IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION or ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Henry Wooding, of West Hill Road, Brighton,
and William Palmer, of Preston Ville Terrace, Preston, near Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
or ROLLER SKATES."
Sealed the 12th May 1876, and dated the 21st February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Henry Wooding and
William Palmer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
21st February 1876.
CHARLES HENRY WOODING, of West Hill Road, Brighton, and WILLIAM PALMER,
of Preston Ville Terrace, Preston, near Brighton, in the County of Sussex. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES."
This Invention relates to improved construction of roller skates, and consists in
mounting a plain or parallel periphery roller on the central portion of each of the
axles, which are supported by brackets fixed to the under side of the footboard.
The axles from about the sides of the central rollers are set at an angle, each
converging towards the other, and carry rounded cone-faced rollers, upon which by
a side pressure or lean over of the foot the skater can run, the distance to which
the skater leans over determining the curve or circular movement or radii over
which he may travel. The parts of the axles on which the cone rollers are fitted
are in addition to being set at an angle set on an incline.
The diameter of the central rollers is rather larger than the larger diameter of
the cone rollers to permit of straight running without putting action upon the cone
rollers. The aperture or axle hole in each of the cone rollers is of tapered form, to
give freedom of movement and to lessen the curve or circle when the skater leans
over to such a degree as to run upon the smaller diameters of the cone rollers. The
aperture may be bushed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Henry Wooding and William Palmer in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st August 1876.
CHARLES HENRY WOODING, of West Hill Road, Brighton, and WILLIAM
PALMER, of Preston Ville Terrace, Preston, near Brighton, in the County of Sussex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES."
"
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of roller skates, and
consists in mounting a plain or parallel periphery roller on the central portion of
each of the axles, which are supported by brackets fixed to the under side of the
footboard. The axles from about the sides of the central rollers are set at an angle,
each converging towards the other, and carry rounded conc-faced rollers, upon
which by a side pressure or lean over of the foot the skater can run, the distance
to which the skater leans over determining the curve or circular movement or radii
over which he may travel. The parts of the axles on which the cone rollers are
fitted are in addition to being at an angle set on an incline.
The diameter of the central rollers is rather larger than the larger diameter of
the cone rollers to permit of straight running without putting action upon the cone
rollers.
Our Invention is clearly represented in the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roller skate with the toe straps removed;
and Figure 2 a bottom plan thereof; Figure 3 being a detached view of one of the
brackets. In these views we show the bracket composed of two side checks A, A,
and a base B, in which an aperture C is made, and also a slot D. Figure 4 is a
detached view of an inner bracket composed of two side cheeks E, E, and a base F
with an aperture C and a slot D similarly to the first-named bracket. Bolts are
passed through the apertures C of both brackets. When the smaller one is fitted
in the larger the bolt passing from the inside of the small bracket to the top or
upper surface of the footboard or clog G, where it is secured by a nut H in a recess
to lie about flush with such surface. The two cheeks A, A, are formed with
holes a, a, and the two cheeks E, E, are slotted at h, h, for supporting an axle I,
which is notched at c, c, and with a flat bearing, as in the detached view, Figure 5,
that it may find a lodgment in the slots b, b, without fear of turning, the notches
in the axle being so formed that the axle when in position is lifted at the centre
and inclined from the notched to the outer ends, where they engage in the bracket
cheeks A, A.
The axle in construction or bendings is peculiar; it is formed with a straight
portion between the two notches or saw cuts c, c, where it is bent to form another
straight part on each side from c, c, to d, d, to form another straight part on
each side to the shoulders c, c, as clearly seen in Figure 5, where the radial
lines indicate the places for the bends as from an imaginary point.
Both of the straight portions on both sides the notches c, c, are also set upwards
at different angles, or they assume the inclined condition from the "sett" derived
from the angle of the saw cuts and the holes in the side checks A, A, into which
the ends take, as in Figure 3, the two brackets with the axle being there shown in
the position one holds to the other for supporting the rollers J, K, L, as in Figures 1
and 2, the rollers being shown detached in Figure 6.
The central rollers J, J, of each of the brackets at the toe and heel have each a
flat periphery, and are suitable for straight running with a central tread fore and
aft, and are held in position between the checks E, E, clear of the next rollers K, K,
on each side, which have rounded cone faces. These rollers K, K, run upon the
straight parts of the axle between the notches c, c, and the bends d, d, and cach
partake of the position corresponding to the angled and inclined formation of the
axle at those parts. The round cone-faced rollers L, L, which are of smaller

page_text: diameter than the rollers K, K, and upon the straight portions of the axles from
d, d, to the shoulders e, e, partake of the position corresponding to the angled and
inclined formation of the axle at those parts whereby the rollers K, K, lean
towards the central roller J with their inner edges, circumferentially speaking,
nearly close together at about the angle of 45° with the tread or ground upon
which the central roller bears when the skate is upright. The rollers L, L, also
lean inwards with their inner edges, circumferentially speaking, almost close to the
outer edges of the rollers K, K, at about the angle 45° with the ground when
the skate is upright and following the position of the roller, according to the set
given to the axle when looking from the point of radii of the rollers in their
converged state. The height of the meeting line of the rollers from the ground line
increases in proportion to the angle and sett of the rollers upon the bent and
kinked axle.
It will be seen by Figures 1 and 2 that the rollers K, K, gradually decrease in
diameter from near the rollers J, J, and that the rollers L, L, decrease gradually in
diameter from near the rollers K, K, to the cheeks A, A, whereby the inner round
of the five rollers at the toe gives the appearance of a barrel stave of one or almost
flat curve,
and the outer round of the same five rollers the appearance of a barrel
stave of a bellied or much larger curve, the inner and outer curves of the five
rollers at the heel being counterparts of the toe roller curves. The brackets and
the rollers of the toe and heel are identical and interchangeable at will.
Figure 7 is detached view of a bracket with a base B and legs A, A, instead of
cheeks as before, the top of each leg having a projection f to rest against the edge
of the footboard, or to engage into a notch cut in the edge of it, as in Figure 8,
where we show the bracket as having only one roller K of rounded cone-faced form
on each side of the central flat peripheried roller J, the axle for this construction
being angled and inclined from the notches c, c, to the shoulders e, e, that when
the two brackets are fitted to the under side of a footboard the outer rollers on
each side are converged towards each other to enable (as in the first described
plan) the skater when he leans over upon the outer rollers to run over a curve or a
circle at will, such curve or circle being dependent upon the distance to which the
skate is canted on the side.
It will be understood that no separate cramping, twisting, or converging action
of the rollers takes place from a cant of the footboard, there being no rock on a
carriage or framework which has a movement independently of or dependent upon
the footboard, as in other patented skates.
The rollers, the brackets, and the footboard of this skate always maintain the
same relative position one to the other, whether the skate be upright or canted, as
set forth.
The aperture or axle hole in each of the outside cone rollers may be of tapered
form to give freedom of movement, and to lessen the curve or circle when the
skater leans over to such a degree as to run upon the smaller diameters of the cone
rollers. The aperture in each roller may be bushed.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, we would have it understood that we make no claim
to barrel roller skates as simply implied by that name, nor do we claim a bent axlo
to roller skates; but we do claim,―
Firstly. The special construction of roller skates as herein-before set forth, the
parts being in combination as described and as shown in the annexed Drawings.
Secondly. The construction and employment of roller skates in which the rollers
are "sett
in the positions indicated by Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings, upon
axles that are bent at an angle, and the angled parts at an inclination within
brackets, as described.
"
Thirdly. We claim the construction and employment of a separate bracket to
support the central roller of roller skates, such bracket having notches b, b, in the
cheeks for the reception of notched portions of an axle which is bent and inclined

page_text: for carrying round faced cone rollers fitted in a fixed converged position, as
described and as shown in Figure 4 of the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Palmer, for myself and on behalf
of the said Charles Henry Wooding, have hereunto set my hand and scal,
this Eighteenth day of August One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.
WILLIAM PALMER. (L.S.)