IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEEL OR ROLLER SKATES ADAPTED FOR USE UPON ARTIFICIAL ICE OR OTHER SMOOTH SURFACES OR 'RINKS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Pilbrow, of Tunbridge Wells, in the County of Kent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEEL OR
ROLLER SKATES ADAPTED FOR USE UPON ARTIFICIAL ICE OR OTHER SMOOTH
SURFACES OR 'RINKS."
Sealed the 7th April 1876, and dated the 18th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Pilbrow at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th January 1876.
"
JAMES PILBROW, of Tunbridge Wells, in the County of Kent. IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCRION OF WHEEL OR ROLLER SKATES ADAPTED FOR USE UPON
ARTIFICIAL ICE OR OTHER SMOOTH SURFACES OR RINKS.'
" "
My Invention relates to that description of skate that may be used upon "rinks,"
artificial ice, or other smooth surfaces, and is designed for the purpose of producing
a skate which shall be simpler, easier, cheaper, lighter, and lower in its construction;
and better adapted than the roller skates hitherto used for its ease and facility in
turning curves, and performing the various gyrations desired by skaters, and at the
same time that its action, as well as the user's practice, shall be as nearly as possible
identical with that of the ice skate and skating upon ice, giving the greatest speed
and safety with the least comparative exertion.
The improvements and novelty in my Invention and construction of the skate
consist in the employment of only two principal rollers or wheels, and one supple-
mental and smaller roller, being ranged in a line under the centre of the sole plate
or stock of the skate longitudinally, one under the toe, one under the hollow of the
foot close in front of the heel, and the smaller or supplemental roller, when such is
used, placed under the heel, and as far back as convenient. These wheels or rollers
with their pins or axles are connected with or attached to the stock or sole plate
by means only of some elastic material or steel plates, between which steel plates
or straps they revolve, which side plates, straps, or springs will have not only a
horizontal and lateral action, but will be in line when the skate, is in a vertical
position. The toe plates will carry only the foremost roller or wheel, but those of
the heel will carry both the hinder wheel and also the additional roller, where
one is used. All three rollers will touch the ground surface when the skate is in
an upright position, and will be in line, but when the skate with the user upon it
is inclined to either side the smaller roller under the heel will be lifted off the.
ונDSA

page_text: surface through the other wheels being slightly wider 'and at the same time elastic.
The side plates or straps receiving a lateral pressure will on account of their
flexibility bend, and in doing so will alter the position of the wheels or rollers, so
that in place of these being in a line as before they will not only become on one
side of the centre line, but will become, according to the amount of inclination and
pressure given to the skate, more or less oblique to it, thus altering their course
from a straight direction to that of a curve or circle, and so causing the skate to
make a curve of any radius according to the degree of lateral pressure brought to
bear on the elastic connecting plates by the skater inclining his foot, as is done
with the regular ice skate; the wheels however will follow the general inclination
of the skate as the blade of the ice skate does, so rendering the two kinds of skates
more nearly alike in principle of action. These skates will be secured to the feet
or shoes of the user by any of the ordinary means by straps or screws, and the
sole plate or stock may be made of either wood or metal, or both in com-
bination.
I wish to state that I am aware that many designs for roller skates now exist
with various arrangements and modifications of rollers or wheels and their appur-
tenances and position to enable them more or less to perform evolutions, but in all
these the rollers, whether placed in line under the centre of the skate or by pairs
at the sides, are fixed in a parallel position either to the stock, and have-no-lateral
motion or means of altering their position, or by the intervention of loose brackets
or frames, which turn on their centre by a pivot or spigot in a complicated way,
alter their parallelism, but not their vertical position by a rocking motion; but
none have the attachment to the stock made simply by the medium of an elastic
material or steel straps or plates only, and which attachment by its lateral resilience
only enables the rollers to take an oblique position on the ground surface to the
extent desired, which reduces the-roller skate to the utmost lightness and sim-
plicity, and enables the user with the least possible exertion to obtain a higher
speed in a straight course, or to turn and gyrate with the greatest ease and
grace.
.
The distinctive feature in this my Invention is the use of an elastic material or
thin plates of steel as the means of attaching the rollers or wheels to the sole plate
or stock of the skate without the aid or intervention of brackets, frames, studs,
pivots, spigots, or equivalent means, and whereby the rollers or wheels have the
liberty of a lateral action or motion only (except revolving on their own axis), and
so acquiring an oblique position in relation to the centre line of the skate whenever
the skate is made by force or weight applied above to incline or lean over to either
side from its vertical position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Pilbrow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th July
1876.
JAMES PILBROW, of Tunbridge Wells, in the County of Kent. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF WHEEL OR ROLLER SKATES ADAPTED FOR USE UPON
ARTIFICIAL ICE OR OTHER SMOOTH SURFACE OR RINKS."
My Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of Wheel or Roller Skates
adapted for Use upon Artificial-Ice-or-other-Smooth Surface or Rinks." relates to
that description of skate that may be used upon "rinks," artificial ice, or other-
smooth surface, and is designed for the purpose of producing a skate which shall
be simple, easier, cheaper, lighter, and lower in its construction, and better adapted
than the roller skates hitherto used for ease and facility in turning curves, and per-
forming the various gyrations desired by skates; at the same time its action, as well
as the user's practice, shall be as nearly as possible identical with that of the ice skate:

page_text: and skating upon ice; giving the greatest speed and safety with the least com-
parative exertion.
The improvement and novelty in my Invention and construction of the skate
consists in the employment of two principal rollers or wheels being ranged in a linė
under the centre of the footboard or stock of the skate longitudinally, one under
the toe and one under the heel, or a modification thereof where the rollers are
double or divided into two, and separated and placed one on each side of the centre
line and springs. These wheels or rollers (with their pins. or axles) are connected.
with or attached to the stock or footboard by means only of some elastic material
or steel plates or springs, between which steel plates or springs in the first case,
and outside the same in the second case they revolve, which steel plates or springs
will have only a horizontal and lateral action, and will be in line or parallel with
the skate when the skate is in a vertical position. The toe plates or springs will
carry only the foremost roller (or rollers as the case may be), and those of the heel
will carry the hinder roller or rollers. All the rollers will touch the ground surface
when, the skate is in an upright position and will be parallel, but when the skate
(with the user upon it) is inclined to either side the steel plates or springs
receiving a lateral pressure will on account of their flexibility bend, and in doing
so will alter the position of the wheels or rollers, so that in place of their being in
a line or parallel as before they will not only become on one side of the centre
line, but will, according to the amount of inclination and pressure given to the
skate, become more or less oblique to it, thus altering their course from a straight
direction to that of a curve or circle, and so causing the skate to make a curve of
any radius according to the degree of lateral pressure brought to bear on the elastic
connecting plates or springs by the skater inclining his foot, as is done with the
regular ice skate; the wheels or rollers however will follow the general inclination
of the skate, as the blade of the ice skate does, thus rendering the two kinds of
skates more nearly alike in principle of action. The skates will be secured to the.
feet or shoes of the user by any of the ordinary means by straps or screws, and
the footboard or, stock may be made either of wood or metal, or both in com-
bination.
"
That the nature and construction of my Invention may. be fully and more.
thoroughly understood, I will now further explain it in detail with the assistance
of and by reference to the accompanying Drawings drawn to the actual size,
for use.
The points or parts to which the letters of reference apply are marked at all the
corresponding parts of the several Figures when necessary.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a side view of this improved skate: Fig. 2 shows the toe end
view, and Fig. 3 that of the heel end:
a is the stock or footboard; b, b, the rollers or wheels; c, c, the straps for fastening
the skates upon the feet in the usual manner; d, d, the steel straps, plates, or
springs, which embrace and carry the rollers by the axles or spindles e, e; ff, are
the toe and heel pieces of metal formed to fit the ends of the footboard, to which
they are secured by screws,,,, and are intended to hold securely the steel
plates or springs d, d, in their proper position, and which may be done, as shewn,
by clipping their ends within the bend as at h, h, and firmly rivetting them all
together by the rivets i, i. These elastic plates or springs and the holding or end
pieces form the essential feature of this Invention; and, although there are several
shapes and methods of forming and fixing these, yet the one I prefer is shown by
the Figures 1 to 4 and S. The rollers b, b, being turned in the form as shewn
with a centre or boss projecting on each side to clear them properly from rubbing
against the springs when placed between or within their prong-like openings, as
at d, d, Fig. 4. The shape I prefer for these springs is shewn by Fig. 8, and by d, d,
and the dotted lines in Fig. 1, and their best form, as shewn by d, d, Figures 4
and 7. There are hollow places cut in the under side of the stock or footboard, as

page_text: shewn by the lines j, j, j, j, Figures 4 and 5, to allow of the upper part of the
rollers coming as near to the sole of the user's foot as possible, and to prevent their
touching the stock by any extraordinary pressure, and both springs and rollers are
prevented from rubbing or touching at any part of the footboard or stock by
cutting away the wood at the required places at the extreme ends k, l, Figures 1
and 4.
Fig. 5 represents another form of end pieces and springs and method of securing
them instead of as before pressing these pieces, as well as the springs, into the
more pointed form, and so clipping the springs, as shewn by h, 1, Figures 1 and 4,
and rivetting them through the four thicknesses; the end pieces, as well as springs,
are merely bent round in shape, as shewn in Fig. 5, and, rivetted through from
front to back, as át m; but I prefer the former mode, both as regards strength as
well as for their efficient action. These springs (in either case) may be (if thought
desirable for the larger sized skates) made longer, as shewn by the dotted lines n, n,
Fig. 1, or by d, d, Fig. 5, and so formed as to come nearly close to the footboard
beyond the hollow, where a slip of brass o, o, Figures 1 and 5, may be fastened
to take the pressure, and permit of the springs sliding to the right or left, should
occasion require, as a support to the springs under any sudden concussion or pressure
during use.
Figures 9, 10, and 11 represent the other arrangement of the principle of this
skate or Invention, by which a broader base and steadier footing will be attained
for female skaters, learners, and others who may prefer it.. The springs d, d, in'
this case will be formed narrower in their openings than before, having double
rollers or a roller on the outside of each instead of one between their plates, as
shewn at b¹, b¹, Figures 9 and 10. Fig. 9 is an underneath view of the front or
toe end of a skate. ', d', shews the spring plates fixed as before, but with the
arms or plates contracted or brought nearer together, say to a distance between
them of about three-quarters of an inch, the rollers 61, 61, being placed on the axle.
or pin
which runs through all, and having a short piece of tube t placed between
the plates of the springs to keep them firmly in their places, and at the required
distance apart. Fig. 10 represents a front view of this skate, and the position. of
the two rollers 6', 6', and Fig. 11 shews a side view of the toe end of a skate..
It is needless to repeat the heel part, as all the parts are the same as before
described, and the springs and two rollers as here shewn and described for the
toe end.
The letters of reference are the same, and apply to likė parts as in the former,
Figures 1 to 4 inclusive.
As the rollers here, being placed outside, they will in action require more lateral
room for play, and therefore in this modification of the skate the footboard or stock
will be entirely above the roller, and without any hollow (as at j, j, Fig. 4) being
required, and the end or holding plates f, f, will be cut away slightly more to
allow of the lateral action of the springs and rollers. The springs may be fixed a
little more slanting downwards, as at d, d, Fig. 11, the better to obtain the fore-
going requirements.
By reference to Fig. 10. it will be seen that here, although the action and effects.
.are just the same as before, in Figure 3, the base or support is increased laterally by
dividing, as it might be called, the roller into two halves, and placing the spring or
elastic bearing between them.
The end pieces and springs may be made in halves instead of formed out of one
-piece-of-metal,_and_bent_as shewn in Figs. 1 and 4, when they would be in
form, as Fig. 6 for the end pieces, and Fig. 7 for the spring plate, Fig. 8 shewing
the side elevation and form of the spring and the holes for rivetting, and for the
axle pin of the roller. These (a pair of each) would be rivetted together, as before,
forming the complete end piece and spring to fit the footboard or stock, as in the
other case.
The action of these springs or elastic bearings, which carry and attach
the rollers to. the footboard or stock, will be to remain in a central position, and in
line with each other, as shewn in Fig. 4, as on the central line h., I, whenever the

page_text: skate is an upright or vertical position, and the user wishing to go in a straight line;
but when the skate (with the weight of the user upon it) is inclined to either side
by the user leaning his foot and skate on one side, as he does with the ice skate, the
springs, will (through their pliability), especially at their junction at k, k, be forced
from the centre line to the opposite side, and take an oblique position more or less,
according to the amount of pressure or leaning over of the skate and rollers, as
shewn by the dotted lines p, p, p, p, Fig. 4. The rollers therefore now being in an
oblique position, and contrariwise as regards each other, will run forward no longer
in a direct line, but will form a curve or circle greater or less, according to their
obliquity, not only to which the lines (dotted), r, and 8, s, shall be tangential, but
a curve considerably smaller, on account of the leaning position of the rollers
bringing a slightly varying point of their periphery in contact with the rink or
floor. This action may of course be made to either side and to any degree desired,
and returning to the central position upon the lateral pressure being removed,
and the springs regaining their central and the skates their vertical position.
The action of the springs is precisely the same in the modification shewn by
Figures 9, 10, and 11, and the effects produced upon the rollers and their effect upon
the motion of the skate will also be the same. The manufacture of this skate will
not materially differ from that of the various skates in ordinary use, except in the
formning of the holding or end piece of metal, and affixing therein, as described, and
making the spring plates of well-tempered steel regulated in thickness and strength
according to the size of the skate, and the weight it is likely to have to carry.
The thickness of them will vary accordingly from six to eight of the Birmingham
wire gauge, and I prefer the method of securing or holding the springs shewn by
the Figures 1 to 4 in preference to that in Fig. 5.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I would state in conclusion that there are many designs
for roller skates now existing, with various arrangements and modifications of
rollers or wheels and their appurtenances and position, to enable them more or less
to perform evolutions; but in all these the rollers, whether placed in line under
the centre of the skate or by pairs at the sides, are fixed in a parallel position
either to the stock, and have no lateral motion or means of altering their position,
or by the intervention of loose brackets, turning plates, or frames, which turn on
their centre by a pivot or spigot, and in a complicated way alter their parallelism
(and reserving their vertical position) by a rocking motion or tilting of the stock
or footboard only, but none have the attachment to the stock made simply by the
medium of an elastic material or by steel plates or springs only, and which attach-
ment by its lateral resilience only enables the rollers to take an oblique position on
the ground surface to the extent desired, which reduces the roller skate to the
utmost lightness and simplicity, and enables the user with the least possible
exertion to obtain a higher speed in a straight course, or to turn and gyrate with
the greatest ease and grace.
The means employed, as herein-before described, of attaining these results and
action are the essential features of this Invention, and are different in form, principle,
and action of all essential parts from any roller skate hitherto invented.
I would also remark that my Invention when modified in the manner herein-
before described still embodies only the same principle of rollers capable of receiving
the required lateral action by the lateral resilience of the attachments of the same
to the stock or footboard of the skate, whether the mode of attaching or connecting
the rollers to or with the skate be by means of the springs or clastic material alone,
or by any other suitable method of carriage frame or pivots or castors, where the
motion or action sought is analogous to the one described and obtained in my said
Invention.
C
I wish it to be distinctly understood that what I claim is,-
The novel and peculiar use and construction of a skate adapted for use upon
artificial ice or other smooth surface, or on "rinks" formed or constructed with steel.
plates or springs or elastic material as the means only of connecting or attaching

page_text: the rollers (with their axles) to the stock or, footboard of the skate, and which
plates or springs not only carry the weight of the skater, but give by their resilience
the desired lateral action or altered position of the rollers in relation to the stock
or footboard, putting them out of the central or parallel lines to (reversed) oblique
positions without the aid or intervention of brackets, frames, pivots, spigots, or
equivalent means.
I. also claim the modification consisting of double rollers or more than one roller
(as fixed between the plates of the springs) by dividing it into two parts or separate
rollers, placing one on each (outward) side of the spring or plates, whereby a
firmer and wider base of support to the skater is obtained, substantially 'as
described and illustrated by Figures 9, 10, and 11 in the foregoing Specification.
And I further claim any combination of the modifications or improvements
herein-before described.
In witness whereof I, the said James Pilbrow, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, the Fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.