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US 7,065,828 B2Granted
Caster assembly with drawn kingpin rivet
OwnerMark C. Sorenseninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A caster assembly including a unique drawn kingpin rivet formed of stainless steel or other material of appropriate toughness which compressively holds the components of the caster assembly together.
Claims12
A caster assembly comprising:
- A kingpin rivet comprising:
- a drawn metal inner tubular portion formed unitarily with and extending substantially perpendicularly from a metal base;
- the inner tubular portion further defining a end opposite the metal base said end adapted for additional working;
- a drawn metal outer tubular portion, substantially surrounding the inner tubular portion formed unitarily with and extending substantially perpendicularly from the metal base;
- and wherein the inner tubular portion extends a first distance from the base portion and the outer tubular portion extends a second distance from the base portion, and the first distance is greater than the second distance;
- A wheel chassis defining a first aperture adapted to accept the inner tubular portion;
- An upper race defining a second aperture adapted to accept the inner tubular portion;
- A lower race defining a third aperture adapted to accept the inner tubular portion;
- and
- A thrust bearing assembly defining a fourth aperture adapted to accept the inner tubular portion;
- wherein the wheel chassis and thrust bearing assembly are positioned between the upper race and lower race, and the inner tubular portion is inserted through the first, second, third and fourth apertures;
- and wherein the metal base is adjacent to the lower race and the end is worked to hold the wheel chassis, upper race, lower race and thrust bearing assembly compressively in operable relation.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.