IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Edward Blackett Beaumont, of No. 2, West-
minster Chambers, Victoria Street, in the County of Middlesex, and Woodford
Pilkington, of Kent Lodge, Campbell Road, Croydon, in the County of Surrey,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Edward Blackett
Beaumont and Woodford Pilkington at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 11th March 1876.
FREDERICK EDWARD BLACKETT BEAUMONT, of No. 2, Westminster Chambers,
Victoria Street, in the County of Middlesex, and WOODFORD PILKINGTON, of Kent
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
Lodge, Campbell Road, Croydon, in the County of Surrey.
ROLLER SKATES."
On the 4th December 1875, we applied for Letters Patent for an Invention of
"Improvements in Roller Skates," and filed a Provisional Specification, No. 4196,
wherein we described means of applying to such skates caoutchouc springs, to give
elasticity and diminish jar and noise, in combination with mechanism for giving a
convergent or radial movement to the roller axles so as to enable the skater to run
in curves.
Our present Invention relates to a combination of novel mechanism for the latter
purpose, with caoutchouc or other springs to give the desired elasticity.
According to one construction for this purpose we fix each of the roller axles to
the bottom of a box which contains a block or a number of superposed washers of
caoutchouc. On the upper surface of the caoutchouc rests a disc or plate, which is
attached to the under side of the footstand of the skate, so that when the footstand
is pressed down by the weight of the body the caoutchouc acts as a spring inter-
posed between it and the axle, and at the same time the flexibility and compres-
sibility of the caoutchouc permit of the axle oscillating or turning partially round
the middle of its length in a horizontal plane, and of the footstand being depressed
inore or less on either side than on the other. To the axle on each side of the
caoutchouc box is jointed a link or radius rod, which extends in an oblique direction,
in the case of the front axle upwards and forwards, and in the case of the hind
axle upwards and backwards, and is jointed at its upper end to a pivot near the
toe and heel of the footstand respectively. We prefer that these links or radius
Psicall

page_text: rods, when in their normal position, should lie at an inclination of 45°, or nearly so,
to the horizontal plane. By means of these four links, that is to say, the two links
on each side of the middle line of the skate, when the skater depresses his foot on
the one side, as, for example, on the right side, the lower ends of the two right-
hand links are caused to approach each other, whilst the lower ends of the two left-
hand links are caused to recede from each other, and thus the front and hind axles
are caused to take a radial direction converging towards the right hand, whereupon
the skate runs in a curved course bending towards the right; and in like manner
when the footstand is depressed on the left side the course of the skate is a curve
bent towards the left.
The elastic mounting of the roller axles may be varied, whilst the action on them
of the oblique links remains as above described. For example, the box containing
the caoutchouc may be inverted, being secured by its bottom to the footstand of
the skate, whilst the axle is fixed to a disc or plate that bears against the underside
of the caoutchouc. Or a helical wire spring may be substituted for the caoutchouc,
and in this case the axle is connected to the footstand by an upright stem having
telescopic rocking and turning joints, so as to admit of the footstand moving a little
vertically upwards or downwards, or oscillating a little laterally, and also to admit
of the axle turning a little horizontally about its middle point.
In constructing a stem susceptible of these movements we make it in two parts,
the one tubular, within which the other can slide and turn, and either of them
hinged to the footstand. The helical spring is placed between a collar on the one
part of the stem and a collar on the other part, and either collar may be fitted on
the stem with a screw thread so as to adjust the spring to the desired degree of
compression.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Frederick Edward Blackett Beaumont and Woodford Pilkington in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th September 1876.
FREDERICK EDWARD BLACKETT BEAUMONT, of No. 2, Westminster Chamber,
Victoria Street, in the County of Middlesex, and WOODFORD PILKINGTON, of Kent
Lodge, Campbell Road, Croydon, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROLLER SKATES."
In the Specification to Letters Patent granted to us on the 4th December 1875,
No. 4196, we described means of applying to roller skates caoutchouc springs, to
give elasticity and diminish jar and noise, in combination with mechanism for
giving a convergent or radial movement to the roller axles, so as to enable the
skater to run in curves.
Our present Invention relates to a combination of novel mechanism for the latter
purpose, with caoutchouc or other springs to give the desired elasticity.
According to one construction for this purpose we fix each of the roller axles to
the bottom of a box, which contains a block or a number of superposed washers of
caoutchouc. On the upper surface of the caoutchouc rests a disc or plate, which is
attached to the under side of the footstand of the skate, so that when the footstand
is pressed down by the weight of the body the caoutchouc acts as a spring inter-
posed between it and the axle, and at the same time the flexibility and compres-
sibility of the caoutchouc permit of the axle oscillating or turning partially round
the middle of its length in a horizontal plane, and of the footstand being depressed
more or less on either side than on the other. To the axle on each side of the
caoutchouc box is jointed a link or radius rod, which extends in an oblique direction,
in the case of the front axle upwards and forwards, and in the case of the hind
axle upwards and backwards, and is jointed at its upper end to a pivot near the
toe and heel of the footstand respectively. We prefer that these links or radius
rods, when in their normal position, should be at an inclination of 45°, or nearly so,

page_text: to the horizontal plane. By means of these four links, that is to say, the two links
on cach side of the middle line of the skate, when the skater depresses his foot on
the one side, as, for example, on the right side, the lower ends of the two right-hand
links are caused to approach each other, whilst the lower ends of the two left-hand
links are caused to recede from each other, and thus the front and hind axles are
caused to take a radial direction, converging towards the right hand, whereupon the
skate runs in a curved course, bending towards the right. And in like manner
when the footstand is depressed on the left side, the course of the skate is a curve
bent towards the left.
The elastic mounting of the roller axles may be varied, whilst the action on them
of the oblique links remains as above described. For example, the box containing
the caoutchouc may be inverted, being secured by its bottom to the footstand of
the skate, whilst the axle is fixed to a disc or plate that bears against the underside
of the caoutchouc. Or a helical wire spring may be substituted for the caoutchouc,
and in this case the axle is connected to the footstand by an upright stem having
telescopic rocking and turning joints, so as to admit of the footstand moving a little
vertically upwards or downwards, or oscillating a little laterally, and also to admit
of the axle turning a little horizontally about its middle point.
In constructing a stern susceptible of these movements, we make it in two parts,
the one tubular, within which the other can slide and turn, and either of them
hinged to the footstand. The helical spring is placed between a collar on the one
part of the stem and a collar on the other part, and either collar may be fitted on
the stem with a screw thread so as to adjust the spring to the desired degree of
compression.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings shew respectively a side elevation
partly in section, and a plan of the underside of the skate constructed according to
our Invention.
A is the footstand, on the underside of which near the heel and toe are fixed two
plates B, to each of which is fixed a disc that can work freely up and down or
take a somewhat oblique position within a box C. This box contains a block D of
caoutchouc, which may have grooves or notches & cut in its periphery to render it
more yielding, or instead of a single block D a number of discs or washers of
caoutchouc may be superposed within the box C. This box has a projecting lip on
its upper end by which it is held on the disc b, and it has on its lower end projecting
eyes con each side through which passes the roller axle F. Between the eyes e a
sleeve L is fitted on the axle having a screwed stud 7, on which is screwed a plate
M, by screwing which more or less up the stud the caoutchouc block can be put
under more or less compression before using the skates so as to adjust the spring to
the weight of the wearer. E, E, are two links fitted with their one eye on the axle
F, while the other eye is secured by a pin B' to a lug on the plate B. From this
arrangement it follows that when the footstand A is evenly depressed the blocks D
act simply as elastic springs, but when the footstand is depressed more at the one
side than at the other, then the pair of links E on the depressed side have their
lower ends thrust towards cach other, while those on the other side have their lower
ends withdrawn from one another, and thus the axles F are free to converge on
the depressed side, the box C being free to turn on its vertical axis in following
this movement of the axles.
Figs. 1 and 2 shew a modification in the mode of connecting the links E to the
footstand. They are jointed at their upper ends to studs R, which are screwed into
sockets on the plate B, this giving them freedom to turn a little on their longitudinal
axes but not so far as to unscrew themselves.
•
Figs 3 and 4 shew respectively a vertical section and plan of another modifi-
cation, in which the caoutchouc block D bears directly against the underside of the
footstand and against the solid bottom of the box C, the block and box being

page_text: secured to the footstand, and the compression of the block being regulated by a
screw passed through from the top of the footstand and screwed into a central
projecting boss C', in the box C.
Figs. 5 and 6 shew a section and plan of a modification of the first described
arrangement, in which the compression of the caoutchouc D is regulated by two
screws N, N, screwing through two lugs on the sleeve L and bearing against the
plate M.
Figs. 7 and 8 shew a side elevation and plan of a modification in which bent steel
wires E are substituted for the links E in the previous arrangements, the wire
being formed into eyes at the ends, embracing the axles and being free to turn in a
socket B on the plate B. It will be readily understood that in all the above
described arrangements a coiled steel spring might be used in lieu of the caoutchouc
spring D.
Figs. 9 and 10 shew a side elevation and plan of another modification, in which
the roller axles F are bedded in the block of caoutchouc D itself, as are also the
pins B', to which the upper ends of the links E are connected, the blocks D being
secured to the footstand A by an open frame C, which allows the block D to
accomodate itself by change of form to the rocking movement of the footstand and
the converging movement of the axles.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, we hereby declare that we make no claim to the use in a roller
skate of a block of caoutchouc or other spring interposed between the footstand and
the axle except in the combination herein-before described, but we claim in respect
of roller skates wherein a convergent movement of the axles is produced by the
lateral rocking of the footstand--
First. The use for the purpose of converting the rocking movement of the footstand
into the converging movement of the axles of rigid inclined links hinge jointed
respectively to the axles and to the footstand, substantially as herein described.
Second. The combination of the links referred to in the preceding claim with
caoutchouc blocks or other springs interposed between the footstand and the axles,
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Jn witness whereof, I, the said Woodford Pilkington, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
WOODFORD PILKINGTON. (L.S.)