Year: 1897

page_text: I, WILLIAM OSBALDESTON, of 14, Station Parade, Harrogate, Yorkshire,
Medical Botanist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to improvements in ball castors for chairs, tables, and
other portable articles of furniture, and has for its object to lessen the friction
and strain upon the same.
For this purpose I construct my improved castors of a cylindrical metal socket
formed with flanges or extensions for screwing the same to the leg of the chair or
other article of furniture.
This socket carries a ball the lower half of which protrudes partially below the
same, being kept in place by an annular rim or flange.
In the upper part of the socket, I place a number of small anti-friction balls
resting upon the aforesaid ball and forming a bearing between the upper part of
the same and a flange or plate in the upper part of the socket.
The said castor is of simple construction and permits the article of furniture to
which it is applied being moved or wheeled about in any direction with a minimum
amount of friction and strain upon the same.
Dated this 14th day of December 1897.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.
I, WILLIAM OSBALDESTON, of 14, Station Parade, Harrogate, Yorkshire, Medical
Botanist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in ball castors for chairs, tables, and
other portable articles of furniture, and has for its object to lessen the friction
and strain upon the same.
For this purpose I construct my improved castors of a cylindrical metal socket.
formed with flanges or extensions for screwing the same to the leg of the chair or
other article of furniture.
This socket carries a ball the lower half of which protrudes partially below the
same, being kept in place by an annular rim or flange.

page_text: In the upper part of the socket, I place a number of small anti-friction balls
resting upon the aforesaid ball and forming a bearing between the upper part of
the same and a flange or plate in the upper part of the socket.
The said castor is of simple construction and permits the article of furniture
to which it is applied being moved or wheeled about in any direction with a
minimum amount of friction and strain upon the same.
Referring to the accompanying drawing which is a section of a ball castor
constructed according to this invention applied to a chair leg, a metal socket a
is formed with flanges or extensions 6 for attaching to the chair leg by means of
screws as shown. Suitable flanges or plates c and d are fitted to the socket a
an opening being provided in the lower flange c. An opening may be also pro-
vided in the upper flange d but this is not necessary. A balle is arranged within
the socket so as to protrude partially through the opening in the flange c being
kept in place by the said flange. In the upper part of the socket a number of
small anti-friction balls f rest upon the ball e and form a bearing between the
upper part thereof and the flange d. The flange c is attached to the socket a by
soldering or by other suitable means.
The ball e will permit of the moving or wheeling about of the chair in any
direction with a minimum amount of friction and strain.
The ball castor can be applied in a similar manner to other articles of furniture.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
(1) An improved ball castor consisting of a socket adapted for attaching to the
chair or other article of furniture, a ball arranged therein so as to protrude
partially below the said socket and kept in place by an annular rim or flange and
anti-friction balls between the aforesaid ball and the upper part of the socket,
substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
(2) An improved ball castor, substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawing.
Doted this 10th day of January 1898
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.