Adjustable roller leg

Abstract

An adjustable roller leg assembly, in a first embodiment, has a mounting cylinder, a housing cylinder, a bearing assembly, and a bearing engagement cylinder. The bearing assembly has a stem affixed to the housing cylinder, leaving the bearing protruding beyond the housing cylinder end. The bearing engagement cylinder is threadably inserted into the housing cylinder, which is threadably inserted into the mounting cylinder. The adjustable roller leg assembly is then attached to an article. Article movement occurs by rotation of the bearing engagement cylinder to engage the bearing against the housing, so that the bearing protrudes beyond the open end of the bearing engagement cylinder and contacts the floor. Stationary support is achieved by counter-rotating the bearing engagement cylinder until the bearing is completely contained therein, so that the bearing engagement cylinder contacts the floor. Article height adjustment is by housing cylinder rotation relative to the mounting plate cylinder.

1 . An adjustable roller leg assembly comprising a mounting cylinder, a housing cylinder, a bearing assembly, and a bearing engagement cylinder; said mounting cylinder comprised of a mounting means for securing said roller leg to an article and a cylinder portion, said cylinder portion capable of threadably retaining said housing cylinder; said housing cylinder having a first housing end and a second housing end, said first housing end being threadably retained in said mounting plate cylinder and said second housing end having an opening for receiving said bearing assembly and said bearing engagement cylinder; said bearing assembly having a first end with a means for rolling on a surface being mounted in said bearing assembly and a second end that is securable to said first housing end of said housing cylinder, said bearing engagement cylinder having an inner surface and an outer surface, at least a portion of said outer surface residing in said housing cylinder, said outer surface of said bearing engagement cylinder being threadably secured to said housing cylinder, said bearing engagement cylinder being adapted to be moved through rotation from a first position to a second position and where one of said first and second positions of said bearing engagement cylinder is a retracted position that permits said means for rolling to protrude beyond said bearing engagement cylinder, and said other position of said bearing engagement cylinder is an extended position whereby said means for rolling does not protrude beyond said bearing engagement cylinder. 
     
     
         2 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said means for rolling is a spherical ball bearing. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said means for rolling is a caster. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 3  wherein said caster further comprises a wheel. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said mounting means comprises a plate with one or more orifices for securing said mounting cylinder to an object. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 5  wherein one or more “C”-shaped spring clips secure said second end of said bearing assembly to said first housing end. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 6  wherein said bearing engagement cylinder may be counter-rotated to extend the length of said adjustment roller assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 7  wherein said housing cylinder may be counter-rotated for course adjustment to the length of said adjustment roller assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 8  wherein said bearing engagement cylinder has one or more pairs of wrench flats. 
     
     
         10 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 9  wherein said housing cylinder has one or more pairs of wrench flats. 
     
     
         11 . An adjustable roller leg assembly comprising:
 (a) a bearing assembly, said bearing assembly comprising a roller and a race, said race having an axial load bearing surface, an axial non-load bearing surface, and a side-bearing surface; said race further comprising an elongated stem, said elongated stem protruding from said non-bearing side of said race;   (b) a bearing engagement cylinder; said bearing engagement cylinder having a first end, a second end, an outer surface, and a first inner surface; said outer surface having external threads beginning at said first end and running at least a portion of the way to said second end; said first inner surface capable of slideably receiving said side-bearing surface of said bearing assembly; said bearing engagement cylinder further comprising a second inner surface and a shoulder at said second end, said shoulder being capable of supporting said axial bearing surface of said bearing assembly;   (c) a mounting cylinder; said mounting cylinder comprising a means for securing said roller leg to an article and a cylinder portion; said cylinder portion having a first cylinder end, a second cylinder end, an outside cylinder surface and an inside cylinder surface; said first cylinder end being connected to said means for securing said roller leg, said inside cylinder surface being internally threaded beginning at said second cylinder end and running at least a portion of the way to said first cylinder end, said internally threaded inside cylinder surface capable of threadably receiving said external threads of said outer surface of said bearing engagement cylinder; said means for securing having a central orifice being located concentric to said cylinder portion, said central orifice capable of mountably receiving said elongated stem of said bearing assembly;   (d) adjustment of said adjustable roller leg assembly by rotation of said bearing engagement cylinder from a first extended position wherein said roller is in a unexposed position within said bearing engagement cylinder, to a second position wherein said shoulder of said bearing engagement cylinder bears upon said axial load bearing surface of said bearing assembly and said roller protrudes beyond said second end of said bearing engagement cylinder.   
     
     
         12 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 11  wherein said roller is a spherical ball bearing, said spherical ball bearing being rotatably mounted in said race using a plurality of ball bearings between said race and said spherical bearing, and wherein at least a portion of said spherical bearing is exposed beyond said load-bearing side of said race. 
     
     
         13 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 11  wherein said roller is a caster, said caster being mounted to said load-bearing side of said race. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 13  wherein said caster further comprises a wheel. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 11  wherein said mounting means comprises a plate with one or more orifices for securing said mounting cylinder to an object. 
     
     
         16 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 15  wherein said bearing engagement cylinder may be counter-rotated to extend the length of said adjustment roller assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 16  wherein said elongated stem of said bearing assembly is retained in said orifice of said mounting plate cylinder using one or more “C”-shaped spring clips. 
     
     
         18 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 16  wherein said elongated stem of said bearing assembly is externally threaded, and wherein said externally threaded elongated stem is threadably retained in said orifice of said mounting plate cylinder. 
     
     
         19 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 17  wherein said bearing engagement cylinder has one or more pairs of wrench flats on said outer surface. 
     
     
         20 . An adjustable roller leg assembly comprising:
 (a) a bearing assembly, said bearing assembly comprising a means for rolling on a surface, and a race, said race having an axial load bearing surface, an axial non-load bearing surface, and a side-bearing surface; said means for rolling being rotatably mounted in said race with at least a portion being exposed beyond said load-bearing side of said race, said race further comprising an elongated stem, said elongated stem protruding from said non-bearing side of said race;   (b) a bearing engagement cylinder; said bearing engagement cylinder having a first end, a second end, an outer surface, and a first inner surface; said outer surface having external threads beginning at said first end and running at least a portion of the way to said second end; said first inner surface capable of slideably receiving said side-bearing surface of said bearing assembly; said bearing engagement cylinder further comprising a second inner surface and a shoulder at said second end, said shoulder being capable of supporting said axial bearing surface of said bearing assembly;   (c) a housing cylinder; said housing cylinder having a first housing end, a second housing end, a first outer cylinder wall, a second outer cylinder wall, an inner cylinder wall, and a flat end wall; said first outer cylinder wall being beginning at said first housing end and having external thread over a portion of said outer cylinder wall beginning at said first housing end; said second outer cylinder wall beginning at said second housing end and transitioning into said first outer cylinder; said flat end wall being located at said first housing end, said flat end wall having an orifice being located concentric to said inner cylinder wall, said orifice capable of mountably receiving said elongated stem of said bearing assembly; said inner cylinder wall being internally threaded beginning at said second housing end and running at least a portion of the way to said first housing end, said internally threaded inner cylinder wall capable of threadably receiving said external threads of said outer surface of said bearing engagement cylinder to retain said bearing assembly therein;   (d) a mounting cylinder; said mounting cylinder comprising a first end for securing said roller leg assembly to an article and a cylinder portion; said cylinder portion having a first cylinder end, a second cylinder end, an outside cylinder surface, a first inside cylinder surface, and a second inside cylinder surface; said first cylinder end being connected to said first end; said second inside cylinder surface beginning at said second cylinder end; said first inside cylinder surface beginning at said first cylinder end and being internally threaded, said internally threaded inside cylinder surface capable of threadably receiving said external threading of said outer cylinder wall of said housing first end and said second inside cylinder surface capable of receiving a portion of said second outer cylinder wall of said housing second end;   (e) adjustment of said adjustable roller leg assembly by rotation of said bearing engagement cylinder from a first extended position wherein said means for rolling is in an unexposed position being within said bearing engagement cylinder, to a second position wherein said shoulder of said bearing engagement cylinder bears upon said axial load bearing surface of said bearing assembly and said means for rolling protrudes beyond said second end of said bearing engagement cylinder.   
     
     
         21 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 20  wherein said first end of said mounting cylinder comprises a plate with one or more orifices for securing said mounting cylinder to an object. 
     
     
         22 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 21  wherein said elongated stem of said bearing assembly is retained in said orifice of said mounting plate cylinder using one or more “C”-shaped spring clips. 
     
     
         23 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 22  wherein said bearing engagement cylinder may be counter-rotated to extend the length of said adjustment roller assembly. 
     
     
         24 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 23  wherein said housing cylinder may be counter-rotated for course adjustment to the length of said adjustment roller assembly. 
     
     
         25 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 24  wherein said bearing engagement cylinder has one or more pairs of wrench flats. 
     
     
         26 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 25  wherein said housing cylinder has one or more pairs of wrench flats. 
     
     
         27 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 26  wherein said first end of said mounting plate cylinder further comprises an orifice being located concentric to said cylinder portion. 
     
     
         28 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 27  wherein said elongated stem of said bearing assembly is externally threaded, and wherein said externally threaded elongated stem is threadably retained in said orifice of said mounting plate cylinder. 
     
     
         29 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 28  wherein said first end of said mounting plate cylinder is a rectangular-shaped plate. 
     
     
         30 . An adjustable roller leg assembly comprising:
 (a) a means for rolling;   (b) a hollow cylinder, said hollow cylinder having a first open end, a second open end, an exterior cylinder wall, and an interior cylinder wall; said hollow cylinder having a first opening connecting said exterior cylinder wall to said interior cylinder wall;   (c) a plunger assembly, said plunger assembly comprising said means for rolling, a plunger tube, a spring, a mechanical catch, and a plunger assembly bracket; said tube having a first tube end, a second tube end, a tube interior wall, and a tube exterior wall, said tube having a first pair of slotted openings connecting said tube exterior wall to said tube interior wall; said mechanical catch being partially disposed within said tube interior wall and therein being pivotally mounting to said plunger assembly bracket and with said mechanical catch having a portion protruding through one of said first pair of slotted openings and extending beyond said tube exterior wall; said pivotal mounting of said mechanical catch also providing for slideable mounting of said tube along a second pair of slotted openings in said tube; said spring being retained within said tube first end to bias said mechanical catch relative to said plunger tube; said means for rolling being mounted to said second tube end; said plunger assembly being disposed within said hallow cylinder where said plunger assembly is attached to said interior cylinder wall of said hollow tube with said protruding portion of said mechanical catch thereby also protruding out of said second opening of said hollow cylinder; and   (d) wherein said plunger tube is adapted to be moved from a first position to a second position causing said mechanical catch to engage one of said pair of slotted openings in said plunger tube and inhibit backward movement from said second position to said first position; said means for rolling in said second position protruding beyond said second open end of said hollow cylinder, and said means for rolling not protruding therefrom while said plunger tube is in said first position; backward movement of said plunger tube occurring when said protruding portion of said mechanical catch is depressed and said mechanical catch disengages from one of said pair of slotted openings in said plunger tube.   
     
     
         31 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 30  wherein said spring is a double conical coil spring. 
     
     
         32 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 31  wherein an end cap is attached to said first tube end to thereby retain said spring within said plunger tube. 
     
     
         33 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 32  wherein a mounting cap is attached to said second tube end, and wherein said means for rolling is then attached to said mounting cap at said second plunger tube end. 
     
     
         34 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 33  wherein said means for rolling is a caster. 
     
     
         35 . The adjustable roller assembly according to  claim 34  wherein said caster is a single wheel caster. 
     
     
         36 . The adjustable roller assembly according to  claim 34  wherein said caster is a multiple wheeled caster. 
     
     
         37 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 33  wherein said means for rolling comprises a race and a spherical ball bearing, said spherical ball bearing being rotatably retained in said race. 
     
     
         38 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 37  wherein said spherical ball bearing is rotatably retained in said race by using a plurality of ball bearings between said race and said spherical bearing. 
     
     
         39 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 38  wherein said plunger is moved from said first position to said second position by applying pressure to said end cap of said first tube end. 
     
     
         40 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 39  wherein said plunger tube assembly further comprises a flat plate, and wherein said plunger assembly bracket is riveted to said flat plate, said bracket assembly being mounted within said hollow tube using said flat plate of said plunger tube assembly. 
     
     
         41 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 40  wherein said end cap of said plunger tube assembly has a flange extending therefrom, and wherein said hollow cylinder has a second opening connecting said exterior cylinder wall to said interior cylinder wall, said flange of said end cap extending through said second opening of said hollow cylinder. 
     
     
         42 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 41  wherein said flange is moved from said first position to said second position by applying pressure to said flange until said mechanical catch engages one of said pair of slotted openings in said plunger tube. 
     
     
         43 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 42  wherein said adjustable roller leg assembly further comprises an adjustable mounting plate cover, said adjustable mounting plate cover comprising a plate portion, a fixed cylinder, and an adjustment cylinder; said plate portion comprising a generally flat plate with a plurality of orifices; said fixed cylinder comprising a fixed end and a free end, said fixed end being attached to said mounting plate; said fixed cylinder further comprising external threading beginning at said free end and running at least part of the way to said fixed end; said adjustment cylinder having a polished end, a rough end, an internal cylinder wall, a first external cylinder wall, and a second external cylinder wall; said internal cylinder wall comprising internal threading on at least a portion of said internal wall, said polished end of said adjustment cylinder being threadably attached to said fixed cylinder, said second external cylinder wall at said rough end being inserted into said first open end of said hollow cylinder and thereby being attached to said hollow cylinder; said adjustable roller assembly being adjustable by rotation of said hollow cylinder relative to said fixed cylinder. 
     
     
         44 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 43  wherein said adjustment cylinder is formed in two halves, a first half having male protrusions, and a second half having female indentations, and wherein said first half and said second half are mated together over said fixed cylinder to have said internal threading of said adjustment cylinder engaging said external threading of said fixed cylinder. 
     
     
         45 . An adjustable roller leg assembly comprising:
 (a) a bearing assembly, said bearing assembly comprising a means for rolling on a surface, and a race, said race having an axial load bearing surface, an axial non-load bearing surface, and a side-bearing surface; said means for rolling being rotatably mounted in said race with at least a portion being exposed beyond said load-bearing side of said race, said race further comprising an elongated stem, said elongated stem protruding from said non-bearing side of said race;   (b) a bearing cylinder; said bearing cylinder having a first end, a second end, an outer surface, and a first inner surface; said outer surface having external threads beginning at said first end and running only a portion of the way to said second end; said first inner surface capable of slideably receiving said side-bearing surface of said bearing assembly; said bearing cylinder further comprising a second inner surface and a shoulder at said second end, said shoulder being capable of supporting said axial bearing surface of said bearing assembly;   (c) a cylinder insert; said cylinder insert having a closed end, an open end, an internal cylinder wall, a first external cylinder wall, and a second external cylinder wall; said internal cylinder wall comprising internal threading beginning at said closed end and running a portion of the way to said open end, said cylinder insert being threadably attached to said bearing cylinder; said elongated stem of said bearing assembly being attached to said closed end of said cylinder insert;   (d) said closed end of said cylinder insert of said adjustable roller leg assembly being inserted into the leg of an article; said adjustable roller assembly being adjustable from a first position to a second position by rotation of said bearing cylinder relative to said cylinder insert; said first position having said bearing cylinder being retracted within said cylinder insert to permit said bearing assembly to protrude beyond said hearing cylinder, and said second position having said bearing cylinder in an extended position in which said means for rolling does not protrude beyond said bearing cylinder.   
     
     
         44 . The adjustable roller leg assembly according to  claim 43  wherein said cylinder insert is formed in two halves, a first half having male protrusions, and a second half having female indentations, and wherein said first half and said second half are mated together over said fixed cylinder to have said internal threading of said cylinder insert engaging said external threading of said fixed cylinder.