Patent Publication Number: US-6217035-B1

Title: Skate

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/199,010, filed Nov. 23, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,758 the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates, in general to skates. 
     2. Description of the Art 
     Ice skates, roller skates and, more recently, in-line roller skates have been used by many for enjoyment as well as to play various sports, such as hockey. The recently popular in-line roller skates have also been used by serious hockey players for off season training as well as to play hockey using on a non-ice surface. 
     In all types of skates, the ice blades, the toe and heel roller skate assemblies, and the in-line assembly containing a plurality of urethane rollers are securely and generally permanently attached to the sole of a skate boot or shoe. This has resulted in the dedicated use of hockey skates, roller skates or in-line roller skates for a single activity or sport. 
     The advantages of providing such skates with easily attachable and detachable assemblies including ice blades, toe and heel roller assemblies, or an in-line roller assembly, has been noted. 
     Thus, it would be desirable to provide a skate in which a skate or shoe body is capable of receiving attachments including ice blades, in-line roller assemblies, shoe soles, etc. It would also be desirable to provide a skate in which such attachments can be quickly and easily attached to and removed from the shoe body particularly without the need for a separate tool. It would also be desirable to provide a skate in which such attachments are securely attached to the shoe body without any relative movement in either longitudinal or lateral directions, with respect to the shoe body. Finally, it would be desirable to provide a skate which positions the sole of the skate and therefore the feet of the user as close as possible to the underlying use surface. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a skate which is capable of receiving one of various use attachments. 
     According to the present invention, a skate includes a shoe body and an adapter plate fixedly connected to the shoe body. The adapter plate has a central portion and a peripheral lip depending from the central portion away from the shoe body. An attachment is releasably mountable in the adapter plate. Means are provided for releasably connecting the attachment to the adapter plate. 
     Each attachment includes an attachment plate which has one of an ice skate blade, in-line roller assembly, shoe sole, snow shoe, ice claws, etc., attached thereto. The attachment plate is shaped to fit in registry with the central portion and the peripheral lip of the adapter plate. In a preferred embodiment, the peripheral lip of the adapter plate is disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the central portion of the adapter plate. Similarly, the plate of the attachment has a peripheral edge which is disposed at a complimentary obtuse angle to fit in registry with the lip of the adapter plate so as to prevent any relative movement in either the longitudinal or lateral directions between the attachment and the adapter plate. 
     In one aspect, the means for connecting the attachment to the adapter plate preferably comprises fastener means carried by the adapter plate which are releasably engagable with the attachment plate. In one embodiment, the fastener means comprises cam means mounted on and depending from the adapter plate and rotatable with respect to the adapter plate. The cam means is insertable through apertures formed in the attachment plate and, when rotated, cammingly engage the attachment plate to fixedly connect the attachment plate to the adapter plate. In one embodiment, the apertures in the attachment plate are slots extending inward from a peripheral edge of the attachment plate. 
     In another aspect, the adapter plate is again fixedly connected to or integrally molded with the shoe and has a depending peripheral sidewall extending therefrom. The attachment plate carrying one of the interchangeable accessories has a shape and size to fit snugly within the confines of the peripheral sidewall of the adapter plate. A plurality of fasteners are mounted on the attachment plate and releasably engage fastener receiving means mounted in the adapter plate for releasably attaching the attachment plate to the adapter plate. Preferably, the fastener receiving means comprise a plurality of inserts or nuts having an internally threaded bore. The fastener receiving means are preferably fixedly mounted between the adapter plate and the shoe sole. In a preferred embodiment, when the adapter plate is integrally formed as a unitary molded piece with the shoe, the fastener receiving means is molded within the attachment plate. A depending clip may also be mounted in and extending below one end of the adapter plate for fixedly engaging a forward edge of the attachment plate. 
     Each fastener preferably includes an intermediate frustoconical surface which engages a conically shaped bore formed within the attachment plate to minimize lateral and longitudinal movement of the attachment plate relative to the adapter plate. Further, the fasteners carry a user engagable member, such as a disk having a serrated edge which permits manual tightening and loosening of the fasteners during attachment and detachment of the attachment plate with respect to the adapter plate. This eliminates the need for a separate tool to releasably mount the various attachments in the adapter plate. Alternately, a nut may be mounted on the exterior end of the fastener for receiving a suitable tool, such as a wrench, for further tightening of the fasteners if desired. 
     The plurality of attachments include an ice skate blade mounted in a support or housing which is fixedly connected to the attachment plate. Alternately, the attachment includes an in-line roller assembly including a plurality of in-line arranged rollers mounted in a support which is fixedly attached to the attachment plate. Further, the attachment may be a shoe sole which is fixedly attached to the attachment plate. Additional attachments may also include a speed skate blade, a figure skate blade, a snow ski, snow shoe, ice claw, etc. 
     In one aspect, a sole is attached to the shoe body, with the adapter plate being fixedly connected to the sole. The sole may be formed as an integral molded part of the shoe body. 
     In another embodiment, the adapter plate is integrally molded as a unitary part of the sole of the shoe body or as the sole of the shoe body. In this embodiment, the connecting means comprises a plurality of inserts mounted in the adapter plate, each insert having an internal, threaded bore. A plurality of fasteners are extendible through the apertures in the attachment plate into the inserts to fixedly connect the attachment plate to the adapter plate. 
     The skate of the present invention provides, for the first time, a commercially viable skate which is capable of easily receiving a use attachments. The skate of the present invention enables the attachment to be quickly and easily attached to and removed from the shoe body. 
     The complimentary-shaped design of the adapter plate and the attachment plate ensures that the attachment plate is fixedly connected to the adapter plate and is prevented from any relative movement, in either longitudinal or lateral directions with respect to the adapter plate fixedly mounted on the shoe body. This provides the rigid attachment of the ice blade, in-line roller assembly, etc., to the shoe body required by a serious sportsman or anyone using skates for various activities. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The various features, advantages and other uses of the present invention will become more apparent by referring to the following detailed description and drawing in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a skate constructed in accordance with the one embodiment of the present invention and shown as having an ice blade assembly mounted thereon; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the adapter plate of the skate shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ice blade assembly attachment shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view generally taken along line  4 — 4  in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the ice blade embodiment of the skate shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an in-line roller assembly attachment usable with the shoe body of the skate shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a shoe sole attachment usable with the shoe body of the skate shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view, generally taken along line  4 — 4  in FIG. 1, but showing an alternate embodiment of the connecting means used to connect the attachment plate of each of the various attachments to the adapter plate mounted on the shoe body; 
     FIG. 9 is a partial side elevational view of another embodiment of the skate of the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a partially longitudinal cross sectional, exploded view showing the releasable engagement of the attachment to the adapter plate; 
     FIG. 11 is a bottom perspective view of one embodiment of the adapter plate shown in FIGS. 9 and 10; 
     FIG. 12 is a bottom perspective view of another embodiment of the adapter plate; 
     FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of yet another embodiment of the adapter plate; 
     FIG. 14 is an exploded, perspective view of a fastener employed in the skate shown in FIGS. 9 and 10; 
     FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view generally taken along line  15 — 15  in FIG. 9; and 
     FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of a in-line roller assembly attachment mountable in the adapter plate shown in FIG.  9 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings and to FIGS. 1-8, there is depicted several embodiments of a skate denoted generally by reference number  10  which enables a single skate boot or shoe body to receive at attachment, such as one of a plurality of different attachments, including an ice blade, an in-line roller assembly, a shoe sole, etc. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the skate  10  includes a shoe body  12  of conventional construction. The shoe body  12  may be formed of any suitable shoe material, such as leather, rigid or soft plastic, or combinations thereof. A plurality of apertures  14  are provided on the shoe body  12  for receiving conventional laces  16 . Other shoe securing means, such as clasps, etc., may also be employed on the shoe body  12 . 
     In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the shoe body  12  has a sole  18  integrally formed therewith or attached to a bottom portion of the shoe body  12  in a conventional manner. The sole  18  may be formed of any suitable material, such as leather, plastic, etc. 
     According to the present invention, the skate  10  includes an adapter means  20  generally in the form of a plate which is shown in greater detail in FIG.  2 . The adapter means, hereafter referred to simply as the adapter plate  20 , may be formed of any suitable material, such as metal, plastic, etc. However, plastic is preferred due to its light weight. Although the adapter plate  20  may have a generally planar form from a toe end to a heel end, preferably, the toe and heel ends are vertically offset, as shown in FIG. 1, as found in a normal shoe or boot. The adapter plate  20  is secured to the sole  18  of the shoe body  12  by means of suitable fastening means which may include the use of adhesives as well as various fasteners, such as screws, rivets, etc., which extend through apertures  22  formed in the adapter plate  20  into the sole  18 . 
     Generally, the adapter plate  20  includes a central portion  24  which has an exterior shape matching that of the sole  18 . A sidewall  26  depends from the central portion  24  and forms a recessed cavity between the interior confines of the peripheral sidewall  26  and the central portion  24 . The peripheral sidewall  26  is preferably disposed at an obtuse angle so as to extend angularly outwardly from normal to the plane of the central portion  18  as shown in FIG.  4 . By way of example only, the peripheral sidewall  26  is disposed at a 1°-3° angle from normal to the central portion  24 . 
     An attachment denoted generally by reference number  30 , as shown in FIG.  1  and in greater detail in FIGS. 3,  4  and  5 , is detachably mountable in the adapter plate  20 . Preferably, the attachment  30  is one of a plurality of distinct attachments, others of which are described in greater detail hereafter. 
     The attachment  30  includes an attachment plate  32  which has an overall size and shape so as to fit in substantial registry in the internal recess in the adapter plate  20  in tight, non-movable engagement with the central portion  24  and the sidewall  26  of the adapter plate  20 . The peripheral edge  33  of the attachment plate  32  is formed at an angle with respect to the plane of the attachment plate  32  which is complimentary to the obtuse angle of the peripheral sidewall  26  of the adapter plate  20 , i.e. 1°-3° in the noted example. A support or housing  34 , which carries an ice blade  36  in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1,  3  and  5  is mounted on the attachment plate  32 . The support  34  is typically formed of a molded plastic, although metal may also be use, and is secured at an upper end to the attachment plate  32  by means of fasteners, such as screws  38 , which extend through an upper mounting portion of the support  34  through apertures  40  in the attachment plate  32  to securely connect the support  34  and the ice blade  36  to the attachment plate  32 . 
     According to the present invention, means are provided for releasably attaching the attachment plate  32  of the attachment  30  to the adapter plate  20 . In one embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the attaching means preferably comprises fastener means  42  depending from the adapter plate  20 . Preferably, the fastener means  42  comprises a threaded Allen head screw which extends through the apertures  40  in the attachment plate  32  as well as through the apertures  22  in the central portion  24  of the adapter plate  20  into the sole  18  of the shoe body  12  to also serve to securely mount the adapter plate  20  to the sole  18  of the shoe body  12 . A cam means denoted generally by reference number  44  is movably mounted about the threaded shank of each screw  42 . The cam means  44  includes a hollow base  46  rotatably disposed about the shank of the screw  42  and an enlarged wing or pad  48  integrally formed with and extending outward from the base  46 . As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the pad  48  is disposed adjacent to the head of the fastener  42  and is rotatable thereabout. The screws  42  may be tightened so as to lock the fastener  44  and the pad  48  in a fixed position as described hereafter. 
     Engagement apertures  50  are formed in the attachment plate  32 . The fasteners  42  on the adapter plate  20  extend through the apertures  50  in the attachment plate  32 , as shown in FIG. 4, to enable the attachment plate  32  to be mounted on the adapter plate  20 . 
     Four apertures  50 , preferably in the form of slots extending from an open end on a peripheral edge  33  of the attachment plate  32 , are provided by way of example only. Similarly, four fasteners  42  are mounted on the adapter plate  20 . 
     In use, the screws  42  are loosened and the pads  48  of the fasteners  44  rotated to an outwardly extending position from the longitudinal center line of the adapter plate  20 , as shown in phantom in FIG.  5 . In this position, the pads  48  are in alignment with the longitudinal open extent of the slots  50  and permit the attachment plate  32  to be inserted into the recess in the adapter plate  20 , with the apertures  50  passing over the pads  48  and the heads of the screws  42 . The pads  48  are then rotated inward to the position shown in solid in FIG.  5 . In this position, an inner surface  52  of the each pad  48  engages the surface of the attachment plate  32  in a camming action to force and retain the attachment plate  32  in secure, non-movable engagement with the adapter plate  20 . The screws  42  may then be tightened to lock the pads  48  in a locking position to securely retain the attachment  30  in the adapter plate  20 . 
     The sequence is reversed to release the attachment  30  including the attachment plate  32  from the adapter plate  20 . 
     As shown in FIG. 4, when the attachment plate  32  is mounted in the adapter plate  20 , in substantial registry with the central portion  24  of the adapter plate  20 , the angularly disposed peripheral edge  33  of the attachment plate  32  engages the angularly disposed inner surface of the depending sidewall  26  of the adapter plate  20  in a tight, non-movable fit. This prevents any movement of the attachment plate  32  relative to the adapter plate  20  in either longitudinal or lateral directions thereby providing a secure, non-movable mounting of the attachment  30  to the adapter plate  20 . 
     A different attachment  60 , shown in FIG. 6, is also releasably mountable in the adapter plate  20  on the shoe body  12 . The attachment  60  includes an in-line roller assembly denoted generally by reference number  62  which is secured at an upper portion to the attachment plate  32  by means of fasteners extending through the apertures  40  in the attachment plate  32 . As shown in FIG. 6, the attachment plate  32  is also provided with a plurality of apertures  50 , preferably in the form of open-ended slots extending inward from the peripheral edge  33  of the attachment plate  32 . 
     The in-line roller assembly  62  may be of any conventional construction and includes a plurality of pairs of depending, spaced legs  64 , each of which receives an axle  66  therethrough for rotatably mounting a roller  68  thereon. The attachment  60  is detachably mounted in the adapter plate  20  in the same manner as the attachment  30  described above. 
     It should further be noted that the attachments  30  and  60  are provided with identical heights from a lower ground or ice engaging surface of the blade  36  in the attachment  30  or the rollers  68  in the attachment  60  with respect to the upper surface of the attachment plate  32 . In this manner, regardless of which attachment  30  or  60  is mounted on the shoe body  12 , the height of the shoe body  12  with respect to an underlying surface is the same. 
     Yet another attachment  70 , shown in FIG. 7, is also releasably mountable in the adapter plate  20  on the shoe body  12 . The attachment  70  also includes an attachment plate  32  having a plurality of apertures  50 , such as open-ended slots, formed therein. 
     A conventional shoe sole  72  is attached to the adapter plate  32  in the attachment  70  by means of suitable fasteners extending through the sole  72  through the apertures  40  in the attachment plate  32 . The sole  72  may be formed of any suitable material, such as a molded rubber or plastic, by way of example only. It should be noted that in the attachment  70 , as well as in the previously described attachments  30  and  60 , slots are formed in the sole  72  in line with the slots  50  in the attachment plate  32  to pass over the fasteners  42  on the adapter plate  20  when the attachment plate  32  is inserted in or removed from the adapter plate  20 . 
     Another embodiment of the skate  10  of the present invention is shown in FIG.  8 . This embodiment, which is usable with any of the attachments  30 ,  60  or  70  includes an adapter plate  80  having substantially the same construction as the adapter plate  20  described above and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, in this embodiment, the adapter plate  80  forms the sole of the shoe body  12 . Preferably, the adapter plate  80  is formed of a plastic material and is integrally molded as a unitary one-piece part of the shoe body  12 . The adapter plate  80  also includes a central portion  82  and a depending peripheral sidewall  84  disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the central portion  82  as in the adapter plate  20  described above. 
     In this embodiment, the means for attaching the various attachments to the adapter plate  80  includes a plurality, such as four by way of example only, of inserts  86  which are located about the periphery of the central portion  82  of the adapter plate  80 . The inserts  86  are of conventional construction and are formed of a molded plastic body  88  having a through bore extending therethrough. A metallic sleeve  90  is press fit or otherwise fixedly mounted in the bore of the housing  88 . The sleeve  90  has an internally threaded throughbore  92  formed therein. 
     The sleeves  90  threadingly receive fasteners  94 , such as a flat head Allen screw or an Allen head cap screw, which extend through apertures  96  formed in the attachment plate  32  of any of the attachments  30 ,  60  or  70  described above to releasably mount the attachment plate  32  and the attachment mounted thereon to the adapter plate  80 . It will also be understood that the cam-type fastener  44  described above and shown in detail in FIG. 4 can also be employed with the adapter plate  80  shown in FIG.  8 . 
     FIGS. 9-16 depict other embodiments of the present invention. Components shown in FIGS. 9-15 which correspond to like components shown in FIGS. 1-8 are indicated by the same reference number. 
     In this embodiment, an adapter plate  100  is integrally formed, such as by unitary molding, with the bottom portion of the shoe to form a one piece member as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. In such an integral, one piece, molded construction, the adapter plate  100  actually forms the sole of the skate body. Accordingly, the adapter plate  100  is formed of a suitable high strength moldable material, such as plastic. As in the first embodiment, the adapter plate  100  includes a peripheral sidewall  102  depending from a central portion  104 . 
     In this embodiment, a backing member  106  is mounted within the adapter plate  100  and forms a portion of a fastener receiving means. The backing member  106  is preferably integrally molded in the adapter plate  100 ; although fasteners may also be employed for mounting. One embodiment of the backing member  106  is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. In this embodiment, the backing member  106  is in the form of an elongated metallic strip having an enlarged first end  108  in which a pair of spaced through apertures  110  are formed. A fastener receiving means such as a threaded member  112 , i.e. a nut, having an internally threaded bore is fixed, such as by welding, on the enlarged first end  108 , with the bore in the nut  112 , aligned with the apertures  110  in the backing member  106 . 
     The forward or toe end of the reinforcing member  106  is provided with a cup-shaped member  114  which extends externally of the adapter plate  100  and below the edge of the sidewall  102 . The cup-shaped member  114  has a generally semi-circular shape to define a hollow receptacle which engages the toe end of the attachment plate and aids in resulting lateral and longitudinal movement of the attachment relative to the adapter plate  100 . 
     An alternate embodiment of the backing member is shown in FIG.  12 . In this embodiment, a small plate  120  is mounted on the adapter plate  100  by means of fasteners or by integral molding and has a pair of apertures  122  aligned with threaded nuts  112  welded on the plate  120 . Intermediate outwardly extending flanges  124  are formed on the plate  120  for receiving mounting fasteners to fixedly attach the plate  120  to the adapter plate  100 . In this embodiment, the cup-shaped member  114  is mounted to a separate plate  126  also attached to or integrally molded in the adapter plate  100  by means of fasteners. 
     Yet another embodiment of the backing member is shown in FIG.  13 . In this embodiment, the cup-shaped member  114  is also formed as a part of a separate plate  126  attached to or integrally molded in the toe end of the adapter plate  100 . A pair of threaded inserts  128 , similar to the inserts  86  described above and shown in FIG. 8, are mounted in or integrally molded in the adapter plate  100 , with the threaded bore with the inserts  128  aligned with apertures formed in the adapter plate  100 . 
     Referring again to FIGS. 9 and 10, one embodiment of an attachment  130  is depicted for releasable engagement with the adapter plate  100 . In this embodiment, the attachment  130  is in the form of an ice blade having a blade  36  and a support housing  34 , typically formed of a molded plastic. Although the support housing  34  may be integrally formed with an attachment plate  132 , as described in another embodiment hereafter, in this embodiment, the support housing  34  is formed with toe and heel mounting flanges  134  and  136 , respectively, which extend outward from the main body of the support housing  34 . Apertures are formed in the flanges  134  and  136  and are aligned with correspondingly formed apertures formed in the attachment plate  132  to receive suitable fasteners  138 , such as Allen head cap screws. It should be noted that the arrangement of the apertures correspond to a conventional international mounting hole pattern used in professional hockey skates. The fasteners  138  provide secure, yet releasable engagement of the attachment  130  to the attachment plate  132 . 
     Fastener means denoted generally by reference number  140  is mounted on the attachment plate  132  and releasably engage the fastener receiving means  112  in the adapter plate  100 . Preferably two fastener means  140  are mounted substantially centrally between the toe and heel of the attachment plate  132  and are laterally spaced apart as shown in FIG.  15 . As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, and in greater detail in FIGS. 14 and 15, each fastener means  140  is formed of a shaft member  142  having opposed first and second threaded ends  144  and  146 , respectively. An enlarged frustoconical shaped surface  148  is formed on the shaft  142  intermediate the first and second ends  144  and  146 . A generally cylindrical shaft portion  150  is located between one end of the conical surface  148  and the second end  146 . 
     The first threaded end  144  of the shaft  142  threadingly engages the fastener receiving means  112  and the apertures in the adapter plate  100  as shown in FIG.  15 . During such mounting, the frustoconical surface  148  engages a complimentary formed conical bore  150  formed in the attachment plate  132 . The use of mating conical surfaces provides secure attachment of the attachment plate  132  to the adapter plate  110  and minimizes any lateral and longitudinal movement of the attachment plate  132  relative to the adapter plate  110 . 
     Each fastener means  140  also include a mount  152  having a depending, cup-shaped central portion  154  with a central aperture  156  formed therethrough. A pair of oppositely extending mounting flanges  158  extend from the cup-shaped portion  156  and each has an aperture  160  formed therein for receiving a suitable mounting fastener  162  to attach the mount  152  to the attachment plate  132 . 
     In use, the mount  152  is affixed to the attachment plate  132  as shown in FIG. 15 by means of the fasteners  162 . In this mounting position, the shaft  142  is held captive within the mount  152  yet is capable of a slight amount of movement relative to the attachment plate  132 . 
     A user engagable member  164  generally in the form of a planar disk having a central aperture  166  and a serrated peripheral edge  168  is mounted on the second end  146  of the shaft  142  and provides a suitable user engagable surface for threadingly engaging the shaft  142  with the fastener receiving means  112  in the adapter plate  110  as well as enabling release of the attachment plate  132  from the adapter  110 . This eliminates the need for a separate tool to attach and detach the attachment  130  to and from the adapter plate  110 . Alternately, a nut  170  may be mounted about the exterior end of the second  146  of the shaft  142  adjacent to the disc  164  to permit the use of wrench to provide secure tightening or release of the fastener  140  to the adapter plate  110 . 
     FIG. 16 depicts another embodiment of the present invention in which an attachment plate  176 , substantially identical to the attachment plate  132  described above and shown in FIG. 15, has a integrally molded in-line housing  178  extending from one surface thereof One or more fasteners  140  are mounted on the attachment plate  176  in the same manner as described above and shown in FIG.  15 . 
     The housing  178  includes a pair of spaced side legs which are integrally joined to the attachment plate  176  at an upper end. The opposite ends of the support legs  180  are spaced apart and receive a plurality of axles  182 , each supporting a roller  184 , as is conventional in the construction of in-line roller skates. The attachment and detachment of the housing  178  and the attachment plate  176  to the adapter plate  110  is the same as that described above for the other embodiments of the present invention. 
     The attachment plate  132  may also have a shoe sole, similar to sole  72  shown in FIG. 7 fixedly attached to or integrally molded thereto. Additional attachments, such as various skate blades including speed skate blades and figure skate blades, as well as snow shoes, ice claws, etc., may also be mounted on or integrally molded to one of the attachment plates described above. 
     In summary, there has been disclosed a unique skate which enables an attachment to be easily mounted on a single skate body. At the same time, the skate provides a secure mounting of the attachment to the body of the skate without any relative movement between the attachment and the body in either the longitudinal or lateral directions.