A NEW CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE SKATING RINK, PARTS OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO PERMANENT RINKS NOW EXISTING OR MAY BE CONSTRUCTED
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Frederick Wood at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th June 1876.
CHARLES FREDERICK WOOD, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Machinist "A NEW CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE SKATING RINK, PARTS OF
WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO PERMANENT RINKS NOW EXISTING OR MAY BE
CONSTRUCTED."
The object of my Invention may be said to be threefold,-
First. To set up a portable rink for use in public or private gardens or other-
wise.
Secondly. To provide a revolving or undulating rink for scientific skating for
public exhibitions.
And, lastly. To afford guidance and safe protection to learners, as well as
amusing recreation.
The realization of my Invention may be variously effected, but I will describe
my portable rink as being constructed similar to an extended turn-table, round or
any other suitable shape, the surface being covered with artificial ice, asphalt, or
other suitable compound for the skating floor, resting on a central bearing, and
with concentric wheels so applied beneath as to permit of the rinks being made to
revolve on the central support, either by the act of skating or by suitable gearing
arranged for manual or othe convenient power. This rink may be made in
segments to be set up or removed at pleasure, but when the surface of the rink is
required to undulate as well as to revolve an eccentric groove is formed for the
concentric supporting wheels to run over, or other equivalent means provided;
thus, the highly skilled professor of skating may effect his evolutions either on the
fixed; revolving, or undulating rink, singly or in consort. In the centre of the rink
thus portably constructed a circular or other hole may be formed for receiving a
central perpendicular pole, from which lateral arms may radiate for supporting
juvenile or unskilled skaters, in which case the central pole may revolve in a suitable
socket, or be made permanent, and the rink made to revolve, or a collar with lateral
sockets may be placed over the pole for receiving the radail arms, or instead of arms
the central pole may be somewhat elevated, terminating with a collar and central
pin, on which a circular plate or swivel is placed with projecting arms, from the
ends of which pendant cords are attached, which are seized and held by the juvenile
or unskilled skater, who being thus sustained may skate in various devices around

page_text: the rink, and this same result may be obtained by placing the rink immediately
beneath some overhead support, to which a swivel and pendant cords may be
arranged, by which means the central pole is dispensed with."
In applying this latter portion of my Invention to existing skating rinks I
purpose at some suitable corner or part of the same erecting a pole, as herein-before
described in connection with portable rinks, the said pole being fitted with a collar
and radial arms or bars for supporting the skaters, or to the apex of the pole
revolving arms may be placed (also as herein-before described) for receiving the
pendant cords; but by way of assisting the juvenile and unpractised skaters the
supporting arms or bars radiating from an annular collar around the pole, I may
extend the said annular collar up or down, and wind around its outer surface or
barrel a cord or cords, which may be held in the hand of the rink master or his
deputy, by whom one of the cords may be slightly pulled for giving a gentle
revolving motion to the arms, thus carrying or leading on his pupil skaters, whilst
the other cord is being wound around the collar or barrel, by which a reversed
revolving motion may be given to the arms and to the course of the pupil skater.