IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES AND IN THE ROLLERS TO BE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSESSED THEREWITH
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Bell Sanson, of 38, East Street, Manchester
Square, London, W., in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES AND IN THE ROLLERS TO BE
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
USED THEREWITH
Sealed the 6th April 1866, and dated the 27th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Bell Sanson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th October 1865.
I, ROBERT BELL SANSON, of 38, East Street, Manchester Square, London,
W., in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES AND IN THE ROLLERS
TO BE USED THEREWITH, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Roller skates have hitherto been made with rollers on fixed axles, in con-
sequence of which arrangement it is difficult to perform many evolutions
required by the skater. Now my improvements consist in making one or

page_text: more of the said rollers double to move on a central swivel vertically, or by
means of the ordinary castor swivel so as to admit of perfect freedom of
motion, and in such manner that the skater may turn within a more moderate
curve or circle than has been hitherto of easy accomplishment. In carrying
out my swivel roller arrangements I employ a spring or springs so arranged
as to bring back the wheel or wheels to its or their central position or normal
centre, after it or they may have been moved to the right or left.
further improvement in rollers, especially applicable to skates, I make the
spools of vulcanite or hard india-rubber or wood, or other analogous substances,
instead of as now metal. The central vertical double wheeled swivels before
named are applicable to furniture and such like purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Bell Sanson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
BELL SANSON, of 38, Manchester Square, London, W., in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Bell Sanson, Her special licence that I, the said Robert Bell Sanson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Bell Sanson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROLLER SKATES AND IN THE ROLLERS TO BE USED THEREWITH, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Robert Bell Sanson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the .said Invention, and in

page_text: what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Bell Sanson; do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention consists of improvements in rotary wheel skates, commonly
known as roller skates, and also in the construction and material of the rollers
to be used therewith, which wheels or rollers are also applicable to many
domestic articles, such as chairs, tables, couches, and in fact for all furniture,
and for all purposes to which the said rollers can or may hereafter be applied.
In roller skates hitherto made the objection has been that the rollers having
motion in a fore-and-aft direction only great difficulty has been experienced
in turning round, or in making evolutions in an easy manner, or within a
small and limited radius.
Now by my said improvements the skater is enabled to make a greater
number of evolutions than hitherto with perfect ease and freedom of motion,
and to turn sharply in a smaller circle. To accomplish this I use a pair of
rollers, fitted on the same axis, in lieu of one or more of the rollers, as
employed in ordinary skates. The said pair of rollers I fix by preference
about the centre of the skate, and mount them on a central swivel moving in
a vertical direction. The object of mounting the double roller in this manner
is that perfect freedom of action is thereby obtained for turning. A roller or
rollers mounted on an eccentric or on the ordinary castor principle may be
used. For turning the wheel or wheels back to their central or normal
position after any evolution in skating has been performed I fix one end of a
stiff double V or other shaped spring on the under side of the skate. The
free ends are then made to grasp or press against, on either side, a tongue or
projection formed and projecting from the axle of the double roller or rollers,
so that when the rollers have been turned by any evolution to the right or
left the spring pressing upon the tongue or projection causes the said rollers
to resume their central or normal position. The improved rollers are pre-
vented from turning too far round by means of a stop block, against which
the roller frame comes in contact, and thus prevents the said rollers exceeding
a certain useful angle.
The improvoments in the rollers consist in making the spools or centres
thereof of vulcanite, or ebonite, or other similar substancos, separately or in

page_text: combination, in lieu of metal, as now used, which spools or centres may be
employed in combination with vulcanized india-rubber or other substances
on the exterior.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Bell Sanson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this 24th day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
WILLIAM BULL,
65, Mile End Road, E.
ROBERT BELL SANSON. (L.B.)