IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Edward Dowler, of No. 60, Maddox Street, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of “ IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES."
*
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Edward Dowler at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1879.
FRANCIS EDWARD DOWLER, of No. 60, Maddox Street, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES."
My Invention relates to a construction of the blades of skates in such a manner
as to facilitate their use, especially for movements in curves.
For this purpose,
instead of making the blade with flat or straight sides, as it is usually made, or
with convex sides, as it has sometimes been made, I make it with concave sides, so
that the blade is thinnest at or about the middle of its length, and widens out both
ways towards the ends, the increase of thickness resulting from a gentle curvature
to which the concavity is formed. The blade has its flat or running face curved in
the ordinary way. By adopting this form of blade, when the skate is canted to
either side for the purpose of moving in a curve, the edge of the blade having a
curvature in the same direction as the curve to be performed by the skater, such
curve is performed more easily than when the blade is straight on its sides, or made
with a convex curvature. The concavity above described may be only on one side
of the blade, the other side being made straight, but it is of advantage to make both
sides concave so as to give facility in performing curves in either direction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Edward Dowler in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
July 1879:"
FRANCIS EDWARD DOWLER, of No. 60, Maddox Street, in the County of Middlesex.
“IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES.".
My-Invention relates to a construction of the blades of skates in such a manner
as to facilitate their use, especially for movements in curves. For this purpose,
instead of making the blade with flat or straight sides, as it is usually made, or
with convex sides, as it has sometimes been made, I make it with concave sides, so
that the blade is thinnest at or about the middle of its length, and widens out both
ways towards the ends, the increase of thickness resulting from a gentle curvature
to which the concavity is formed. The blade has its flat or running face curved in
the ordinary way. By adopting this form of blade when the skate is canted to either
side for the purpose of moving in a curve, the edge of the blade having a curvature
in the same direction as the curve to be performed by the skater, such curve is
performed more easily than when the blade is straight on its sides or made with a
convex curvature. The concavity above described may be only on one side of the
blade, the other side being made straight, but it is of advantage to make both sides
concave so as to give facility in performing curves in either direction.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a side view, and Fig. 2 a plan,
looking from below of the stock and blade of a skate, the blade being constructed
according to my Invention. The stock A, shewn in the Figures to be of wood, may
be of any known material or construction, with fixings of any known kind. The
blade B may have the usual curvature in the vertical plane along its lower edge,
and may be rounded upwards at its ends, as shewn. It is to its formation, as seen
in the plan, Fig. 2, that my Invention applies. According to this formation it is
hollowed at the sides so that it is thinnest at or near the middle of its length, and
swells out in thickness with a gentle curvature towards the ends. Owing to the
vertical curvature at the lower edge of the blade the skate when vertical will rock
or tilt lengthwise, and also if it had straight sides, and still more if it had convex
sides, it would rock or tilt lengthwise when inclined from the vertical; but by
making the sides more or less hollow or concave, according to my Invention, there
will be a diminution of such lengthwise rocking or tilting movement when the skate
is inclined from the vertical, as for running in curves, that is to say, there will in
such attitudes be a greater portion of the length of the blade in actual or approxi-
mate contact with the ice, and this is practically found to give increased stability
as well as facility in traversing curves. The amount of concavity given to either or
both sides of the blade may be varied, but practically I find that a skate works well
when each side is hollowed out to the extent of th to th of an inch, the blade
having the vertical curvature usually adopted in skates used for figure skating.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim,-
-
The construction of a skate blade. hollowed on either or both sides, substantially
as and for the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Edward Dowler, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 18th day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
FRANCIS EDWARD DOWLER. (L.S.)