Year: 1887

page_text: I HENRY GREENE of 218 Upper Thames Street in the City of London Iron
Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to this invention I mount the wheel centrally; its axle being arranged
in the lower part of a carriage or cage by preference made of chilled cast iron. This
cage or carriage is more or less dome shaped at the top where it takes its bearing
against frictional balls, one at the summit, and three or more some distance below
that. These friction balls are by preference of chilled cast iron. They work in
recesses by preference formed in the top of the carriage (or it might be in the body
or socket) or against an interior chilled cast iron lining or bearing piece for the top
ball alone or for all the balls, the recesses being then formed either therein or in the
cage. The aforesaid cage or carriage may be cast hollow to make room for the upper
part of the castor wheel. The latter may suitably be made of porcelain or similar
inaterial and turn on a central pin or axle rivetted into lugs or ears on the lower part
of the carriage. The upper part of the socket or body of the castor is formed to suit
the various purposes for which casters are applied. A screwed ring or other suitable
means are provided for holding the cage in the socket or body, and I prefer to
perforate it so that no fluff or other dirt can accumulate in the interior of the castor.
The perfect freedom with which the wheel carriage can revolve will enable the wheel
to assume any required direction. At the same time the weight of the piece of
furniture is at all times vertical on the caster itself and consequently there is no side
strain or leverage to contend with which renders the ordinary wheel casters unfit for
use after short wear. Also the wheel is in such a position as not to project and offer
obstruction. As compared with a ball caster the wheel has the following advantages,
viz. quick movement, à larger bearing surface on the floor, thus preventing indentation
and wear, and free movement on a thick carpet. It is also more durable than any
caster of its kind, the wear and tear being reduced to a minimum. No lubrication is
required and no accumulation of fluff or other dirt in its interior can take place.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1887.

page_text: I, HENRY GREENE of 218 Upper Thames Street in the City of London Iron Merchant
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and the manner in which the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
cast iron.
According to this invention I mount the wheel as hereinafter described, its axle
being arranged in the lower part of a carriage or cage which may be made of chilled
This cage or carriage may be more or less dome-shaped at the top where
it takes its bearing against frictional balls, one at the summit, and three or more balls
(or it may be rollers) some distance below that. These friction balls are by preference
of chilled cast iron. The rollers when used may conveniently be stamped out of sheet
steel or iron. The balls work in recesses by preference formed in the top of the
carriage (or it might be in the body or socket) or against an interior chilled cast iron
lining or bearing piece for the top ball alone or for all the balls the recesses being
then formed therein or in the cage, or the laterally disposed balls or rollers inay be
mounted freely in a loose ring.
The castor wheel is mounted so as to have its vertical centre line within the ball
bearing surface or thereabouts. The wheel may suitably he made of porcelain or
similar material. The upper part of the socket or body of the castor is formed to suit
the various purposes for which castors are applied. A screwed ring or other suitable
means are provided for holding the cage in the socket or body.
In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated various forms of my castor.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a castor and Figure 2 a plan view of underside of
body of castor. The wheel A is mounted in a carriage B which has a central cup
bearing for the lower part of a friction ball the upper part of which bears against a
cup-shaped recess in the castor body D. The three balls E work each freely in
a part annular recess in the body D (or it might be in the carriage B) and bearing
against the flange part of the carriage B. Or I may have more than one ball E in
each recess.
Fis a ring screwed onto the body D and serving to unite it and the
carriage B while allowing the latter to swivel freely. The vertical centre line of the
wheel A may be about at the distance shown from the vertical centre line of the body
or even a little nearer.
Figure 3 shews a castor in which the balls E have cupshaped recesses in the wheel
carriage B.
In Figure 4 a number of rollers E are arranged loose in a recess in the body D
and bearing against the flange part of the carriage B.
Figure 5 illustrates another mode of forming the bearings for the balls E, viz. by
means of steel rings d inserted in recesses. This kind of bearing rings may also be
used in the other examples herein before and hereinafter described. Also instead of
the central ball C I use here one or more rings C loosely mounted on a central stem
part of the carriage. This modification of the central ball may also be applied to
other forms hereinbefore and hereinafter described. Such loose friction rings may
also be applied when the peg is on the body of the castor and the recess therefor in
the carriage.
Figure 6 shows a castor in which the ball works against a steel or other suitable
metal plate-d-inserted-into-the body D, and where the balls E say three in number
work in recesses in the part dome shaped upper portion of the carriage B.

page_text: In Figure 7 the same rings C as in Figure 5 are shown around the stem of the
carriage B, while the balls E are mounted loosely in a plate G which is free to
revolve and which may also be applied to other forms herein before and hereinafier
described. Figure 8 is half plan of the plate G. The flange part of the carriage B
has an annular concave recess for the balls to work in.
Figure 9 shows a castor with rings C at the top as described and with three or
more rollers E working on spindles in slots in the flange part of the carriage Bas
shown also in Figure 10 which is a plan view of the carriage B.
Or the rollers E may be similarly mounted in a freely revolving plate similar to
the plate G Figure 7.
Figure 11 shows the loose rings (at the top of stem of carriage B and also a
number of rollers E working in a recess in the body D and against the flange part of
the carriage B. His a loose ring for holding the rollers in place. This ring may
also be applied to the holding of balls in place, when such are used, in the forms of
castor herein described.
In Figure 12 the top of the flange part of the carriage B is provided with two
friction balls E, each working against a ring d in a recess, and the bottom of said
flange is provided with a similarly mounted ball E. The two balls on one side are
opposite to the third ball on the other side of the flange as seen in Figure 13 which is
a plan view of carriage B. The upper sides of the balls E work in an annular recess
in the body D.
The perfect freedom with which the wheel carriage can revolve will enable the
wheel to assume any required direction and thus allow of the wheel being placed more
directly under the castor thereby taking the weight of the piece of furniture almost
vertically on the castor itself and consequently minimising the strain or leverage
which renders the ordinary wheel castors unfit for use after short wear. Also the
wheel is in such a position as not to materially project and offer obstruction. These
castors are also more durable than any castor of its kind, the wear and tear being
reduced to a minimum. No lubrication is required, and no entry and accumulation
of fluff or other dirt in its interior can take place, because the castor body is closed
sideways by the ring cap.
These castors are applicable to furniture, luggage barrows, sofas and other movable
articles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I do not broadly claim
the employment of friction balls and rollers for wheel castors, nor do I claim mounting
such balls or rollers in a ring, plate or carriage free to revolve between the body of
the castor and the wheel carriage of same, but what I do claim is:
:-
First The various combinations and adaptations of parts forming the improved
wheel castors substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
Second-The ring or rings C on a central peg of a castor carriage or castor body
substantially as described and shown.
Third-The ring H Figure 11 for retaining the rollers or balls in place substan-
tially as described and shown.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1887.