IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEEL OR ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sidney Orville Brown, of San Francisco, California,
United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEEL OR ROLLER SKATES."
Sealed the 12th April 1876, and dated the 5th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sidney Orville Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th February 1876.
SIDNEY ORVILLE BROWN, of San Francisco, California, United States of America,
now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEEL OR
ROLLER SKATES."
This Invention relates to skates designed for use upon floors of wood, asphalt,
or similar smooth surfaces, and consists in a peculiar construction and combination
of parts, comprising two wheels placed in line under the centre of the foot plate of
the skate in such position as to nearly equally sustain the weight of the skater.
The ends of the roller axles are rigidly attached by means of pins or screws to
bearings or brackets fixed on the under side of the foot plate, and maintain at all
times a fixed position parallel to each other.
In the middle of each axle, and forming a part thereof, is a spherical protuberance
which in conjunction with a tubular metallic sleeve composed of two parts united
in the centre, and having its inner surface spherically hollowed out, forms a
"ball
and socket" joint of a modified form. This sleeve also has its inner surface coned
or made taper from the ends inward to permit the axle to have an oscillatory move-
ment on its axis. The wheel or roller is fitted to turn freely on the aforesaid tubular
sleeve, being held in proper position by projecting flanges on the periphery of the
said sleeve which is kept from revolving by the interposition of two small pins
placed opposite to each other on the periphery of the male portion of the ball joint,
the other part being recessed to allow a slight lateral movement of the axle.
tached to the outer ends of the sleeve are arms projecting downward and forward on
the rear wheels, and downward and backward on the front wheels at an angle prefer-
ably of forty-five degrees or nearly so, and having fastened thereto by a movable
joint an obliquely arranged arm or bar, the upper end of this arin or bar being
connected with the axle by a hub or by being countersunk therein in such manner
as to allow it to move freely upward or downward in a diagonal line. Upon unequal
pressure being brought to bear upon the ends of the axles by the rocking or turning
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At-

page_text: laterally of the foot plate, as in skating upon ice, they are inclined in a vertical
plane, while the wheels remaining upright describe radii of circles varying according
to the pressure exerted upon the said oblique arms or bars. A spring or buffer is
placed at one or both ends of the sleeves to cause the wheels to revert to their
original position when relieved from pressure.
I provide wheel or roller skates with convenient means for lubricating the wheels
or rollers and their axles by forming in one side of the wheel a hole communicating
with a central cavity or recess in the wheel, and open to the axle. The said hole
in the side of the wheel is closed by a small spring plug or stopper, which is readily
turned on one side to permit the introduction of the oil, and when closed prevents
its escape from the wheel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sidney Orville Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
August 1876.
SIDNEY ORVILLE BROWN, of San Francisco, California, United States of America,
now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEEL OR
ROLLER SKATES."
This Invention relates to skates designed for use upon floors of wood, or asphalt,
or similar smooth floors or surfaces, and consists in the peculiar devices and com-
binations of parts herein-after described.
The said skates have two wheels placed in line with each other under the foot
plate or stock in such positions as to sustain equally or nearly so the weight of the
skater. And the said Invention comprises peculiar means whereby the tilting or
rocking laterally of the said foot plate or stock is caused to effect the turning
or guiding of the skate to either side without any convergence of the axles.
It also comprises other improvements herein after specified, and shewn in the
accompanying Drawing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is an elevation shewing one side of a skate constructed according to my
Invention Figure 2 is an elevation of the other side of the same.
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the said skate.
Figure 4 is a section on the line x, x, Figure 1, shewing the construction of the
wheels or rollers and their axles; Figure 4 is a section on the line y, y, Figure 3;
Figure 5 shews a detached portion of the same.
Figure 6 is an elevation of a portion of a skate illustrating a modification of my
said Invention.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the foot plate or stock; a, a, are the wheels or rollers; b, b, are the axles;
c, c, are the brackets for supporting the same. The brackets c are firmly and solidly
secured to the under side of the stock A, and the ends of the said axles are fitted
in recesses c¹ in these brackets, and rigidly or immovably secured therein by screws
c², or rivets, or are otherwise rigidly attached to the said brackets. And the said
axles are placed and kept at all times parallel with each other.
In the middle of each axle, and forming a part of the same, as shewn in Figure
4, is a spherical protuberance b', which is pivoted to the metal sleeve d by the pin e,
and forms a peculiar joint which permits the said sleeve a free angular or rocking
movement or vibration on the axle. This sleeve being pivoted to the said axle
does not rotate upon the same, and has no movement except this vibration upon its
pivot. The wheel is usually made of wood, and is lined with a tube a¹ of steel
or other metal, which fits the outside of the sleeve d, and turns freely thereon.
The wheel is kept in place on the sleeve by means of the head and washer d

page_text: By referring to Figure 4 it will be seen that this pivot pin is placed at an angle
of about forty-five degrees to the vertical and horizontal centre lines of the wheels.
The object of this arrangement is the turning or converging of the wheels into an
angular position upon their axles by the tilting, or rocking, or depression of the
foot plate or stock to either side. And for the purpose of guiding the sleeve while
it is moving in this oblique or inclined direction upon the axle I form in the washer
dan elongated aperture or slot d³, arranged in a correspondingly inclined position.
This washer is secured upon the end of the sleeve d by small screws, as shewn in
Figure 1, or bother suitable means.
It is desirable to provide the wheels or rollers a with means for insuring their
return to a central position when the skate is level, or not tilted or depressed on
either side. For this purpose I prefer to use an india-rubber washer or collar f
placed upon the axle b, between two metal discs f¹, one of which bears against the
bracket c, and the other against the head of the sleeve d, as clearly shewn in
Figures 3 and 4.
I sometimes vary the construction of my skate as follows, that is to say, I
make the said sleeve and protuberance, and fit them together somewhat like a ball-
and-socket" joint. This sleeve has its inner surface coned or made taper from the
ends inward to permit the axle to have an oscillatory movement on its axis. The
wheel or roller is fitted to turn freely on the aforesaid tubular sleeve, being held in
proper position by projecting flanges on the periphery of the said sleeve which is
kept from revolving by the interposition of two small pins placed opposite to each
other on the periphery of the male portion of the ball joint, the other part being
recessed to allow a slight lateral movement of the axle.
In Figure 6 I have shown a modification of the above-described means for pro-
ducing the convergence of the wheels by the tilting or depression of the stock.
Attached to the outer ends of the sleeve are arms g projecting downward and for-
ward on the rear wheels, downward and backward on the front wheels, at an angle
preferably of forty-five degrees or nearly so, and having fastened thereto by a movable
joint an obliquely arranged arm or bar, the upper end of this arm or bar being con-
nected with the axle by a hub or by being counter-sunk therein in such manner as
to allow it to move freely upward or downward in a diagonal line. Upon unequal
pressure being brought to bear upon the ends of the axles by the rocking or turning
laterally of the foot plate, as in skating upon ice, they are inclined in a vertical
plane, while the wheels remaining upright describe radii of circles varying according
to the pressure exerted upon the said oblique arms or bars. A spring or buffer is
placed at one or both ends of the sleeves to cause the wheels to revert to their
original position when relieved from pressure.
may form in one side of the wheel or roller a hole communicating with a
central cavity or recess in the wheel, and open to the axle. The said hole in the
side of the roller is closed by a small spring plug or stopper which is readily turned
on one side to permit the introduction of the oil, and when closed prevents its
escape from the wheel.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The devices, comprising a fixed, rigid, or immovable axle, a sleeve so
pivoted thereon that it will vibrate or move on its pivot in an oblique or inclined
direction, and a wheel or roller fitted to rotate upon the said sleeve, so connected
and operating in combination with the foot plate or stock of the skate that the
lateral tilting or depression of the same will cause the convergence or inclination
of the wheel upon its axle, for the purpose specified.
Second. The peculiar construction of the axle and sleeve, and the combination
therewith of the india-rubber or other suitable washer or cushion, and the slotted
collar, as above set forth, and for the purpose specified.
Third. The modification of my Invention illustrated in Figure 6 of the Drawing,
and as above set forth, and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The combination with the foot plate or stock of a skate, of the devices

page_text: comprising the two axles connected rigidly or immovably to the said foot plate or
stock, and arranged and kept parallel with each other, the two wheels or rollers,
and the parts for supporting them, and causing their convergence or horizontal
turning upon the said axles by the depression or tilting of the said foot plate or
stock, as above set forth.
Dated this Twenty-first day of February, One thousand eight hundred and