# US 10,499,554 B2 · Anti wobbling castor support for a wheel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,499,554 B2 - Document ID: US10499554B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/148,535 - Filed: 2016-05-06 - Published: 2017-11-09 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-06 - Assignees: CNH Industrial America LLC - Applicants: CNH Industrial America LLC - Inventors: Matthew R. Sudbrink; Dean A. Knobloch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10499554B2 ## CPC - A01B 76/00: Parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, not provided for in groups A01B51/00 - A01B75/00 - A01B 59/042: having pulling means arranged on the rear part of the tractor - A01B 63/16: with wheels adjustable relatively to the frame - B60B 33/0002: {assembling to the object, e.g. furniture} - B60B 33/066: {by use of a hinge and lever mechanism to swing wheel upwards relative to wheel mount} - A01B: SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL (making or covering furrows or holes for sowing, planting or manuring A01C5/00; mowers convertible to soil working apparatus or capable of soil working A01D42/04; mowers combined with soil working implements A01D43/12; soil working for engineering purposes E01, E02, E21) - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION ## Abstract A castor wheel support for a towed agricultural implement. The castor support has a spindle for supporting a castor mounting structure for pivoting movement. The castor mounting structure includes an annular friction element received over the spindle and a plurality of C-shaped shims removable laterally without disassembly of the mounting structure to allow the pressure on the friction element to be set to minimize wobbling. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A castor support assembly for a wheel, the support assembly comprising: a base; a spindle extending downward from the base; a castor mounting structure having a bore received over the spindle to permit pivoting movement about the spindle, and an axle operably connected to a portion of the castor mounting structure for rotatably mounting a wheel; a thrust bearing positioned on the spindle between the base and the caster mounting structure; a removable disk secured to an end of the spindle; an annular friction element received over the spindle between the castor mounting structure and the removable disk, the annular friction element having an inner circumference larger than an outer diameter of the spindle; and, a plurality of shims, each shim of the plurality of shims of predetermined thickness, each shim having an outer circumference configured to fit within the inner circumference of the annular friction element, each shim having an inner circumference configured to fit around the outer diameter of the spindle; wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned on the spindle via a slot recess in each shim and each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned within the inner diameter of the annular friction element to control compression of the annular friction element and to inhibit oscillation of the castor support assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is removable laterally at a right angle to an axis of the spindle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the removable disk is secured via the plurality of shims with axial fasteners extending from the end of the spindle and each shim of the plurality of shims has apertures for passage of the axial fasteners therethrough. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is c-shaped with a center of each shim forming the slot recess and each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned in an alternating stacked arrangement relative to each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axial fasteners comprise two axial fasteners. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the castor mounting structure comprises a sleeve received over the spindle and opposed plates extending laterally from the sleeve and a structural element extending downward, the axle operably secured to the structural element and extending at a right angle thereto for rotatably mounting the wheel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the base comprises a pair of plates structurally connected to the spindle and extending to mounting bores for a parallel link mounting assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The castor support assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the annular friction element is formed from polyurethane. ### Claim 9 An agricultural implement for towed movement in a forward direction over a field, the implement comprising: a frame extending laterally relative to the direction of movement; a base; an articulated structural interconnection between the base and the frame; a spindle extending downward from the base; a castor mounting structure having a bore received over the spindle to permit pivoting movement about the spindle, and an axle operably connected to at least a portion of the castor mounting structure for rotatably mounting a wheel; the wheel mounted for rotation on the axle; a thrust bearing on the spindle between the base and the castor mounting structure; a removable disk secured to an end of the spindle; an annular friction element received over the spindle between the castor mounting structure and the removable disk; the annular friction element having an inner circumference larger than an outer diameter of the spindle; and, a plurality of shims, each shim of the plurality of shims of predetermined thickness, each shim having an outer circumference configured to fit within the inner circumference of the annular friction element, each shim having an inner circumference configured to fit around the outer diameter of the spindle; wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned on the spindle via a slot recess in each shim and each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned within the inner diameter of the annular friction element to control compression of the annular friction element and to inhibit oscillation of the castor support assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 9, wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is removable laterally at a right angle to an axis of the spindle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 10, wherein the removable disk is secured via the plurality of shims with axial fasteners extending from the castor mounting structure and each shim of the plurality of shims has apertures for passage of the axial fasteners therethrough. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 11, wherein each shim of the plurality of shims is C-shaped with a center forming the slot recess and each shim of the plurality of shims is positioned in an alternating stacked arrangement relative to each other. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the axial fasteners comprise two axial fasteners. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the castor mounting structure comprises a sleeve received over the spindle and opposed plates extending laterally from the sleeve and a structural element extending downward, the axle operably secured to the structural element and extending at a right angle thereto for rotatably mounting the wheel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 14, wherein the base comprises a pair of plates structurally connected to the spindle and extending to mounting bores for providing an articulated structural connection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the annular friction element is formed from polyurethane. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The agricultural implement as claimed in claim 9, wherein the annular friction element is formed from AR400 steel.