IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS FOR FURNITURE."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Amand Constant Fontaine, born in France, à Vouxey,
:
July 16, 1828, Vosges, living at No. 3, Bennett St., Fitzroy Square, in the
Parish of St. Pancras, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS FOR FURNITURE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Amand Constant Fontaine
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th May 1881.
AMAND CONSTANT FONTAINE, born in France, à Vouxey, July 16, 1828, Vosges,
living at No. 3, Bennett St., Fitzroy Square, in the Parish of St. Pancras, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS FOR FURNITURE."
This article is combine in such a way that it can bear any amount of weight
with out altering the easiness of its motion. It can be applied to safe, book case,
piano forté, iron bedstead, table, sopha, arm chair, &c., &c., in fact, every where
casters are require. The mecanisme of the motion and shape are my own Invention
and property, but they can be made to answer every purpose with out altering the
mecanisme of the motion, and in any kind of metal, wood veneer, box, ivory,
horn, &c., &c. The strenght and safness is un questionable and cannot get
out of order, its wearing is almost illimited, it does not require screw or other
fitting.
The Drawing which I join to this petition shaws all the détail of these casters;
I do not beleave it require further explanation.
No. 1, Backet; 2, bowls; 3, horns of wheel; 4, pin with screw nut; 5, pin nut;
6, wheel; 7, chariot careeng the bowls allway at the same distance one from the
other.

page_text: •
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Amand Constant Fontaine in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th November 1881.
AMAND CONSTANT FONTAINE, born in France, at Vouxey, July 16th, 1828,
Vosges, living at 3, Bennett St., Fitzroy Square, in the Parish of St. Pancrass, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTORS FOR FURNITURE"
Since furniture are existed castors have been made to facilitate the moving about
of the same, but till now no one has given the satisfaction which was expected;
indeed the excentric bearing of the furniture on the wheel of the castor prevents
the motion acting freely; the body of the horn of the wheel bites so hard on the
pin that keeps the centre of it that it is very difficult to direct the furniture where
it is desired to have it, and the difficulty increases according to the weight of the
furniture; dust and rust complicating the difficulty, the castor often does not act
at all.
During twenty five years I have been studying the remedy for that nuisance..
Being builder and decorator by trade, I have stated every day the damage done,
carpets and floors destroyed, and the difficulty of moving about furniture, which
causes an universal complaint. My castor, made on a new principle, reduces the
friction to such a minimum that it is impossible to detect it. The amount of
weight does not alter the easiness of the motion in any way, consequently I call it
"A. C. Fontaine's frictionless castor."
The Drawing annexed to this Specification will show better the construction of
my castor than I could describe it.
DESIGNATION.
Fig. L. Iron Bedstead Castor.-This, as it is my intention, will be made of cast-
iron galvanized with copper or brass, bronzed or japaned according to want. The
pillar being a tube, the adjusting is very easy. When making them, warm the end
of the pillar, draw it in a matrice of the size of the socket; it will be better fitted
than it was made on the lathe. To fix the castor on the pillar rub the end of it
with bees'-wax, it will be as safe as possible. In my first Specification I had made
a shoulder in the socket to support the pillar; but it is useless as it is a tube; as
shown by Drawing, the motion cannot be altered by it.
Fig. II. Table, Sofa, Chair, Socket Castor for Wood Furniture.-I intend to make
it of cast-iron galvanized or bronzed, japaned in imitation of light and dark oak,
mahogany, rose-wood, walnut-tree, etc., etc. The fixing will be the same as Fig. I.
The leg of furniture must be well adjusted into the socket; rub the part of the leg
which goes into the socket with bees' wax; it will not require screw.
Fig. III. Grand Piano-forte.-This castor is made as Fig. I. and II.; I mean to
say, on the same principle, as all socket-castor will be according to my Drawing
I intend to make it in cast-iron galvanized with copper, brass, or bronze, gilded,
silvered, or japaned in any fancy wood imitation. It is perfectly understood that
it can be made in any kind of metal, wood veneer, ivory, horn, etc., etc. I do not
limit myself to any kind of material. The instrument will gain much in tune, as
the vibration remains perfectly free, which does not take place with excentric
bearing.
Fig. IV. This castor can be applied where it was not possible before to employ
any castor, iron-safe, meat-safe, ice-safe, book-case, side-board, butcher-block; in
fact, wherever heavy things require to be moved. On the same principle the
smallest castor can be made to answer the want of any castor without socket.
1, socket with conical opening for the leg.
2, groove where the bools are moving freely.
3. horns of wheel forming a platform on which the chariot works freely.

page_text: 4, pin driven with force in the body of the horns, keeping the horns and socket
together by a twisted pin on a washer. The screw-nut described in my first
Specification is suppressed as useless.
5, washer and twisted pin.
6, wheel in cast-iron or composition as required..
7, chariot in tin-iron carrying the three bowls always at the same distance the
one from the others. The bowls will be made in brass or other metal.
I claim,―
First. The motion composed of the chariot with three bowls.
Second. The shape and configuration of the body of the horns.
Third. The shape complete of socket and horns together as it is represented in my
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Amand Constant Fontaine, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty six day of Novemb., in the year of our
Lord One thousand and eight hundred and eighty one.

page_text: FURNITURE" the same bearing date the 27th day of May 1881.
DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to bo
entered by the said Amand Constant Fontaine as such Patentee as aforesaid
pursuant to the Statutes in that case made and provided
WHEREAS since filing the Specification to the said Letters Patent for Improve-
ments in Castors for Furniture and the Drawings which accompany such Specification
I have been advised that owing to my imperfect knowledge of-the English language.
such Specification very imperfectly describes my said invention and also that
certain inaccuracies of detail exist in such Drawings and also that the claiming
clauses as framed by me and appearing in my said Specification are so vague and
unintelligible as to materially prejudice and endanger the validity of the said
Letters Patent No 2330 of 1881 so granted to me as aforesaid for my said invention
I therefore desire to disclain and alter my said Specification And I do hereby
disclaim and alter the same as it now appears in the printed blue book thereof as
printed by Her Majesty's Printers by making certain additions thereto and
omissions therefrom and substituting certain words in lieu of such omissions first
premising that such additions omissions and insertions in no way tend to extend
the scope of my invention or the exclusive right therein so granted to me by the
said Letters Patent N° 2330 of 1881 as aforesaid
And whereas in order to clearly illustrate this I will now explicitly enumerate
the various corrections and amendments which I desire to make in my said Speci-
fication and in the Drawings accompanying the same as they now respectively
appear in the printed blue book thereof hereinbefore referred to that is to say
1. At line 7. p 2. to omit the word "are" as ungrammatical and substitute as
correct the word "has
"
2. At line 8. p 2. to omit the words "till now no one has" which are ungram-
matical and to insert instead the words "up to now none have" as correct

page_text: "
33
as erroneous and substitute the
. At line 10. p 2. to omit the word "motion
word " Castor
. At line 11. p 2. to omit the words "pin that keeps the centre of it" as being
inaccurate and to substitute therefor the words "centre pin which secures it
to the furniture" also to omit the words "direct the furniture where" and
insert instead the words "move the furniture in the desired direction" as
being more lucid
. At line 12. p. 2. to omit as unnecessary the first six words "it is desired to
have it "also after the following word "and" to omit the word "the" and
insert instead "this"
At line 13. p 2. to insert after the word "furniture" the words "while owing
to so as to perfect the sentence
"
7. At line 15. p 2. to omit the word "the" and substitute "to"-also to omit the
words "for that" and substitute "this as more correct
as
3. At line 16. p 2. thereof to insert the word "a" before the word "builder "
being grammatically necessary-also to omit the word "stated" as erroneous
and of French idiom and substitute the word "observed" as being correct
At line 17. p 2. to insert before the word "Carpets" the words "by the " also to
insert after the word "floors" the word "being" thus rendering the language
correct
"
33
0. At line 18. p 2. to omit the word " an as unnecessary-also to insert the
word "Now" before the word "My as more explicit also to omit the
word "principle" as erroneous and substitute therefor the word "construc-
tion" it not having then been or now being my intention to claim the
principle of ball bearings as novel the same having been well known at
the time of my making application for the Grant of the said Letters Patent
-but only to claim as novel the particular construction by which I apply
such principle to Castors for furniture
1. At line 20. p 2. to omit after the word "of" the word "the" and substitute
therefor the word "its"
" can
"
2. At line 23. p 2. to omit the word "could" and insert instead the word
3. At line 24. p 2. to omit the word "Designation" as being of French idiom
and to insert instead the words Description of the Drawing" as the
English equivalent
"
4. At line 26. p 2. to correct the word "japaned" to "japanned "
"
5. At line 27. p 2. to insert after the word "adjusting" the words "the Castor
thereto as rendering the description more explicit-also for a similar reason
to omit the word "them" and insert instead the words "the pillar"
"
6. At line 28. p 2. to omit the words "of the pillar" and substitute the words
'thereof and as more explicit also after the word "matrice" to omit the
word "of" as unnecessary.
"
7. At line 29. p 2. to omit the words "it was" and substitute "if" instead
8. At line 30. p 2. to omit as unnecessary the sentence commencing with the
words "In my first Specification and terminating at line 32 with the
words "altered by it"
9. At line 33. p 2. to omit after the word and figures "Figure II" the words
"table sofa. chair as unnecessary and confusing
"
0. At line 34. p 2 to correct the word "japaned" to "japanned
"
"
1. At line 35. p 2. to omit the words "tree &° &°" as vague and to substitute
therefor the words " or other wood as being more explicit-also after the
word "The" to insert the words "method of "-and after the words
same as the words "that" described with reference to the Castor
shewn at " thus rendering the explanation complete
66
"
2. At line 36. p 2. to omit the words "of furniture" as unnecessary
"
3. At line 37. p 2. to omit the words "require screw as bad English and
substitute therefor the words "then require to be secured to the Castor by
screwe
"

page_text: "
24. At line 38 p 2: to insert after the word and figures "-Figure. III" the words
"Castor for" to complete the sentence-also for a similar reason to insert
after the word "as "the words "those shewn in Figures" and to omit the
following word "
« Figure thus rendering it more explicit
25. At line 39 p 2. to omit the word "principle" as incorrectly expressing my
meaning and conveying an erroneous impression and to substitute therefor
the word "plan"-also to correct the word "socket-castor" to "socket-
castors "-also to insert before the word "Drawing" the words "invention
as shewn in my " thus rendering the sentence explicit
26. At line 41. p 2. to omit as erroneous the words "japaned in any fancy wood
imitation" and substitute therefor the words "japanned in imitation of any
fancy wood" as correct
"
"
27. At line 42 p 2. to omit the words etc etc as vague and insert instead the
words "or other suitable material" as explicit
28. At line 45. p. 2. To correct the word "bearing" to "bearings"
"
29. At line 46. p 2. To insert after "Figure IV" the words "shews a plate castor”
as affording a proper description
"
30. At line 47. p 2. To insert after the word "Castor" the words "as for instance
as being necessary to the sense "-also after the word "side-board "
the word " or as rendering it more explicit
to an
"
31. At lines 48 and 49. p 2. to omit the words
28
On the same principle the
smallest castor can be made to answer the want of any castor without
Bocket" as being unintelligible and unnecessary
32. At line 51 p. 2 to correct the description "where the bools are moving freely "
by substituting the words "wherein the balls move freely"
"
33. At line 52. p 2. To omit the words "Chariot works freely" as bad English
and substitute therefor the words "the recessed perforated disc and balls
work freely"
34. At line 1. p. 3. To omit the words "with force as unnecessary-also to omit
the word "keeping" and substitute the word "connecting" as more explicit
35. At line 2 p 3. To omit the words "by a twisted pin on a washer" as lacking
clearness and to substitute therefor the following words "and secured by a
twisted pin inserted through an orifice in the head thereof and working
on a washer to prevent binding" which is a correct description-also to omit
the following words "The screw-nut described in my first Specification is
useless as unnecessary
"
36. At line 4 p. 3. To omit the words "and twisted pin" as erroneous the twisted
pin not being shewn in drawing
37. At line 6. p. 3. To omit the word "Chariot" as an inaccurate expression and
substitute therefor the words "recessed perforated disc" also to correct the
word "bowls" to "balls
38. At line 7. p 3. To correct the word "bowls to "balls-also to insert after the
word "metal" in the same line the words "Figure 5 shews a plan of such
recessed perforated disc and balls"
39. At line 14. p 3. to correct the word "
"Novemb" to "November."
"
six to sixth "also the word
"
To amend in the drawing accompanying the final Specification the following
inaccuracies of detail
40. To indicate in dotted lines instead of in a full line as shewn at present that portion
of the washer 5 which is behind the pin 4 as shewn in Figures 1. 2. 3. 4.
41. To remove the Figure 5 from its present position where it conceals the orifice
formed in the head of pin 4 to receive the twisted pin and place it over the
washer at the side thus clearly illustrating the construction
42. To remove the reference Figure 2 from its present inaccurate position in
each of the Figures. 1. 2. 3. 4 it being erroneously placed on the ball-and to
place it at the side in order to more accurately indicate the groove wherein
the balls travel

page_text: 43. To substitute a correct view of the recessed perforated disc or chariot 7 for
the present inaccurate one and to call the same Figure 5
And whereas with regard to the first claim as framed by me I am advised that it
is erroneous inasmuch as the chariot and balls are not automatic and do not
therefore constitute a motion in themselves but only an improved means of
obtaining motion when actuated by the article to which the Castor is attached
being moved
And whereas with regard to the second claim I am advised that the language is
obscure and that it appears thereby that I claim the external shape of the horn
whereas my intention was and is to claim the top thereof which forms the grooved
plane of travel wherein the balls work
And whereas with regard to the third claim I am advised that owing to its
obscure language it appears that I claim the external shape of the socket and horns
together whereas my intention was and is to claim the combination of the socket
and horns together with the recessed perforated disc plate or chariot and balls as
shewn in the drawing
for these reasons
44. That I desire to desclaim and alter and I do hereby disclaim and alter
such first, second and third claims by striking out and omitting the same as
misleading and unintelligible and by substituting therefore the following Claim
that is to say "I claim my invention of improvements in Castors for Furniture as
described and shewn in the accompanying drawing "
but
And in order that the effect of this Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration
may be better understood I annex a Copy of the Specification as it will appear
when such Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration has been made as aforesaid
"Since furniture has existed castors have been made to facilitate the moving
" about of the same up to now none have given the satisfaction which was
expected indeed the excentric bearing of the furniture on the wheel of the castor
prevents the castor acting freely; the body of the horn of the wheel bites so hard
on the centre pin which secures it to the furniture that it is very difficult to
move the furniture in the desired direction and this difficulty increases according
" to the weight of the furniture while owing to dust and rust complicating the
difficulty the castor often does not act at all
"
"C
**
"
"
"
During twenty five years I have been studying to remedy this nuisance
Being a builder and decorator by trade I have observed every day the damage
"done by the carpets and floors being destroyed and the difficulty of moving
" about furniture which causes universal complaint-Now my castor made on a
new construction reduces the friction to such a minimum that it is impossible to
"detect it-The amount of weight does not alter the easiness of its motion in
any way; consequently I call it "A. C. Fontaine's frictionless castor"
"The Drawing annexed to this Specification will shew better the construction
" of my castor than I can describe it
*
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Fig I Iron bedstead castor-, This as it is my intention will be made of cast
" iron galvanized with copper or brass bronzed or japanned according to want.
"The pillar being a tube, the adjusting the castor thereto is very easy When
making the pillar warm the end thereof and draw it in a matrice the size of the
"socket: it will be better fitted than if made on the lathe. To fix the castor on
"the pillar rub the end of it with bees'-wax,-it will be as safe as possible
6*
"
"6
65°
Fig II Socket Castor for Wood Furniture-I intend to make it of cast iron
galvanized or bronzed japanned in imitation of light and dark oak mahogany,
rose-wood walnut or other wood The method of fixing will be the same as that

page_text: "
Figure III Castor for Grand Piano-forte-This castor is made as those shewn
"in Figures I and II I mean to say on the same plan as all socket castors will
"be according to my invention as shewn in my Drawing-I intend to make it in
"cast iron galvanized with copper brass or bronze, gilded silvered or japanned in
"imitation of any fancy wood. It is perfectly understood that it can be made in
any kind of metal, wood, veneer, ivory, horn or other suitable material I do not
"limit myself to any kind of material. The instrument will gain much in tune as
"the vibration remains perfectly free which does not take place with excentric
bearings
"
"
16
"
Fig IV shews a plate castor This castor can be applied where it was not
possible before to employ any castor as for instance to an iron-safe meat safe
"ice-safe book case, sideboard or butcher-block in fact wherever heavy things
"require to be moved
"1 Socket with conical opening for the leg
" 2 Groove wherein the balls move freely
" 3 Horns of wheel forming a platform on which the chariot works freely
И
4 Pin driven in the body of the horns connecting the horns and socket
" together and secured by a twisted pin inserted through an orifice in the head
"thereof and working on a washer to prevent binding
" 5 Washer-6 Wheel in cast iron or composition as required
"7-Recessed perforated disc in tin iron carrying the three balls always at the
same distance the one from the others The balls will be made in brass or other
"metal
"
Figure 5 shews a plan of such recessed perforated disc and balls
"I claim my invention of improvements in Castors for furnitures as described
" and shewn in the accompanying drawing."
"In witness whereof I the said Amand Constant Fontaine have hereunto set my
"hand and seal this Twenty sixth day of November in the year of Our Lord One
"thousand and eight hundred and eighty one"
« A. C. FONTAINE (L.B.)"
In Witness whereof I the said Amand Constant Fontaine have hereunto set my
hand and seal this thirtieth day of August in the Year of Our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
Notice of the application for leave to file this Disclaimer having been advertized
in accordance with my directions:-
I hereby grant my Fiat giving leave to the above named Amand Constant Fontaine
to file in the Office of the Commissioners of Patents with the Specification to
which the same relates the above written Disclaimer and Memorandum of
Alteration
Dated this fourth Day of Santambo 1000