Castors, or to use the American spelling casters are small wheels that are attached to heavy objects to make them easier to move. These wheels are usually on a swivel to make it easy to move the object in all directions.
They are one of those day-to-day objects that are to be found everywhere, but are rarely noticed by people. They make our lives far easier and safer than we realise. There are several different kinds available and it is important to buy the right kind or the job.
Types of Castors
The majority of castors are designed to swivel in all directions; however, it is possible to buy rigid ones that are designed to travel in just one direction. They are not used much, but a good example of this kind are the wheels on the back of a shopping trolley. When they are properly maintained they make it possible to push the trolley in a straight line.
The wheels on the front of a shopping trolley are the more traditional swivel kind. These wheels are designed to swivel in the direction of travel making it possible to move even the heaviest object in any direction. Most are designed to swivel the full 360 degrees.
Some casters include brakes that ensure that once in place the object will not move. These are mostly used in industrial or retail settings, when castors are fitted to heavy pieces of equipment or furniture. This prevents accidents caused by someone knocking that piece of equipment and it rolling into someone. There are several different kinds of locks and buying the right one and training personnel how to use the lock is important from a health and safety point of view.
Castors come in a huge array of sizes.
Buying Castors
When buying castors it is important to buy good quality castors. The last thing you want is for a castor under a heavy object to collapse and for that heavy piece of furniture or equipment to fall over. It is best to buy castors from a specialist firm that sells a huge range of castors and can advice you on the right type to buy for the job.
If you are looking for castors visit the Castors Online website. We stock over a hundred different kinds and are happy to sell to the public as well as the trade.