IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER-SKATES.
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th May 1881. A communication
from abroad by Cadwalader M. Raymond, of Boston, Massachusetts, United
States of America, Manufacturer.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER-SKATES.'
[A communication from abroad by Cadwalader M. Raymond, of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturer.]
This Invention relates to that class of skates known as roller-skates. Its object
is to provide for the ready adjustment of the rollers to feet of different sizes
without the necessity of manufacturing for the purpose different sizes of skates.
It consists primarily in combining the front and rear rollers for each foot with
independent heel and toe plates; and secondarily, in so combining separate heel
and toe plates, carrying respectively the front and rear rollers, that they may move
or slide one upon the other and thus permit an extension or contraction of the
skate in length, the plates being adjusted to overlap over the rollers, at either
or both ends, even when the skate is extended to its utmost length. It also
consists in details of construction hereinafter described.
This Invention obviates the necessity of manufacturing very many different
sizes of roller skates, and enables the manufacturers to furnish at low cost, in one
or two sizes, skates adapted for use equally well with different sizes of feet.
The skate-plates when made wholly independent are designed to be connected
by the sole of the skater's boot or shoe to which they are separately attached.
In this form of my Invention the plate carrying the rear rollers is adapted to fit
upon and be secured to the heel, and the toe-plate is adapted to fit upon and be
secured to the sole of the boot or shoe, the latter plate being extended to support
the sole throughout the greater portion of its length.
i
When the plates are connected they are made to overlap either over the front
or over the rear rollers, or preferably over both sets of rollers, provision being made
in their length to secure this overlapping over the rollers even when the skate is
lengthened to its full extent.
The superimposed plates are confined one upon the other by strap-plates secured
upon their underside, which constitute the points of attachment for the journal-

page_text: bearings of the rollers. The strap-plates permit a longitudinal movement and
adjustment of the heel and toe plates one upon the other, but prevent any other
movement thereof.
The longitudinal movement of the plates may be prevented, after the length of the
skate has been adjusted by any suitable device, but preferably by means of a pin
or bolt passing through a single aperture in one plato, and through one of a series
of apertures in the opposite plate. I contemplate connecting the series of apertures
in the second plate by a slot which will permit the plate to slide over a flattened
portion of the shank of the bolt when the bolt is slightly lifted from its seat,
so that the entire removal of the bolt shall not be required in order to effect
adjustment of the plates.
I contemplato also combining a lock and key with the bolt, so that the adjust-
ment of the skate may be effected only by the person holding the key thereto.