IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Joseph Walker, of Rotherham, in the County of
York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
6
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Joseph Walker at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th February 1876.
WILLIAM JOSEPH WALKER, of Rotherham, in the County of York, Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
For this purpose
I employ a footstand or sole, which by straps or in other usual manner is secured to
the foot of the wearer. At one end of the footstand or sole on the under side I fix
a pedestal carrying the axle of a broad roller, the periphery or face of which is
formed to a double cone, the largest diameter being in the middle beneath the
centre of the footstand. At the other end of the footstand or sole there is another
similar roller carried by a pedestal, but this pedestal is not rigidly fixed to the foot-
stand or sole, but can turn about a vertical axis, and the arms of the pedestal carrying
the axle are inclined or bent. This roller consequently can travel partly around the
There is however
vertical axis like the castor wheels commonly used in furniture.
This Invention has for its object improvements in roller skates.
a spring applied beneath the footstand or sole, which tends to hold the pedestal of
the castor roller in such a position that the axis of the castor roller is at right angles
to the centre line of the footstand or sole, but this spring will yield to any pressure
and allow the roller to set itself suitably to run around a curved course. The motion
of the pedestal of the castor roller is also limited by stops.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Joseph Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
August 1876.
WILLIAM JOSEPH WALKER, of Rotherham, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in roller skates. In the con-
struction of roller skates I employ two wheels or rollers coned or rounded on the
[Price 4d.]

page_text: a
face, the larger diameter being in the middle. These rollers are mounted on
footstand or sole, which is secured to the foot of the skater by straps in the usual
manner. The axes of the rollers are carried by pedestals, and these pedestals are
cach able to turn about a pivot or pin, which forms a connection between the
pedestal and the footstand. The pivot or pin is nearer to the end of the footstand
than the axle of the roller, so that the roller with the pedestal and pivot form
A stop is
together a castor very similar to the castors common in furniture.
provided to limit the motion of the castor about the pivot, and also a spring is
provided tending to place the castor in a central position, that is to say, with the
axle of the roller at right angles to the length of the footstand.
When the skater leans to either side the lateral pressure causes the spring to
yield, and the castors to set themselves to run in a curved course towards the side
to which the body of the skater inclines. Sometimes in place of mounting both of
the pedestals on pivots I fix the hinder pedestal rigidly to the footstand, but I prefer
that both of the pedestals should be moveable.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood, and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a skate constructed according to my Invention;
Figure 2 is an under side view of the same; and Figure 3 shows separately the
under side of the pedestal with the axle pivot and stop, and with a portion also of
the spring.
a, a, is the footstand with its straps and upper fittings; b, b, are the rollers; c, c,
the pedestals; and dd, the pivots, about which the pedestals can turn freely; e, c,
is a blade spring of steel fixed to the footstand at e¹, and its ends enter between
horns c¹, c¹, formed in connection with the pedestals; c², c², arc slots formed in the
pedestals to receive the screws f, which are fixed in the footstand, and serve as stops
to prevent the pedestals turning about the pivots & further than is desired.
What I claim is the construction of roller skates substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Joseph Walker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.