초록 ▼

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

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.

대표청구항 ▼

A caster comprising: a neck at the top portion of the caster, a platform at and about the lower portion of said neck, leg means depending from said platform for securing a wheel thereto, a rotatable wheel journaled to said leg means, a ball bearing retaining plate normally about said neck and adjace

A caster comprising: a neck at the top portion of the caster, a platform at and about the lower portion of said neck, leg means depending from said platform for securing a wheel thereto, a rotatable wheel journaled to said leg means, a ball bearing retaining plate normally about said neck and adjacent to said platform, a top plate about said neck and above and releasably secured to said ball bearing retaining plate, complementary annual grooves in adjacent portions of said neck, said ball bearing retaining plate and said top plate forming an annular raceway, and ball bearings encapsulated in said annular ball bearing raceway, said ball bearing plate includes a rim extending inwardly for sliding engagement with said neck with its annular groove in its inner and uppermost end adjacent said groove in said neck, and an outer annular sleeve extending upwardly from said rim and spaced from and about said neck to form an annular chamber therebetween, and wherein the length of said neck from below its groove to said shoulder is greater than the height of said ball bearing rim for positioning said ball bearing retaining rim on said platform so that its groove is below said neck groove to facilitate loading of the ball bearings prior to said top plate being releasably secured thereto, and said top plate includes an inner annular sleeve depending therefrom with its annular groove in the lower and inner end thereof and wherein said inner annular sleeve slidably extends into said annular chamber when said plates are releasably secured together for encapsulating said ball bearings in said annular raceway.