Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1898
(A communication from abroad by HENRY WATERS HARTMAN, of Ellwood City,
Pennsylvania, United States of America, Merchant.)
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E., of Norfolk House, Victoria
Embankment, London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated to me from abroad),
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention relates to ball-bearing casters and its object is to improve their
construction and action.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical section of one form of the
invention; Fig. 2 shows the keeper ring; Fig. 3 shows in plan and in elevation
the resilient bearing ring; Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing part of the barrel or
socket detached; Fig. 5 shows a slight modification; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the
most preferred form of the invention; Fig. 7 is a vertical section thereof; and
Fig. 8 is a sectional perspective of the preferred form of resilient bearing ring.
In Figures 1 to 5 I will point out briefly the several parts with their functions,
explaining more fully the preferred form of the invention shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8.
The barrel or socket is made with flange A and socket like part B, which holds the
main ball C. At 1 are points for preventing the socket from turning; or small
screws 2 may also be used. At 3 is the central fastening screw. Its head is counter-
sunk in the socket. The balls 6 run in the annular recess 5 and bear upon the
coiled spring bearing ring 7 seated in recess 8. A split keeper ring 10 is sprung into
position as shown to keep the balls 6 in place. The lower part 12 of the barrel or
socket may be screwed onto the upper part. The screw-threads are shown at 13.
The screw threading may be short as at 14 in Figs. 1 and 4, or extend all the way
upwards as in Fig. 5.
Turning now to Figures 6, 7 and 8.
The barrel or socket consists of two parts, the flange and part A being secured
directly to the furniture. Projecting points 1 are formed to prevent the possible
turning of the part A upon the furniture. The whole part A may be struck out of a
single sheet of metal, the projections 1 leaving recesses 2 as shown. The part A may
be centrally perforated as at 3 for receiving the securing screw 5. The small balls 6
rest upon the springy bearing ring which is located in the barrel or socket and
engages each of the balls 7, retaining them all in proper relation with the main ball.
The bearing ring or disk 7 is preferably formed from a thin sheet of spring metal,
such as steel, and contains the annular folds or corrugations which form a V-shaped
channel giving a two-point rolling contact for each of the halls 6. The inner bend
of the resilient bearing ring or disk 7 forms a countersunk receiving surface 4 for the
head of the screw 5. From Fig. 2 it will be seen that the spring bearing ring 7 lies
within the recess formed by the part A of the barrel or socket and rests upon the
backing or body 8 of felt or other yielding and preferably noiseless material, which

page_text: adds considerably to the resilient action of the disk 7 and improves its action. In
the broader aspect of the invention (as in Fig. 1) the body 8 may be omitted. In
order to keep the balls 6 in place when the main ball C is removed, I may form an
inwardly extending flange 10 which constitutes a keeper flange for the balls 6. The
lower part B of the socket or barrel is detachably secured to the part. A by means of
a bayonet joint 13, 14. One part, as for instance A, carries a projection 14, which
travels in the recess or inclined way 13, struck up or otherwise formed in the other
part B of the barrel or socket, so as to fit over the projection 14. There may be any
number of these bayonet joints, preferably two. In order to prevent the possible
loosening of the joint, the groove or way 13 in which the projection 14 moves is
indented as at 15 so as to obstruct the movement of the projection 14 in the slide or
way 13.
This forms a means auxiliary to the friction of the parts for preventing the
accidental unloosening of the bayonet joint, after the point 14 has passed to the end
of way 13 beyond the obstruction 15. The lower edge of the part or member B of
the barrel is turned inwards slightly, so as to leave an opening slightly less than the
full diameter of the ball Cand prevent its dropping out; but when the ball is resting
upon a floor or carpet and the weight of the furniture is upon the barrel, then the
ball should be entirely clear of the edge 16 of the barrel and rest in contact only with
the balls 6.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a caster which has a main ball resting on several small balls; a spring
bearing ring located in the barrel or socket and engaging each of the small balls,
substantially as set forth.
2. In a caster which has a main ball resting on several small balls; a bearing ring
for the small balls, located in the barrel or socket and a yielding backing 8 against
which the bearing ring rests, substantially as set forth.
3. In a caster which has a main ball resting on several small balls; a spring
bearing ring formed with annular corrugations in which the small balls rest and roll,
substantially as set forth.
4. In a caster which has a barrel or socket, ball bearings therein, means for
retaining the balls in place, and a main ball or roller;-a separate bearing ring for
the balls located in the barrel or socket, and an attaching screw for securing the said
caster to the furniture, the head of which engages and holds the said bearing ring,
substantially as set forth.
5. In a caster which has a barrel. or socket, ball bearings therein, means for
retaining the balls in place and a main ball or roller;-the resilient bearing ring for
the balls and a yielding body 8 against which the said ring rests, substantially as set
forth.
6. In a caster which has a barrel or socket, ball bearings therein, means for
retaining the balls in place, and a main ball or roller;-the separate bearing ring 7
provided with an annular channel for the balls and a central countersunk surface 4
for engaging the attaching head of the screw 5, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 8th dow of Wab 1900
J. G. LORRAIN,
Communicatee.