Shock absorbing roller

A roller for mounting on a shaft and for movement within a track having a U-shaped cross-section having first and second oppositely disposed walls interconnected by an end wall, including

• a central hub portion for mounting the roller on the shaft,
• a roller portion surrounding the hub portion and with the roller portion including a rigid circumferential ring section spaced around the hub portion and having a cylindrical outer surface interconnected with the hub portion,
• the roller portion including a flexible circumferential flange section extending outwardly from the ring section toward the first and second oppositely disposed walls from one side of the rigid circumferential ring section and away from the hub portion, and
• the roller when positioned within the U-shaped track having the flexible circumferential flange section providing shock absorption and noise reduction with movement of the roller across or along the track.

A roller for mounting on a shaft and for movement within a track having a U-shaped cross-section having first and second oppositely disposed walls interconnected by an end wall, including

• a central hub portion for mounting the roller on the shaft,
• a roller portion surrounding the hub portion and with the roller portion including a rigid ring section spaced around and interconnected with the hub portion and having one outward side wall having flat portions,
• at least one flexible thrust flange extending outwardly from the one outward side wall of the roller and toward the hub portion axis, and
• the roller when positioned within the U-shaped track having the flexible thrust flange directed toward the end wall for providing shock absorption and noise reduction with movement of the roller across the U-shaped track to contact the end wall of the track.