IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1875

page_text: 'CON-
LETTERS PATENT to George Keel, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Hatter, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
STRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES."
Sealed the 11th January 1876, and dated the 13th November 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Keel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition; on the
13th November 1875.
I, GEORGE KEEL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Hatter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements upon the Invention for which
Letters Patent were granted to me (the said George Keel) and John
Cheshire, bearing date the 16th of July 1875, No. 2549, and has for its
object the affording facility for adjusting when required the axles of the
rollers of roller skates to the positions of radii of a circle without.
necessitating the lateral canting, tilting, or inclining of the stock or foot
plate of the skate hitherto required for that purpose,
.

page_text: To the under side of
carry the axles of the
horizontal plane upon
It has been found in practice that certain constructions of skates having
moveable or adjustable stocks made to tilt or cant sideways for the
purpose of controlling the radial positions of the axles of the rollers are
highly objectionable, as owing to the absence of any fixed base or dead
point of rest for the foot of the wearer the stock is liable to be rocked,
canted, or tilted by the involuntary action of the skater, the result being
that the positions of the roller axles are constantly changing, and the
skates by thus becoming unmanageable frequently cause serious injury
to the skater. Now according to my present Invention I obviate these
objections by dispensing entirely with the lateral canting, rocking, or
tilting of the stock, and employing a fixed stock, which always retains
its horizontal position transversely. This stock I prefer to make by
stamping or otherwise raising it out of sheet metal, and along the
longitudinal centre line thereof I form on the upper surface a narrow
ridge having downward sloping sides and a flat top, which ridge forms a
firm and stable support for the foot of the wearer.
this stock there are attached two bearings which
rollers, such bearings being made to swivel in a
vertical centre pins secured either directly to the stock itself, or
indirectly thereto, by the interposition of springs. Each of the said
bearings is formed with two lateral arms or other surfaces, which are
acted upon by inclines or their equivalents attached by hinges or other-
wise to independent moveable controlling plates hinged or jointed to the
under side of the rigid stock at the heel and near the toe thereof, and
having the securing or holding straps or leathers attached thereto.
These plates are caused to project laterally on opposite sides of the
before-mentioned central ridge of the stock, and I so dispose them that
they shall not be brought into action excepting at the will of the skater
when guiding himself. By a slight lateral inclination of the foot on the
ridge of the stock, either outwards or inwards, these controlling plates
will be depressed more or less on the outer or inner side, as the case
may be, and by forcing the before-mentioned inclines or their equiva-
lents against one or other of the lateral arms or counter inclines on the
bearings of the roller axles will cause the said bearings to swivel on their
vertical pivots, and the axles to assume the positions of radii of a circle..
So long as the said controlling plates are not acted upon by the foot of
the skater the axles will remain in their normal positions or at right
angles to the centre line of the stock..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Keel in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th May 1876.

page_text: for its object the amoring facility 101 adjusting with requnt
of the rollers of roller skates to the positions of radii of a circle without
necessitating the lateral canting, tilting, or inclining of the stock or foot-
stand of the skate hitherto required for that purpose in nearly all the
skates with converging axles.
It has been found in practice that certain constructions of skates
having moveable or adjustable stocks made to tilt or cant sideways for
the purpose of controlling the radial positions of the axles of the rollers
are highly objectionable, as owing to the absence of any fixed base or
dead point of rest for the foot of the wearer the stock is liable to be
rocked, canted, or tilted by the involuntary action of the skater, the
result being that the positions of the roller axles are constantly changing,
and the skates by thus becoming unmanageable frequently cause serious
injury to the skater. Now according to my present Invention I obviate
these objections by dispensing entirely with the lateral canting, rocking,
or tilting of the stock, and employing a fixed stock, which always retains.
its horizontal position transversely. The stock of the skate I make
of any suitable material, whether of wood or metal, and along the
longitudinal centre line thereof I form on the upper surface a narrow
ridge having downward sloping sides and a flat top, which ridge forms a
firm and stable support for the foot of the wearer, or I form the top of
the stock or footstand of the skate of a rounded or convex surface
transversely. To the under side of this stock there are attached two
bearings, which carry the axles of the rollers, such bearings being made
to swivel in a horizontal plane upon vertical centre pins secured either
directly to the stock itself or indirectly thereto by the interposition of
springs. The front bearing or the bearing nearest the toe of the skate.is
formed with projections or pieces which are acted upon by fingers or
push pieces attached to independent moveable controlling plates hinged
or jointed to the upper or under side of the rigid stock, and having the
securing or holding straps or leathers attached thereto. These plates
are caused to project laterally on opposite sides of the before-mentioned
central ridge of the stock or the rounded or convex surface thereof, and
I so dispose them that they shall not be brought into action excepting
at the will of the skater when guiding himself. The front and rear
bearings are connected by diagonal or crossed bars. By a slight lateral
inclination of the front part of the foot on the ridge of the stock, either
outwards or inwards, one or other of these controlling or guiding plates

page_text: will be depressed more or less on the outer or inner side, as the case may
be, and by forcing one or other of the before-mentioned fingers or push
pieces against one or other of the projections or pieces on the bearing of
the front or toc roller axles will cause the said bearing to swivel on its
vertical pivot, and by the action of the diagonal or crossed bars both
axles are caused to assume the positions of radii of a circle. So long as
the said controlling plates are not acted upon by the foot of the skater.
the axles will remain in their normal positions or at right angles to the
centre line of the stock.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, and in order
that the same may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect,
I shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a plan of the top of my improved
skate; Figure 2 is a side clevation of the same, with the near wheels
removed; Figure 3 is a plan of the under side of the skate; Figure 4 is
a transverse section taken along the line 1-2 in Figure 1; and Figure 5
is an elevation of the rear end and axle corresponding to Figure 2.
A is the stock, which is fixed so as always to preserve its horizontal
position. The upper surface of this stock is made with a raised longi-
tudinal central ridge, or is rounded or made convex in transverse section,
as is now well understood, in order to afford a firm bearing or support
to the foot, whilst at the same time allowing the front part of the foot
to press on one or other of the controlling or guiding plates, but
without imparting any corresponding motion to the stock or footstand
itself.
The wheels or rollers a, a, turn freely on the end journals of the axle
bearings b, b', such axles being each provided with a central vertical
pin or stud, which is secured at right angles to the under side of the
stock in a bracket c'fixed to the under side of the said stock, the said
pin or stud being free to swivel or turn within the bracket..
In order to enable the skater to adjust the axles of the wheels or
rollers a, a, to radii of a curve at pleasure there are hinged on each side
of the centre line of the stock at d, d, the before-mentioned two con-
trolling or guiding plates e, e, the upper surfaces of such plates being

page_text: slightly lower than the highest or central raised portion of the stock, as
is clearly shown in Figure 4, so that although the foot takes a firm and
solid bearing upon the surface of the stock the said plates e, e, are
nevertheless free to be depressed more or less on one side or the other,
as required by the lateral depression of one side or the other of the foot
of the skater. From the outer end of each of the said controlling or
guiding plates e, e, there projects in a downward direction a finger or
push piece f, or its equivalent, which finger is curved inwards, and by
pressing against one or other of the projections or pieces g, g, on the
front bearing, made forked or otherwise shaped, pushes or deflects onc
or other of the said projections or pieces 9, 9, to one side or the other,
and thereby causes the said bearing 6 to lock or turn more or less on its
fulcrum or swivel pin like the fore carriage of an ordinary vehicle. I
connect the front bearing 6 to the rear bearing 6' by means of diagonal
or crossed connecting bars h, h, as shown more clearly in Figure 3 of
my Drawings, so that any swivelling motion. imparted to the front
bearing will be at once transmitted by the said bars h, h, to the rear
bearing b¹, thereby bringing both the bearings simultaneously into a
radial position to the curve to be described.
Although I prefer to hinge the controlling or guiding plates to the
upper surface of the fixed stock, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the
said plates may if desired be hinged to the under side of the stock, as
shown in Figure 6, which also represents in section the upper surface of
the stock formed with a narrow ridge, having downward sloping sides
and a flat top.
The bearings are restored to and maintained in their normal positions,
having the axles and wheels at right angles to the centre line of the
stock, by the action of a blade spring or springs i secured to the under
side of the stock, and pressing against each end of either or both the
bearings.
The skate may be secured to the foot by the usual front and ankle
straps, as hitherto, the front straps being attached to the outer ends of
the controlling or guiding plates e, or to the fingers or push pieces f, by
the screws or pins k, k, as shown in my Drawings.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I lay no claim

page_text: separately to the use of a fixed stock having a longitudinal ridge formed
thereon for the foot of the skater to rock upon, neither do I claim
separately the application to such stocks of levers or foot plates acted
upon by the foot of the skater for controlling the axles, but what I
consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The roller skate herein-before described and illustrated by the
Drawings, being the combination of fixed stock A, hinged controlling or
guiding plates e, e, fingers ƒ, f, projections or pieces g, g, to front bearing
diagonal or crossed connecting bars h, h, arranged and caused to operate
together, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Second. The application and use to and in the roller skates of the
diagonal or crossed connecting bars h, h, substantially in the manner
and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated by my
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Keel, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
GEORGE KEEL. (L.S.)
Witness,
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
14, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
W.C.