Improvements in Ball Castors for Use on Articles of Furniture, and for analogous purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct, 1895-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ball Castors for Use on Articles of Furniture, and
for analogous purposes.
I, JESSE THOMAS, 99 Carmen Street, Ardwick, Manchester, Occupation-
Warehouseman, 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
The object of my invention is to produce an improved castor which shall be
Heater, stronger, offer less furtion, and be less likely to jam than any other kind
In carrying out my invention, I provide a semi-circular cup, in the concave surface
of which are formed thice or more (but preferably three) circular ball-races or
channels at an equal distance from each other The depths of each race or channel
may vary so as to allow of only a portion of the balls in each ace or channel
coming into bearing as they fall veitically on the left side of each race. This
allows the large ball which will be placed in the cup to have three separate
bearings at equal distances from each other, and permits of the castor travelling
over the floor in any direction and with reduced friction To keep the said balls
and the large ball in position when the casto is lifted from the floor, a cap will
be screwed over the month of the cup in which a hole will be made a shade smaller
than the diameter of the large ball. The upper part of the cup may be formed
into a socket and furnished with a sciew to allow the castor to be attached to the
leg of the article of furniture, or it may be furmshed with a plate for the saine
purpose. The respective parts of the castor may be made of the usual materials
employed in making such articles, for instance, the large ball may be of steel,
aluminium or other metal, or of pottery-ware, and the small bearing balls may be
of steel or other suitable material The cup may be of any suitable cast or other-
Ise formed metal In order that my invention may be more easily comprehended,
1 refer to the figures in the accompanying sheet of drawings in which, Fig. 1 is a
longitudinal section through A B of a castor made in accordance with my invention,
aud Fig. 2 is a plan of the concave surface of the cup and showing the bearing
balls in the races or channels. Sunilai letters refer to the same parts in each
figure. a is the semi-circular cup, b the channels or races for the bearing balls c,
d the large ball, e the ing cup to keep e and d in place, f and are respectively
the socket and scies for attaching the castor to the article on which it is used.
h shows in dotted lines a plate when such modo of attachment is employed.
I do not confine myself to the precise forms, details, or relative proportions or
disposition of parts as shown in the drawings as they may be varied according to
circumstances without departing from the invention.
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
Claim. In castors for furniture and other articles the combination of a semi-
circular cup having formed in its concavity races or channels in which are contained
bearing balls on which rests and in contact with which revolves a laige ball, the
said bearing balls and large ball being retained in position by a ring cap, the

page_text: whole substantially as described in the above Specification, and exemplified u
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1895
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23 Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.