IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Edwin Wallis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th May 1876.
"LMPROVEMENTS
CHARLES EDWIN WALLIS, of Balham, in the County of Surrey.
IN ROLLER SKATES."
This Invention comprises three distinct and different methods of constructing
roller skates.
According to method No. 1 the construction is as follows:-To the under side of
the foot stock and centrally in the direction of its length I fix a curved steel bar;
each end of this bar I form with a pin, on which fits loosely a metal stud, secured
thereon by a screw nut. The lower end of the aforesaid stud passes through an
eye or hole in the centre of the axle which carries the rollers of the skate, of which
said rollers there are four, two on the front axle and two on the back axle. I also
fix two pieces forined with inclined slots to the under side of the foot stock, the said
slots passing over opposite ends of cach axle, so that in using a roller skate thus
constructed the skater as he tilts the foot stock of the skate on one side causes the
axles to move in the aforesaid inclined slots so as to converge the rollers to enable
the skate to be moved in a curved direction as desired. It is proposed to employ
springs or other suitable contrivances for placing the rollers in position for skating
in a direct line when necessary.
According to method No. 2, another form of construction of roller skate specially
adapted for beginners and persons wishing to 'skate in a direct line and after the
manner of sliding on ice, consists in constructing the skate as follows:-The foot stock
of the skate I form divided crosswise at or near that part where the ball or broad part
of the skater's foot rests, and these divided parts I hinge together in such manner
as to allow the back portion of the said foot stock to move upwards for the purpose
hereafter described. Near the extremities of the aforesaid back portion of the foot
stock and at each side thereof I form recesses to receive four small rollers mounted
on fixed axles, two on each axle, the diameter of the said rollers being such as to
leave the under side of the foot stock about one quarter of an inch from the surface
that is to be skated upon; and to the under side of the aforesaid front portion of
the foot stock I affix a piece of leather or other suitable material of such thickness
as not to touch the skating surface when the rollers of the skate rest thereon.
The skate is provided with suitable toe and heel caps or pieces and strap for
connecting the skate to the skater's foot.
The mode of operating with skates constructed as lastly above described is as
follows: The skater presses his toos on the skating surface, thus lifts the rollers
Price 2d1

page_text: off the surface they previously rested upon, after which he runs for a short distance
on his toes, then lowers his heels so as to bring the rollers into contact with the
skating surface, and by these means removes the contact of the front portion of the
skate and by the impulse given to his body enables the skate to move on the rollers
very much after the manner of sliding on ice.
I also propose to so construct the skate as to enable the skater to run flat footed
instead of only on his toes, and to bring the rollers into use as required.
According to method No. 3 this Invention consists in constructing roller skates
in the following manner :-Instead of making the rollers solid and mounting thom
loosely on their axles as heretofore practised, I make each of such said rollers divided
crosswise equally in two parts, and at the centre of such divided parts I form a sphe-
rical recess to receive a corresponding sphere of metal or other suitable material,
through the centre of which I forn a hole which fits loosely over an axle supported at
its ends by suitable bracket-shaped pieces fixed to the under side of the foot stock of
the skate near the too and heel as usually practised. I connect together the divided
portions of the said rollers by means of an annular band of metal fitting loosely
over and around the divided meeting surfaces of the said roller; and I further
connect the said band to such divided parts of the said roller by means of screws or
otherwise to prevent separation or lateral movement of such divided parts, at the
same time leaving each part free to rotate independently one of the other upon the
sphere that is between them. And in order to effect converging of the said rollers
when attached to the skate by their respective axles and supports I affix to each
of the aforesaid annular bands a metal stud, the lower end of which is formed
rounded and rests upright in a hole at the centre of the brackets which support the
axles of the rollers. I also fix a pin across the aforesaid stud of the annular band
and at right angles to the sides of the said band, and cause the said pin to rest
upon two inclined springs or surfaces suitably fixed to the foot stock of the skate,
two springs over the front divided roller aforesaid, and two over the back divided
roller, the said springs being so adjusted as to place the axes of motion of the two
rollers parallel to each other for propelling the skate in a straight line. But when
it is desired to propel the skate in a curved direction the same may be effected by
the skater canting or tilting the foot stock sideways, the effect of which is to force
one end of the aforesaid pins down their respective inclined springs (or they may
he fixed inclined surfaces) and move the other ends of the said pins up their
respective inclined springs or surfaces, and thus converge the rollers more or loss
according to the extent to which the foot stock is canted, tilted, or turned sideways.