US2794205A - Furniture glide - Google Patents

Description

June 44, 1957 J. A. sKUPAs 2,794,205

FURNITURE GLIDE 'Filed Aug. 30, 1956 1N VEN TOR. Jahw H. .SKU/ws.

United States Patent O FURNITURE GLIDE John A. Skupas, Evansville, Ind.,

Caster Corporation, Evansville,

assigner to Faultiess Ind., a corporation This invention relates to a furniture glide of the type having a sliding base provided with a stem to be inserted in a leg or support for furniture and the like.

More particularly the invention pertains to such a glide wherein the base is formed of a molded resilient or elastic material such as nylon, and is generally cup-shaped with an inner molded concave bearing seat for the stem. The supporting and gliding surface of the base, due to its convexity of design, resiliency and elasticity, enables the slide to be maneuvered easily without marring, marking or staining the lloors or floor coverings as may occur in the use of the usual glide provided with a sheet metal or plastic base.

It is of further importance in such glides that the stem be interlocked with the base, but in such manner that it will be free to tilt in all directions to a total included angle of movement of about forty degrees about the azimuth as in the ball and socket type. With the stem provided with an enlarged convex foot portion of the same convexity as the concave bearing seat formed in the base, it may swivel thereon up to a twenty degree angle in all directions. With this arrangement, a suitable metal retaining cap freely embraces the stern and foot portion, being crimped about the edge of the base to retain the foot of the stem in sliding seated engagement with the concave bearing seat of the base.

The feature of this invention lies in the provision of a biasing member such as a compression spring interposed between the foot of the stem and the retaining cap to exert such tension therebetween as to maintain the foot properly seated in the bearing seat of the base while permitting it to slide or rock snugly therein to different angular positions. Through this medium, undesirable noise or rattle will be eliminated, to which the resilient and elastic base will contribute by reason of its noise dampening characteristic.

Thus a noiseless glide is provided by a simple and economic structure that may be easily maneuvered free of marring, marking or staining oors or floor coverings.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims.

In the drawing there is shown a central vertical section through the base and cap of the glide with the stem and spring in elevation, a portion of the stem-mounting socket being broken away.

By way of illustrating one modification of the invention there is shown a furniture glide comprising a base 10, stern retaining cap 11, stem 12 and stem-mounting socket 13. The base 10 is molded of a resilient or elastic material, preferably nylon, into a cup-shaped form with exterior oor engaging surface curved upwardly to provide a rounded periphery as indicated at 14 and terminating in va anged rim 15. interiorly of the cup-shaped "ice base there is formed a concave bearing seat 16 to be snugly tted by a convex foot portion 17 formed on the supported end of the stem 12.

The cap 11 is sheet metal of inverted dish shape to surround the stem at its crown in slightly spaced relation as at 18, to permit free play therebetween. The periphery of the cap is crimped over the flanged rim 15 at the base to iirmly secure the cap and base together. The stem is formed to be removably inserted in the socket 13 in the usual manner.

The rounded foot 17 is of the same arcuate curvature as the bearing seat 16 so that the stem may be tilted about the radial center thereof within the confines of the spacing 18 of the cap, or to :an included angle of movement of about 40 degrees. To yieldingly hold the foot portion in its seat 16, it is provided with a peripheral terminal shoulder 19 which provides a bearing for a biasing member or coiled spring 20 interposed between the foot and cap. Said spring is assembled therebetween under tension to exert a downward pressure on the foot, holding it rmly in sliding contact with its seat to thereby prevent any play resulting in undesirable noise or rattle, while permitting the stem to freely tilt relative to the base.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawing and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, as other modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A furniture glide comprising a cup-shaped molded nylon base with rounded upstanding walls terminating in an outwardly anged rim, a central concave bearing seat formed interiorly of said base, a mounting stem having an enlarged foot portion formed with a convex supporting surface nested in said bearing seat and of the same arcuate curvature, said foot terminating upwardly in a shoulder, a retaining cap freely embracing said stem and foot crimped to the rim of said base, and a coiled spring interposed under compression between said shoulder and retaining cap.

2. A furniture glide comprising a base having an outer supporting surface on one side, an inner concave bearing seat on the opposite side of said base, a mounting stem having an enlarged foot portion formed with a convex supporting surface nested in said bearing seat and terminating upwardly in a shoulder, a retaining cap freely embracing said stem and foot secured to said base, and a coiled spring interposed under compression between said shoulder and retaining cap.

3. A furniture glide comprising a cup-shaped molded nylon base with rounded upstanding walls terminating in an outwardly flanged rim, a central concave bearing seat formed interiorly of said base, a mounting stem having an enlarged foot portion formed with a convex supporting surface nested in said bearing seat and of the same arcuate curvature, said foot terminating upwardly in a shoulder, a retaining cap freely embracing said stem and foot crimped to the rim of said base, and a biasing member interposed between said foot portion and retaining cap to maintain said foot and base in bearing engagement to prevent rattle therebetween.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 822,963 Little June 12, 1906

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