Castor

Claim 2

A castor for an article comprising: a. a connecting member (1) connected to said article and having a cylindrical connecting portion at the lower side thereof; b. a wheel having a shaft projecting from each side thereof; and, c. a main body (3) having generally tubular portion (2) at one end fitted rotatably to said cylindrical connecting portion of said connecting member (1) and an arc-shaped wheel-accommodating-and-bearing portion (6) in excess of 180° extent connected to said tubular portion; said wheel-accommodating-and-bearing portion (6) having a pair of arc-shaped side walls (6') spaced a predetermined distance apart forming a recess therebetween for accommodating said wheel, said arc-shaped side walls (6') forming bearing recesses for receiving said shafts of said wheel and having resilient portions (10) at the lower ends thereof for preventing slip-off of said wheel, and said resilient portions (10) extending up to a position slightly lower than the upper half of said wheel placed in position.

Claim 3

A castor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said wheel is composed of an axle assembly, having a shaft projecting from each side thereof and a felly (104') rotatably mounted on said axle (111) assembly and wherein said bearing recesses receive said shafts of said axle assembly, the wheel (104) being composed of a felly (104') with an inner surface (117), an axle (111) and a bearing (119), the felly (104') having on its inner surface (117) a groove (118) semi-circular in section for receiving the bearing (119), the axle (111) being composed of a male member (112) and a female member (114), the male member (112) having at its one end a reduced portion (113) and at its other end one of the shafts, the annular female member (114) having a bore therein for receiving the reduced portion (113) of the male member (112), and has at its one end the other of the shafts (107), the male and female members (112, 114) having grooves (116', 116") on the outer surfaces (115', 115") thereof so that when these members (113, 114) are assembled, the outer surfaces (115', 115") cooperate to form the outer surface (115) of the axle (111), and the grooves (116', 116") cooperate to form a groove (116) semi-circular in section on the outer surface (115) of the axle (111) and, when the felly (104') and the axle (111) are assembled together to form the wheel (104), the groove (118) on the felly (104') and the groove (116) on the axle (111) cooperate to retain the bearing (119).