Untitled record

Application filed January 12,1892. Serial Bo, 417,854. (No model.)

To all whom it may ooTbcern:

Be it known that I, Alfred Augustus Minor, a citizen of the United States, residing at Egg Harbor, in the county of Door and State 5 of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furniture-Casters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which io it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and 15 useful improvements in furniture-casters; and it has for its object, among others, to provide a furniture-caster the body portion of which will be provided with an annular chamber or recess, within which are arranged a 20 number of rollers, which are arranged in a continuous series around a central roller and are adapted to be rotated by frictional contact with the said central roller. The pivotshaft of the caster is rectangular in cross-sec25 tion and is passed through a rectangular opening extending longitudinally through the central roller, the said shaft thus serving to rotate the central roller.

The immediate object of the present inven30 tion is to provide a furniture-caster in which the frictional resistance will be reduced to a minimum and the use of which will render the moving of heavy articles of furniture easy.

To these ends and to such others as the in35 vention may pertain the same consists in the peculiar construction and in the novel combination, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and then spe40 cifically defined in the appended claim.

The invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, like letters of reference in45 dicating the same parts throughout the several views, and in which drawings—

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a furniture-caster embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the 50 same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in perspective of the rollers removed from the caster.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the main roller of the caster, which is preferably con- 55 structed of metal and may be of any convenient or suitable size. This roller is provided with a central longitudinal chamber B, within which are placed a number of rollers C C, which rollers are arranged in a series around 60 a central roller D. When thus arranged, the said rollers C contact with the outer shell and also with the central roller. The rollers C are journaled at their ends upon stub-shafts D', which project inwardly from the inner faces 65 of the plates E E, which plates are circular, the diameter of the plates being slightly less than the diameter of the chamber B. The rollers C C are considerably shorter than the chamberB,andatthe ends of the rollers suit- 70 able packing-rings F are provided, which serve to prevent lateral displacement of the rollers and yet admit of their free rotary movement. The central roller D is slightly longer than the rollers C, which surround it. This 75 roller has a longitudinal central opening D², which in cross-section is rectangular, and through this central opening in the roller is passed the rectangular shaft G, the outer ends of which shaft are secured to the lower ends 80 of the forks II H of the caster-frame or casting I, which casting is in all respects similar in form to the eastings which are ordinarily used upon furniture-casters, being provided with the usual shaft or shank I', which en- 85 gages an opening in the lower ends of the legs of the table, bedstead, or other article of furniture upon which the caster is used.

Seated within the ends of the chamber B of the caster wheel or roller are plates or heads 90 J, the said heads having bearings against the shoulders K and being held in place by means of bolts L, which pass entirely through the caster at the outer edges of the same. The said plates J are provided with central open- 95 ings J', which are considerably larger than the shaft G, which passes therethrough.

The advantages presented by the construction above set forth will be at once evident. The roller D being fixed upon the shaft G, the 100 rollers C C will revolve around it, having a bearing against the outer face of the roller, while at their opposite sides the said rollers bear against the inner walls of the chamber s

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B. By this construction the frictional resistance to the movement of the parts is in a very great measure overcome.