IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNITURE CASTORS
Year: 1853

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LETTERS PATENT to John. Hyde, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNITURE CASTORS."
led the 5th May 1854, and dated the 5th November, 1853,
ه
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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION, left by the said John Hyde, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his, Petition, on the
5th November 1853..
.
I, JOHN HYDE, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention.
of." IMPROVEMENTS IN FURNITURE CASTORS" to be as follows:
This Invention applies to what are usually termed "ball castors,"
and consists in a certain novel method of. mounting the ball in the
frame of the castor in order to reduce the friction upon the 'same, and
to enable the ball to move with perfect freedom and ease in every.
direction. The globe-or-ball is to be formed of metal, glass, earthen-
ware, or other suitable material, and immediately above its centre, or
a little from the centre of the same, I place an ordinary castor with
one or more pullies bearing upon the said ball or globe, and supporting
the frame or socket of the castor "attached to, the leg or foot of the

page_text: article of furniture to which the castor is to be applied. The frame of
the said castor may be formed of metal, glass, earthenware, or other
suitable material, and may either be constructed in the form of a socket
or with three or more claws or arms, entirely disconnected from each
other or connected to each other by means of a ring or belt. In the
socket, or upon the claws or arms, or upon springs connected thereto,
are mounted small friction rollers or pullies placed in contact with and
immediately opposite to the horizontal diameter of the ball or globe.
The said arms or claws are furnished with points slightly inclining
towards the centre of the ball, and extending just so much below the
horizontal diameter of the same as to prevent the ball or globe from
falling out of its place upon the castor being raised. Or the same
effect may be produced by attaching to the arms a ring of metal or other
suitable material of rather smaller dimensions than the diameter of the
ball or globe. The particular form of the frame may be varied so long
as the principle of the Invention is not departed from, viz., the method
above described of mounting the ball or globe so as to allow perfect
freedom of action in all directions.-
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Hyde in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th May 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN HYDE, of Sheffield, in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Hyde, Her special
licence that I, the said John Hyde, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Hyde, 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

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FURNITURE CASTORS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Hyde, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, 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 Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Hyde, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (that is to say):
My improvements in furniture castors apply solely to that class of
furniture castors ordinarily termed "ball castors," and consist in a
certain novel method of mounting the ball in the frame of the castor,
in order to reduce the friction upon the same, by placing rollers or
friction wheels or castors of the ordinary kind in or on any part of the
frame directed to the centre of the ball, and thus to enable the ball to
move or roll with perfect freedom and ease in every direction. The
globe or ball may be formed either of metal, glass, earthenware, hard
wood, ivory, leather, gutta percha, or of any other suitable material; and
above the same, either immediately above its centre, or a little from the
centre thereof, I place an ordinary castor with one, two, or more pullies,
in the form of an ordinary castor or castors, to any number, bearing
upon the said ball or globe, and supporting the frame or socket of the
castor attached to the leg or foot of the article of furniture to which the
castor is to be applied. The frame of the said castor may be formed
of metal, glass, earthenware, or other suitable material, and may either
be constructed in the form of a socket, or in any other form, as illus-
trated at Figures 19, 22, and 23, or with three or more claws or arms
entirely disconnected from each other, or connected to each other by
means of a ring or belt. In the socket of the castor, or upon the claws
or arms, or upon springs connected thereto, are mounted small friction
rollers or pullies placed in contact with and immediately, or not, imme-

page_text: diately opposite to the horizontal diameter of the ball or globe, but may
be a little above or a little below; or so fixed as to run or meet in
contact upon any part of the ball or globe. The ends of the said arms
or claws are f
furnished with points slightly inclining towards the centre
of the ball or globe, and extending just so much below the horizontal
diameter of the same as to prevent the ball or globe' from falling, out
of its place upon the castor being raised. Or the same end may be
attained by attaching to the arms or claws a ring of metal or other
suitable material of rather smaller dimensions than the diameter of the
ball or globe. The particular form of the frame may be varied, to
almost any extent.so long as the peculiar feature or principle of my
Invention is retained; videlicet, the method above described of mount-
ing the ball or globe by so placing friction rollers or wheels; or, castors
in any place, in arms; cups, or else so as to strike immediately, or not
exactly immediately, as the case may be, toward the centre: of the ball,
so as to allow perfect freedom of action in all directions.
In order more clearly to illustrate the practical application: of my
Invention I have annexed, hereunto a sheet of illustrative Drawings,
representing the method of applying my Invention to different patterns
or constructions of castors, and have marked the same with figures
and letters of reference.' corresponding with those in the following
description thereof, similar letters: being placed upon corresponding
parts in the several, Figures, in so far as such parts appear or can be
seen at each of the said Figures, respectively: Figures 1; 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
represent one method of applying, my Invention. a, is. the ball or
globe, which may be of glass, earthenware, metal, or any other suitable
material. b, is an ordinary castor bearing upon the same, and sup-
porting the frame c. d, is a helical spring applied ibetween the pin of
the castor b and the frame c, or the said spring. may be placed in the
rim or,belt of frame.c, see Figure .3-in. order to give additional
freedom and elasticity: e, e,.are arms, which may be of any number, or
quantity, in which the friction-pullies f, f, are. mounted: These pullies
bear against the sides of the ball or globe.a, and may either be
mounted directly in the arms; ee, as shewn at Figures 2 and 6, or
in springs g, g, connected thereto, as represented at Figures 3 and 9.

page_text: h, h, are clips (see detached. Figure 4), which are attached to the ends
of the brackets or arms e, e, by means of the same pins which form
the axes of the friction pullies or rollers f. f. These clips extend
below the largest horizontal diameter of the ball a, and. prevent the
same from falling out when the castor is raised. i,i, (see Figures 5
and 6,) is the socket of the castor, which is secured by screws, either at
the bottom or sides (see Figures 5 and 6) or otherwise to the frame,
and by means of which it vis, attached to the article of furniture.
Figures 7 and 8, represent the application of a double castor b, above
the ball. The castors may be multiplied to any number, which I do
not consider necessary to illustrate further by Drawing. Figures 9
and 10, show the application of loose arms e, e, which are placed in
dovetailed grooves in the frame c, and, secured by the screw of the
socket i. Figures 11 and 12, show another form or pattern of arm e.
In Figures 8, 9, 11, and 12, as also in some of the subsequent Figures,
the clip is formed by the ends of the arms or claws e, e, which are bent
inwards, and Figures 8, 9, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, show another
method where the frame C, the arms e, e, and the points or clips h, h,
are all of one piece. Figure 13, represents another form of construc-
tion, in which the small castor b above the ball is furnished with friction
pullies k, k, running upon the under side of the frame c, which may be
flat, round, or bevilled on their edges. Figures 14, 15, and 16, exhibit
a form of castor adapted for light articles, wherein the claws e, e, and
castor b, are in one piece, and the frame c, and socket i, also in one
piece. Figures 17 and 18, represent another method of securing the
ball by means of a clip ring h, h, screwed on to the frame c. Figure 19,
shows a bed castor, to be attached to the foot of the bedstead by means
of screws. In this Figure, as also in Figures 20, 21, 22, and 23, the
pin of the small castor b is pointed, and bears against a steel plate l
fixed in the frame of the castor. Figures 20, 21, 22, and 23, are
modifications of the castor, which (having similar letters of reference
marked thereon) require no further explanation.
Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention
of improvements in furniture castors, together with the manner in
which the same may be and is to be performed, I would remark, in

page_text: conclusion, that I claim as my Invention the methods above described
and shown in the Drawings of constructing "ball castors"
by sup-
porting the frame upon one or more ordinary castors, which bear upon
the ball in order to reduce the friction upon the same, and to enable
the ball to move or roll with perfect freedom and ease in every
direction.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hyde, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM WIGFALL,
Arundel Street,
Sheffield.
JOHN (L.S.) HYDE.