Year: 1897

page_text: I, HENRY SHIELDS, of 19, Palmerston Street, Stockton-on-Tees, Foreman Plater,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to an improved form of castor for chairs, tables, bedsteads,
and other article of furniture.
In carrying out this invention a metal socket is formed having a semicircular
enlargement or cup at one end thereof to receive a ball of metal, stone glass, or
other suitable material. The rim of the cup aforesaid is flanged out, and a circular
plate having a hole in the centre is bolted or screwed to the flanged rim aforesaid.
The ball projects slightly through the hole in the bottom plate, the hole being
too small to admit of the ball falling out, and the edge of the said hole is bevelled
to correspond with the surface of the ball where it comes in contact. The hole
is made of such size as to retain the ball within its cup just tightly enough to
be free from jamming or wedging. At the opposite end of the socket is an enlarged
portion designed to receive the leg of the chair or table, and the socket is secured
to the leg by means of screws passing through the metal socket into the leg. Or
instead of a socket to receive the leg a flat plate may be formed above the ball
socket having screw holes for attaching the castor to the bottom surface of the
leg. In the case of iron bedsteads the leg may be cast with the socket or cup to
receive the ball all in one piece.
In operation the weight is transmitted straight down through the leg through
the ball which comes immediately under it, thereby diminishing the leverage which
exists with castors now in common use.
Dated this 8th day of December 1897
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.
I, HENRY SHIELDS, of 19, Palmerston Street, Stockton-on-Tees, Foreman Plater,
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 follow-
ing statement:
This invention relates to an improved form of castor for chairs, tables, bed-
steads, and other articles of furniture.
In carrying out this invention a metal socket is formed having a semicircular
5 enlargement or cup at the end thereof to receive a ball of metal, stone, glass, or
[Price 8d

page_text: other suitable material. The rim of the cup is flanged and a ring is fitted to the
flanged rim aforesaid. The ball projects slightly through the ring, the hole being
too small to admit of the ball falling out and the inner edge of the ring is bevelled
to correspond with the surface of the ball where it comes into contact with it
The ring is made of such size as to retain the ball within its cup just tightly enough
to be free from jamming or wedging. At the opposito end of the socket is an
enlarged portion designed to receive the leg of the chair or table, and the socket
is secured to the leg by means of screws passing through the metal socket into
the leg. Or instead of a socket to receive the leg a flat plate may be formed above
the ball socket having screw holes for attaching the castor to the bottom surfaco
of the leg. In the oase of iron bedsteads the leg may be cast in one piece with
the socket or cup.
In operation the weight is transmitted straight down through the leg to the
ball which comes immediately under it, thereby diminishing the leverage which
exists with castors now in common use.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference is had
to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a section of a castor constructed
according to my invention, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing a slightly
different form of castor. The body A of the castor is formed with a cup or recessed
part a which as shown clearly in Fig. 1 is adapted to receive the ball B. This
ball fits loosely within the cup so that it can turn freely.
To prevent the ball dropping out of the cup the ring C is provided which in the
arrangement shown is fitted to the flange a' at the lower edge of the cup by means
of the projecting lips c which are bent over the flange and so secure the ring on
the lower side of the cup. Other means of fastening however may be employed.
This ring is fitted just below the centre of the ball and the hole is slightly less
in diameter than the ball so that the latter cannot drop out. I also prefer to bevel
the inner edge of the ring C so that it will fit closely on the surface of the ball.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 the castor is fixed in place by means of a
stout screw a³. The construction shown in Fig. 2 is similar but in this case the body
of the castor is made in one with the leg a of the bedstead or other article 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 castor for furniture having a cup or recess at its lower side,
a flange on the lower edge of the said cup, a ball within the cup and a ring fitted
to the flange slightly less in internal diameter than the ball preventing the latter
dropping from the cup, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
(2) In an improved castor for furniture, the combination with a cup a at the
lower side of the castor and a ball B fitting within the said cup, of a ring C fitted
to the flange a bevelled at its inuer side and serving to retain the ball in place,
substantially as described and shown and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 10th day of February 1898.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.