초록 ▼

A transfer apparatus or mat comprised of a generally flat plastic base member having a plurality of ball members received in and extending outwardly from the bottom face thereof in a predetermined pattern. Ball bearing members are received between the ball members and base to facilitate ease of roll

A transfer apparatus or mat comprised of a generally flat plastic base member having a plurality of ball members received in and extending outwardly from the bottom face thereof in a predetermined pattern. Ball bearing members are received between the ball members and base to facilitate ease of rolling ball members relative to the base. The mat or transfer apparatus provides easy transport means along a ground or floor surface for machines and other objects which are placed on the top face thereof. Means are provided for interconnecting a plurality of the mats in a side-by-side relationship to increase the size of the transfer surface as may be necessary when moving large objects.

대표청구항 ▼

A ball type transfer apparatus particularly adapted for transferring bodies from a first location to a second location comprising in combination: a base member; ball bearing means for providing omnidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the transfer apparatus; and interlockin

A ball type transfer apparatus particularly adapted for transferring bodies from a first location to a second location comprising in combination: a base member; ball bearing means for providing omnidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the transfer apparatus; and interlocking means for interchangeably interlocking any number of ball type transfer apparatus together to provide for the fabrication of ball type transfer apparatus of different dimensions to suit particular needs; said base member having a plurality of spaced-apart ball bearing cavities, each of which contains a ball bearing means that is resiliently captured in said ball bearing cavity and freely rotatable relative to said base member, with a portion of said ball bearing means protruding outwardly of the lower face of said base member such that the ball bearing means supports the base member above the ground surface and provides for omnidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the ball type transfer apparatus; said base member being a generally planar member including a top surface, a bottom surface and a continuous sidewall, said top and bottom surfaces being substantially opposed to each other, said bottom surface further including a plurality of spaced-apart ball bearing cavities, each of which contains a ball bearing means which is freely rotatable relative to said base member; each of said bearing cavities being defined by a ball race chamber at one end of said cavity, a resilient chamfered edge at the opposite end of said cavity, and a main bearing chamber between said ball race chamber and said resilient chamfered edge; said resilient chamfered edge being located at said bottom surface of said base member and extending inwardly from said bottom surface to said main bearing chamber; said main bearing chamber being defined by a generally cylindrical bore having a larger diameter than the diameter of said resilient chamfered edge; said ball race chamber being defined by a generally cylindrical bore having a diameter less than the diameter of said main bearing chamber; said resilient chamfered edge, main bearing chamber the ball race chamber being axially aligned; said ball bearing means being comprised of a ball race and a main bearing, both captured in said ball bearing cavity, said ball race being positioned in said ball race chamber in rolling engagement with said base member, said main bearing being rotatably supported between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge of said base member, said ball bearing means being resiliently captured in said ball bearing cavity by said resilient chamfered edge which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said main bearing such that said main bearing is held in said ball bearing cavity between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge; said interlocking means being comprised of outwardly extending integral locking pins located on two adjacent sides of said continuous sidewall and inwardly extending pin receiving sockets located on the other two aDjacent sides of said continuous sidewall; said locking pins each having an elongated shaft portion terminating in an outermost head portion enlarged from said shaft portion, said locking pins adapted to be closely received in the pin receiving sockets of other similar base members whereby said head portions may retainingly maintain said base members in at least one of closely spaced unitary side by side and end to end relationships to each other.