IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Alexander Burgess, of High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER
SKATES"
Sealed the 11th August 1876, and dated the 14th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Alexander Burgess
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th February 1876.
HENRY ALEXANDER BURGESS, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
My Invention relates to skates in which wheels or rollers are used for the
purpose of skating over smooth hard floors or other suitable surfaces, and it consists
of improved methods of constructing and arranging the bearings which support the
wheels or rollers, and the apparatus by which the position of the wheels or rollers
is altered and adjusted in order to enable the skater readily to describe segments
of circles of varying radius instead of straight lines only.
The first part of my Invention consists in fixing to the lower side of the sole plate
of wood, metal, or other suitable material of the skate (which is attached to the
foot of the skater by means of straps or in any other convenient manner in the
usual way) an elastic bar or spring of steel attached edgways to the skate at or
near the centre of its length, .its ends being free towards the toe and heel of the
left.
skate, so that they can bend to some extent laterally to the right or
A transverse axis upon each end of which a wheel or roller revolves is firmly fixed
at or near the free forward end of the spring, and a similar axis carrying a
corresponding pair of wheels or rollers is fixed at its free backward end. Under-
neath the front part of the sole plate are fixed diagonal cams or inclined bars or
slotted plates operating upon each end of the axis in such manner that when the
foot of the skater is bent over to the right or left the front end of the spring above
described in bent in the same direction. Similar cams or inclined bars or slotted
plates are fixed under the heel end of the sole plate, and operate in the same way
upon the axis of the other pair of wheels so as to bend the heel end of the spring in
the same direction as the foot is inclined over, and in this way the skater describes a.
The
curve of a radius proportioned to the extent to which the spring is bent.

page_text: elasticity of the spring is sufficient to allow the sole plate to incline over transversely
at the same time that the ends of the spring bend laterally as above described.
Another method of construction and arrangement which I sometimes adopt is the
following I take a sole plate of metal, wood, or other suitable material to which
the foot of the skater is attached as above described. Under this sole plate are
formed or attached two brackets near the toe and heel of the skate respectively.
Each bracket forms a hinge to which is pivotted upon a horizontal pin arranged in
the direction of the length of the skate, the upper end of a vertical socket in which
fits a vertical pin formed upon or attached to the centre of a transverse axis, upon
each end of which a wheel or roller revolves. This vertical pin may be arranged
directly over the centre of the axis or somewhat in front or behind it.
By the arrangement described the foot of the skater can bend over transversely
to the right or left, whilst the transverse axis is free to turn upon the vertical
socket. In order that such transverse bending over of the foot may necessitate the
turning of the axis to a sufficient extent in the required direction, I attach to
each side of the sole a plate having a diagonal slot which embraces the axis near
the part upon which the wheels or rollers revolve. The slotted plates are arranged
so that (in side view) the upper ends of the slots would meet at a point above the
sole and near the centre of its length. Accordingly, when the foot of the skater
with the sole arranged as described is bent over to the right or left, the axes of the
wheels are turned upon their pivots to a corresponding extent, and the skater thus
describes a curve instead of a straight line.
The slotted plates may be curved (in end view) instead of straight, and the sole
may be fixed directly to the vertical sockets instead of being pivotted to them, the
sockets in such case being fixed to separate transverse plates pivotted to the sole
and operated by the foot of the skater."
I arrange springs of metal, india-rubber, or other elastic material, preferably
arranged in transverse grooves or receptacles in the sole, and operating upon
projecting tongues formed upon or fixed to the upper ends of the sockets for the
purpose of assisting to bring back the slotted bars to their original position.
Another method of construction and arrangement which I sometimes prefer to
adopt is the following:-I take two transverse axes arranged near the toe and heel
of the skate respectively, as in the arrangement already described, and each provided
with a wheel or roller at each end. Each such axis turns upon a vertical pivot in
the centre of its length, and either above or somewhat before or behind its centre (in
side view). The sockets in which these pivots work are formed upon or attached
to the lower side of a flat horizontal plate, upon the upper side of which are
arranged a sufficient number of springs acting vertically. I prefer to make these
springs in the shape of short columns of india-rubber, upon the upper ends of which
rests the lower side of a sole of metal, wood, or other suitable material to which the
foot of the skater is firmly fastened, as already described. This sole is connected to
the lower plate by one or more horizontal pivots working in a joint or hole slotted
vertically, so as to allow the sole to rise and fall vertically to the extent required
by the elasticity of the vertical springs described, and at the same to allow the sole
to bend over transversely to the right or left. Formed upon or attached to the
centre of each axis is a horizontal guiding bar projecting backward from the front
axis and forward from the back axis, and projecting downward from the lower side
of the sole and in its central line (transversely) are two vertical slotted bars
embracing the guiding bars described, so that when the sole is bent over to the
right or left the guiding bars are bent in the opposite direction, and the axes of the
wheels are also moved, so that the skater describes segments of circles instead of
straight lines.
The position of the vertical slotted bars may be made adjustable so as to vary
the movement given to the guiding bars.
By this method of construction and arrangement great stability and firmness are
secured to the skater, and simplicity and cheapness of the skate are attained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Alexander Burgess in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th August 1876.
HENRY ALEXANDER BURGESS, of High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
This Invention relates to skates provided with wheels or rollers, and used for the
purpose of skating over smooth hard floors or other suitable surfaces, and it consists
of improved methods of constructing and arranging the bearings which support the
wheels or rollers, and the apparatus by which the position of the wheels or rollers
is altered and adjusted as required in order to enable the skater readily to describe
segments of circles of varying radius instead of straight lines backward or forward
only.
The first part of my Invention consists in fixing to the lower side of the sole
plate of wood, metal, or other suitable material of the skate (which is attached to
the foot of the skater by means of straps or in any other convenient manner in the
usual way) an elastic bar or spring of steel attached edgeways to the sole plate at
or near the middle of its length, its ends being free towards the toe and heel of the
skate, so that they can bend to some extent laterally to the right or left.
A transverse axis, upon each end of which a wheel or roller revolves freely, is firmly
fixed at or near the free forward end of the spring, and a similar axis carrying a
corresponding pair of wheels or rollers is fixed at its free backward end. Under-
neath the front part of the sole plate are fixed diagonal cams, or inclined bars, or
slotted plates, operating upon each end of the axis in such manner that when the
foot of the skater is bent over to the right or left, the front end of the spring above
described is bent in the same direction. Similar cams, inclined bars, or slotted plates
are fixed under the heel end of the sole plate, and operate in a similar way upon
the axis of the other pair of wheels, so as to bend the heel end of the spring in the
same direction as the foot is inclined over, and in this way the skate describes a
curve of a radius proportioned to the extent to which the spring is bent. The
flexibility and elasticity of the spring are sufficient to allow the sole plate to incline
over transversely at the same time that the ends of the spring bend laterally as
above described.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a side view; Figure 2, a plan; and
Figure 4, an end view of a skate constructed according to this part of my Invention.
a is the sole plate of wood, to the centre of which is fixed the bracket b carrying
the spring c. At each end of the spring c is fixed a transverse axis d, d', carrying
the wheels e, e, e, c. The diagonally slotted plates f, f. f. f, are fixed to the sole
plate a and embrace and guide as described the ends of the axles d, d¹.
In another method of construction and arrangement which I sometimes adopt I
take a sole plate of wood, metal, or other suitable material to which the foot of the
skater is attached as already described. Under this sole plate are formed or
attached two brackets near the toe and heel of the skate respectively. Each
bracket forms a hinge to which is pivotted upon a horizontal pin arranged in the
direction of the length of the skate the upper end of a vertical socket in which fits
a vertical pin formed upon or attached to the centre of a transverse axis, upon
each end of which a wheel or roller revolves. This vertical pin may be arranged
directly over the centre of the axis or somewhat in front or behind it.
By the inethod of construction described the foot of the skater can bend over
transversely to the right or left, whilst the transverse axis is at the same time free
to turn upon the vertical socket. In order that such transverse bending over of
the foot may compel the turning of the axis to a sufficient extent in the required
direction, I attach to each side of the sole plate a plate having a diagonal slot
which embraces the axis near the part of it upon which the wheels or rollers
revolve. These slotted plates or cams are arranged so that (in side view) the upper

page_text: ends of the slots would meet at a point above the sole and near the centre of its.
length. Accordingly when the foot of the skater with the sole plate arranged as
described is bent over to the right or left, the axes of the wheels are turned upon
their vertical pins to a corresponding extent, and the skater thus describes a curve
instead of a straight line.
The slotted plates may be curved (in end view or plan) instead of straight, and
the soles may be fixed directly to the vertical sockets instead of being pivotted to
them, the sockets in such case being fixed to separate transverse plates pivotted
to the sole and operated by the foot of the skater.
I arrange springs of metal, india-rubber, or other elastic material, preferably
arranged in transverse grooves or receptacles in the sole plates, and operating upon
projecting tongues formed upon or fixed to the upper ends of the sockets, for
the purpose of assisting to bring back the slotted bars or guides to their original
position.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 5 is a side view; Figure 6, a plan; and
Figure 7, an end view of a skate constructed according to this part of my Invention.
a is the sole plate having fixed below it the brackets b, b, to which are pivotted on
the joints c, c¹, the sockets d, d¹, into which fit the vertical pins e, e¹, formed upon
the axles f, f, which carry the wheels g, g, g, g. The inclined slotted plates or
inclined cams h, h³, are fixed to the sole plate a and guide the axles ƒ, ƒ¹.
Instead of the horizontal and vertical joints described I sometimes use a spherical
or ball-and-socket joint.
Another method of construction and arrangement which I sometimes prefer is the
following I take two transverse axles arranged near the toe and heel of the skate
respectively, as in the arrangement already described, each such axle being provided
with a wheel or roller at each of its ends. Each axle turns upon a vertical pivot at
the centre of its length, and either directly above its centre or somewhat before or
behind its centre (in side view). The sockets in which these pivots work are
formed upon or attached to the lower side of a flat horizontal plate, upon the upper
side of which I arrange a sufficient number of springs acting vertically. I prefer to
make these springs in the form of short columns of india-rubber, upon the upper
ends of which rests the lower side of a sole plate of wood, metal, or other suitable
material to which the foot of the skater is firmly fastened, as already described.
This sole plate is connected to the lower plate first described by one or more
horizontal pivots working in a joint or hole slotted vertically so as to allow the sole
to rise and fall vertically to the extent required on account of the elasticity of the
vertical springs described, and at the same time to allow the sole to bend over
transversely to the right or left. Upon the centre of each axis I form or attach a
horizontal guiding bar projecting backward from the front axis and forward from
the back axis, and projecting downward from the lower side of the sole plate, and
in its central line (in end view) I fix two vertical slotted bars, each of which
embraces in its slot one of the horizontal guiding bars attached to the axis. When
the sole plate is bent over to the right or left, the guiding bar is bent in the opposite
direction, and the axis of the wheels is also moved so that the skater describes
segments of circles instead of straight lines.
I sometimes make the position of the vertical slotted bars adjustable so as to
vary the amount of movement given to the guiding bars.
Vertical pins may be used instead of slotted bars working between forked guiding
bars.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 8 is a side view; Figure 9, a plan from
below; and Figure 10, an end view of a skate constructed according to this part of
my Invention.
a is the sole plate resting upon vertical springs b, b, b, b, which are
supported upon the lower plate c to which the solo plate a is hinged by the
pivots d, d. The axles e, e¹, carrying the wheels f f f f are pivotted by the vertical
pivots g, g, to the plate c, and are provided with horizontal guiding bars h, h¹,
which are actuated by the vertical slotted bars i, ¹, fixed to the lower side of the
sole-plate a.

page_text: By this method of construction and arrangement great stability is secured to the
skater, and simplicity and cheapness of the skates are attained.
Having now described my Invention and the manner in which it is to be
performed, I claim, the novel methods of construction and arrangement of wheel or
roller skates, substantially as described and shewn in the,Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Alexander Burgess, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
H. A. BURGESS. (L.S.)