IMPROVEMENTS IN CLAMP SKATES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick William Hilliard, of No. 7, Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh, in the County of Edinburgh, North Britain, Cutler and Surgical
Instrument Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLAMP SKATES."
Sealed the 1st August 1879, and dated the 4th February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick William Hilliard
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th February 1879.
FREDERICK WILLIAM HILLIARD, of No. 7, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, in the
"IM-
County of Edinburgh, North Britain, Cutler & Surgical Instrument Maker.
PROVEMENTS IN CLAMP SKATES."
This Invention has for its object an improved method of fastening clamp skates
by means of a vertical lever or wrench and other mechanism, as hereinafter
described, whereby greater security is ensured and the skate can be easily adjusted
and applied without the aid of any separate key or other tool. In my Invention I
employ the usual sole and heel plates fixed to a runner or blade; on the sole-plate
two clips are made to slide transversely for the purpose of grasping the sole of the
boot in the ordinary manner, which clips are brought together or separated by
means of a connecting screw. The heel plate is formed so as to enclose the heel at
the back, and is extended in front, with a longitudinal slot pierced through the
centre for a heel-gripper to slide freely along. A lever is fitted at one of its ends to
the centre of the screw of the sole-clamps in such a manner that it serves as a
the
wrench for turning the screw, and thereby bringing the clamps closer together;
other end of the lever is made so as to clasp the top edge of the runner for the pur-
pose of retaining the clamps in a fixed position. A connecting rod is screwed at one
end into a socket forming a portion of the heel-gripper, and is jointed at the other
end to the lever at a short distance from its fulcrum. For the purpose of adjusting
the clamps to suit different breadths of soles and heels, the lever can be removed

page_text: from its attachment to the screw of the sole-clamps, which screw can then be turned
by the fingers for bringing the clamps to the required width; the connecting rod of
the heel-gripper is thus free to be screwed more or less into its socket, as may be
required to suit a larger or a smaller-heel. When the different parts are adjusted
and connected as described, it is obvious that the working of the lever from a
vertical position to one parallel with the skate will have the effect of wrenching
round the screw-of-the-sole-clamps, and-thereby causing the clamps to grip the sole,
and at the same time-pushing back the heel-gripper firmly against the front of the
heel, when they may be fixed in that position by clasping the free end of the lever
over the top of the runner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick William Hilliard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
August 1879.
FREDERICK WILLIAM HILLIARD, of Edinburgh, in the County of Edinburgh,
North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLAMP SKATES."
This Invention has for its object an improved method of fastening clamp skates by
means of a vertical lever or wrench and other mechanism, herein-after described,
whereby greater security is ensured and the skate can be easily adjusted and applied
without the aid of any separate key or other tool.
In my Invention I employ the usual sole and heel plates fixed to a runner or
blade.
On the sole plate two clamps are made to slide transversely for the purpose of
grasping the sole of the boot in the ordinary manner, which clamps are brought
together or separated by means of a connecting screw.
The heel plate is formed so as to enclose the heel at the back, and is extended in
front, with a longitudinal slot pierced through the centre for a heel gripper to slide
freely along.
A lever is fitted at one of its ends to the centre of the connecting screw of the
sole clamps in such a manner that it serves as a wrench for turning the screw, and
thereby bringing the clamps closer together; the other end of the lever is made so
as to clasp the top edge of the runner for the purpose of retaining the clamps in a
fixed position.
A connecting rod is screwed at one end into a socket forming a portion of the
heel gripper, and is jointed at the other end to the lever at a short distance from its
fulcrum.
For the purpose of adjusting the clamps to suit different breadths of soles and
heels, the lever can be removed from its attachment to the connecting screw of the
sole clamps, which can then be turned by the fingers for bringing the clamps to
the required width. The connecting rod of the heel gripper is thus also free to
be screwed more or less into its socket, as may be required to suit a larger or
smaller heel
When the different parts are adjusted and connected as described, it is obvious
that the working of the lever from a vertical position backwards to one parralel
with the skate will have the effect of wrenching round the connecting screw of the
sole clamps, and thereby causing the clamps to grip the sole, and at the same time
of pushing back the heel gripper firmly against the front of the heel, when they
may be fixed in that position by clasping the free end of the lever over the top of
the runner.
To describe my Invention more fully and to show in detail the manner in which
Iprefer to carry it into effect I append hereunto a Sheet of Drawings, which I will
now proceed to explain.
The Drawings represent a skate made for the left foot, full size.
The skate is made entirely of metal.
Fig. 1 is a top view of the skate with the fittings removed, showing the form of
the sole and heel plates A, B. The plates have slots pierced at the respective places
C for portions of the runner to be rivetted through. Portions of the plates D are
bent down on each side of the runner for support. A. bed for the two side clamps
to slide transversely in is formed on the under side of the sole plate by the four
pieces E being slightly bent downwards. Two serrated flanges F are formed on the
back of the heel plate to enclose the back of the boot heel, while a longitudinal slot
G is cut in front for the pin of the heel gripper to slide within.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 1 and 2 of Fig. 2. The parts H are the two
side clamps for clasping the sides of the boot sole, which they are made to do by

page_text: means of the connecting screw I. One end of the said screw works in a portion of
the outside clamp, which is tapped to receive it; the other end has three grooves
formed upon it for a forked portion of the inside clamp to fit into, which can be
removed to one or other of the grooves.for adjusting the skate centrally on the foot;
the centre of the screw is squared or otherwise shaped to be turned by the lever. A
left-handed screw can be substituted in place of the three grooves to work in the
inside clamp, thus moving both clamps inwards or outwards simultaneously when
the screw is turned round..
Another plan of attaining the same result is show in Fig. 5. A right-hand screw
is attached to the outside clamp, and a left-hand screw to the inside clamp, and they
are connected by means of a long nut drilled and tapped right and left handed half-
way in from each end.. The centre of the nut is squared or otherwise shaped to be
turned by the lever.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the complete skate. The lever K is shown closed; it
is keyed at one end to act as a spanner or wrench for turning the connecting.screw
of the sole clamps, and at the other end is formed so as to clasp over the top edge of
the runner. The heel gripper L has an extension forwards, which is drilled and
tapped for one end of the connecting rod M to screw into; the other end of the rod
is flattened and punched with an oval hole to fit over the head of a stud N, which
projects from the side of the lever. The dotted lines show the lever open, and the
manner in which it acts upon the heel gripper to bring it forward.
Fig. 4 is an underside view of the lever. The keyed end has a lateral projection
with a circular groove O formed upon it to fit against the top edge of the runner,.
which keeps the lever in position, only allowing it to be detached when the con-
necting rod of the heel gripper is removed from its stud and the lever brought right
round, projecting in front of the skate.
Having described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein
described or delineated, but that what I believe to be novel and original and
claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein before in part recited Letters
Patent is,
First. The compound lever working vertically so as to act directly upon the heel
gripper and indirectly as a wrench upon the sole clamps, substantially as shown and
described.
Second. The fitting of the lever to the connecting screw of the sole clamps, 90
that it may be removed for the purposes of adjustment, as shown and described.
Third. The method of connecting the heel gripper to the lever, and the means for
adjusting the same to suit different sizes of heels, as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick William Hilliard, bave hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.