Improvements in Ball Castors for Furniture.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 16th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 12th Feb., 1898
Improvements in Ball Castors for Furniture.
I, ARTHUR FREDERICK HAWKSLEY, of Dunedin House, Altrincham, in the County
of Chester, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to ball castors for furniture in which the ball rests upon or
against two annular sets of friction rollers or discs capable of rotating upon a ring
of wire serving as an axle or upon an axle otherwise arranged.
It is designed to improve the construction of the cup casing or socket so as to
facilitate the insertion and fixing of the annular sets of friction rollers therein.
I construct the interior of the cup or socket with a number of projecting lugs
brackets or the like cast therein in two concentric sets. Each lug is provided with
a shoulder upon which the wire or axle of the friction rollers rests and a space
between each and the next into which roller or disc is placed. The part of the pro-
jections extending beyond the shoulder serves to retain the wire or axle in position.
These after the wire is placed in position are arched or turned over and secure it.
The top part of the cup or socket is thus all cast in one piece and to secure
accuracy in fitting the projecting lugs may be turned or faced with a suitably shaped
tool or face cutter.
Dated this 15th day of February 1897
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
Improvements in Ball Castors for Furniture.
I, ARTHUR FREDERICK HAWKSLEY, of Dunedin House, Altrincham, in the County
of Chester, Gentleman, 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 ball castors for furniture in which the ball rests upon
or against two annular sets of friction rollers or discs, capable of rotating upon a
ring of wire serving as an axle, or upon an axle otherwise arranged.
It is designed to improve the construction of the cup casing or socket in which
the annular sets of friction rollers are fixed, so as to facilitate their insertion and
fixing.
It consists essentially in constructing the cup or casing with a number of lugs
or brackets cast therein in two concentric sets one for each set of friction rollers

page_text: or discs so that the annular axles with the rollers or discs upon them can be
placed in position, and retained there by arching or bending the ends of one, two
or more of the projections.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying draw-
ings, and in which as examples, two types of castors are illustrated.
Fig. 1. Side elevation.
Fig. 2. Sectional elevation on line.
Fig. 3. Plan, looking from beneath with the rollers removed.
Fig. 4. Plan showing rollers in position.
Fig. 5. Enlarged sectional detail on line y—Y.
Fig. 6. Side elevation of another type.
Fig. 7. Section on line z―z.
The cup or socket A I cast with a number of projecting lugs or brackets B, in
the interior arranged in two concentric rings, one set at a higher level or plane than
the other set. Each lug
or bracket B is formed with a shoulder b, upon which the
wire or axle C of the friction rollers D rests, and a space b₁ between each pair, into
which roller or disc D is free to rotate. The part of each lug B, projecting or
extending beyond the shoulder b, serves to retain the wire or axle C in position.
One, two or more of these, after the axle and rollers are placed in position, are
arched or turned over and secures them.
The base a of the cup or socket A is thus cast in one piece, and the shoulders
and vertical faces of the lugs or brackets B are turned or faced with a suitably
shaped tool or cutter.
The annular axles or wires C with the anti-friction rollers or discs D, are fitted
into the interior of the cup or socket A, the wires resting upon the shoulders of
the lugs or brackets B, and the ball G rests against them. The larger or outer set
of rollers or discs are of such a size as to permit of a rolling movement of the ball,
and so as to prevent it resting against the rollers at two diametrically opposite sides
at the same time. The ball G is retained in position by the cap H.
The castor may be made with a plate E screwed into a shank e for securing it to
the furniture as in Fig. 1, or with a socket F for the same purpose, cast to the
base a as in Fig. 6, or a socket similar to F may be screwed to the base a or other-
wise attached to it, if found more convenient to manufacture.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
-
1. A ball castor of the type referred to constructed with a number of lugs or
brackets, cast in the interior of the socket or cup, which encloses the ball against
which the annular axles rest, and by which the axles and antifriction rollers or
discs are held in position, substantially as described.
2. A ball castor for furniture constructed substantially as described and shown.
Dated thie
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool and London, Patent Agents.