Abstract: A caster for supporting an article of furniture and for rolling over a surface including a body having a first axle and a second axle with the first axle being disposed at an angle to a second axle and the first and second axles being disposed at acute angles to the surface. Two or more wheels are mounted for rotation about the first axle with each wheel being relatively rotatable with respect to each other wheel. Two or more wheels are also mounted for rotation about the second axle with each wheel being relatively rotatable with respect to each other wheel.

Abstract: A dual wheel tilted axle caster in which the bearing members are formed as an integral component of, and are initially connected to the retainer, for separation upon assembly or use.

Abstract: A self-orientatable twin wheel which includes a support which supports a pivot upon which are mounted a pair of wheels. The pair of wheels are provided with hollow tangs into which the pivot is inserted. Bushes with inner and outer collars are interposed between the pivot and tangs. The inner and outer collars engage with grooves provided in the pivot and tangs.

Abstract: A conductive caster for grounding a conductive wheeled chair having a seat and back with conductive elements which are electrically connected to a source of ground potential through the chair, the conductive caster including a caster body, caster wheels which movably support the caster body on a floor surface, an attaching stud for attaching the caster to the chair, and a flexible conductor attached to the caster body, the flexible conductor including a contact head which electrically contacts the flexible conductor to the floor surface, a spring which pushes the contact head into electrical contact with the floor surface, a ball chain attached to the caster body which prevents the contact head from extending away from the caster body more than a predetermined distance, and a connecting means for electrically connecting the flexible conductor to the chair.

Abstract: A roller intended in particular for office furniture comprises a supporting body (1) made from a plastic material, an axle (2) mounted in the supporting body, at least one wheel (2) seated on the axle, a metallic pin (5) seated rotatably in the metallic body and arranged in offset position relative to the axle (2), in a plane extending perpendicularly to the axle, and a wiper contact conductively connected with the pin (5) and provided with a resilient portion projecting beyond the plane (20) extending perpendicularly to the pin (5) and being tangent to the at least one wheel (3). The resilient portion of the wiper contact is formed by a helical spring (12) standing substantially perpendicular to the tangential plane (20) and carrying on its free end a contact body (15) projecting beyond the tangential plane (20).

Abstract: A direction setting device for rollers of a baby walker includes a pair of upper connectors, a pair of lower connectors rotatably connected to the upper connectors, and a control mechanism for permitting or preventing the relative rotation between the upper connectors and the lower connectors. The upper and lower connectors are utilized to connect the seat to the front rollers on the baby walker. Each of the upper connectors includes a spring biased key member. Each of the lower connectors includes a circumferential contacting surface capable of engagement with the key member and a key way in the contacting surface capable of engagement with the key member to prevent the relative rotation between the upper and lower connectors.

Abstract: A cart wheel structure having a pair of wheels rotatably mounted to opposite ends of an axle rod. The axle rod is mounted to a base portion of a cart by a pair of fabricated brackets having an upstanding swivel post adapted to be received in swivel cavities provided on the cart base portion. The swivel cavities are adapted to receive the swivel post of conventional swivel caster whereby the cart may be provided with caster and non-caster wheels as desired. The cooperation between the axle rod and brackets provides an accurate maintained disposition of the wheels carried on the opposite distal ends of the axle rod.

Abstract: A swivable caster includes plastic wheel means rotatably mounted on a plastic stem at the lower end thereof. Near its upper end the stem is provided with an annular groove having a nylon split ring disposed therein and having its peripheral portion disposed outside of the groove. This peripheral portion engages a downwardly facing shoulder that extends inward from the internal wall forming a socket that receives the stem. Engagement of the split ring with the shoulder limits insertion of the stem into the socket. During this insertion the split ring is compressed radially so that it acts as a friction means to hold the stem in the socket and also provides a bearing for swiveling of the stem.

Abstract: A castor comprises a moulded plastics body (1) having a socket for a swivel pin and a center wall (6) with an aperture of which the edge is formed as the outer ball track (9) of a ball bearing. Two moulded plastics wheels (2) have hollow hub portions (11) extending towards the center wall and shaped to co-operate to provide the inner ball track (17) of the ball bearing.

Abstract: A single or twin wheel castor has a body (4,14; 90) journalling the wheel (92) or wheels (2) about a horizontal axis, with the body capable of swivelling on a mounting member (16) about a vertical axis spaced from the wheel axis. An operating member (25) is movable axially but non-rotatably by a cam (30) along the vertical axis between a lower position in which the body is held to the operating member and thus to the mounting member in a predetermined angular orientation, the whole being free to turn, an intermediate position in which the wheels are free to turn and the body is free to swivel and an upper position in which a wheel braking force is applied frictionally or mechanically by a brake lever (44, 105), the engagement of the operating member with the brake lever also holding the body in its angular position when the brake was applied.

Abstract: The caster comprises a pair of coaxial wheels mounted in a support wherein a well is formed receiving a pivot pin for articulating the caster to an item of furniture and being extended by a tubular portion above a support shroud, a stiffening collar member being further provided in overlapping relationship with respect to the tubular portion for tightly engaging the shroud and facilitating the coupling of the caster to the furniture item.

Abstract: A twin-wheel castor incorporates brake means comprising an externally-operable brake member which is rockably mounted in a body of the castor for engagement with the wheels of the castor to lock the wheels against rotation. The brake member has a detent projection engageable with a formation of the body to retain the brake member in the braking position, and projecting locking stubs which are engageable between internally projecting webs of the wheels to lock the latter against rotation. The locking stubs are resiliently mounted so that their connection to the main body of the locking member on which the detent projection is mounted will yield, should locking movement of the locking stubs be blocked by engagement with the edge of one of the webs, thus allowing the detent projection to engage the body formation and retain the locking member in the locking position. Thus, as soon as the wheel concerned turns, the resilient mounting of the locking stubs causes the latter to move into a wheel-locking position.

Abstract: A resiliently mounted dual wheel caster is provided which includes an outer body including a hub with a transverse aperture, and an inner body member pivotally mounted to the outer body and mountable to an article to be supported by the caster. A resilient shock absorbing member is disposed between the inner body and the hub of the outer body. An axle is disposed through the aperture in the hub and resilient wheels are mounted one each end of the axle. The resilient wheels and the resilient member act in series to effectively absorb shock encountered by irregularities in travelled terrain and prevent such shock from reaching the supported article.

Abstract: A wheeled carriage is capable of moving on rails to-and-fro, and of moving on a railless flat floor in any desired direction. The carriage has at least three pivotable wheel units. Each of these units consists of a first wheel and a second wheel. The first wheel includes a core wheel portion and a raised peripheral wheel portion surrounding the latter. The second wheel resembles substantially the core wheel portion of the first wheel. The wheel unit is designed for making two contact points with rails when seen in side view and equally making two contact points with rails when seen in its front or rear view.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for attaching the wheels of a dual wheel caster to its axle with annular plastic bushings ultrasonically welded to the wheels that have three integral curved spring fingers that snap into annular recesses in the axle as the wheels are pushed onto the axle.

Abstract: A wheeled carriage is proposed which is capable of moving on rails to-and-fro, and of moving on a railless flat floor in any desired direction. The carriage has at least three pivotable wheel units. Each of these units consists of a first wheel and a second wheel. The first wheel comprises a core wheel portion and a raised peripheral wheel portion surrounding the latter. The second wheel resembles substantially the core wheel portion of the first wheel. The wheel unit is designed for making two contact points with rails when seen at its side view and equally two contact points with rails when seen at its front or rear view.

Abstract: An infants' carriage of the "stroller" type comprises a chassis consisting of two pairs of crossing bars which carry wheels at their lower ends. These wheels are connected to the bars via a cushioning member which consists of a sleeve closed at one end and containing a helical spring against which abuts the end of one of the crossing bars extending into the sleeve.

Abstract: A hatch cover opening and closing assembly which includes a hat member rockably secured to the hatch at about its center, the hatch cover being pivotably secured to the railway car coaming through the hat member at one end and the other end of the hat member being adapted to coact with a locking assembly that locks the hatch in closed, sealed, position either by means of a cam or crank acting mechanism.

Abstract: A dual wheel caster wherein the parts thereof are fabricated from steel, or other sheet metal, including a body frame member made from a metal stamping having an integral socket for a vertical swivel stem and carrying an axle, and a pair of supporting wheel members on respectively opposite sides of the body frame member and a fender with the wheels supported from the body frame member and comprised of a sheet metal stamping and a bottom support member for the fender.

Abstract: A twin caster assembly, including a shaft member having a center portion and opposite end portions, a body member including an axial opening for receiving and supporting the center portion of the shaft member and with the end portions extending on opposite sides of the body member, a pair of wheels each having a central axial hub including an axial opening for receiving one end portion of the shaft member and the end portions of the shaft member and the axial opening of the wheels including a plurality of mating grooves and ridges each having sloping sides to lock the wheels on the opposite end portions of the shaft member and with the mating grooves and ridges having sufficient clearance for allowing rotation of the wheels on the end portions of the shaft member and with the number of mating grooves and ridges in the range between three (3) and eight (8).

Abstract: A bed roller having three wheels disposed respectively between the depending flanges of an inverted U-shaped horn frame and upon respectively outer sides of the horn frame flanges all having conforming tread portions and the outer side wheels having smooth outer sides with the horn frame swivel mounted by means of an upwardly disposed stem. The wheels are freely mounted on an axle extending through the flanges of the horn frame so that they may rotate forwardly or rearwardly as the horn frame swivels about the vertical stem.

Abstract: A self-aligning twin-wheeled caster is disclosed which comprises a vertical wall, a shaped seat perpendicular to the wall, a pair of rotating wheels fixed to both ends of a shaft located in the seat, a sleeve in the wall with a rotatably carried pin. Each wheel has a hub portion, which is provided with outer collars facing front projections of both sides of the wall, teeth contoured over an arc of a circle, which define shoulders opposite to the projections and capable to axially retain the wheels. The caster further comprises front bushings on both sides of the wall, which are coaxial with the seat so as to receive the hub portions.

Abstract: A dual wheel caster body construction wherein the caster body frame is fabricated from a pair of sheet metal stampings nested together at an integral swivel stem socket and secured together in the area of confronting plate portions with an axle bearing through the plate portions for an axle carrying supporting wheels on opposite sides of the plate portions and a wheel cover also fabricated from a sheet metal stamping supported on and secured to the body frame stampings.

Abstract: A wheel support arrangement, for supporting a wheel axle in spaced relationship to a leg frame member, such as a leg of a baby carriage, has a resilient element which defines a support for an axle for one or more wheels, and which also defines a part, spaced from the wheel axle support, for its attachment to the leg frame. The resilient element is arranged to permit resilient deflection of the wheel axle support, relative to the leg frame attachment part, along three axes mutually at right angles.

Abstract: Two wheel castor for furniture, comprising a vertical wall, a shaped seat extending through the wall perpendicular thereto and defining front tubular projections on either sides of the wall. A shaft is supported in the seat and has its opposed ends projecting outside of the seat on either side thereof. A pair of wheels is pivotally secured to the opposed ends of the seat and has tubular hub portions provided with outer collars facing the projections of the seat. A sleeve is formed in the wall in the plane thereof and perpendicular and offset with respect to the seat. A pivot pin is journaled in the sleeve and is adapted to be inserted in a vertical socket of the article wherein the wheel mechanism is installed.

Abstract: A wheeled baggage hinge system (10) adapted for use on a luggage carrier (12). The luggage carrier (12) is adapted for wheeled rotation on a base surface (16) and is further structurally defined to allow opening of lid element (18) and bottom element (20) on a base surface (16) in a manner such that lid sidewall (30) and bottom sidewall (34) lie in interfacing contact with the horizontal base surface (16) when luggage carrier (12) is opened. The wheeled baggage hinge system (10) includes a hinge mechanism (44) composed of a pair of bottom planar elements (52) and (54) rotatively coupled to a central planar element (56) which is pivotally mounted to each of bottom planar elements (52) and (54). The central planar element (56) includes an extended transverse length to allow non-interference of wheel elements (38) and (40) when lid element (18) and bottom element (20) are opened for interfacing contact with a base surface (16).

Abstract: A caster consisting of a caster body having lateral body portions on which flexible roller belts of closed loop shape are slidably supported. The lateral body portions are configured so that the portions of the belts in engagement with the under sides of the lateral body portions are in close proximity to each other while the portions of the tracks in engagement with the upper sides of the lateral body portions are spaced apart to accommodate an upright pintle for attaching the caster to an article.

Abstract: A twin-wheel castor has a moulded body with a through bearing bore in which stub axles of twin moulded wheels are received. The axles have circumferential grooves respectively engaged by two axially-spaced circumferential series of internal body projections moulded within the through bore of the body. The projections are arranged with the two series thereof angularly staggered so that in axial projection no two projections overlap. The engagement of the projections with the axle grooves provides positive retention of the wheels with snap-on assembly thereof to the body.

Abstract: A caster including a pair of diametrically opposed rollers having axes of rotation which are angled with respect to the supporting surface on which the caster travels. During movement of the caster, the rollers exert opposing transversely-directed forces on the caster thereby enabling the caster to be moved in its directed path without the creation of forces on the caster by the rollers which would tend to deflect the caster from its path.

Abstract: A dual wheel caster assembly consisting of an arcuate central horn carrying an axle with projections on either side of the horn that rotatably receive wheels. The axle has recesses that receive annular projections on the wheels for the purpose of retaining the wheels in position.A vertical opening in the horn receives a vertical pintle having a portion projecting upwardly from the horn adapted to be received in an associated piece of furniture. This pintle has two spaced thrust surfaces, a lower one adapted to directly engage the plastic horn and the other one adapted to engage a one piece plastic bearing.The two thrust surfaces are spaced such that the lower thrust surface initially carries most of the load until a certain amount of wear causes the load to be distributed between the two thrust surfaces from the associated piece of furniture.

Abstract: A castor for items of furniture has two coaxial wheels and comprises a cowling having the shape of a tubular horizontal axis half cylinder subdivided by a diaphragm perpendicular to the cowling. Each wheel is provided with an axial tubular tail piece of snap-action engageable with and freely pivotable in a sort of annular resilient clamp formed frontally to the diaphragm.

Abstract: An improved gliding chair system for use in residential and commercial applications which provides facilitated gliding movement over non-smooth surfaces, such as carpets, without the need for area chair mats. Lever assemblies attached to the chairs legs automatically distribute the weight of the chair and its user as desired to a greater number of support locations, and in cooperation with various gliding devices, imparts a facilitated gliding action on such surfaces.

Abstract: A housing for twin roller castors is described having a cover for the rollers in one piece with a central partition, the latter having hooks on each side disposed circularly around a through-going, rigidly mounted spindle for the rollers for retaining the rollers by engaging a groove on the cylindrical surface of the roller hub, when the roller is mounted upon the spindle.

Abstract: A caster has a horn of semi-circular configuration about an axle receiving apertured boss, a web extending radially outwardly from the boss to a semi-cylindrical flange and a pair of wheels, one on each side of the horn, the tread of the wheels being flush with the outer cylindrical surface of the flange. Hub shields are mounted on the wheels in such manner as to avoid load transmission to the shields, yet accommodating a variety of appearance features, ease of installation and reliable retention of the shields in place of the wheels.

Abstract: An improved castor for use with pile carpet can be built so as to include a plurality of separate wheels located on a sleeve which in turn is rotatably mounted on an axle. Holders are provided to secure the wheels in place on the sleeve in side-by-side relationship so that normally the wheels will rotate together as a unit and so that the wheels are capable of rotating independently of one another. The wheels are provided with non-pointed bosses extending from their peripheries which are intended to engage a pile carpet so as to avoid crushing of the piles of the carpet. The structure is intended to distribute weight on the castor over a reasonably large area of the carpet and is intended to facilitate the castor being turned or rotated during use without the movement of the castor detrimentally affecting the carpet.

Abstract: A hopper car roof is provided with a plurality of hatch covers positioned over an elongated trough through which materials are loaded into the car. The hatch covers are locked over the trough by means of a hatch cover locking device which includes a hinge strap adapted to engage adjacent end portions of the trough hatch covers with the strap having an outwardly projecting tab engaged by a locking bar which is tightly held in a closed locking arrangement by means of an improved foot operated latch secured to the hopper roof.