Ball type transfer apparatus

Claim 2

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.

Claim 3

The ball type transfer apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base member is comprised of a two-piece lamination, one of the laminae comprising said top surface and including said plurality of spaced-apart ball race chambers and said adjacent axially aligned main bearing chambers; the second of the two laminae comprising said bottom surface and including said plurality of axially aligned, spaced-apart, resilient chamfered edges.

Claim 4

A ball type transfer apparatus particularly adapted for transferring bodies from a first location to a second location comprising in combination: a base member; and ball bearing means for providing omnidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the 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 bosses each of which contains a ball bearing means that is resiliently captured in said ball bearing boss and freely rotatable relative to said base member, with a portion of said ball bearing means protruding outwardly of the lower face of said ball bearing boss 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; each of said ball bearing bosses extending outwardly from the bottom surface of said base member substantially the same distance; each of said ball bearing bosses including a ball bearing cavity for the containment of a ball bearing means, said cavity 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 the outermost end of said ball bearing boss and extending inwardly from said outermost end 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 and 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 boss, 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 ball bearing boss, said ball bearing means being resiliently captured in said ball bearing boss by said resilient chamfered edge which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said main bearing such that said single ball bearing is resiliently held in said ball bearing boss between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge; and said base member further including strengthening ribs extending outwardly from said bottom surface, said ribs extending outwardly substantially the same distance as said ball bearing bosses, said ribs extending about the peripheral edge of said base member at said bottom surface and also extending among pairs of ball bearing bosses.

Claim 5

A ball type transfer apparatus particularly adapted for transferring bodies from a first location to a second location comprising in combination: a base member; and ball bearing means for providing omnidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the 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 bosses each of which contains a ball bearing means that is resiliently captured in said ball bearing boss and freely rotatable relative to said base member, with a portion of said ball bearing means protruding outwardly of the lower face of said ball bearing boss 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; each of said ball bearing bosses extending outwardly from the bottom surface of said base member substantially the same distance; each of said ball bearing bosses including a ball bearing cavity for the containment of a ball bearing means, said cavity 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 the outermost end of said ball bearing boss and extending inwardly from said outermost end 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 and 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 boss, 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 ball bearing boss, said ball bearing means being resiliently captured in said ball bearing boss by said resilient chamfered edge which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said main bearing such that said single ball bearing is resiliently held in said ball bearing boss between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge; and said base member further including strengthening ribs extending outwardly from said bottom surface, said ribs extending outwardly substantially the same distance as said ball bearing bosses, said ribs extending about the peripheral edge of said base member at said bottom surface and also extending among pairs of ball bearing bosses.

Claim 6

The ball type transfer apparatus of claim 3 wherein said base member has 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 interlocking means being comprised of outwardly extending integral locking pins located on two adjacent peripheral strengthening ribs of said base member and inwardly extending pin receiving sockets located on the other two adjacent peripheral strengthening ribs of said base member; 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 relationship to each other.

Claim 7

A ball type transfer apparatus particularly adapted for transferring bodies from a first location to a second location comprising in combination: a base member; a ball bearing assembly housing; and ball bearing means for providing omnidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the 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 bosses each of which contains a ball bearing means such that the ball bearing means supports the base member above the ground surface and provides for ominidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the ball type transfer apparatus; each of said ball bearing bosses extending outwardly from the bottom surface of said base member substantially the same distance; each of said ball bearing bosses being counterbored, said counterbore extending inwardly from said outermost end of said ball bearing boss; each of said counterbores containing a ball bearing assembly being comprised of a ball bearing assembly housing and a ball bearing means which is freely rotatable relative to said housing; said ball bearing assembly housing being generally cylindrically shaped, having an outside diameter slightly less than that of said counterbore such that said housing is held in said counterbore by a press fit; said housing having a ball race chamber at one of its ends, a resilient chamfered edge at its opposite end, and a main bearing chamber between said ball race chamber and said resilient chamfered edge; said resilient chamfered edge being located at the outermost end of said housing and extending inwardly from said outermost end 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 and 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 assembly housing, said ball race being positioned in said ball race chamber in rolling engagement with said housing, said main bearing being rotatably supported between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge of said ball bearing assembly housing, said ball bearing means being resiliently captured in said ball bearing housing by said resilient chamfered edge which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said main bearing such that said single ball bearing is resiliently held in said ball bearing housing between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge; and said base member further including a plurality of holes extending transversely through said base member between said top surface and said ball bearing boss counterbore, each of said holes being of a smaller diameter than the diameter of said ball bearing boss counterbore thus providing a means for removing said ball bearing assembly housings from said ball bearing boss counterbores for replacement purposes.

Claim 8

A ball type transfer apparatus particularly adapted for transferring bodies from a first location to a second location comprising in combination: a base member; a ball bearing assembly housing; and ball bearing means for providing omnidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the 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 bosses each of which contains a ball bearing means such that the ball bearing means supports the base member above the ground surface and provides for ominidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the ball type transfer apparatus; each of said ball bearing bosses extending outwardly from the bottom surface of said base member substantially the same distance; each of said ball bearing bosses being counterbored, said counterbore extending inwardly from said outermost end of said ball bearing boss; each of said counterbores containing a ball bearing assembly being comprised of a ball bearing assembly housing and a ball bearing means which is freely rotatable relative to said housing; said ball bearing assembly housing being generally cylindrically shaped, having an outside diameter slightly less than that of said counterbore such that said housing is held in said counterbore by a press fit; said housing having a ball race chamber at one of its ends, a resilient chamfered edge at its opposite end, and a main bearing chamber between said ball race chamber and said resilient chamfered edge; said resilient chamfered edge being located at the outermost end of said housing and extending inwardly from said outermost end 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 and 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 assembly housing, said ball race being positioned in said ball race chamber in rolling engagement with said housing, said main bearing being rotatably supported between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge of said ball bearing assembly housing, said ball bearing means being resiliently captured in said ball bearing housing by said resilient chamfered edge which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said main bearing such that said single ball bearing is resiliently held in said ball bearing housing between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge; and said base member further including a plurality of holes extending transversely through said base member between said top surface and said ball bearing boss counterbore, each of said holes being of a smaller diameter than the diameter of said ball bearing boss counterbore thus providing a means for removing said ball bearing assembly housings from said ball bearing boss counterbores for replacement purposes.

Claim 9

The ball type transfer apparatus of claim 5 further including a second ball race located in said single ball chamber, positioned in rolling engagement between said main bearing and the shoulder formed in said base member at the junction of said main bearing chamber and said ball race chamber, said second ball race thus being supported by said main bearing and said main bearing thereby being in simultaneous rolling engagement with both ball races.

Claim 10

A ball type transfer apparatus particularly adapted for transferring bodies from a first location to a second location comprising in combination: a base member; a ball bearing assembly housing; and ball bearing means for providing omnidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the 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 bosses each of which contains a ball bearing means 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; each of said ball bearing bosses extending outwardly from the bottom surface of said base member substantially the same distance; each of said ball bearing bosses being counterbored, said counterbore extending inwardly from said outermost end of said ball bearing boss; each of said counterbores containing a ball bearing assembly being comprised of a ball bearing assembly housing and a ball bearing means which is freely rotatable relative to said housing; said ball bearing assembly housing being generally cylindrically shaped, having an outside diameter slightly less than that of said counterbore such that said housing is held in said counterbore by a press fit; said housing having a ball race chamber at one of its ends, a resilient chamfered edge at its opposite end, and a main bearing chamber between said ball race chamber and said resilient chamfered edge; said resilient chamfered edge being located at the outermost end of said housing and extending inwardly from said outermost end 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 and 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 assembly housing, said ball race being positioned in said ball race chamber in rolling engagement with said housing, said main bearing being rotatably supported between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge of said ball bearing assembly housing, said ball bearing means being resiliently captured in said ball bearing housing by said resiliently chamfered edge which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said main bearing such that said single ball bearing is resiliently held in said ball bearing housing between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge; said housing further including a circular felt wiping member located in said main bearing chamber positioned between said main bearing and the shoulder formed in said ball bearing assembly housing at the junction of said main bearing chamber and said ball race chamber, said circular felt wiping member being in contact with said single ball bearing thus preventing the accumulation of dirt and dust in said ball bearing means; and said base member further including a plurality of holes extending transversely through said base member between said top surface and said ball bearing boss counterbore, each of said holes being of a smaller diameter than the diameter of said ball bearing boss counterbore thus providing a means for removing said ball bearing assembly housings from said ball bearing boss counterbores for replacement purposes.

Claim 11

A ball type transfer apparatus particularly adapted for transferring bodies from a first location to a second location comprising in combination: a base member; a ball bearing assembly housing; and ball bearing means for providing omnidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the 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 bosses each of which contains a ball bearing means 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; each of said ball bearing bosses extending outwardly from the bottom surface of said base member substantially the same distance; each of said ball bearing bosses being counterbored, said counterbore extending inwardly from said outermost end of said ball bearing boss; each of said counterbores containing a ball bearing assembly being comprised of a ball bearing assembly housing and a ball bearing means which is freely rotatable relative to said housing; said ball bearing assembly housing being generally cylindrically shaped, having an outside diameter slightly less than that of said counterbore such that said housing is held in said counterbore by a press fit; said housing having a ball race chamber at one of its ends, a resilient chamfered edge at its opposite end, and a main bearing chamber between said ball race chamber and said resilient chamfered edge; said resilient chamfered edge being located at the outermost end of said housing and extending inwardly from said outermost end 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 and 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 assembly housing, said ball race being positioned in said ball race chamber in rolling engagement with said housing, said main bearing being rotatably supported between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge of said ball bearing assembly housing, said ball bearing means being resiliently captured in said ball bearing housing by said resiliently chamfered edge which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said main bearing such that said single ball bearing is resiliently held in said ball bearing housing between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge; said housing further including a circular felt wiping member located in said main bearing chamber positioned between said main bearing and the shoulder formed in said ball bearing assembly housing at the junction of said main bearing chamber and said ball race chamber, said circular felt wiping member being in contact with said single ball bearing thus preventing the accumulation of dirt and dust in said ball bearing means; and said base member further including a plurality of holes extending transversely through said base member between said top surface and said ball bearing boss counterbore, each of said holes being of a smaller diameter than the diameter of said ball bearing boss counterbore thus providing a means for removing said ball bearing assembly housings from said ball bearing boss counterbores for replacement purposes.

Claim 12

A ball type transfer apparatus particularly adapted for transferring bodies from a first location to a second location comprising in combination: a base member; a ball bearing assembly housing; and ball bearing means for providing omnidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the 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 bosses each of which contains a ball bearing means 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; each of said ball bearing bosses extending outwardly from the bottom surface of said base member substantially the same distance; each of said ball bearing bosses being counterbored, said counterbore extending inwardly from said outermost end of said ball bearing boss; each of said counterbores containing a ball bearing assembly being comprised of a ball bearing assembly housing and a ball bearing means which is freely rotatable relative to said housing; said ball bearing assembly housing being generally cylindrically shaped, having an outside diameter slightly less than that of said counterbore such that said housing is held in said counterbore by a press fit; said housing having a ball race chamber at one of its ends, a resilient chamfered edge at its opposite end, and a main bearing chamber between said ball race chamber and said resilient chamfered edge; said resilient chamfered edge being located at the outermost end of said housing and extending inwardly from said outermost end 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 assembly housing, said ball race being positioned in said ball race chamber in rolling engagement with said housing, said main bearing being rotatably supported between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge of said ball bearing assembly housing, said ball bearing means being resiliently captured in said ball bearing housing by said resilient chamfered edge which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said main bearing such that said single ball bearing is resiliently held in said ball bearing housing between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge; said housing further including a split in the peripheral wall of said housing, said split extending from the outermost end of said housing partially up the side of said housing, said split thus allowing said housing to be deformed when said main bearing is forced into said housing past said resilient chamfered edge and thus also providing a means for expanding said housing within said ball bearing boss such that said housing is held in said ball bearing boss by the pressure exerted against the walls of the counterbore of said ball bearing boss when said housing is deformed by the inclusion of said main bearing in said housing; and said base member further including a plurality of holes extending transversely through said base member between said top surface and said ball bearing boss counterbore, each of said holes being of a smaller diameter than the diameter of said ball bearing boss counterbore thus providing a means for removing said ball bearing assembly housings from said ball bearing boss counterbores for replacement purposes.

Claim 13

A ball type transfer apparatus particularly adapted for transferring bodies from a first location to a second location comprising in combination: a base member; a ball bearing assembly housing; and ball bearing means for providing omnidirectional rolling engagement with the ground surface beneath the 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 bosses each of which contains a ball bearing means 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; each of said ball bearing bosses extending outwardly from the bottom surface of said base member substantially the same distance; each of said ball bearing bosses being counterbored, said counterbore extending inwardly from said outermost end of said ball bearing boss; each of said counterbores containing a ball bearing assembly being comprised of a ball bearing assembly housing and a ball bearing means which is freely rotatable relative to said housing; said ball bearing assembly housing being generally cylindrically shaped, having an outside diameter slightly less than that of said counterbore such that said housing is held in said counterbore by a press fit; said housing having a ball race chamber at one of its ends, a resilient chamfered edge at its opposite end, and a main bearing chamber between said ball race chamber and said resilient chamfered edge; said resilient chamfered edge being located at the outermost end of said housing and extending inwardly from said outermost end 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 assembly housing, said ball race being positioned in said ball race chamber in rolling engagement with said housing, said main bearing being rotatably supported between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge of said ball bearing assembly housing, said ball bearing means being resiliently captured in said ball bearing housing by said resilient chamfered edge which has a diameter smaller than the diameter of said main bearing such that said single ball bearing is resiliently held in said ball bearing housing between said ball race and said resilient chamfered edge; said housing further including a split in the peripheral wall of said housing, said split extending from the outermost end of said housing partially up the side of said housing, said split thus allowing said housing to be deformed when said main bearing is forced into said housing past said resilient chamfered edge and thus also providing a means for expanding said housing within said ball bearing boss such that said housing is held in said ball bearing boss by the pressure exerted against the walls of the counterbore of said ball bearing boss when said housing is deformed by the inclusion of said main bearing in said housing; and said base member further including a plurality of holes extending transversely through said base member between said top surface and said ball bearing boss counterbore, each of said holes being of a smaller diameter than the diameter of said ball bearing boss counterbore thus providing a means for removing said ball bearing assembly housings from said ball bearing boss counterbores for replacement purposes.