Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 29th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1900
I, WILLIAM BERTHOLD IHNE, of Felseck, Heidelberg, Germany, Colliery
Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
Road skates at present in use are open to the objection that they are large and
clumsy in appearance. They are also weighty, and their construction usually
raises the foot a considerable distance from the ground, necessitating the use of
ankle supports in addition to the usual attachment straps.
My invention has for its object to obviate these objections and to produce a
road skate which will as nearly as possible resemble an ice skate in appearance
and in its motion.
According to my invention I employ a series of rollers or spindles which are
journalled in a frame which is attached to or forms part of the wooden or metallic
sole plate of the skate, and passing around said rollers or spindles is an endless
band or belt of any suitable material, which forms the tread or bearing surface
of the skate. Such rollers or spindles are of small diameter in order that the
foot will not be unduly raised from the ground.
I may use plain rollers without flanges and employ a comparatively thin band
or belt, or I may use bobbins or spindles having flanges and employ a thicker
band or belt. I may use cylindrical rollers, or rollers possessing a curved or
barrel shape.
In most cases the series of rollers will be so arranged that the tread or band
will possess a convex curve from heel to toe.
The end roller or rollers may be adjustable, in order that the tension of the
endless band may be adjusted.
If required I may arrange flanges or guard plates at each side of the rollers
and band, to prevent the entry of mud and the like between the band and the
rollers.
The form and disposition of the endless band and of the rollers or spindles may
be varied to suit varying requirements. The band will be sufficiently pliant to
pass round the rollers, and may be formed of india rubber.
Dated this 28th day of March 1898.

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:.
Road skates at present in use are open to the objection that they are large and
clumsy in appearance. They are also weighty, and their construction usually
raises the foot a considerable distance from the ground necessitating the use of
ankle supports in addition to the usual attachment straps.
My invention has for its purpose the removal of these objections thereby pro-
ducing a road-skate that will as nearly as possible resemble an ice-skate in appear-
ance and in motion.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which will now be
referred to.
Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a roller skate according to my inven-
tion, Figure 2, being a cross-section on line AB, Figure 1, Figure 3 is a plan
of the sole plate of the skate.
The sole plate a is formed of sheet-metal, and its centre is pressed out in the
form of flanges b which flanges carry plates b' which are perforated to receive the
spindles c upon which are journalled a series of rollers d. Angle irons e are riveted
to the under side of the sole-plate outside of the flanges and serve to retain the
spindles c. Passing around the rollers d is an endless band f. Such endless band
is formed of any suitable substance, as, for instance, india-rubber or a composi-
tion of which india-rubber forms an ingredient. The function of this band is to
form the tread of the skate and for this purpose it must possess sufficient resi-
lience to pass around the end rollers. In place of a resilient band I may employ
an articulated band of inextensible material, and such articulated band may
possess an india-rubber lining or bearing surface.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a skate wherein the endless band f is dispensed
with and in place thereof I employ a series of rubber-tired or whole rubber
rollers d. The construction of the skate may be similar to that shewn in
Figures 1 to 3.
Rollers of various shapes may be used, with the object of retaining the endless
band f in position. For instance, they may be flanged similar to a thread bobbin
or possess loose flanges, or they may be barrel shaped (with or without flanges)
or they may be corrugated or grooved to receive ribs or projections on the band.
As an alternative means of retaining the band upon the rollers I may use guide-
pins or forks projecting from the sole plate, and such pins or forks may possess
anti-friction rollers which bear upon the edge of the band.
The sole plate possesses the usual heel pieces g, and may be attached to the
foot by the usual toe and ankle straps or by any other suitable mode of attach-
ment.
In most cases the series of rollers will be so arranged that the tread will possess
a convex curve from heel to toe.
Where an endless band f is used the end roller or rollers may be adjustable in
order that the tension of such band may be adjusted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a road skate, the sole plate a possessing flanges 6 and plates 61 carrying
spindles c upon which are journalled a series of rollers d arranged upon a convex
curve and forming the thread of the skate, substantially as described.
2. The employment in a road skate possessing a series of rollers or bobbins
journalled upon spindles carried by said skate, of an endless band such as f which
passes around said rollers and forms the tread of the skate, substantially as
described.
3. In combination, the sole plate a possessing flanges 6 and plates 6', spindles c

page_text: socketted in said plates and carrying rollers d, and the angle-irons e which serve
to retain said spindles in their sockets, substantially as described.
Hated this 27th day of January 1900.
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Chartered Patent Agent,
10, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicant.