Caster assembly with integral plastic stem and horn and with removable

Abstract

An all-plastic, swivel caster assembly has horn and stem molded as a homogeneous unit of plastic. A wheel of molded plastic or plastic-rubber combination, supports the assembly. In one version, the horn sidewalls have fingers forming keyhole-shaped slots receiving grooved end portions of a plastic axle borne by the wheel. The axle retaining fingers normally secure the axle in the horn, but are sufficiently resilient to enable intentional removal of the wheel and axle assembly from the horn without tools, for cleaning. In another version, the horn sidewalls have apertures receiving a plastic axle which has a head on one end and a circumferential groove at the other end. An axle cap located at the outside face of one horn sidewall has a slot received on the axle groove, and retains the axle in assembly. The cap has a detent boss received in a detent recess in the horn sidewall to keep the cap, and thereby the axle, in place. In both versions of the assembly, a caster stem retainer of molded plastic, for mounting in a cart or the like, rotatably receives the caster stem and is supported on the upper end of the caster stem by a bearing ball which supports the retainer, and thereby the cart or other device. The stem retainer has a base portion with a skirt thereon covering a platform portion at the top of the caster horn for excluding dirt and moisture.