US716340A - Caster-pintle. - Google Patents

Description

gmane,

z o r n m 0.mw Uy Hlt I. m @WW 6 f. M m e im l P Mmm W. ml Smm m GP@ m MRM m umm m www n. M i 6 6, o .I e 6. 7 .w n... m m

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

-WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE, OF FLUSI-IING, NEW YORK.

CASTER-PINTLE.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,340, dated December 16, 1902- Application tiled January 31,1902. Serial No. 91,979. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM LivINGsroNn, a citizen `of the United States, residing in Flushing, in the county of Queens and State 'of New York, have invented certain new and it or to be secured to the horn or frame of the caster and turn with it in a socket.

There is set forth in my Patent No. 689,553,

granted December 24, 1901, certain improvements in furniture-casters, which 'improvements embody a pintle formed from a single 'piece of sheet metal and provided with a shouldered end, constituting the end of the pintle,

for rotative or fixed connection with the horn of the caster. As disclosed in that patent, such pintle comprises two sernitubular sections integrally connected at the end opposite to the shouldered end of the pintle, and while two forms of such pintle are shown, one adapted to be driven into the furniture-leg and have the horn revolve about it and the other adapted for revoluble connection with the socket, in both instances the integral connection between the sections exists at the head end of the pintle, as aforesaid. Such pintle is formed by bending the two semitubular sections midway of their length to a tubular shape, the resulting structure having a longitudinal seam down each side of the pintlebody. As more fully described in the specication of that patent, I am enabled to provide the pintle with an enlarged head, adapting the former to be readily engaged with the socket in such a manner as to permit its free rotation when it is desired to form a caster with a rotatable pintle.

According to the present improvements the integral connection between the opposite sections of the pintle-body is formed along one side-that is, axially of the body-and the resultant structure is such, therefore, as tends to an increased rigidity of the pintle. I also employ a pintle construction embodying appropriate spring members integral with the pintle itself and adapting the same to be rotatably connected with a socket, as distinguished from the construction shown and described in my patent, in which the spring members are formed on and extend from the socket and engage with the enlarged head of the pintle.

I am aware that, broadly, it is not new to provide a pintle with spring members as a means for rotatably supporting the pintle in position instead of forming such members by means of projections extending from the pintle-socket or otherwise; but in all constructions embodying pintles so provided and having a separate horn the means adopted to constitute an end bearing on the pintle, so far as known to me, consists of a rib formed by upsetting the pintle at the proper point thereof, while the portion of the pintle which engages with the horn of the caster is of the same diameter as the body of the pintle. By reason of the fact that a substantial diameter must be given to the pintle in order to render the same satisfactory and durable in use a comparatively large opening must be made in the horn in order to pass the engaging portion of the pintle therethrough. Such opening being of comparatively large size therefore weakens the horn and renders such structure weak and liable to break.

According to my present improvements, however, that portion of the pintle which is designed to engage with the horn is of less diameter than the body of the pintle, and the reduction in diameter forms a shoulder or taper portion against which the horn may be seated. The portion of the pintle passing through the opening in the horn being of comparatively small size, while at the same time facilitating the ready and firm engagement of the horn with the pintle, obviates the disadvantage of weakness inherent in the structures referred to. .Y

In the drawings accompanying thepresent specification I have set forth a pintle-body only, not deeming it necessary for the purpose of the present disclosure `to represent also the horn and other features of the caster, since the shouldered or otherwise-formed lower portion of the pintle may be of a con-` struction similar to the corresponding portion of the pintle-body shown in my prior patent ICO ' pintle.

and to which reference may therefore be had for a more detailed description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an outline View of a blank suitable for the construction of a pintle such as my presentinvention embodies. Fig. 2 is a View of such a blank after the same has been submitted to the action of proper dies or by other means has had the portions which will ultimately form the pintle rounded to shape. Fig. 3 is an end view of-Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an elevational View of the completed Fig. 5 is an end View ot'Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but shows a 'blank is bent to form one or moreshoulders will be present at the end of the pintle, as set forth in my prior patent, or such end will be conical, as will be explained later. For the purpose of forming a pintle with a shoulder I may either adopt the configuration of blank set forth in Fig. l, which is adapted to give a pintle of reduced end diameter and embodying stepped sections 2 3, (see Fig. 4,) formed by projections c c, extending from the body portion h of the blank. Each projection c is adapted to form a substantially semitubular end for the pintle and comprises two portions modified form of blank. Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal section of a pintle made from a blank such as set forth in Fig. 6, the plane of the section corresponding to that of the seam along the meeting edges of the blank after the same has been shaped to cylindrical form. Fig. 8 is an end view of Fig. 7. Figs. 9 and 10 are views of a blank and a pintle made therefrom in which a taper portion is substituted for the shouldered portion of the shouldered pintle shown in the other figures. Fig. 11 is a view illustrating a modified form of blank to that indicated in Fig. l and represents the blank as having tenon members struck up from the body thereof and enabling the pintle to be xedly secured in the furniture-leg. Fig. 12 is an elevational View of a finished pintle made from such a blank, and Fig. 13 is an end view of the pintle set forth in Fig. l2.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts in all figures.

As before stated, the caster will embody a suitable roller and caster frame or horn, while the caster may be of the ball-bearing Variety, as set forth, for instance, in my patent hereinbefore referred to. These various features I have not deemed it necessary to represent or describe herein, but have illustrated that portion only of the casterto wit, the pintleto which the present invention more particularly relates.

Ina general way a blank for forming the present one-piece caster-pintle is of such a .configuration as to adapt it to be bent along a line extending lengthwise of the pintle, as distinguished from the corresponding blank shown and described in my prior patent, in which the manufacture of the pintle involves the bending of an elongated blank at a point between its ends and the approach of the two semitubular sections along two diametricallyopposed lines of contact.

In constructing my improved caster-pintle a blank such as that designated by B in Fig. 1 is stamped or otherwise cut from sheet metal of suitable nature and thickness, the width of such'blank being sufficient when the same is shaped to cylindrical form to yield a pintle of the desired diameter. For forming the horn-engaging end of the pintle a conformation is given to the blank at the corresponding edge portion such that when the c o2 of different widths, yielding when the pintle is nally shaped to form the aforesaid stepped sections 2 and 3, bot-h of a diameter less than the diameter of the body b of the pintle. It is evident if this form of blank be used that the reduced end of the pintle will have two diametrically-opposed seams extending lengthwise of the pintle, the section 3- being connected with the portion 2 bya shoulder 20 and the section 2 with the pintle-body by a shoulder 12. If, however, a conguration of blank such as indicated in Fig. 6 is employed, in which the width of the respective portions o3 c4, extending from the body h2 of the blank B', correspond to the circumferential measurement of the respective reduced sections 3 2, there will be but one seam on the pintle-body h3, extending lengthwise thereof from end to end. In the form of blank indicated in Fig. 9 two projections o0 co, each having sides tapering toward each other, extend from the body portion b4 of the blank B, the resultant pintle comprising a body portion h5 having a tapering end section 4.

Whatever the form of the blank used the same will embody suitable members for forming one or more spring members adapted to engage the inner surface of the socket when it is desired that the pintle shall be a revoluble one. As here shown, these spring members are in the form of projections, such as 5, extending from the upper edge of the body portion of the blank, and when the latter is shaped to cylindrical form and their number and disposition are as represented they will be disposed diametrically opposite each to each.

The blank is preferably first submitted to the action of suitable dies or by other means the opposite sides of the blank are each rounded into a' semitubular form to constitute each a half-pintle. The opposite side edges of the blank are then bent toward each other until they contact and the blank is shaped to the complete cylindrical form of the pintle. At some period in the process of manufacture the aforesaid projections 5 are bent so as to extend somewhat beyond the circumference of the pintle-body. In this instance the ends of such projections are carried reversely in order that the projections may form satisfactory spring members IOO IIO

vIo

adapted for engagement with a `suitablyformed socket to thus retain the pintle in position therein.

In a pintle which it is designed shall be ixedly secured in place the aforesaid projections 5 may be dispensed w'ithand suitable tenon members be employed for engaging directly with the leg of the article of fumi; ture, dac., thereby ixing the pintle in place and preventing its rotation. Such tenon members may conveniently be struck up from the body portion of the blank, they being in this instance indicated and designated by 6. (See Fig. ll, in which the blank is designated by Bm.) In the configuration thereof shown this body portion h6 of the blank is provided with projections c5 c5 like the corresponding projections of the blank in Fig.

` 1, except that here each projection is substantially of uniform width, yielding a pintle in which a "reduced end 7 connects with the body portion 197 of the pintle by a shoulder 21".

Having described my invention, I claim-- l. A blank for forming a pintle, the blank comprising a substantially rectangular body portion from one edge of which and between the sides of the blank, metal has been removed to permitthe remaining metal to form a pintle en'd of reduced diameter for the attachment of a separate caster appliance.

2. A blank for forming a pintle, the blank comprising a substantially rectangular body portion from one edge of which projections extend for forming integral spring members, and from the opposite edge of which metal has been removed to permit the remaining` metal to form a pintle end of reduced diameter for the attachment of a separate caster appliance.

3. A blankfor forming a pintle, the blank comprising a substantially rectangular body portion from one edge of which and between the sides of the blank, metal has been removed to permit the remaining metal to form a pintle end of reduced diameter for the attachment of a separate caster` appliance, and the blank having tenon members struck up from the metal thereof.

4. In a caster, a single-piece pintle formed from a sheet-metal blank from one edge of `which and between the sides of the blank,

metal has been removed, and comprising two semitubular portions having an integral connection along a line extending throughout the length of the body portion of the pintle and an end of reduced diameter for the atl tachment of a separate caster appliance.

5p. In a caster, a single-piece pintle formed from a sheetmetal blank and comprising two semitubular portions having an integral connection along a line extending throughout the length of the body portion of the pintle, said pintle having integral spring members at one end and being of reduced diameter at the opposite end for the attachment of a separate caster appliance.

6. In a caster, a pintle made from a substantially rectangular blank and having tenon members struck up from the metal of the blank lying beyond the edges thereof.

7. In a caster, a pintle having tenon members struck up from the metal of the body portion of the pintle, and an end of reduced diameter connecting by an annular shoulder with the body portion of the pintle for the attachment of a separate caster appliance.

WILLIAM LIVINGSTONE.

Witnesses:

PIERsoN L. WELLS, JOHN O. SEIFERT.

Images