Improvements in Casters for Furniture.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1886.
Complete Left, 16th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 19th Apr., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Casters for Furniture.
I DENIS DOYEN of 40 Rue Jacquemars-Giélée, Lillo, in the Republic of France,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTERS
FOR FURNITURE to be as follows:-
My invention consists in employing as a caster for seats and other articles of
furniture a ball mounted on the lower part of a socket wherein it is free to turn
anyway whilst it simply rubs in contact with one or more smaller balls in preference
with three placed above it or else in contact with fixed surfaces which may be convex
or concave in form.
Whenever the lesser intermediary balls are employed together with the large
principal ball which constitutes the caster properly so called they turn in contact with
concave convex or other surfaces producing little friction which (surfaces) may be
arranged upon the same piece which holds the balls or it may be on corresponding
pieces. If these surfaces are concave and are placed above the balls they serve to hold
these last in place and prevent their lateral displacement as well as vertically; if they
are convex and above the lesser balls these should be held laterally so that by
supporting surfaces lateral to the balls each of these last may lie between two concave
surfaces.
If it be desired to dispense with holding the lesser balls by appropriate surfaces,
these bowls must be made large enough for them to touch each other it being
sufficient then to place above them a washer or steel disc capable of turning freely.
Otherwise to prevent escape of the washer if it be desired to lift up the piece of
furniture from the floor it may be retained in its place by means of a circular ring or
a number of small arms not leaving sufficient room for its passage out.
If desired a spring may be used between the caster and the foot of the piece of
furniture more particularly when the furniture is a seat, for the purpose of deadening
the shock for instance at the moment of a person sitting down.
The caster as well as the lesser balls with which it is in contact may be made in
any suitable material; hardened iron, cast iron, glass, wood, hardened leather
et cetera.
Dated this 16th day of June 1886.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the said Denis Doyen.

page_text: I DENIS DOYEN of 40 Rue Jacquemars-Giélée, Lille, in the Republic of France,
Engineer 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:-
My invention consists in employing as a caster for seats and other articles of
furniture a ball mounted on the lower part of a socket wherein it is free to turn
anyway whilst it simply rubs in contact with one or more smaller balls in preference
with three placed above it or else in contact with fixed surfaces which may be convex
or concave in form.
Whenever the lesser intermediary balls are employed together with the large
principal ball which constitutes the caster properly so called they turn in contact with
concave convex or other surfaces producing little friction which (surfaces) may be
arranged upon the same piece which holds the balls or it may be on corresponding
pieces. If these surfaces are concave and are placed above the balls they serve to
hold these last in place and prevent their lateral displacement as well as vertically:
if they are convex and above the lesser balls these should be held laterally so that by
supporting surfaces lateral to the balls each of these last may lie between two concave
surfaces.
If it be desired to dispense with holding the lesser balls by appropriate surfaces,
these bowls must be made large enough for them to touch each other it being sufficient
then to place above them a washer or steel disc capable of turning freely.
Otherwise to prevent escape of the washer if it be desired to lift up the piece of
furniture from the floor it may be retained in its place by means of a circular ring or
a number of small arms not leaving sufficient room for its passage out.
If desired a spring may be used between the caster and the foot of the piece of
furniture more particularly when the furniture is a seat, for the purpose of deadening
the shock for instance at the moment of a person sitting down.
The caster as well as the lesser balls with which it is in contact may be made in any
suitable material, hardened iron, east iron, glass, wood, hardened leather et cetera.
The arrangements which I employ for carrying out my invention are shown in the
accompanying drawing.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section representing a ball caster A upon which bear three little
balls B, turning in contact with pieces B₁ corresponding upon the horizontal
chamber which divides the height of the socket C and serves for bearing at the foot
of the piece of furniture. The pieces B₁ present a hollow embracing the form of the
little balls it is then understood that they suffice to hold these in place. A ring D
screwed upon the lower part of the socket and situated below the centre of the caster
serves to prevent this last from falling if the furniture should be lifted up, save in such
case the said ring will not touch the caster which is only in contact with the little
balls.
Fig. 2 shows the use of only one little ball B placed in the axis of the caster and
turning as in the foregoing case in contact with the concave extremity of a piece B¹

page_text: corresponding, on the hollow C. Here this piece is a screw of sufficient diameter
which enters above the hollow. The caster having here only a single point of bearing
above has need of being held laterally, for this I provide by incans of fingers E screwed
upon the socket and which embrace the caster by their lower concave extremities
interiorly. These fingers serve at the same time to prevent the caster from coming
out, they thus dispense with the use of a ring.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section and Fig. 3 an underside view representing the use of
convex surfaces F as points of support of the little balls B. In consequence of their
convexity these surfaces cannot prevent the balls from lateral displacement; so I
maintain these within the vertical grooves C2, provided in the wall of the socket and
by other vertical grooves arranged in a core C³ which I provide in the middle of the
hollow C¹. The descent of the caster is prevented by a ring D as in Fig. 1.
In Figs. 4 and 4" which are respectively a vertical section and an underside view,
the little balls B take bearing on the surfaces placed, not above them at all but laterally,
these surfaces ought necessarily to be concave and to embrace each ball on two opposite
sides, so as to maintain them in place, they are constituted for one part, by a core C
fixed in the hollow by a screw and presenting hollows on its circumference and for the
other part by horizontal screws G, equally concave at their extremity. The caster is
supposed to be retained by a ring D.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section, Fig. 5ª a side view, and Fig. 5" is an underside view
representing a caster employed without the additional use of little intermediary balls.
This caster bears against the convex extremity of a screw H inserted in the hollow
and this last is concave below to leave room for the said caster. Fingers E serving
at once to prevent the fall of this last and to hold it laterally which is necessary here
because it has no single point of hearing above (as in Fig. 2); so as to reduce the
friction as much as possible these fingers, preferably present to the ball a convex
surface. The screw H may be dispensed with and the caster left to bear directly
against the lower portion of the hollow.
Figures 6 and 6 are a vertical section and an underside view showing a simpler
disposition, wherein the little balls B are made large enough to touch, as they fill the
whole cavity of the socket, this dispenses with employing the maintaining surfaces.
I only place below them in a hollowed out portion of the chamber a steel washer or
disc having capability of turning freely every way. A screwed ring D prevents the
fall of the caster.
Fig. 7 is an elevation in part section and shows how the different arrangements of
above described casters may be applied to the foot of a seat or other furniture with
the interposition of a spring for the purpose of deadening shocks.
Above the chamber of the socket of the caster I place a plate spring or other
suitable kind of spring I upon which rests the foot of the furniture which receives a
metallic fitting J to facilitate the sliding movement, this permits me beside to limit
this movement by means of mortises JJ arranged in the fitting J and in which
engage screws K K inserted in the sides of the socket C.
In all these arrangements above described the ball constituting the caster properly
so called possesses an entire liberty of movement, it always turns in the manner
desired without ever thwarting the direction of impulsion to the furniture.
The caster as well as the lesser balls with which it is in contact may be made in any
suitable material, hardened iron, cast iron, glass, wood, hardened leather et cetera.
In all the arrangements above described the upper portion of the socket above the
chamber may be dispensed with so that the upper portion may have a plane surface
if such affords more ready application. Also when such is to be preserved any form
whatever may be given to it, round, square, et cetera according to need.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
:―
1. In a caster the use of corresponding pieces such as B (figures 1 and 2),
F (fig. 3) and G (figures 4 and 4) to constitute the surfaces of contact concave or
convex for the carrier balls in contact with which balls the main or supporting ball

page_text: moves, such pieces being capable of replacement or adjustment in case of wear to
avoid the formation of hollows in the socket C, and to facilitate setting.
2. In a caster the construction of vertical grooves C² of suitable form in the wall of
the socket C, and in a central core 3 or 4 cast or wrought in the said socket in the
manner and for the purpose indicated above and shown in figures 3 and 3ª, and
4 and 4a
3. In a caster, for the purpose of retaining the main ball, the use of a finger or
projection E presenting to that ball a concave or convex surface below the horizontal
ring as shown in Figures 2, 5, 5" and 5º.
4. The interposition of a contact plate between the horizontal chamber of the
socket C and the carrier balls such balls being placed loose in the socket as shown in
figures 6 and 6".
5. The combination of a caster according to either of the before mentioned
arrangements with a spring I grooves J in any suitable number and projections K
passing into these grooves substantially as before described and as shown in Figure 7.
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WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.