US 7,350,269 B2Granted

Adjustable caster and leveling assembly

OwnerDennis Paul Dominic, Joe Edwin Lucasinventors

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Abstract

An adjustable caster comprising a reversible mounting bracket offering added flexibility in adjusting the height of the caster and configured to removably attach to a structure to be supported by the adjustable caster; an internally threaded sleeve mounted to and extending from the mounting bracket, the sleeve having proximal and distal ends and a sleeve axis extending there between; an externally threaded stem configured to be removably threaded into the sleeve at either the distal or proximal end; a caster wheel assembly attached to the stem; and an adjustment assembly operatively associated with the stem and fully accessible to a user of the caster when the caster is assembled and the mounting bracket is attached to the caster-supported structure, the vertical adjustment assembly configured to adjust the vertical displacement of the stem along the sleeve axis.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An adjustable caster for supporting a structure above a floor and for leveling an operational surface of the structure relative to the floor, the caster capable of adjustment while attached to and supporting the structure, comprising:

a) a mounting assembly attached to the structure;
b) a stem comprising a first and second end, the first end configured to be removably and adjustably attached to the mounting assembly;
c) a caster wheel assembly operatively associated with the second end of the stem, the castor wheel assembly comprising a wheel and a wheel bracket;
and
d) an adjustment assembly operatively associated with the stem and accessible to a user of the adjustable caster when the adjustable caster is assembled and attached to the caster supported structure, the adjustment assembly configured to adjust the displacement of the stem relative to the mounting assembly and, in turn the displacement of the caster wheel assembly relative to the mounting assembly and the displacement of the supported structure relative to the floor, the adjustment assembly comprising an adjustment member operatively associated with the second end of the stem and disposed on the stem below the wheel bracket, the adjusting member being manipulable to permit adjustment of the displacement of the caster wheel assembly relative to the mounting assembly and the supported structure and, in turn, to level the operational surface relative to the floor when the caster is attached to and supporting the structure, the wheel remaining in operable contact with the floor when the operational surface has been leveled by manipulation of the adjustment member, and a locking member configured to be operatively attached to the first end of the stem,
wherein the mounting assembly comprises a mounting bracket comprising:
a plate having a top and bottom surface, the plate configured to removably attach to the structure to be supported by the adjustable caster;
and a sleeve comprising a proximal end mounted to and extending from the bottom surface of the plate, a distal end, and a sleeve axis extending between the proximal and distal ends, and wherein the adjustment assembly is configured to adjust the displacement of the stem along the sleeve axis.

5 more elements

A method of supporting a structure having an operational surface above a floor with an adjustable caster and leveling the operational surface, the method comprising:

a) providing a mounting bracket comprising a plate having a top and bottom surface and a sleeve comprising a proximal end mounted to and extending from the bottom surface of the plate, a distal end, and a sleeve axis extending between the proximal and distal ends;
b) removably attaching the plate to the structure to be supported by the adjustable caster,
c) removably inserting a first end of a stem to the sleeve along the sleeve axis;
d) operatively attaching a caster wheel assembly to a second end of the stem, the caster wheel assembly comprising a wheel and a wheel bracket;
e) providing an adjustment assembly operatively associated with the stem and accessible to a user of the adjustable caster, the adjustment assembly comprising an adjustment member operatively associated with the second end of the stem and disposed on the stem below the wheel bracket, and a locking member configured to be operatively attached to the first end of the stem;
f) attaching the caster to a surface of the supported structure such that the caster is disposed between the supported structure and the floor;
g) after attaching the caster to a surface of the supported structure, adjusting the displacement of the wheel bracket relative to the mounting bracket and, in turn, the displacement of the wheel bracket relative to the supported structure and the displacement of the supported structure relative to the floor by engaging the adjustment member below the wheel bracket and displacing the stem within the sleeve along the sleeve axis to level the operational surface, the wheel remaining in operable contact with the floor when the operational surface has been leveled by displacing the stem;
and
h) locking the caster height into position by displacing the locking member along the stem until the locking member abuts the distal end of the sleeve.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/320,365Filed 28 Dec 2005 · continuation in part
Priority: 12 Oct 2004
Published: US 2006/0075600 A16 Jul 2006
Granted: 1 Apr 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B60B 33/0002
Castors in general ; Anti-clogging castors: assembling to the object, e.g. furniture
B62B 2301/05
Wheel arrangements; Steering; Stability; Wheel suspension: details of the attachment of the wheel assembly to the chassis
B60B
Vehicle wheels
B62B
Hand-propelled vehicles