US1836534A - Furniture rest or shoe - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 15, 1931. w. F. HEROLD FURNITURE REST ORMSHOE ,Filed Dec. 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. WALTER FHE ULIJ.

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 15, 1931.- w( F. HEROLD v FURNITURE REST 0R SIHOE Filed Dec. l6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY tilting action a function of such means.

Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER I. HEB/OLD, F UPPER MON TCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO THE BASSICK COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT FURNITURE REST OR SHOE Application filed December 16, 1929. Serial No. 414,415.

The present invention relates to an improved furniture rest or shoe, particularly of the type adapted to have a tilting action with respect to the furniture leg, and has for an object to provide a device of this character in which the relatively movable parts will be resiliently held against looseness and rattling, at the same time permitting free tilting action.

Another object is to provide a slide in which the resilient means will maintain its normal relation in the tilted position of the furniture, so that there is no distortion of the resilient means as would be the case were tit: further object is to provide a slide in which the deflection of the resilient means under excessive load is limited to a predetermined point, and deterioration due to excessive deflection is prevented.

With the above and other objects in View, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a furniture rest or shoe, according to the present embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, and also shows beneath the slide the upper end of a drive pin adapted for driving the same into the furniture leg.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, showing the device attached to a furniture leg and in tilted position. i

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view showing the device attached to a furniture leg, and in its relation under excessive load.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a further modified form showing a pintle and socket attaching means.

Fig. 8 is a verticalsectional view of another modification having a cotter pin-like attaching means.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the furniture rest or shoe, according to the present embodiment of the invention, comprises a base 10, preferably solid and formed of bakelite or other suitable material, having a flat floorengaging bottom surface 11, and provided centrally of its upper surface with a semispherical dome 12, surrounded by an annular recess 13. A central opening 14 extends vertically through the base, being restricted, as at 15, to provide an annular shoulder, and being flared outwardly above said shoulder, as at 16. The dome 12 is of a suitable radius to provide a curved seat for the tilting part of the device, and also to provide ample material to resist crushing stresses between the upper surface and the wall of the opening 14.

The attaching means comprises a tubular stud or pin 17 engaged through the opening 14: for tilting movement and having a shoulder 18 upon which there is secured an apertured inverted cup member 19, having a downwardly bent flange 20 at its inner periphery, the lower edge of whichrests upon the shoulder 18 in substantiallyflush relation, the cup being secured by swedging the pin above the same to form a retaining flange 21.

A concavo-convex centrally apertured metal washer 22 is engaged upon the dome 12 of the base, its lower edge being normally spaced from the base of the dome, so that it may have a tilting movement upon the .dome, and its upper edge being flanged upwardly as at 23 and slidably engaged uponthe stud 17, the engaging surfaces of the flange and stud being cylindrical. The upper edge of the Washer is normally slightly spaced from the inner top surface of the cup member, while the lower edge of the cup member is slightly spaced from the upper surface of the washer, and a coil spring 24: is positioned Within the cup member and exerts an expanding pressure upon the cup and washer pressing the washer downwardly into snug contact with the dome and pressing the base into snug contact with the stud.

As above pointed out the stud is loosely engaged for tilting movement in the openin let of the base, being provided at its lower end with an enlarged rounded head 25 which engages the shoulder 15 to thereby retain the parts in connected relation, the lower end of the pin terminating inwardly from the lower surface of the base 10. The curvature of the head 25 is upon the same radius as that of the dome 12 and the concavo-convex washer The surface of the pin between the shoulder 18 and the head 25 is flared, as at 26, so that while a substantialshoulder is provided for seating the cup member the flared surface is such that it will engage the flared wall 16 of the opening 14 in the tilted relation in parallel relation therewith, as shown in Fig.

4, limiting the tilting action with a minimum of strain upon the parts,and .permittingof a maximum tilt without sacrifice of strength.

The portionof the pin above the base of the. cup member is of slightly smaller diameterthan the portion below the cup, its

outer surface being cylindrical and of the same diameter from the retaining flange 21 to its .upper extremity. The upper end 15 sharpened by :beveling the inner surface, as

The device isadapted to be. driven into the furniture leg, preferably into the end grain of the wood, hammer blows applied directly upon the tubular center pin, and without engaging the tilting base, and for thispurpose a 'driving pin 28 is supplied with eachset of rests. A shoulder 29 is provided at theupperend of the driving pin of substantially the diameter of the; tubular center pin,--and-also'there is provided a projecting stud'30 adapted to be, inserted in the opening of the center pin, so that the latter. is thereby rigidly connected and supported in axial relation upon the. driving pin. ;The length of the combined driving pin and rest is such that in driving. thelatter into. the furniture leg.the same maybe accurately ,held in aligned relation with the leg during the .driving, andtheforce of the blows is transmitted directly to the center pin.

The tubular pim, due to the-beveled inner surface of the cutting edge and the cylindrical outer surface, enters the wood without 1 exertingany. outward splitting or cracking strains, the cylindrical cut produced being no larger th an. the outer diameter .ofthe tube. 'Atthesame time a dowel 2-5 of the wood is compressed andv wedged within. the tube, and

- duev to thenatural elasticity. of the wood this dowel exerts .a constant outward pressure against the inner wallofthetube and effectually resists outward pull on the device. ,Zhile I have illustrated this particular type of attaching. stud, it will be understood that. other. types and means may be employed.

The coil spring 24, while permitting free tilting movement resiliently maintains the parts against looseness and rattling, .so that the slide will not rattle .when lifted from engagement with the floor and will not chatter when the furniture is slid upon the floor. The relation of the cup member, stud, and washer is such that in the tilted position the spring maintains its normal position and function, and is not subject to distortion at one side or the other as the furniture is tilted. Under excessive load the cup member has a limited downward movement into engagement-with the-washer, as shown in Fig. 5, the spring being only slightly compressed, so that no deterioration from excessive and prolonged compression results. The spring also function as a cushion when the slide is suddenly engaged with a hard floor, reducing the noise of impact and relieving the base "from sudden -j ar, which in thecase of fragile material being used for the base might tend to break or crack it.

In Fig. GI havezshowna modification. in whicha rubber ring 31 is inserted in the cup member instead of the coil-spring, as provided in the first embodiment, and functions in substantially the same manner to maintain the washer, base, and studagainst looseness and rattling, and to provide an impact cushion. Under excessive load the cup member .and washer contact without. excessive deflection of the rubber ring.

InFig. 7 I have. shown a modification in which the stud 17 is. solid, and is provided with a pintle extension 32 having a head at its upper end, and adapted to be engaged in the usual grip-neck type of-caster socket 33, this socket being of tubular formandprovidedat its upper portion. with inwardly bent spring portions34.

.In Fig. 8 .I have shown a further modification in which the stud 17 is of tubular form and, terminates at its upper end substantial- 1 1y flush with the cup member 19. The lower headed end 25 is of bell-like form, having a socket 35 formed interiorlyand within this socket there isenga-ged the eye or head end 36 of a split attaching pin 37 formed by bending wire ofsubstantially semi-circular cross section uponitself, the eye orhead 36 being. formed at the bight, so that the pin beforeassembly with the base has the appearance of a cotter pin.

The pin is assembled upwardly through the passage of the stud 17, in which the two legs of the pin fit snugly. The two legs are bent or spread outwardly-just above the stud, as at 38, forming a lateral enlargement, which retains the pinin relation to thestud and furtherprov-idesaa bottom bearing and retaining means withinthe socket 33, which is similar to the grip-neck socket shown in connection with the modification illustrated in Fig. 7. The pin is also bent or spread at its upper end, as at 39,.and is adapted to engage above the upper spring end of the socket. The upper extremities of the pin are bent-inwardly. toward each other but are spaced about to permit inward compression of the two legs, the straight portions of the two legs being also spaced apart for this purpose. The resilient nature of the pin is such that it can be inserted directly in a drilled hole in the leg, without the grip-neck socket, and will frictionally retain the slide in place.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A furniture rest, comprising a floor engaging base having shouldered opening therein, attaching means comprising a lower portion engaged in said shouldered opening to permit tilting movement and an upper portion fixedly connected to said lower portion and adapted to be engaged in the furniture leg, resilient means adapted to resiliently press said lower portion into relation with said shoulder and means adapted to limit the deflection of said resilient means under load to a predetermined point.

2. A furniture rest, comprising a floor engaging base having a top surface shaped to provide a curved seat, attaching means comprising a lower portion engaged with the base to permit tilting movement and an upper portion fixedly connected to said lower portion and adapted to be engaged in the furniture leg, a bearing member having a curved surface engaged with said curved seat of the base and adapted to have tilting movement with respect thereto, and resilient means interposed between said attaching means and said bearing member and adapted to resiliently press said attaching means and said bearing member into relation with said base.

3. A furniture rest, comprising a floor engaging base having a top surface shaped to provide a curved seat, attaching means comprising a lower portion engaged with the ass to permit tilting movement and an upper portion fixedly connected to said lower portion and adapted to be engaged in the furniture leg, a bearing member having a curved surface engaged with the curved seat of the base and axially slidable with respect to said attaching means, said attaching means and bearing member adapted to have unitary tilting movement with respect to said base, ab utment means rigidly secured to said attaching means in upwardly spaced relation to said bearing member, and resilient means interposed between said abutment means and said caring member and adapted to resiliently press said attaching means and said bearing member into relation with said base.

4. A furniture rest, comprising a floor engaging base having a top surface shaped to provide a curved seat, attaching means comprising a lower portion engaged with the base to permit tilting movement and an upper portion fixedly connected to said lower portion and adapted to be engaged in the furniture leg, a bearing member having a curved surface engaged with the curved seat of the base and axially slidable with respect to said attaching means, said attaching means and bearing member adapted to have unitary tilting movement with respect to said base,

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