Castors in the deep freeze

Refrigeration is not a recent invention, evidence has been found that in prehistoric times the use of ice to preserve food was widespread. In later years many landed gentry had ice houses, dug into their grounds, on their estates, to harvest the ice throughout the year.

Refrigeration is not a recent invention, evidence has been found that in prehistoric times the use of ice to preserve food was widespread. In later years many landed gentry had ice houses, dug into their grounds, on their estates, to harvest the ice throughout the year. However the first method of artificial refrigeration was pioneered in Scotland in 1756 and it would rake the next 100 years for the process to be developed to produce gas refrigeration systems on an industrial scale. With the invention of refrigerators, used in the meat and brewing industry, came the requirement for these refrigeration units to be manoeuvrable. Attaching castors to refrigeration units was developed in the 19th century and its application can still be seen today.

Recognisable domestic refrigeration was developed in the first part of the 20th century, and this saw huge expansion in the industry as both the domestic and industrial markets grew to meet demand. Hand in hand with this expansion, is the use and application of castors and adjustable feet on the bases of the fridges, for levelling and manoeuvrability. Industrial and domestic refrigeration units require small, but strong, discrete castors on their bases to ensure the fridges can be located in the best position. Some of the most popular castors choices are low level castors. These mighty twin wheel castors are small and discrete but incredibly strong. Low level castors take loads of up to one hundred and sixty kilogram's each! This castors load capacity is required, as industrial and domestic refrigeration units can become very heavy with the weight of the internal frozen items.

For industrial refrigeration a variety of castors can be specified. For certain industrial and manufacturing processes trolleys are wheeled into huge refrigeration and freezing units. In order for these trolleys to function at such extreme temperature ranges, then temperature resistant castors are required. Polyurethane castors and nylon castors can withstand temperature down to minus forty degrees Celsius. Sealed bearings within the castors and temperature resistant wheels ensure the castors do not fail in such environments. In food manufacturing processes stainless steel castors are specified, as they are not only temperature resistant, but they also do not rust over time and adhere to the strict food manufacturing health and safety specifications.

For domestic refrigeration, today's modern fridges and freezers have either castors or adjustable feet attached to their bases, which not only aids movement but also ensure the units can be height adjusted to allow for uneven floors. Often larger style American style freezers have a combination of both castors and height adjustable feet. The application of castors on a variety of fridges and freezers can be widespread throughout a variety of industries. From industrial and manufacturing plants, to retail outlets and even in the air! You may take off flying to your holiday destinations, and notice lockablecastors on the trolleys cabin crew use up and down the aisles. These castors have to withstand not only a variety of freezing to oven hot temperatures, but also varying atmospheric bars of pressure!