IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ROLLER SKATES, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, for the
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ROLLER SKATES, PART
OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES." A communication from
abroad by Monsieur J. Meresse, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th November 1876.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO ROLLER SKATES, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Monsieur J. Meresse, of Paris, in
the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to a roller skate in which it is not necessary to tilt or.
cant the footstock, and thereby move the roller frames to produce curvilinear
movements; it consists,―
1st. In dividing the footstock transversly at or near the centre, and uniting the
two halves by a strong india-rubber joint, preferably of a rounded form on top, or
by means of steel springs (which must be looped to allow for expansion), or instead
of these methods I may use a compound joint in any convenient manner, such as
two plates jointed together in the centre, and their other ends jointed to each half
of the stock. Any other method by which the two halves of the stock may be
moved away one from the other would do, but I prefer the rubber joint, as it also
serves to return the skate to the normal, and if the compound joint be used a spring
or springs must be also attached to achieve that end, the tension of the said springs
being regulated by thumb screws or otherwise.
2. The axles are fitted in rigid frames secured to the stock. Two wheels may
be mounted to revolve on each axle, or one wheel only, thus making it a two wheel
skate, or it may be fitted as a three wheel skate.
3. Over each axle on the top of the stock I place a vertical pin capable of
swivelling on a centre, and hinged to each pin is a plate for the boot to rest on, the
one at the hinder end of the skate being turned up to form ears for gripping the

page_text: heel, or the ordinary heel plate can be attached, or any of the gripping arrange-
ments now in vogue can be attached to the plates, to which the straps (if used)
are fixed; a spring or springs (adjustable or otherwise) may be interposed between
the stock and hinged plates. A rounded knob, on which the boot rests, is attached
to the footstock just back of the sole plate. A roller, or pair of rollers, can be
substituted for the knob. The action is as follows:-The skater in canting his foot
depresses the plates on one side, and by the pressure of the boot on the knob the
two halves of the stock are forced aside, thus running the skater in a curve. The
springs return the stock to the normal on the side pressure being removed.
Instead of the above arrangement of hinged plates I may use a stock, as des-
cribed in part 1, but with a rounded projection, or else a block of india-rubber or
other elastic substance rounded or otherwise at toe and heel for the boot to oscillate
on. The straps may be attached to hinges so as to allow of said oscillation, and
spikes may be attached to prevent slipping. I prefer to construct my wheels in the
following manner :-I firmly fix a bush of brass or other tubing in the boss of an
ordinary wheel and fix tightly in said tube a bush constructed of a steel and a
copper wire alternately spirally wound so that a ring of copper is next to one of steel.
The whole runs on a fixed axle. The grooves formed by the spirally wound wires
retain the oil used for lubrication, and also reduce friction considerably. These
wheels, of course, are applicable also for any other form of roller skates, and also
for bearings for other purposes. This skate is also applicable for use on ice, blades
being set in the place of rollers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
May 1877.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO ROLLER SKATES, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Monsieur J. Meresse, of Paris, in
the Republic of France.
This Invention relates to a roller skate, in which it is not necessary to cant or
tilt the footstock, and thereby move the roller frames to produce curvilinear move-
ments, the movement of the axles being independent of that of the stock.
In the Drawing given herewith Figure 1 shows an elevation of a skate con-
structed according to the principle of the Invention, and in which the wheels on one
side are removed. Figure 3, a plan of same. Figure 2, a section cut through X, Y,
the parts above the stock being shown in elevation. It consists,-
1st. In dividing the footstock A transversely at or near the centre, or as shown
in the Drawing, which is preferable, and uniting the two halves by a strong india-
rubber joint, preferably of a rounded form on top, or by means of steel springs,
which must be looped for expansion (and which can be regulated by thumb screw
or other means, if desired), as shown in Drawing at B, or instead of these methods a
compound joint might be used, such as two plates joined together in the centre, and
their other ends jointed to each half of the stock. Any other method by which the
two halves of the stock may be moved away one from the other would do, but I
prefer a spring joint as it also serves to return the axles to parallelism, and if a
compound joint were used it would still involve a spring being attached.
2nd. The axles C, C, (in Figures 1, 2, and 3,) are shown fitted in rigid frames D,
secured to the stock A. Two wheels may be mounted to revolve on each axle, or one
wheel only, thus making it a two wheel skate, or it may be fitted as a three
wheeled skate.
3rd. Over each axle, on the top of the stock, I place a vertical pin E, capable of
swivelling on a centre, and hinged to each pin is a plate F for the boot to rest on,

page_text: the one at the hinder end of the skate being turned up to form ears for gripping
the heel, or the ordinary heel plate may be attached, or any of the gripping attach-
ments now in vogue can be attached to the plates to which the straps (if used) are
attached, a spring or springs (adjustable or otherwise) or a simple knob of india-
rubber on each side may be interposed between the stock and plates. In the
Drawings rubber knobs are shown at G. A knob, pair of rollers, or preferably a
single roller H, is mounted on a spindle attached to the stock A, just back of the
sole plate. This device can be varied indefinitely by any one at all conversant with
mechanical laws, and I do not bind myself to any particular device for attaining
the desired result; for example, a segmental piece may be used, or a ball or sphere
revolving on a spindle. The boot sole rests on this roller. The action is as
follows: The foot being inclined, and the skater striking out the roller rolls up the
inclined sole of the boot, and consequently the front half of the stock is drawn to
one side, the action of the springs causing the axle on the back half at the same
time to diverge the opposite way.
This Invention can be varied indefinitely in details, a variation I much prefer
being shown at Figures 4, 5, and 6, in which Figure 4 is a side elevation; Figure 5,
section through X, Y; and Figure 6, plan of skate upside down. This plan is simply a
developement of the other like Figures, but dashed in Figures 4, 5, 6, representing
like parts in both. In this present plan instead of the two metal foot plates F, F, I
use a single foot plate F¹, in other words, join the two together and make them of
wood instead of metal, leaving merely a hole I for the roller H¹ to work in. The
two small pieces of stock A, A, joined together by the spring or springs B being of
no use except as a point of attachment for spring B I still further reduce till they
become the simple protuberance A¹ on the bracket D¹ The springs B I also
greatly simplify, using a single piece of spring steel B¹, resembling a knitting
needle sprung into the two sockets A', A¹. I also vary the shape of the pin E, and
the manner of hinging the same to footstock F¹, as instead of employing a separate
pin I bend it round into its socket, thus gaining greater stability and fewer
working parts; the pin F¹ is prevented from leaving the bracket D¹ by means of a
pin and washer instead of a head, as shown in Figure 2. G¹ is a rubber pad cor-
responding, of course, to G, in Figure 2, and prevents too sudden tilting of the
stock. This skate differs from all others that converge the axles in that this action
is not caused by the canting or tilting laterally of the stock or foot plate or their
mechanical equivalent, it being found that however much the skater when standing
tilts the stock the axles remain in "statu quo " until the skater strikes out; the
effect of the friction of the rollers on the asphalt being greater than tendency of the
roller H to roll up the inclined boot sole. The moment however the wheels are
put in motion and one can go slower or quicker than the other without appreciable
friction, the weight of the body pressing on the wheel H causes it to mount up the
inclined sole of the boot, and thus cause the convergence of the axles. I prefer to
construct my wheels in the following manner, shown at Figure 1 in the Drawings:
I firmly fix a bush of brass or other tubing K in the boss of an ordinary wheel and
fix tightly in said tube a bush constructed of a steel and a copper wire alternately
spirally wound so that a ring of copper I is next to one of steel J. The whole runs
on a fixed axle. The grooves formed by the spirally wound wires retain the oil
used for lubrication, and also reduce friction considerably. These wheels are, of
course, applicable also for any other form of roller skate, and also for bearings for
other purposes, such as for bicycles.
=
Having now described my Invention, and the best mode known to me of carrying
it into effect, I wish it to be understood that what I claim as my Invention is,―
1st. A roller skate, in which a roller H or its mechanical equivalent attached to
the divided footstock, bracket, or axle, and caused to roll in a direction approxi-
mately transversely to the foot by the lateral inclination of the foot, causes one or
both axles to 'diverge from their normal position, and thus make the skate to
describe a curve.

page_text: 2nd. The bush or bearing consisting of a steel and a copper spiral wire alternating
with each other in a tube, practically as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eight day of May, in the year of our Lord, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
EDWARD G. COLTON,
Patent Office,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.
WM. P. THOMPSON. (1..S.)