus bringing
the support of the load to be carried towards the said centre line, and the angular
peripheries afford a level support. The disc a is shewn attached to the bottom
of a leg or other such part, but it may be adapted thereto by means of a socket or
by other ordinary method. When the table or other article is moved in a curve,
the axis b, cross piece e, and rollers g turn bodily together, and at the same time the
said rollers turn upon their axes h. Two rollers g are shewn, but one or more than
two may be employed, and instead of being angular the peripheries may be of a
rounded form. The construction for one roller is shewn at Figure 3, by which it
will be seen that the said roller is inclined more inward than in Figures 1 and 2.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire. it to be understood that I
claim as secured to me under the above in part recited Letters Patent, and for the
purpose above set forth, the use of a roller or rollers placed at an angle so as to cause
the said roller or rollers to approach the centre line upon which the castor turn
In witness whereof, I, the said James Cuthbert Scott, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.