IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William George White, of New Malden, Surrey, Engineer,
and Francis Hawke Stevenson, of Waterloo Road, Merchant, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
Sealed the 9th June 1876, and dated the 15th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William George White and
Francis Hawke Stevenson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
15th February 1876.
WILLIAM GEORGE WHITE, of New Malden, Surrey, Engineer, and FRANCIS
HAWKE STEVENSON, of Waterlow Road, Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER
SKATES."
The object of our Invention is to obtain greater velocity combined with facility
in turning and an easier motion in skating with roller skates than has hitherto been
practicable. For this purpose we proceed as follows:-We construct a skate having
two, three, or more brackets, each of such brackets being provided with three balls
or graduated rollers or runners, the centre or middle one of such rollers or runners
being of rather larger diameter than the two side ones, so that when running or
skating straight the centre ball, roller, or runner is the one which is worked on. A
suitable spindle or axis passes through the centre of each ball, roller, or runner, and
such axis is attached in any suitable manner to either or both sides of the bracket.
The object in constructing them with three balls or graduated rollers or runners
being to facilitate outer or inner skating as well as to obtain greater facility in
turning quickly. The brackets or carriages are pivotted in the centre so that they
may rock on either side readily. At each side or end of the bracket suitable springs
are placed, so constructed as to assist the skater in maintaining an upright position
at the same time that, if desired, they can be so manipulated as to allow of skating
on either side.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William George White and Francis Hawke Stevenson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 19th July 1876.
WILLIAM GEORGE WHITE, of New Malden, Surrey, Engineer, and FRANCIS
HAWKE STEVENSON, of Waterloo Road, Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER
SKATES."

page_text: Our improvements consist in constructing roller skates with a series of different
sized rollers of a spherical or any other suitable shape not being in the form of a
cone suitable for skating on even surfaces. On the bottom of the clog or foot of the
skate at the toe and heel we screw or otherwise fasten one or more brackets, and in
each of such brackets we suspend three balls by means of a spindle passing through
the centre of each ball so that they can revolve freely. The centre ball is larger
than the two side ones. The object of such variation in size being to facilitate the
obtaining the rocking motion, and also readily turning on the skate when in use.
Such centre ball may be cupped on both its sides, or the two smaller side balls may
be cupped on their inner sides nearest the centre ball, so that by either of such
cupping arrangements the balls work easily into each other, thereby saving space
and width. In the arch or centre of the clog or foot of the skate we place a single
ball. Such ball we make slightly larger than the two centre balls placed at the toe
and heel of the skate. This we also do in order to facilitate the turning motion.
On the top of the bracket to which this ball is suspended we form a lug or pro-
jection of such a shape that it is capable of sliding into a longitudinal slot cut in
the centre of the foot or clog of the skate, and also of being moved into any position
'suited to the convenience of the skater, in which position it is fixed by means of a
screw on the top of the clog or foot of the skate.
Another object for our using graduated balls of different sizes, as before described,
is to enable the skater to perform similar evolutions with our improved roller skates
to those performed with the ice skate. We do not however bind ourselves to con-
structing our improved roller skates in the particular form already described, as the
same may be constructed in other forms without departing from the principle of our
Invention, as for instance, by placing one ball at the toe and heel and three
graduated balls in the centre or arch of the foot of the skate, which work in a
longitudinal slot formed therein, as before described. Or they may be constructed
with one ball at the toe and heel, such balls being of similar dimensions, and one
ball slightly larger in the centre or arch of the foot of the skate.
The balls can be made of wood or any other suitable material. We sometimes
prefer to cast them hollow in metal and fill them with tallow and black lead or any
other suitable lubricant. The skates are attached to the foot by means of straps in
the ordinary manner.
And in order that our said Invention may be better understood and more readily
carried into effect we will now proceed to describe the accompanying Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the bottom of the skate showing our improved
arrangement of three graduated balls at the toe and heel with one ball in the centre
or arch of the foot. A, A, are the two small balls cupped into the larger ball B, as
already described, the two dotted lines E indicating the spindle passing through
the centre of such balls and fasteued into the bracket D. Cis the centre or large
ball placed in the centre of the foot or stock of the skate and fixed in the slot S by
means of an adjustable screw, as before described.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the bottom of one of our improved skates constructed
with three single balls. J, J, are the two smaller balls placed at the toe and heel of
the skate, and E is the larger ball placed in the longitudinal slot formed in the
centre of the stock or foot of the skate.
Figure 3 shews an elevation of the skate as it appears when strapped to the
.boot.
Figure shews a plan view of our improved skate constructed with a single
large ball at the toe and heel and three graduated balls in the centre or arch of the
stock or foot of the skate. Such three graduated balls are fixed in the longitudinal
slot O by means of an adjustable screw, as before described. G, G, are the two balls
placed at the toe and heel of the skate, and which are made slightly smaller than

page_text: the centre cupped ball B. A, A, are the two side balls, which are made smaller for
the purpose of being cupped into the centre ball B, as before described.
Figure 5 shows a view of the bracket D with the three graduated balls A, B, A,
suspended on the spindle E, as shewn in Figure 1; and Figure 6 shews another
view of the bracket and graduated balls with the larger ball B cupped into the
Sinaller balls A, A.
Figure 7 shews another view of the bracket with the large ball B cupped on both
sides to receive the smaller balls A, A, which are cupped on their outer sides in
order to receive the bracket D which is turned into the cups formed on the outer
sides of the smaller balls A, A, in order to prevent such bracket D from coming in
contact with the rink floor or other surface whereon the skate is being used.
Figure 8 shows an independent view of a single ball and bracket.
Figure 9 is an independent view of one of the smaller balls cupped on one side
only; and Figure 10 shews the centre ball cupped on both sides.
Figure 11 shews the centre bracket K with the lug K¹ formed thereon and
adjustable screw F.
Figure 12 shews the bracket and spindle with two metal cups, so arranged that
the centre or larger ball which is cupped on both sides is placed in the centre
between the two metal cups, the convex surfaces of which fit into the recesses
formed in its sides, whilst the two smaller balls are placed at either end outside
each of such metal cups and fit into the concave portions thereof. By this means
the advantage of wood working against metal and thereby causing a greater degree
of lubrication that when wood works against wood is obtained, at the same time
that it economises space, and there are no projections thereon which can in any
way catch in the skating surface.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood
that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details of construction herein-before
described and illustrated, as the same may be capable of modification without
departing from the principle of our Invention; what we claim and desire to secure
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The employment and use of graduated, spherical, or other suitable rollers
not being of a cone-like form, either singly or in groups, in the manner and for the
purposes herein-before set forth and described.
2nd. The cupping of such graduated, spherical, or any other suitable rollers one
in the other in the manner and for the purposes herein-before set forth and
described.
3rd. The formation of the longitudinal slot in the centre of the stock or foot of
the skate, as herein-before described.
4th. The arrangement of the adjustable screw and lug whereby the centre roller
or rollers are fixed in any convenient position in such longitudinal slot, as herein-
before described.
5th. The arrangement of the curved bracket ends cupped into the concave
surfaces of the outer rollers, as herein-before described.
6th. The arrangement of the cupped bracket as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William George White, on behalf of myself
and the said Francis Hawke Stevenson, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eicht hundred and seventy-six.
W. G. WHITE. (L.S.)