Sliding Patents (Class 16/42R)
  • Patent number: 6155530
    Abstract: A mounting foot device for hi-fi equipment to prevent or limit acoustic feedback, comprising: an anchor bolt for affixing to said equipment, the bolt including a downward facing end face provided with a projecting spike; a housing which partially surrounds the bolt, and wherein the bolt has axial, but limited, movability in relation to the housing; a contact plate, either fixedly mounted in the housing or mounted with limited axial mobility in relation to the housing, and including an upper face and a lower face wherein the upper face is positioned facing toward the end face of the anchor bolt and the projecting spike, and is adapted to form a point contact with the spike and wherein when the bolt is under the weight of the hi-fi equipment, the bolt moves toward the contact plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Inventor: Terje Borgen
  • Patent number: 6154923
    Abstract: A furniture glide includes a ferrule having an upstanding cylindrical side wall defining a ferrule opening for receiving a furniture leg. Four substantially equidistantly spaced, upstanding ribs extend laterally inward from the side wall to a guide surface. The diameter of the circle formed by the four guide surfaces is substantially the same as that of the ferrule opening. A clip mounted in the ferrule has a pair of upstanding opposed clip arms. A plurality of prongs extend radially inward from each clip arm such that the distance between the prongs of the first and second clip arms is less than the diameter of the ferrule opening. A glide base on the furniture glide contacts the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Carpin Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph Carpinella
  • Patent number: 6123300
    Abstract: A dual-purpose leg support includes a base body adapted to be lockably secured on a base of a furniture item, cabinet, or machine. The base body has a spindle insertably provided in a central portion thereof. The spindle has a front end forming spherical head and an opposite end provided with a screw rod portion, a bearing having a threaded inner ring being screwably locked on the screw rod portion, with a caster fitted thereon. The base body is pre-formed with a curved grooved track that is generally one quarter of an arc so that the spindle can be erected in an upright position with a lateral face of the caster as support or the spindle can be disposed horizontally such that a caster face of the caster is in contact with the floor to allow rolling movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Inventor: Kao-Fu Chen
  • Patent number: 6088877
    Abstract: A glide attachment plate for supporting a glide with respect to the end of a furniture leg has a perimeter portion and an interior portion. The perimeter portion extends inboard from the exterior edge of the attachment plate to an interior edge which is spaced from the exterior edge by a short distance. The perimeter portion has a shape corresponding to the solid portion of a cross section of a hollow tube forming the furniture leg. The interior portion of the attachment plate extends inboard from the interior edge of the perimeter portion. Multiple tabs project upwardly from the interior portion. These tabs each have a gripping face which is directed toward the perimeter portion. The gripping faces are vertically aligned with the interior edge of the perimeter portion and are configured to engage the inner wall of the hollow tube forming the furniture leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Michigan Tube Swagers & Fabricators, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip P. Swy, William F. Lohness
  • Patent number: 6038734
    Abstract: A bearing caster for resting heavy objects thereon for permitting easy movement of the object. The inventive device includes a body with a pad provided on the top of the body. A plurality of rolling balls are rotationally mounted to the bottom (14) of the base to permit free rotation of the rolling balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Inventor: Girolamo Angelo Facchin
  • Patent number: 5991974
    Abstract: A furniture glide has a clip having a pair of upstanding arms mounted within a circular ferrule. The ferrule defines a ferrule opening diameter less than the diameter of the clip arms. The clip is sufficiently resiliently deformable to be insertable through the ferrule opening and return to its original diameter. A rivet having concentric convex and concave swivel surface extends from the ferrule to support a shell assembly on the convex swivel surface. A glide base is mounted to the shell assembly and contacts the concave swivel surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Carpin Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph Carpinella
  • Patent number: 5983452
    Abstract: A wheel skid having an arcuate base for facilitating mobility of a vehicle on terrain where wheels ordinarily sink into the terrain, and/or otherwise become directed in a direction other than the desired direction of travel of such vehicles, and where wheeled transportation is otherwise difficult or impossible, and hazardous. The wheel skid has an arcuate base having a slot, a wheel assembly having a wheel, the slot having the wheel of the wheel assembly protruding therethrough, and a fastener fastening the wheel assembly thereto the wheel skid. The wheel skid may be supplied as a complete unit and/or as an accessory skid for retrofit installations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Inventor: Terence R. McGovern
  • Patent number: 5881980
    Abstract: An adjustable leg assembly comprises an outer tube and an inner tube subassembly. The inner tube assembly comprises an inner tube, a floor support at one end of the inner tube, an expandable bushing at an opposite end of the inner tube, a rod extending through the inner tube and secured to the bushing and threadedly engaged with the floor support. The inner tube subassembly is inserted into the outer tube such that the bushing is confined within the outer tube and can be expanded into and retracted from contact with the outer tube by turning the floor support relative to the inner tube. In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the floor support is a glide/tightener that provides a floor glide to support the leg assembly and that provides a tightener that is threadedly engaged with the bushing rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Inventor: Edward C. Knudson
  • Patent number: 5802669
    Abstract: A slide to be partially inserted under a floor contact portion of a heavy structure such that the structure can be easily slid a short distance. The slide is formed as a laminar assembly including a flat plate formed of an abrasion resistant lubric plastic material made of polyoxymethylene, homopolymer acetal, and a non-slip pad made of a synthetic plastic material. That portion of the plate not under the floor contact portion tends to bend upwardly so that the heavy structure slides easily over the floor while the pad keeps the heavy structure from sliding off the slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Renovisions, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy A. Wurdack
  • Patent number: 5680673
    Abstract: A protective glide is adapted to be interfaced between a support surface and a foot portion of a legged object to protect the support surface against abrasion. The glide comprises a unitary body constructed of a non-abrasive material of sufficient stiffness to withstand compressive forces of the legged object against the surface thereby to resist collapse. The unitary body is mountable to the foot portion and as a lower area operative to contact the support the surface and an upper area opposite the lower area which is in facing relationship to the foot portion when mounted. The unitary body has a plurality of cavities formed therein with web elements separating adjacent one of these cavities. Preferably, a resilient member is interposed between the foot portion and the glide device and operates to conform the contours on a contact surface of the foot portion to stabilize the support log on the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Inventor: Burrus D. Beshore
  • Patent number: 5681416
    Abstract: A floor protector protects floors against damage from heavy objects supported on or sliding across the floor and reduces the effort required to move the objects. The protector includes an elongate web with raised lips along its opposite edges and interlocking formations on its opposite ends. The interlocking formations allow the connection of plural strips end-to-end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Inventors: Tom Neumann, Bruce Buckwold, Richard Buckwold
  • Patent number: 5655259
    Abstract: An improved caster assembly for moving heavy loads upon a caster platform. This caster assembly is less prone to breakage than conventional caster assemblies, and additionally incorporates a safety lid for reducing the risk if injury to workers. This caster assembly is comprised of a box frame member within which a caster wheel is rotatably mounted. The box frame member is coupled in an offset position to a rotatable platform, which allows the caster assembly to rotate with the direction of force applied to a load moving across a caster platform in which it is mounted. This caster assembly is designed to couple into cavities present in existing caster platforms. The safety lid serves to close any gaps present in these platform cavities, thereby reducing the likelihood of a worker's foot or hand becoming caught in the cavity and injured by an approaching heavy load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Inventor: Dick J. Look
  • Patent number: 5603140
    Abstract: A device for protecting the leg or corner of a piece of furniture from damage is disclosed. The device includes an elongate shield member that encompasses at least the lower front portion of the leg or corner of a piece of furniture. A foot member, for positioning under the leg or corner of the furniture, is attached to the lower end of the elongate shield member forming a generally right angle therewith. The elongate shield member includes a series of breakaway or cutaway lines that comprise linear zones of structural weakness such that portions of the shield member can be readily broken off to enable the shape of the device to be altered thereby accommodating the shape of the leg or corner of the furniture to which it is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Inventor: Stephen Pryce
  • Patent number: 5573213
    Abstract: A self-retaining glide for the lower end of each leg of a walker. Preferably installed onto each rear leg of the walker, the device decreases forward drag while substantially increasing resistance to sideways or lateral movement by providing a plurality of downwardly facing or extending parallel ground, floor and carpet engaging fins. These fins are a molded part of an elongated main member which also includes one and preferably two spaced apart tubular supports for retaining the device in proper position on the leg lower end. In the preferred embodiment, the combination of snugly fitting tubular supports on the leg and resilient flexing of a semi-rigid central portion of the main member from a flat to a U-shape securely maintains the fins in a fore/aft orientation with respect to the walker after proper installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1996
    Inventors: Richard E. Henderson, Kathleen O'Brien
  • Patent number: 5557824
    Abstract: A floor glide for furniture and the like includes a monobloc having a relatively arcuate convex lower surface for contact with the floor and a flat upper surface for supporting furniture, and adhesive means for securing the monobloc to the bottom of furniture. The monobloc is relatively thick and defines recesses for locating resilient adhesive pieces. The monobloc may have webs or ribs for structural rigidity defining one or more cavities in the upper surface to minimize material use. The glide permits furniture to be moved easily along the surface of a floor or floor covering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Inventor: Richard D. Bushey
  • Patent number: 5535480
    Abstract: A floor protector protects floors against damage from heavy objects supported on or sliding across the floor and reduces the effort required to move the objects. The protector includes an elongate web with raised lips along its opposite edges and interlocking formations on its opposite ends. The interlocking formations allow the connection of plural strips end-to-end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Glide N' Guard Floor Protection Ltd.
    Inventors: Tom Neumann, Bruce Buckwold, Richard Buckwold
  • Patent number: 5469599
    Abstract: A slide to be partially inserted under the floor contact portion of a heavy structure such that the structure can be easily slid a short distance. The slide is formed as a laminar assembly including a flat plate formed of an abrasion resistant lubric plastic material such as high molecular weight polyethylene and a non-slip pad formed of a natural or synthetic plastic material such as natural rubber. The rim of the slide not under the floor contact portion tends to bend upwardly so that the heavy structure slides easily over the floor while the pad keeps the heavy structure from sliding off the slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Inventor: Roy A. Wurdack
  • Patent number: 5426818
    Abstract: A floor glide for furniture and the like includes a concavo-convex disk having an arcuate convex lower surface, a concave upper surface defining a central cavity, a resilient pad fixed to the disk upper surface within the central cavity below the edge thereof, and adhesive means for securing the resilient pad to the bottom of furniture. The glide permits furniture to be moved easily along the surface of the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Inventor: Richard D. Bushey
  • Patent number: 5220705
    Abstract: A floor glide for furniture and the like includes a concavo-convex disk having an arcuate convex lower surface, a concave upper surface defining a central cavity, a resilient pad fixed to the disk upper surface within the central cavity below the edge thereof, and adhesive for securing the resilient pad to the bottom of furniture. The glide permits furniture to be moved easily along the surface of the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Inventor: Richard D. Bushey
  • Patent number: 5191676
    Abstract: A spherical glide securable to a structural leg comprising a first substantially hemispherical half and a second substantially hemispherical half secured together by cooperating interference means on the first half and the second half and further including means for securing the spherical glide to the leg. The cooperating interference means may comprise a circumferential wall extending from a frist half and receivable by re-entrant fit within a recess in the second half.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Fixtures Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: James L. Gerner
  • Patent number: 5142734
    Abstract: A glide support assembly for adjustably mounting a glide on an article, such as a divider panel for dividing a building into a room area. This particularly relates to the details of a support tube arrangement which is inexpensively constructed from sheet metal and is rolled into a tubular form. An upper portion of the tube is provided with axial lances while below the axial lances there are transverse lances which serve to support a washer which restricts the penetration of the upper portion of the tube into the article. In order to save metal, the lower portion of the tube is of a reduced diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: James A. Looman, Thomas I. Kane
  • Patent number: 5081740
    Abstract: A reconfigurable slide for supporting furniture being moved on common floor coverings is described. The slide, large relative to a furniture leg, comprises an inflexible slide cup of slippery material in contact with the floor covering which evenly distributes weight of the furniture over a broad area to minimize pressure on the floor covering. The slide further comprises a replaceable and reusable resilient slide cup insert fitted to the slide cup that has a flat upper surface which collapses around a furniture leg placed thereon, providing resistance to sliding of the leg on the insert. The resilient slide cup is made of closed-cell rubber that does not accumulate furniture damaging moisture and, with its increased density, provides better support of furniture than does sponge rubber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1992
    Inventor: Terry C. Smith
  • Patent number: 5057356
    Abstract: A removable floor surface is provided with slick, thin strips of nylon for use in moving a heavy household appliance without lifting of the heavy appliance and without damage to a common floor covering such as vinyl or wood, comprising four such strips in two matching pairs: a first pair of temporary strips to facilitate displacement of the appliance away from its normal location and a second pair of removable stationary strips for continued support of an appliance in its usual location. On each temporary strip is provided a removable ramp on a first end to facilitate initial raising of the appliance onto the first pair of strips without lifting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Inventor: Terry C. Smith
  • Patent number: 4731901
    Abstract: A moulded plastics article having a closed bore to receive a spindle, the bore being formed with at least one radially inwardly projecting annular rib adapted to locate in a circumferential groove in the spindle, characterized in that the or each rib is interrupted to form a gap for the passage of fluid from one side of the rib to the other when the spindle is inserted into the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1988
    Assignee: Guy-Raymond Engineering Company Limited
    Inventor: Raymond R. J. Daniels
  • Patent number: 4700430
    Abstract: A support for an article of furniture is readily interchangeable between having a glide exposed to the ground and a caster exposed to the ground with the glide being stored within a shroud. The furniture remains level in either embodiment since the total length of the support will stay the same. Minor adjustments in the length of the support are made by rotating the shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1987
    Inventor: William Raftery
  • Patent number: 4397062
    Abstract: A rotatable roller assembly includes a roller, a housing, a support pivotably connected at one end to the housing for pivotal movement between a first retracted position and a second extended position, the roller being rotatably connected to the other end of the support, first and second notches defined in the support for establishing the first and second positions, respectively, and a locking mechanism slideably movable into and out of locking engagement with the first and second notches to effect releasable locking of the support and thus the roller in the first and second positions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Inventor: Jinn T. Huang
  • Patent number: 4332052
    Abstract: A support assembly for luggage comprises a base plate adapted to be attac to a suitcase, for example, and a support unit, including a caster or runner, that is removably attached to the base plate. The base plate has opposed channels along its longitudinal edges into which the support unit is inserted longitudinally. A stop at the trailing end of the support unit limits insertion of the support unit into the channels, and a latch at the leading end of the support unit prevents unintentional withdrawal of the support unit from the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1982
    Assignee: Presto Lock Company, Division of Walter Kidde & Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard C. Remington
  • Patent number: 4327460
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1982
    Inventor: John G. Wolff
  • Patent number: 4327461
    Abstract: The specification discloses a glide within a glide, and most preferably three glides in one which enables the manufacturer to supply two or three different types of glides with one basic glide unit having common parts. The first glide member is made of hard plastic and has a rounded, bottom shoulder surrounding a downwardly opening cavity therein. A second glide member comprises a soft, plastic member seated within said cavity and projecting a short distance below said rounded shoulder, at least when the glide is unweighted. A third glide member comprises a metal cap which seats over the second glide member and against first glide member to provide a metal bottom surface type of glide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1982
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph M. Wisniewski
  • Patent number: 4124917
    Abstract: A glide shoe of molded plastic to be employed with major appliances is constructed to be able to provide a liquid bearing of a lubricating liquid beneath the shoe to minimize the danger of damage to irregular floor surfaces, such as sculptured vinyl material as the appliance slides across the floor covering. A method of sliding a major appliance across the uneven surface of a sculptured floor covering while being supported on a liquid bearing of lubricating fluid is characterized by the step of applying a lubricating liquid beneath each shoe to form a liquid bearing therebeneath, in which the lubricating liquid includes liquid detergent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1978
    Inventor: William O. Gilliland
  • Patent number: 4069543
    Abstract: A glide castor comprises a two-part body assembly consisting of lower and upper mouldings fitted together. The lower moulding has a convex bottom ground-engaging surface and an integral upstanding boss with a bore for a mounting spindle. The upper moulding is of cap-like form and seats on a peripheral seating on the lower moulding. An integral inwardly projecting lip of the upper moulding provides snap-on engagement with said boss, thereby to hold the two mouldings together as an assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1978
    Assignees: Michael Joseph James, William Holroyd Thomas Baggs
    Inventor: Michael Joseph James
  • Patent number: 4053129
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1977
    Inventor: Vernon D. Graff