IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Anyon, of the City of Manchester, Yarn Agent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Anyon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th April 1876.
WILLIAM ANYON, of the City of Manchester, Yarn Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROLLER SKATES."
The object of my improvements is to give facility of movement to the skater
with increased efficiency combined with simplicity of construction.
I form my improved skate with two rollers of any suitable diameter and breadth,
one placed underneath the fore part of the platform, for the foot and the other
underneath the after part thereof.
These rollers may be composed of any suitable substance (by preference of hard
wood), and may be bushed or not, as may be found desirable, and they are so
constructed as to be free to turn upon spindles or rods extending from one side of
the skate to the other. These spindles or rods pass at each end through slots in a
frame fitted to the body of the skate, and are held up to one end of such slots by
means of a strong elastic band, or other suitable form of spring. By this means the
direction of the rollers is capable of being changed to either side, and in such a
manner that the point or fulcrum around which the axles are turned will always
be at the side of the foot and not in the centre thereof, as is the case with skates
formed with a central swivel or rocking motion.
In operation when any change in the direction of the roller takes place one end
of the spindle or rod is moved forwards (or backwards, as the case may be), and the
other end of such spindle or rod remains stationary, as the pressure being necessarily
on that side in the opposite direction it is forced against the end of the slot, so that
on which ever side of the skate the spindle or rod carrying the roller is moved the
other side forms a centre or fulcrum about which the roller turns; by which means
greater facility and ease of movement on the part of the operator is attainable, and
a strong and simple form of construction is arrived at. The slots in which the
spindles or rods move backwards or forwards may be either cut horizontally, curved,
or at an angle with the horizon; but I cut the same by preference at an angle,
which is varied according to the size of the skate desired.
[Price fidı

page_text: In place of the spindles or rods sliding in the slots before mentioned they may
be attached to sliding bars or to levers, or other analogous means, whereby the
spindles or axes may be turned as regards direction on a centre or fulcrum formed
by either end of such spindles or axes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Anyon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th October
1870.
WILLIAM ANYON, of the City of Manchester, Yarn Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROLLER SKATES."
The object of my improvements is to give facility of movement to the skater
with increased efficiency combined with simplicity of construction.
I form my improved skate with two single or double rollers of any suitable
diameter and breadth, one placed underneath the fore part of the platform for the
foot and the other underneath the after part thereof.
These rollers may be composed of any suitable substance, by preference of hard
wood, and may be bushed or not, as may be found desirable, and they are so con-
structed as to be free to turn upon spindles or rods extending from one side of the
skate to the other. These spindles or rods pass at each end or at points between
the centre and eacli end through slots in a frame fitted to the body of the skate,
and are held up to one end of such slots by means of a strong elastic band, or other
suitable form of spring. By this means the direction of the rollers is capable of
being changed to either side, and in such a manner that the point or fulcrum around
which the axes are turned will always be at the side of the foot and not in the
centre thereof, as is the case with skates formed with a central swivel or rocking
motion.
In operation when any change in the direction of the roller takes place one end
of the spindle or rod is moved forwards or backwards, as the case may be, and the
other end, or the point between the centre and other end of such spindle or rod
remains stationary, as the pressure being necessarily on that side in the opposite
direction it is forced against the end of the slot, so that on which ever side of the
skate the spindle or rod carrying the roller is moved the other side forms a centre
or fulcrum about which the roller turns; by which means greater facility and ease
of movement on the part of the operator is attainable, and a strong and simple form
of construction is arrived at. The slots in which the spindles or rods move back-
wards or forwards may be either cut horizontally, curved, or at an angle with the
horizon; but I cut the same by preference at an angle, which is varied according
to the size of the skate desired.
In place of the spindles or rods sliding in the slots before mentioned they may be
attaclied to sliding bars or to levers, or other analogous means, whereby the spindles
or axes may be turned as regards direction on a centre or fulcrum formed by either
end, or some point between the centre and either end of such spindles or axes.
But that the improvements may be better understood I will by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings proceed more fully to describe means employed by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a plan view of under side of a skate, and Figure 2 a side view of
the same constructed with single rollers; and Figure 3 shews a plan view of under
side of a skate, and Figure 4 a side view of the same constructed with double
rollers.
a, a, shews the platform for the foot; b, b, is
c, c, the spindles on which they turn; d, d, are
slots d', d', through which the spindles c, c, pass.
the roller (single or double), and
the frames constructed with the
These spindles are held up to one

page_text: end of the slots by means of the elastic bands or springs e, e, or e¹, e¹. To enable a
change of direction to take place the spindles carrying the roller or rollers make
a partial turn around a fulcrum at the joints f, f, or fi, f¹, and around the corre-
sponding points on the other side of the skate, when an opposite change of direction
is effected.
Having now described my improvements and means adopted by me in carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details shewn and described, as variations may be made without departing
from the peculiar character of my Invention, but what I do claim is the so
arranging of single or double rollers that the spindles carrying the same are capable
of receiving a lateral motion in either direction around points or fulcrums at each
end, or at points between the centre and each end, such spindles passing through
a slot or slots and held up to one end thereof by means of clastic or other form of
springs.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Anyon, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
WILLIAM GADD,
Consulting Engineer,
6+, Barton Arcade,
Manchester,
Agent to the Patentee.
WILLIAM ANYON. (L.S.)