IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Samuel Eyland, of Bristol, in the City of Bristol,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
Sealed 100th Dal 1077
1
An
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Edward Samuel Eyland at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd August 1876.
EDWARD SAMUEL EYLAND, of Bristol, in the City of Bristol.
IN ROLLER SKATES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention consists in constructing roller skates in the following manner, and
upon the following principles :-
First. The rolling, side, or swinging action.
Second. The "tiller" steering action.
Third. Suspending the sole of the skate so as to obtain a low centre of gravity.
As regards the first part of this Invention the improvement consists in adapting
to the edges of the rollers of skates, bands, or tires of india-rubber to enable the
rollers as the india-rubber is compressed by the side movement of the sole of the
skate to assume a conical form to enable the skate to move in curved direction, and
to resume its original cylindrical shape on the side pressure being removed. In this
from of roller skate it is proposed to employ two broad rollers, one near the front of
the sole and the other near the heel.
As regards the second part of this Invention, the improvement consists in
employing the well known principle of a furniture castor, but in this instance
instead of the axis of the castor revolving in round holes in the forked part which
supports the castor 1 form long holes or slots therein, which enables the axis and
roller to converge so as to go round curves.
The third part of this Invention consists in placing the sole of the skate below
the centre of the axles of the rollers, of which said rollers I propose to employ four,
as usually practised, and upon that part of each axlo which is between the said
rollers and about midway thereof I place a piece of metal formed with an upright.
arm, to which I connect and pivot one end of a bent axle; the other end of the said.
axle is fixed to the sole of the skate in any convenient manner, and in like manner
proceed to connect the opposite pair of rollers to the sole of the skate. I also fix
studs in the aforesaid pieces on the axles in a line with the sole of the skate, so that
Device C71
.

page_text: the canting of the said sole shall alter the position of the rollers to enable them to
move in a curved direction.
Another improved arrangement consists in constructing roller skates upon the
tiller or castor principle before mentioned, so as to connect the front and back rollers
together by an india-rubber ring or other spring taking over the hooked ends of
the tiller rods connected to the axles of the rollers, the use of the aforesaid india-
rubber ring being to return the rollers to their original position after the side
pressure has been removed from the sole of the skate.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate fully how the Invention is carried into
effect.
Figures 1 and 2 show the motion of foot stock, which is a swinging side-to-side
movement, like an inverted pendulum.
Figure 3 shows a skate, which is a combination of the compressible cylinder and
castor arrangement; while Figure 3a is an end viow of the same shewn partially in
section.
Figure 4 shows a skate suspended like an ordinary pendulum.
Figures 5 and 6 show a low gravity constructed according to my Invention.
In suspending the sole of the skate entirely or partially below the axles to obtain
a low centre of gravity it is obvious that the wheels cannot possibly be underneath
the sole, but in all cases must be placed outside same, either before the toe and
behind the heel, as Figure 4, or at the sides of the sole, as Figure 5, and this
arrangement specially admits of the wheels being materially increased in size in
order to obtain speed, and to enable a person to travel over rough and uneven
surfaces, such as paths and the like, but I do not confine myself to any definite size
or number of wheels, and to obtain a smooth motion I propose to use steel or rubber
springs to the foot stock, if necessary. I also attach to one or more of the wheels
a ratchet, spur, and pawl to prevent the skate running back in ascending inclines,
and in order to descend the same I use a spring steel trailing friction brake to be
pressed on the ground by the toe being thrown up, causing the roller to grind
along the ground, thus checking the speed. At the end of the brake I place a roller
running transversely to enable the skater to turn about freely on his heels, and so
guide the skate, and also prevent back falls.
At Figure 1A is the foot stock, to which the upright bearer B is firmly screwed,
this being pivoted or suspended at the point C through a hole in the piece D
bevilled to give or allow play to the same, this latter having at top a forked
horizontal arm E; this, which the upright bearer B passes, and which upon lateral
pressure being applied causes the arm E to move to the left or right, and so cause
the cramping of the axles, the hooked arms F fixed to the piece D being connected
by a strong india-rubber ring a, which by its longitudinal action brings the bearings
and axles into their original position upon pressure being removed.
In Figure 3 the foot stock A. is firmly screwed to the bearing piece B carrying
on an axle the cylindrical roller C composed of a wood core E and india-rubber
rings F. The castor G is fixed to the foot stock by a plate and pivot H; the
roller I is carried by an axle shifting from front to rear of the pivot H in the
slot J.
In Figure 4 A is the foot stock, to which the hanging rod B is firmly screwed,
this being pivoted or suspended at the point C through a hole in the piece D
bevilled to give play to the same, this latter having at bottom a horizontal arm E,
through which the hanging rod B passes, and which upon lateral pressure being
applied causes the arm E to move to the left or right to cause the deviation of the
axles.
In Figures 5 and 6 the foot stock A is suspended below the axle B, the axle C
being passed through the centre of foot stock. The front wheel (or wheels) has a
ratchet and pawl fixed to same, and shewn at D and E. F is a piece of steel
screwed to the foot stock, and having at the end a conical roller G running
transversely.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the general construction and arrange-
ment of roller skates, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Samuel Eyland, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
EDWARD SAMUEL EYLAND. (L.S.)