IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county
of Lancaster Civil Engineer for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES.
A communication to him from abroad by Everett Hosmer Barney of the city
of Springfield in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts United
States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th March 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool aud, London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES."-A communication to me from abroad
by Everett Hosmer Barney of the City of Springfield in the county of Hampden
and State of Massachusetts United States of America.
This invention relates to an improved construction of devices for operating the
clamping mechanism of skates, whereby the latter are secured to and disengaged
from the sole and heel of a boot.
One feature of the invention relates to improvements in means for imparting
the requisite motion to the sole and heel clamps of a skate and for forcing said
clamps against the heel and sole of a boot and retaining said clamps in a locked'
position.
A second feature of the invention relates to improved means for connecting the
screw rod of a skate with the heel clamp thereof.
A third feature of the invention relates to improvements in the construction of
the heel-clamps and the heel-clamp supporting parts of the skate.
The metallic sole-plate is secured to the runner by metallic brackets in the
usual way. Two clamp studs having T-shaped heads whose arms lie in a line
with the runner, are secured to said sole-plate with said heads projecting down-
ward beneath said plate. The sole clamps consist of two metallic straps reaching

page_text: from a point just back of the sole-plate towards the toe of the skate and curving
outward beyond the edges of the sole plate; their ends are turned upward at right
angles to the plane of the sole-plate to form clamp hooks or dogs to bear against
the opposite edges of the sole of the boot and clamp the latter between them.
Said sole clamps are provided with curved slots which permit of placing them
over the T-heads of the clamp studs, when they are so held as to bring the parallel
sides of said heads in line with the opposite edges of said slots, and then by
turning said clamps to bring their rear ends together, said heads stand across said
slots, thereby holding them up under the sole plate, and permitting them to slide
thereon so as to allow the outer ends of the clamps to move towards and from the
edges of the sole plate.
The rear ends of the sole clamps are perforated and fitted to receive therethrough
a cylindrical stud or pivot forming a connection common to the rear ends of both
clamps.
Said stud or pivot is a rotating crank-stud with a cylindrical bead and a cylin-
drical body whose circumferential surface is concentric with the border of said
head and the end of which is milled off on opposite sides thereof and is tapped to
receive a screw. A crank pin is provided on said rotating stud, and when the
latter is in place through the perforated rear ends of the sole clamps, the said ends
have a bearing on the said cylindrical body part of said crank stud. A lever
having a slot therethrough conforming to the shape of the milled end of the said
stud, is secured to the latter by a screw so that when the said clamps, stud, and
lever, are united in operative relation, they constitute the mechanical structure for
operating the sole and heel clamps.
A nut link having its nut end tapped to receive the screwed end of the rear
screw rod, is perforated to receive through its flat portion, the crank pin above
referred to on the rotating stud, and is suitably secured thereon by riveting or
otherwise to unite it thereto, but loosely enough to permit said stud to be freely
turned.
The metallic heel plate is provided with an abutment for the front side of the
heel of the boot, and is attached to the rear end of the runner by two check pieces.
Each of said check pieces is fastened to the heel plate by riveting or other suitable
means. As herein shown each check piece has a part on its upper edge which
projects through a slot in said heel plate, and is riveted upon the top side of the
latter, and the lower edges of said check pieces are bolted to the sides of the
runner. The form of said check-pieces is such that when they are united under
the heel plate as aforesaid, they form a longitudinal chamber under the heel plate,
and each one is provided with a projection standing out from its side and leaving
a space between it and the heel plate above.
It is obvious that the heel plate and the 'two check pieces together with
the projections just mentioned may, if desired be all cast in a united form in one
piece.
The heel clamp is slotted and is provided with upwardly projecting spurs or
dogs for engaging with the heel of the boot, and with a cylindrically perforated
and split lip. The heel clamp is thus adapted to slide under the heel plate, astride
of the check pieces, the portions thereof each side of its slot, passing between the
lips or projections on the heel plate, and the under side of the heel plate, and when
said heel clamp is in place on the skate, the said lip stands before the rear end of
the aforesaid chamber under the heel plate.
The screw rod forms an adjustable connection, operating in a direct longitudinal
line between the heel and sole-clamps of the skate, for uniting said clamps and for
varying the distance between the heel-clamps and rotating crank stud.
Said screw rod enters the rear end of the nut-link, extends from thence
rearwardly through said chamber under the heel plate, and has a groove around it
near its rear end.
The lip on the heel clamp by reason of it being split or open at its lower edge,

page_text: is capable of being sprung open to allow of placing its partly separated parts within
the groove on the screw rod, and then closing said parts upon the rod, whereby
the heel clamp is so directly connected to said rod that any longitudinal movement
of the latter causes a like movement of said heel clamp.
The said lip is not so closely shut upon the rod but that the latter can be freely
turned by applying the fingers to the end thereof for adjusting the clamps of the
skate as above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st September 1883.
"
"
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool in the county of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES." A communication to me from abroad
by Everett Hosmer Barney of the city of Springfield, in the county of Hampden
and state of Massachusetts, United States of America.
This invention relates to an improved construction of devices for operating the
clamping mechanism of skates, whereby the latter are secured to and disengaged
from the sole and heel of a boot.
One feature of the invention relates to improvements in means for imparting
the requisite motion to the sole and heel-clamps of a skate, and for forcing said
clamps against the heel and sole of a boot and retaining said clamps in a locked
position.
A second feature of the invention relates to improved means for connecting the
screw-rod of a skate with the heel-clamp thereof.
A third feature of the invention relates to improvements in the construction of
the heel-clamps and the heel-clamp supporting parts of the skate.
In the drawing forming part of this specification, Fig 1. is a side elevation, and
Fig 2 is a bottom plan view of a skate embodying the improvements.
Fig. 3.
illustrates the rear end of the screw-rod. Fig 4, is a rear elevation, and Fig. 6 is
a bottom plan view of the heel clamp. Fig 5, is a plan view of the nut-link.
Fig. 7 is a top plan view, a side elevation and a bottom plan view of the rotating
crank-stud. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the lever. Fig. 9. is a bottom plan view of
the heel-plate and one check-piece, and Fig 10 is an end view of the same.
The metallic sole-plate A is secured to the runner c, by metallic brackets in the
usual way as shown. Two clamp-studs m, m, having T-shaped heads, whose arms
lie in a line with the runner c, are secured to said sole-plate with said heads
projecting downward beneath said plate. The sole clamps bb, consist of two
metallic straps reaching from a point just back of the sole-plate towards the toe of
the skate and curving outward beyond the edges of the sole-plate; their ends are

page_text: 4
turned upward at right angles to the plane of the sole-plate to form clamp-hooks
or dogs as shown, to bear against the opposite edges of the sole of the boot, and
clamp the latter between them.
Said sole clamps are provided with curved slots as shown, which permit of
placing them over the said heads of the studs m, m, when they are so held as to
bring the parallel sides of said heads in line with the opposite edges of said slots,
and then by turning said clamps to bring their rear ends together; said heads
stand across said slots, thereby holding them up under the sole-plate, and
permitting them to slide thereon, so as to allow the outer ends of the clamps to
move towards and from the edges of the sole plate.
The rear ends of the sole clamps b b, are perforated and fitted to receive there-
through a cylindrical stud or pivot forming a connection common to the rear ends
of both clamps.
Said stud or pivot is illustrated in three positions in Fig. 7, and is designated as
a rotating crank-stud. The said crank-stud e, has a cylindrical head 5 and a
cylindrical body 4, whose circumferential surface is concentric with the border of.
said head and the end 3 of which is milled off on opposite sides thereof as shown
and is tapped to receive a screw F. A crank pin 4 is provided on said rotating
stud e, and when the latter is in place through the perforated rear ends of the sole
clamps, the said ends have a bearing on the said cylindrical body-part 4 of said
crank stud. The lever h having a slot therethrough conforming to the shape of
the milled end 3 of the said stud e is secured to the latter by the screw f, so that
when the said clamps, stud e, and lever h, are unite d in operative relation, they
constitute the mechanical structure which those parts represent in Figs 1 and 2.
A nut-link o, having its nut-end tapped to receive the screwed end of the screw-
rod n, is perforated to receive through its flat portion the crank pin 4, on the
stud e and is suitably secured thereon hy riveting or otherwise to unite it thereto,
but loosely enough to permit said stud to be freely turned.
The metallic heel-plate vis provided with an abutments for the front side of
the heel of the boot, and is attached to the rear end of the runner by two check-
pieces i, i. Each of said check-pieces is fastened to the heel plate v, by riveting
or other suitable means. As herein shown, each check-piece has a part on its
upper edge which projects through a slot y, in said heel-plate, and is riveted upon
the top-side of the latter, and the lower edges of said check-pieces are bolted to
the sides of the runner as shown. The form of said check-pieces is such that
when they are united under the heel plate as aforesaid; they form a longitudinal-
chamber under the heel-plate, and each one is provided with a lip or projection
standing out from its side, and leaving a space between it and the heel-plate above,
as shown.
It is obvious that the heel-plate v and the two check-pieces i, i, together with
the parts z, z, may if desired be all cast in a united form in one piece.
The heel clamp w, plan and end views of which are shown in Figs 4 and 6, is
slotted as in Fig. 6, and is provided with upwardly projecting spurs or dogs, as in
Figs 1 and 4 for engaging with the heel of the boot, and with a cylindrically
perforated and split lip d. The heel-clamp is thus adapted to slide under the
heel-plate v, astride of the check pieces i, the portions thereof each side of its
slot 6 passing between the lips or projections 2, 'and the under side of the heel-
plate, and when said heel-clamp is in place on the skate, the said lip & stands
before the rear end of the aforesaid chamber under the heel-plate.
The screw-rod n forms an adjustable connection, operating in a direct longi-
tudinal line between the heel and sole clamps of the skate, for uniting said clamps
and for varying the distance between the heel-clamps aud rotating crank-stud e.
Said screw-rod enters the rear end of the nut-link o, extends from thence
rearwardly through said chamber under the heel-plate, and has a groove 7 around-
it near its rear end.
"
The said lip & by reason of its being split or open at its lower edge, is capable
of being sprung open to allow of placing its partly separated parts within said

page_text: groove 7, and then closing said parts upon the rod n, whereby the heel-clamp is so
directly connected to said rod, that any longitudinal movement of the latter causes
a like movement of said heel-clamp.
The said lip d, is not so closely shut upon rod n, but that the latter can be freely
turned by applying the fingers to the end thereof for adjusting the clamps of the
skate as above described.
-
The operation of the improvements is as follows.
In Fig. 1 is shown the dotted outlines of the sole and heel of a boot, to illustrate
the relation of the latter and the fastening devices of the skate, and to show the
positions thereof when the latter is clamped to a boot.
Fig. 2 illustrates the position of said fastening devices when the skate is
unfastened and taken off from the boot.
As shown in both full and dotted lines in Fig 2, the lever h in being operated to
fasten the clamps of the skate or to unfasten them, may be swung in either
direction in a horizontal plane under the shank of the boot and over the clamp-
connecting devices.
Many advantages result from the fact that lever h may be turned in either
direction in locking or unlocking a skate, as above stated, as it is unnecessary to
make right and left skates, for either skate of a pair may be secured to either
foot. This reduces the cost of manufacture and avoids the inconvenience, which
the seller of skates so often experiences of having a number of mis-matched skates
on his hands.
$
The movement of the clamps of the skate caused by turning the crank-stud e,
by lever h, may be to the extent of double the distance of the crank-pin 4, from
the axial line of the said stud c. By however properly adjusting the heel and
sole-clamps to bring thein near to the heel and sole of the boot by turning rod n,
before swinging lever h, as aforesaid and then swinging the latter around to a
central line as in Fig. 1, the movement of said crank pin from a point on either
side of a central longitudinal line opposite the axis of the stud e drawn through
the skate from heel to toe, to the position shown in Fig 1 which brings it on said
central line, serves to complete the fastening.
Said adjustment having been made, the skate is applied to the boot and lever k
is swung around on a line with the rod 'n and the centre of the nut-link o, thereby
bringing the clamps forcibly against the sole and heel, the abutments receiving
the force of the heel-clamp movement.
Swinging the lever to the right or left under the boot unfastens the skate
therefrom.
Said lever is provided with the lips 7, on either side or edge thereof, or other
suitable device for causing it to be engaged with the adjacent operating devices of
the skate when occupying the position shown in Fig 1, whereby it is secured
against being accidentally swung away from that position when the skate is
clamped. Said lever springs up slightly when one of said lips 7, encounters the
said fastening connections under it, letting said lip slip over the latter, bringing
rod n between said lips.
Having now described the invention as communicated to me, I wish it to be
understood that what I desire to protect under the Letters Patent is :-
1st. The combination of devices for clamping a skate to the heel and sole of a boot
substantially as described, with a rotating crank stud connected with and located
in a central line between said devices, and a lever connected with said stud for
fastening and unfastening, as set forth.
2nd. The combination of devices for clamping a skate to the heel and sole of a
boot, substantially as described, with a rotating crank-stud connected with and
located in a central line between said devices, and a lever connected with said stud
for fastening and unfastening, adapted by means substantially as described to be
engaged with the clamp connections when swung into line therewith, substantially
as set forth.
3rd. The combination with the rotatable screw-rod n, having a
groove 7

page_text: around it, of the heel-clamp w, having the split lip d thereon adapted to have its
semi-divided portions engage in said groove, substantially as set forth.
4th. The heel-plate v, the check-pieces i, i, secured to said heel-plate and each
provided with the lip z, in combination with the heel-clamp w having the lip d
thereon, and the screw rod n, all as set forth.
5th. The combination in a skate, of heel and sole-clamps, substantially as described,
with a rotating crank-stud pivoted in said sole clamps, a nut-link pivoted to the
crank-pin of said stud, a longitudinal rotatable screw-rod connected to said heel-
clamps, and a lever for fastening and unfastening, connected with said crank-stud,
having its free end movable in a horizontal plane in either direction from said
screw-rod, all as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set
my hand and seal this eighteenth day of September in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.