1,930,622 3 the sleeve 533 having an inttiriied upper portion combination of a pair of series of locking balls, the 536 and an inturned lower portion 535, the same upper series primarily for load and the lower sebeing of substantially the sanie 'form as illus- ries for late-ral thrust, a top plate having an uptrated in Fig. 1. The lateral enlarge,-nent of said wardly arched annular groove for upper ball opsleeve forr@is a lower shoulder 530 that is arran.-ed erative engagement and confinement, a central- 80 to seat upon the inturr@ed portion 507 of the p,,qt,e ly apertured cup having a lower inner inturned which in this form of the invention constitutes portion for lower ball engagement for laterally the anchoring membe,,,. The sleeve 533 is press confining a-Tid supporting the lower balls, the upfitted into the plate aperture and rigi-dly secured per end of the cup having an abuttable contact 10 thereto by said press fitti_i-ig operation. with the toi) plate, a sheet metal shell clariipingly 85 This form of the invention also is illustrated '-,s associating the cup and plate together and peembodying, if and when desired, the lubri cati-Oil ripherally encircling the same, and a single, one feature and when tl-Lis is employed there is prO- piece internal central member rigid with the yoke vided the sealing member 552 and suoply and exte@-iding upwardly through the aperture in 15 ture 561. the cup and '@erminating near its upper end in a 90 Likewise, this form of the invention may, if de- lateral enlargement terminating considerably sired, embody the detachable connection of the short of euD inner wa,,Il engagement, said central yoke to the swiveling meiiiber ard in this event, member enlargernent having an upwardly and there is prov4.ded the stud 271. If de tachable out@,wardly directed, arcuately sectioned in cross 20 connectio@,i is not desired, the yok@- may be per- se,-tion, ball @eat for engagement by the lower 95 manently connect,-d to the swiveliiig meiilber, as portions of the upper balls and ronfining said indicated in Fig. 2, shoiild it be desirable to embolls agaiiist move,-nent, sa-'-d central ploy tll-e lubrication feature. Should it be des-irmewber enlargein-eiit having an outwardly ai-id ,4ble to omit the lubrication f,,ature and e.,nploy downwardly directed similarly sectioiied ball seat 2 @-) only the detachable con--,,lection between the yoke for engagement by the upper po@tions of th" 100 and the swiveli@-ig riaerqber, '@he stiid 271 will not lower balls and confining said balls against inbe apertured n-iid ivill not be provided wi-th the ward movement, the outer peripheral surface of pressure operable lubricant cl@osure featllr-- 561- the enl-@rgeriaent being of a diameter not greater All the parts in this form of the i-nvention bear than the outer diarieter of the effective periph30 litimerals of the five-hundred series. eral contact of the largest diameter of the series 105 The invention clairiied is: of baus. In a double ball caster of the ball locking type WILLIAM H. NOELTING. having a yoke and a load anchoring men,.ber, the 95 110 40 115 45 120 50 125 55 130 60 135 65 140 70 145 75 150

Patented Oct. 17, 1933 1 930,622 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DOUBLE BALL LOCK CAST',?P. Noeltin,-, Evansville, Iiid., ass!.-nor to Fau'tless Caster,Company, Evansville, Ind., a corper,q,tio,.i Applic@,@it3lon Jiily 13, 1931. Serial No. 550,4.1,.l I Claim. (Cl. 16-21) This invention relates to a swivelliiia caster construction. Oiie obiect of the inventio,-i is to replace standard cast@ers wi-th the ii-@iproved caster of the Dresent construct-ion in a p-l@edeteri3iiiaed associat-loii so that there re,-ull@s a noirotative, readily detachable castei, riou-qt4.llg. Another, aiid the i-nain objeeb of the iilvention, is to provide a caster @consti-- Liction is arI ransmitted 10 raiiged so that the load is co@-rially t to a yoke siipported meraber flncl said m,- mber is swivally inounted for free swivelling and @vhich is laterally coiistrainedi),y -@n anti.-f@iction arrange_7@neiit for lateral thriist purposes and which ypl@:e 15 supported member is locked to the @anchoring mem'der of the caster constrlicti n .o solely throu!g@,i .the anti-,Lr;@ction col'istruction. .In addition to the accomijlishiii o the foregoiilg objpcts, one -feature of the ni7ention con20 sists in the detachable connection of the @w,@velling meiiYLer and the yoke:suppor't,!-Tig t,ie sai-De. An6 @oiaer feature of the invention consists in tlie provision of mea-.ns -for supplylpg to wiid @t fo I in the castet coy-isi,ruct-on, luorica-Ti r 1.)bric.at25 in purposes. The full T-iature of the ini7entioii will beunderstood frbw-- the a-@coml)anying drawing 'and the followirg Oe@@,-,rii3t-'-Ion and 'claim:- In the dri@vi,@2g, I is a ceT-ltr,@@ii,sectional view 30 through the caster construction embbdyiiio; the iiiveption, the viheel and a @portion @ of tl,.e@ yoke being showi-i in elevation a--qd op,,ratively asso@3iated with the load sul,3porting leg and as@ a, replacement caster. Fig. 2 is a si-aiiiar view of a. i@nodi-fied for-Tn of caster C6,a@-trucb-'Lon show@'i in Fi,-. 1. Fig. 3 4@s a simila@, vie,@7 oil a still further mbdihed form- of caster coiistruction. 4 is a, -top pla f the plate caster ,a vie@77 o !O construction shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a view sirnil,,ir to Fig. I and.of a -,ol--te cast-Ir cons'uruct-on. i!Y.l T-lig. 1 of the 10 @indic,,ttes @a load stipportirl-g le- h,,zv-ln,a a long-iti-idinal openl-ig ii '-4,ted th -e,@vitli is .t @qto-'i-id'ard there-in, and associl e-.- caster socket ii-aving 'Lhe iciligit,,idindlly dir-c@6ed I a;,-q d - iiiwardlly directed sprii-igla,rms 12 c-irried by the anchorir-g plate 13 secu,.-,ed tb the bottom-of the leg. As indicat--d by t-@ie dotted lines 14 ;.n Fig. 1, the normal -Dosition of the socket spring porti6@'ns is inwardly directed. To se.-iire greater freedoiii of s@vivelli,-i.-, th e present inventibn is adapted to -@- eplace the pi-e55 vious cast;er striicture ai@d in the iare@ent invention, the stein 15 includes a head portion 16 which i-spositioned below tb-e usual level of the head Dortion of the replaced st-Im so 'Uhat the spring port-ions 12 o-f the socket b6ar upo-Ti the head portioii.and preferably imrip-diately beneath' the 60 horizontal i-iied4an plane there,of, so that, not only does -the 6ri,-iiia,'. spring frame socket serve as a ster,,l retainer for CLetachably retaini.ng the stem in the. socket, as heretofore, biit no,@v also, serves to frict-,onally hold the ster-ri 15 against cas ual '65 rota@@ion. The ori-gir@al caster, it ;@s to: be unders@ood, ircluded..i ste..rn, rig-d with he yoke and the si7jivelling betweep- the yoke and the leg t6ok P@ace by the s*ivelli,-ig of the ste-.@,n in the socket, whereas, wi-l@-h the present id-vention, the swivelli-l-@g of th6 yoke takes place between the yoke and the stem. . W en s type of swivel opera is desire thbre is i--(itroduced into the caster construction a problem @vhich req-Liire e - c - 7 5 s that there b m or - oorated in the new caster constrliction provisloij fo r preventing I @ateral cocking of the yoke relative to the stem 17ib-ile i-t i-s under lo-q-d by reason of the of f-setting of the wt-ieel axis@ vritii @ref erence to the st em a-,-,is or s,@viveling axis. 8 0 - Also to inso-re substantially frictionless swivelin g,,wbich, is one of tb-e Dri-rDe -ourposes for repl acing the old caster corstrvction bythe present oi -ie, there. miist be provided an a,-,iti-friction load s ustainirg connection between t-lie yoke and the 8 5 st em or load su portiiig -me,@ilber. p The castet inellide@@ the usu,,Ll yoke having the d epet-iding. ears 17 ivliieh rotatably mount thereb etwee-ii the wheel 18 tipon the axle 19 and said e ars are connected by the horizot-ital -yoke portion 9 0 2 0 suitably apert@d@-ed as at 21. The '.@v7ivel conD-ect:Loii between the stem or @16ad aiibhori-ng r,-ieTr-l:)er and the yoke incliides a to p e plat 22 havir,.7 a cept@al opening 23 in v7hich is mounted portion 24 of the sterq, said stem in 9 5 - elLid-'@ng th@.Li pe p r enlargenie-,-it,25 and the lower e nilarger -qent 26, wh@-reby the top plate is rigi 'dly s ecure,,l to the stem or load anchoring member 15. c oaxial ivith the b-oeiiing 23 is a-,a u-uivardly di-@ r c-eted, arc,,iately sectio3led gmiular portion 27 1 00 i, 7hic-h is ada-oted to engage upbn its Liilder facb a n upper qnnulbr series of balls 28. The plate te rTDinates in an oullwardly projecting peripheral fl ange @99. A second qnd lower seri.es of balls 30 5 i ed and as shonvi:i in Fig. 1, a ball are prov'd retainer 10 of cylindrical for.,n 31 i-neludes an inturned'portio@i 32 that underlies the lower balls. A sleeve 33 includes, @at its lovrer @nd, the inturned portion 35 which s6rves to retain the retainer alid the top plate in rigid co-Tirection, the top plate bearing 110

2 1,930,622 upon the top of the retainer. The sleeve, as indicated at 36, is directed inwardly and overlies the peripheral flange of the top plate. The top plate and ret,.ii,,ner together form an enclosed chamber with a restricted opening or throat in its lower end. A swiveling member 37 includes a reduced portioii 38 that is mounted in the central opening 21 of the yoke and beneath the yoke is mounted the 10 washer 39 avd the extended end of the reduced portion 38 is lateraily enlarged as at 40 for rigidly securing the six7iveling member to the yoke. This swiveling member is coaxially recessed in its upper face as at 41 to nestingly clear the stem en15 largement 26. The swiveling member in spaced relation to the yoke, includes a peripheral loteral enlargeiiient 42, the .-ipper surface 43 of which is engaged by the upper series of balls and the lower surface 44 of vi'-@iieh is engaged by the lower series 20 of balls. The aforesaid construction insures that the load transmitted from the top plate through the upper series of balls is imparted to the sv,,iveling member by the upper series of balls and cocking of the 25 swiveling member in the cha-m'rier by reason of thi@- ecceiatricity of the axis of axle 19 with reference to t-he swivelii-ig ,),xis, is substantially eliminated by the balls 30, which are provided for thrust purposes. Likewise, the balls 30 constitute 3o the lock and the sole means whereby the swiveling member is permanently secured to the tOD plate. . In Fig. 2 there is illustrated a modified form of the invention, w@nerein the caster is arranged for lubrication. In this figure, numerals of the one35 hundred series indicate like parts, to wit,, 115 indicates the stem; 116 indicates the head thereof; 124 indicates the yol,,e receivable nortion thereof; 125 indicates the upper flange; 126 indicates the lower enlargement whereby the stem is rigidly se40 cured to the top plate 122 which is also provided; 127 indicates an annular race way, Nvhich bears upon the upper series of balls 128 and the top plate bears upon the upper edge of the retainer 131 having the lower inturned portion 132 and rigidly 45 secured to the top'plate through the sleeve 133 by the lower inturned portion 135 and the upper inturned portion 136. 1 The sleeve 132 is coaxially offset as at 150, and terminates in an inwardly .directed at-inular flarge 151 forming a peripheralzo ly arranged annular chainber with the retainer which re6eives a sealing meniber 152 that bcars upon the swiveling col'istruction iii-cluding. the member 137 which includes the reduced portion 138 laterally enlarged as at 140 tb bear upon a r) 5 vvasher 139 beneath the yoke. In the present form of the invention, another washer 134 is interposed between the up@er face of the yoke and the swiveling member. The lower series of balls is indicated by the nlim . eral .60 '130, the wheel by tl-ie nvmeral 118, the yoke ear-S by the numeral 117, and the wheel axle by the n'Limeral 119. The swiv,eling member 137 is provided -,vith a threaded opening 160 that provi(fes access to the.central recess 141 and said ,65 threaded opening inounts .i pressure operable, lubricant el6sure fix,'ure 161. Lubricant is sUPplied under pressure thrbugh fixture 161 and is retained iii the ceiitral ri3c-ss 141 of the swiveling membe.- and the excess is discharged be770 tween the upper series of ball., 128 and thence downwardly to the lower series of balls and is prevented from escaping therebetween and dropping on to the yoke by the retainer or sealing member 152. The lubricant is retained by the 75 clbsure 161. In Fig. 3 a modi:fted form of the invention is illustrated, wherein the swivelilig member and the yoke are not permanently connected together although the swiveling member is permanently locked to the top plate only throu-.h the balls. 80 In this form of the invention, similar parts are indicated by numerals of the two-hundred series. 216 indicates the head of the stem 215 suitably anchored by @ the portions 226, 224 and 225 to the top plate 222 having the race formin.- por- 85 tion 227 which bears upon the upper series of balls 228. The flange 229 in the present form of the invention, instead of being only outwardly directed, is downwardly directed and bears upon the upper end of the lower ball retainer 231 90 having the loaer in turned ball retaining portion 232. A shell or sleeve 233 includes an intlirned lower retainer retaining portion 235 and an upper inturned plate engaging portion 236, The lower inturned portion 235 includes a co- 95 axially arranged depending portion 250 terminating in an inwardly directed peripheral flange 251 forming a groove receiving the annular sealing rnember 252 which bears upon the swiveling member 237. The swiveling niember 237 is re- 100 cessed as at 241 to nest and clear stem enlargernent 226. The lower series of balls is -indicated by the numeral 230 and bear upon the under face of the lateral enlargement 244 of the swiveling member. The iipper series of balls 228 beak 105 upon the tipper face 243 thereof. The lower series of balls constitutes the lower and sole lock between the plate and the swiveling member, the plate and retainer being secured together by th.e sleeve 233. 110 In this form of the invention, the intermediate swiveling member is cent-rally apertured as at 270 and the yoke 220 is also celitrally apertured as at 221 and the yoke aperture is peripherally defined by the upwardly directed corar 234 which 115 bears upon a, lower shoulder face of the swiveling member. A suitable washer 239 is positioned beneath the yoke and the head portion 240 of a stud 271, the same being threaded into the opening 270 whereby the yoke is rigidly and detachably 120 secured to the swiveling member 237 and the aforesaid construction permits a so-called unit assembly and subsequent attachment of the yoke to the assembl@,. This form of invention likewise includes an aperture or supply passage 260, which 125 has a portion threaded to receive the pressur I e operable lubricant closure fixture 261. Lubricant supplied thereto follows the pa . th in substantially the same i6usly described for the manner as prev modification represented in Fig. 2 and is retained 130 in the caster construction by the sealiiig member 252. If desired, this lubrication feature may be omitted, in which event the portions 250 and 251 as well as the sealing member 252 are oriaitted and the sleeve 233 is formed at this lower por- 135 tion, as indicated at 35 in Fig. 1. Also, in this modification, the stud instead bf being apertured as at 260 would be a solid stud. - In Figs. 4 and 5, a modified form of the invention is illustrated and the same is directed to the @10 plate caster type. In said figures, 510 indicates the load supporting member and there is provided a plate 513 of any suitable outline, apertured at 509 to receive screws or e - quivalent load ',45 anchoring members 508. The plate includes a - central circular depressed portion 512 which terimnates in an inwardly directed flange 507 in turn terminating in a coaxial downwardly directed tubular portion 506. The top plate 522 and ball retainer 531 may be secured together by 150