Abstract: A wheelchair with adjustable swivel castors is described. The wheelchair includes a mechanism to limit the swivel range of the castors. The swivel range may be limited manually or automatically as a function of the terrain or the speed of the chair.

Abstract: A roller mechanism for supporting an article on a support surface for selective movement thereon. The roller mechanism including a support member rotatably connected to the article to be supported, a bearing for providing antifriction rotation between the support member and the article to be supported, an axle or axles connected to the support member, and a plurality of roller elements mounted about the support member in a generally circular pattern, each roller element being independently rotatable about an axle.

Abstract: A bearing assembly comprising a roller mechanism and a cage member. The roller mechanism includes a plurality of roller members and a plurality of frangible connector links for initially connecting each roller member to an adjacent roller member. The roller members and the connector links are integrally molded together. The cage member includes a circular flange and a plurality of spacer pegs extending perpendicular from the flange in a circular configuration. The pegs are spaced apart from one another and each peg includes a tip having a hollow chamber adapted to receive and store a connector link. The pegs are adapted to be inserted between adjacent roller members during assembly such that when the cage member and the roller mechanism are pressed together, the pegs will sever the connector links from the roller members and will retain the severed connector links in the chambers of the peg tips. The severed roller members are then free to independently rotate within the cage member.

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 wheel assembly for moving an object, such as load carrying vehicles, and similar types of machines. The assembly enables unique motion possibilities, such as changing the direction of the object's motion perpendicularly to a preceding direction of motion. The assembly includes a wheel, which can be either driven or freely rotatable, for propelling the vehicle. The rolling point of the wheel rests upon a support surface, which is positioned at a radial distance from a drive shaft. To change the direction of motion, the wheel is rotated around the drive shaft, along a circle having the aforementioned radius.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a dust-proof caster assembly including a caster having a peripheral annular recess disposed thereon and a casing having a corresponding annular peripheral flange which can be fitly engaged with the annular recess when the caster and the casing are assembled together, thus effectively preventing dust or fragmental threads in a textile factory from getting into the fissure between the wheel hub and the bearing, improving the operation of the caster and enhancing the longevity thereof.

Abstract: An enclosed tilted axle caster with an internally mounted brake mechanism includes a caster body, a caster wheel and a braking element of singular resilient construction completely internally disposed within the caster body. A cam element enclosed within the caster body is actuable by an operating pedal which extends out of the caster body for engagement by a foot to move the resilient braking element from its normally biased, released position, to a braking position in which the caster wheel is locked against rotation.

Abstract: According to the preferred form of the invention, a pair of thin wheels is rotatably mounted in the bottom of the body of a caster or other load supporting wheeled device in a bilaterally symmetrical array. Each of the wheels has a downwardly facing outer terrain-engaging surface in the general form of a frustocone, and an upwardly facing inner annular bearing surface which is opposed by a complementary annular bearing surface on the bottom of the body. Preferably one or more antifriction washers are interposed between the wheel and body bearing surfaces. This arrangement provides large bearing surface areas which are located directly above the lowermost apex of the frustoconical terrain-engaging surface so that direct vertical loading is applied through the bearing surfaces to the terrain-engaging footprint of each wheel, thereby avoiding cantilever action, avoiding any need for rollable bearings, and permitting the wheels to be very thin and of extremely low profile.

Abstract: A wheel bracket mounting structure which includes an elongated and flexible bracket member having an axle mounting section and a stem mounting section at generally opposite ends thereof. The axle mounting section includes a generally flat, platelike portion. The stem mounting section includes an elongate, generally arcuate stem adapted to be directly attached to a support member on a wheeled vehicle. An intermediate section is provided between the axle mounting section and the stem mounting section. A segment is provided at the juncture between the intermediate section and the flat, platelike portion to provide a region remote from the arcuate stem about which the platelike portion can elastically flex relative to the arcuate stem.

Abstract: A caster includes a mechanism that allows a wheel axle to shift rearward through a distance corresponding to the previous lag of the axis of rotation of the wheel behind the wheel bearing axis when the caster reverses its direction of advance. In a first embodiment, the mechanism includes a unit rotating a wheel axle to reverse the trail. In a second embodiment, the mechanism includes a slider allowing the wheel axle to slide horizontally.

Abstract: A caster which includes a neck at its top portion and a support at its lower portion to which a wheel is rotatably connected. About the neck are a ball bearing retaining plate and a top plate above and releasably secured to the ball bearing retaining plate. Within the plates and about the neck is a completely enclosed raceway which encapsulates thrust ball bearings. The top plate can readily be removed from the ball bearing plate to permit inspection, cleaning, modification, repair and replacement of components of the casters.

Abstract: A swivel castor comprises a pair of wheels (17) inclined inwardly to the upstanding swivel axis (11), such that the bottom of the wheels are spaced apart further than the tops. The swivel axis is offset forwardly of the wheel rotational axes. The arrangement gives improved support capacity and swivellability.

Abstract: A mobile structure is provided which comprises flexible joint assemblies with increased flexibility in a vertical direction and increased rigidity in the horizontal direction to facilitate towing over uneven terrain and further comprising free wheeling dish-like castor assemblies supporting the structure.

Abstract: A caster assembly is disclosed which includes a bearing block with sockets for interchangeably receiving means of attachment to a frame or other structure. A track member is mounted in the bearing block for rotation about an inclined axis extending downwardly at an angle from the vertical direction. Means forming a variable pitch bearing interposed between the track member and bearing block are described, and its optimum configuration for converting multi-directional forces into radially directed forces distributed more or less evenly around the axis.

Abstract: An enclosed axle, inclined wheel caster including a generally disc like pivot support, or body frame member, which may be flat or dished, carrying an axle and a supporting wheel member rotatably mounted on the axle, both of such members being made from stampings, moulding or forgings and a cover formed of opposed saucers, or cupped members, or combinations of these forms, attached to each of the members to give the swivelable caster a generally enclosed form. As an alternative form of the invention, one or both the body frame member and the supporting wheel member may be made as castings, or mouldings each having light weight opposed saucers, cupped, bulged or non-bulged truncated cone forms attached thereto to provide a covering for the body frame and axle of the completed caster.

Abstract: A self-righting rolling suspension system is disclosed which has two ground contact zones and has self-righting stability in perpendicular planes, one of which includes the contact zones and one of which is perpendicular thereto. The system includes rolling support members that may be discs, annuli, cones or similar bodies of revolution. With the preferred orientation of the rolling supports, an effective radius several times the actual radius of the rolling support results. A self-adjusting differential is also obtained from one application of the principles.Shock absorbing and braking assemblies can also be incorporated in the system.

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 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: An enclosed axle, inclined wheel caster including a generally disc like pivot support, or body frame member, which may be flat or dished, carrying an axle and a supporting wheel member rotatably mounted on the axle, both of such members being made from stampings, moulding or forgings and a cover formed of opposed saucers, or cupped members, or combinations of these forms, attached to each of the members to give the swivelable caster a generally enclosed form. As an alternative form of the invention, one or both the body frame member and the supporting wheel member may be made as castings, or mouldings each having light weight opposed saucers, cupped, bulged or non-bulged truncated cone forms attached thereto to provide a covering for the body frame and axle of the completed caster.

Abstract: A castor assembly is disclosed which includes a bearing block having a first bore for mounting a pintle, a second bore for mounting the spindle of a self-laying track member, and a downwardly open socket for mounting the trunnions of a castor roller. The pintle supports the bearing block on a frame or other structure for rotation about a vertical axis. The castor roller turns in its socket about a horizontal axis which is laterally spaced from the vertical axis. The track member is formed with an inner circular track which is in rotatable contact against the castor roller, and an outer circular edge of the track member encloses the roller and turns in close-spaced relationship with a lower truncated edge of the bearing block. The spindle of the track member rotates about an inclined axis lying in a plane passing through the horizontal axis. The inclined axis extends downwardly at an optimum angle which achieves a smooth castoring action when in operation.

Abstract: A castor has a domed wheel rotatably mounted about an inclined axis on a body itself pivotally mounted on or about a vertical mounting spindle. The wheel axis is offset laterally of the spindle axis and the wheel has a rim with a convex part-spherical ground-engaging surface. The body is moulded with an integral bearing boss and the wheel is moulded with an integral bearing boss, the bosses engaging one within the other to provide a bearing for the wheel. The spindle is located in a bore in the body and engages in a peripheral groove in the boss to locate the wheel axially with respect to the body. A sleeve-like portion of the body moulding concentric with and surrounding the boss provides an outer female bearing surface for the wheel boss.