Improvements in or relating to Skates, parts of which are also applicable to Snow-shoes and other adjuncts to be applied to the Feet.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application. 15th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 15th Nov., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Skates, parts of which are also
applicable to Snow-shoes and other adjuncts to be applied to
the Feet.
1, Dr. BERTHOLD HATSCH EK, Professor, of No. 3 Weinberggasse, Prague in the
Empire of Austria, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and hy
the following statement :-
The present invention relates to skates and refers particularly to a new method of
fastening the skate on to the sole and heel of the boot.
In the accompanying drawings
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a plan of the upper side, a side elevation and a plan
of the underside of a skate constructed according to this invention; the other figures
are hereinafter referred to.
On the sole plate A which fits closely against the sole are secured two side-pieces
cheeks or jaws a b which are adjustably fixed to the sole-plate in order that they may
be adapted to the sole B of any boot whatever its breadth may be. These cheeks a b
are not placed directly opposite but diagonally opposite to each other.
When fitting the skate to the boot the sole of the boot is introduced between the
two cheeks a bin such a manner that the foot is not placed straight on the skate but
diagonally across its longitudinal axis as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and the boot
is then turned in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 until it is all beneath the
boot as shown in Fig. 1 in full lines during which operation the whole of the skate
performs the functions as a lever.
The manner in which the cheeks a bare fixed to the sole-plate and their mode of
acting not only depends upon the fact that the diagonal is longer than the perpendicular
but also upon the peculiar form of the universally used boot-sole the outer edge of
which is stretched longitudinally and is more rectilineal than the inner edge which
is shorter from the front point of the boot to the heel and is peculiarly curved. In
consequence of this difference the skates cannot be worn on either foot but one is
adapted to fit the right and the other the left foot and in such a manner that the
cheek a which is situated further back than 6 corresponds with the outer edge of the
sole of the boot and the other cheek which lies nearer to the point of the boot corre-
sponds with the inner edge and therefore as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 5 the
skate S is meant for the right foot the skate S¹ for the left.
In order to adjust the skates for use on any sole whatever its breadth may be the
two cheeks a and b can be displaced after loosening the nuts σ; this of course must
always be done before putting the skate on the boot.
When the skate is straight beneath the boot as in full lines in Fig. 1 the heel of the
boot is fixed to the heel-plate C by means of the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 and in
an enlarged back view in Fig. 4. The heel plate C is provided with a perpendicular
or vertical plate P which is fitted closely against the heel D and which is cut out in
the form of a hook which engages with a spur E inserted into the back of the heel and
shaped preferably as shown in the accompanying drawings.
The peculiar form of the plate P and spur E and the adjustment of the latter enable
these parts to be fixed to each other. The plate P as shown in Fig. 4 has a circular
opening o a tributary opening or slot o' from which extends towards the inner foot
edge. The height a of the slot o' is about of the diameter of the opening o;
lower part or edge Ɑ- -ẞ of the crevice is rectilineal and horizontal while the top edge
is curved as at y-8 so that it may serve to guide the spur E into the opening o.
the

page_text: The spur E is inserted preferably screwed (as shown in Fig. 2) into the back of the
heel of the boot in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the heel so that it can be
turned around its longitudinal axis. This is accomplished by means of the shank m
(see Figs. 2, 6 and 7) for which in the example shown the shape of a screw
has been chosen but which may be of any other suitable shape for example that of a
spike or pin.
The part n of the spur which is intended to be introduced into the inlet opening o
of the plate P and to be fixed in the circular opening o is shaped as shown in Fig. 9.
It is in the shape of a cylinder with two sides or sectors removed as shown in dotted
lines in Fig. 9 and as shown in Fig. 10 on an enlarged scale the height of the sector c
is the height of the sector of the diameter 4.
The diameter is twice the diameter of the spindle m the axis of which is eccentric
to that of the part n but the absolute and relative size of these parts as well as the
degree of eccentricity of the spindle m in regard to the part n may be varied and is
without departing from the spirit of the invention.
The part n of the spur terminates in a handle the shape and direction of which
may be seen from the drawing but these may also be varied. The manner in which
the spur E is fixed on to the heel is as follows:-The shank m which as before explained
is secured into the heel and may be turned on its axis must be fixed at such a height
from the under surface of the heel that when the eccentric part n is in its highest
position the under surface of the heel must fit closely on the heel plate C but when n is
in its lowered position the heel will be raised from the heel-plate C.
The eccentric part n of the spur E has the highest position when for example the
handle of the spur as shown in the drawing points upwardly. Before putting the
skate on the spur is turned 90° in the direction of the outer edge of the foot that
is to say so that the surface f thereof (Figs. 4, 6, 7, 8, 9) stands uppermost.
When putting the skate on the part n is now entirely conducted into the mouth
of the opening
o of the plate P and the spur E is turned back 90° into its former
position so that the cylindrical part n is well fixed into the opening o and the
heel-plate C is drawn tightly up against the heel, the skate is then tightly secured
to the; boot.
In taking the skate off the spur E is turned 90° in the opposite direction to
the previous one (towards the inner edge of the foot) and the skate detaches itself
easily from the boot.
It is clear that this method of fastening skates is applicable to all kinds of skates
even to those with wooden bodies or stocks. If desired the back plate P can be made
adjustable so that the skate can be adapted to a boot or shoe of any length. The same
arrangement is applicable for roller-skates also for climbing irons or spikes, for
snow-shoes, for pattens and other such adjuncts for application to boots shoes and
the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is. :-
1. In a device such as described the arrangement of two side cheeks such as a and b
placed diagonally opposite to each other and between which the sole of the boot is
locked by turning the boot in relation to the skate or vice versa substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. For securing a skate on to the heel of a boot or shoe a revolvable spur such as E
inserted into the heel and adapted to engage a hook-shaped plate such as P of the skate
by means of which the eccentric part n of the spur by its rotation slightly raises the
back part of the skate and presses it against the bottom of the heel substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. The peculiarly shaped spur E inserted into the heel of the boot the operative
part n of which is eccentric to the shank m and is shaped substantially as described
and illustrated in Fig. 9 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 4. The method of fixing skates and other articles to boots or shoes substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of September 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.