ROLLER SKATE ATTACHMENT

Abstract: An in-line skate attachment has a row of in-line wheels (11) supported in a flexible carriage (12), itself supported on a rigid carrier (7). The carrier can be attached to or form part of a skating boot (13). The flexibility of the carrier allows the wheels to move radially to suit skating conditions, e.g., a speed mode in which the wheel axes are in a plane and a turning mode in which the axes of the end wheels are lifted out of that plane.

Description: ROLLER SKATE ATTACHMENT The invention relates to in-line roller skates, otherwise known as roller blades. Figures 1-3 show examples of prior art in-line roller skates. In-line roller skates, irrespective of the number of wheels, perform more favourably for straight line travel in terms of rolling performance, or speed, when the wheels are all on the same horizontal plane, and therefore all in contact with the ground and equally sharing the load provided by the mass of the skater. Figure 1 displays an in-line roller skate with the wheels set level. When turning corners, in-line roller skates perform better when the foremost and rearmost wheels are raised slightly relative to the other wheels. With this arrangement, so long as the wheels are held upright by the skater, the wheels are not all in contact with the ground, as shown in Figure 2. This arrangement is known as 'rocking' as the skate pitches on the centre wheel or wheels. Whereas the common tangent of the wheels in Figure 1 is a straight line, that in Figure 2 is a curve, concave upwards. With the skate set with this 'rocking' arrangement, and should the skater lean to either side, so that the wheels deviate laterally from the vertical, all the wheels may come into contact with the ground with the contact points creating a curve as shown in Figure 3, thereby providing a simple form of steering. Existing in-line roller skates are frequently provided with mechanical means of changing the arrangement of the wheels from 'level' to 'rocking' leaving the skater to make the choice between rolling or cornering performance, as it is not possible to have the best of both arrangements at the same time. I have discovered that it is possible to provide an in-line roller skate with a flexible chassis so that the arrangement of the wheels can be changed from 'level' to 'rocking' by flexing of the chassis in response to forces between the wearer's foot and the ground. The boot (or a carrier for securing to the boot) is secured ro the chassis centrally. In order to provide strength and desired modes of flexing between the central region of the skate and its ends, the securing should extend over an extended central region, limited to allow flexing over substantial end regions. The invention provides in one aspect a roller skate attachment for securing to a boot comprising a single row of aligned wheels for travelling on the ground, a resilient chassis for supporting the wheels and a rigid carrier secured to the chassis at at least two fixing points, the carrier being adapted for securing to a boot, the chassis being resiliently deformable in the plane of rotation of the wheels, the distance between the axis of the front wheel and the axis of the rear wheel being at least 1.5 times the distance between the front fixing point and the rear fixing point. Optional features of the invention are set out in the subsidiary claims. The invention in another aspect provides the combination of the attachment with the boot. Examples of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 4 to 9. In Figure 4 an in-line roller skate has its wheels 11 mounted between two separate chassis rails 1 and 2. The chassis rails are the resilient components, and made of metal, timber, carbon-fibre or similar synthetic material, either solid or laminated. The chassis rails are fastened together by machined screws 3 and nuts 4 which screws also function as the axles, and locate the wheel assemblies between the chassis rails. (The wheel assembly consists of - wheel, a ball race and centre bush in the standard established manner and is not illustrated in detail.) Additional bushes 5 are inserted in the chassis rails, one each side of the wheel assembly 6 to locate the axle screws 3 in apertures in the chassis rails 1 and 2 and the assemblies centrally between the chassis rails. The additional bushes are optional components. Assembled together these components 1 to 6 form the carriage 12. Depending on the forces applied to it, the carriage will deflect in the plane of rotation of the wheels so that the wheel axes will move vertically relative to each other. The carriage is fastened to the fixed carrier 7 which is rigid and itself provided with means for securing to the sole of the boot 13. The screws 8 secure the carriage to the carrier, with nuts or threaded inserts (not shown). The carrier and carriage are provided with several location holes spaced along their length, providing a means whereby the carrier provides various degrees of stiffening to the carriage depending on location and the distance between the screws 8 and the number of screws actually used. In order to provide the desired flexing to change between optimum speed and turning performance, I have found that it is necessary to limit the distance between the front fixing screw and the rear fixing screw (defined as the fixing length) to a maximum of two thirds of the distance between the axis of the front wheel and the axis of the rear wheel (defined as the effective length of the chassis). Figure 5 displays screws 8 in different locations being used to vary the degree of stiffness transferred from the carrier to the carriage. The full length of the chassis is not shown in this Figure. Figure 6 displays an alternative means of adjusting the degree of stiffness in the carriage assembly. Bracing bars 9 which may be of various lengths and made of comparatively rigid material are fastened longitudinally to the chassis rails 1 and 2. In Figures 5 and 6 the vertical dimension of the chassis is uniform throughout the length. Figure 7 displays chassis rails of a variety of finished shapes, each providing different flexing characteristics. Each has a central section of greater vertical dimension than the end section. Figure 8 displays chassis rails constructed as a concave arch. With this shape, the centre wheels or wheel do not make contact with the ground until the carriage has flexed due to the downforce provided by the mass of the skater. Figure 9 displays the alternative of a boot and the rigid carrier moulded as one component. All or part of the boot can be moulded in one piece with the carrier. The chassis and wheels (not shown in this figure) are secured to the carrier as described above.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A roller skate attachment for securing to a boot comprising a single row of aligned wheels for travelling on the ground, a resilient chassis for supporting the wheels and a rigid carrier secured to the chassis at at least two fixing points, the carrier being adapted for securing to a boot, the chassis being resiliently deformable in the plane of rotation of the wheels, the distance between the axis of the front wheel and the axis of the rear wheel being at least 1.5 times the distance between the front fixing point and the rear fixing point. 2. An attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the chassis comprises two members secured together side by side transversely in relation to said plane, one member on either side of the row of wheels. 3. An attachment as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the carrier and the chassis are formed with a plurality of matching holes through selected ones of which securing means can be passed to form said fixing points. 4. An attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising rigid members secured longitudinally along the chassis. 5. An attachment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein, in its undeformed position, the chassis can support the end wheels on a plane surface and the intermediate wheels raised therefrom. 6. A roller skate attachment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

Inventors: CHAPMAN MALCOLM, CHAPMAN, MALCOLM
Applicants: CHAPMAN MALCOLM, CHAPMAN, MALCOLM
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A63C17
IPC codes: A63C17