IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER OR RINK SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Cole, the elder, and James Cole, the younger, both
of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ROLLER OR RINK SKATES."
Sealed the 28th October 1876, and dated the 6th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Cole, the elder, and
James Colo, the younger, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
6th May 1870.
JAMES COLE, the elder, and JAMES COLE, the younger, both of Coventry, in the
County of Warwick. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER OR RINK SKATES."
According to our Invention we employ a fixed roller or wheel bracket and a
swivelling roller or wheel bracket, all as herein-after described.
The front bracket may be made and fastened to the sole of the skate in any
ordinary or well-known manner so as to carry by preference two wheels or rollers of
the ordinary or other description, or as hereafter described. The hind bracket which
carries one or two wheels or rollers swivels on a fulcrum somewhat in front of the
wheel or roller axis, for a full-sized skate we have found a distance of about 11%, to
2 inches suitable, but we do not restrict ourselves to these dimensions. In front
of the said swivelling fulcrum the said hind bracket, or parts connected or attached
thereto, is fitted with a stud which works against a spring on each side, or with two
studs and one spring acting between the two studs; the side play of studs and
springs is limited by adjustable or other stops. Or instead of mounting the stud or
studs on the bracket and the springs or spring on the sole plate of the skate the
arrangement may be reversed. The consequence of this construction is that the
skater by pointing the foot in the direction he wishes to run causes the hind bracket
to be deflected in the opposite direction.
The front bracket may be made swivelling as described, and the hind bracket a
fixture.
The wheels or rollers may be made of two side washers of wood or other hard
material, and a compressed centre part made of india-rubber, and of a slightly larger
diameter than the sides when so compressed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said James Cole, the elder, and James Colc, the younger, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 6th November 1876.
JAMES COLE, the elder, and JAMES COLE, the younger, both of Coventry, in the
County of Warwick. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER OR RINK SKATES."
According to our Invention we employ a fixed roller or wheel bracket and a
swivelling roller or wheel brake all as herein-after described.
The front bracket may be made and fastened to the sole of the skate in any
ordinary or well-known manner so as to carry by preference two wheels or rollers of
the ordinary or other description, or as hereafter described. The hind bracket which
carries one or two wheels or rollers swivels on a fulcrum somewhat in front of the
wheel or roller axis, for a full sized skate we have found a distance of about 1 to
2 inches suitable, but we do not restrict ourselves to those dimensions. In front of
the said swivelling fulcrum the said hind bracket or parts connected or attached
thereto is fitted with a stud which works against a spring on each side, or with two
studs and one spring acting between the two studs; the side play of studs and
springs is limited by adjustable or other stops. Or instead of mounting the stud or
studs on the bracket and the springs or spring on the sole plate of the skate the
arrangement may be reversed. The consequence of this construction is that the
skater by pointing the foot in the direction he wishes to run causes the hind
bracket to be deflected in the opposite direction.
The front bracket may be made swivelling as described, and the hind bracket a
fixture.
The wheels or rollers may be made of two side washers of wood or other hard
material, and a compressed centre part made of india-rubber, and of a slightly larger
diameter than the sides when so compressed.
The accompanying Drawings will sufficiently illustrate how the Invention may
be carried into effect.
Figure 1 is a side elevation with one set of wheels removed; Figure 2 is a plan
of the underside; and Figure 3 is a cross section through the line A, B, of Figure 2,
of one arrangement constructed according to our Invention.
a is the front bracket, and b, b, are the front running wheels; c is the hind
bracket; and d is the front or axis about which it swivels; e is the stud or pin on
the bracket c; and fis the spring which acts thereon tending to keep the bracket
in a line with the centre of the foot plate g of the skate so long as a side motion
is not given to the wheels h, h, when the springs yield, but on pressure being
removed from the wheels the spring ƒ brings the bracket c, and with it the wheels,
to their normal position; is the stop bracket for limiting the side play or move-
ment of the bracket c, and this is best seen at Figure 3; k is the bracket point
working in the stop i.
Figure 4 is a side elevation with one set of wheels removed; Figure 5 is a plan
of the under side, and Figure 6 a back end view of another arrangement of roller
skate constructed according to our Invention, shewing the stude and spring f in
Similar
a somewhat different position to that shewn in the previous figures.
letters of reference refer to like parts to those in the figures before described, and
In this arrangement it
the action of the skate itself is in every respect similar.
will be seen that the position of most of the parts is reversed to that shewn in the
other Figures, as, for example, in this arrangement we have the stop bracket i at
the back instead of the front, and the position of the axis d at which the bracket s
is swivelled is altered.
Figure 7 is a side elevation and Figure 8 is a plan of a bracket c similar in con-
struction to the others before referred to, but provided with only one running
wheel. This arrangement with one running wheel may, if desired, be applied to
either of the other arrangements before described.

page_text: Although the arrangements for swivelling the brackets are in each case shown as
applied to the hind brackets, it must be understood that similar arrangements are
also applicable to the front brackets, although we prefer to apply them to the
back or hind brackets, this arrangement having been found to answer best in
practice.
Figure 9 is a sectional view of a wheel or roller which may be employed in the
construction of skates as herein-before described, or in any other description of
roller skate. It is composed of two sides pieces or washers a of wood or other
suitable material, with an india-rubber ring b situated between them, the said side
pieces and intervening india-rubber being held in place by means of screws.
The
india-rubber projects slightly above the periphery of the side portions so as to
afford a more secure hold upon the surface of the skating rink.
The use of these rollers is more especially recommended where the skater desires
to perform fancy evolutions, as the grip afforded by the india-rubber is not only
a safeguard against slipping and falling, but it also enables him more easily to
direct his own movements especially when applied to a skate made according to our
Invention, in which the progressive movement is directed by the skater pointing
his foot to right or left, and not by the lateral swaying of his body, as, for
example, in the case of the Plimpton skate.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, we declare that without limiting ourselves to the
precise arrangement of parts described, for example, as to the particular class of
spring or to the position of the stops or studs or fulcrum of the bracket, all
or either of which may be varied without departing from our Invention, we
claim―
First. The employment in roller or rink skates of a swivelling bracket working
about a fulcrum, the play of the bracket being regulated by a stud or pins and
springs all substantially in the manner described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. The employment of a wheel or roller, a portion of the periphery of
which is composed of india-rubber held between and slightly projecting above two.
side washers, substantially as herein-before described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Cole, the elder, on behalf of myself and
James Cole, the younger, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this First
day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-six.
JAMES COLE, SEN³. (L.S.)