IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SKATES
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 OR RELATING TO SKATES." A communication
from abroad by Messieurs G. E. Berteaux, Alfred Bennington Sheraton, and
James A. Whelpfey, trading under the name of the Eureka Skate Company, of
Saint John. New Brunswick.
Sealed the 21st July 1876, and dated the 24th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th March 1876.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING
TO SKATES." A communication to me from abroad by Messieurs G. E. Berteaux,
Alfred Bennington. Sheraton, and James A. Whelpley, trading under the name of
the Eureka Skate Company, of Saint John, New Brunswick.
This Invention consists in a new form of fastenings for skates.
1st. Attached to the runner by knees in the usual manner .I construct a sole plate
and heel plate. The heel plate has ears turned up at the after end to receive the
back part of the boot heel; it has a projecting portion in front for the heel dog to
slide on and grasp the front of the heel. On this projecting portion is a small lug
or boss to prevent the heel dog from entirely slipping off.
2nd. Upon the under side of the sole plate and rivetted to it I construct a frame
with raised bars at each end to admit the sole lugs or clips passing freely between
these and the sole plate. The sole lugs are turned up diagonally at their inner ends
to enter converging slots in a plate below called the lug tightener. A small piece
of metal, called the transverse adjuster, is keyed in a recess of the runner by a key,
which key also prevents the lug tightener from falling out of place. By slackening
the key the transverse adjuster may be moved to the right or left, carrying with it
the lug fastener and its lugs or sole clips. Thus the relative position of the boot
may be changed at will. The longitudinal mortise in the lug tightener is made
broad for the purpose.
3rd. A long cylinder under the instep is tapped at each end, one end being right
The end of one of these
handed, the other left. Into each end is fitted a screw.
screws is securely fixed to the lug fastener, the other to the heel dog. I sometimes
put a milled wheel on the cylinder aforesaid, at others a series of small arms or
[Price 6d]

page_text: transverse holes can be drilled in it or in the arins instead, and a small wire bar
used. I also square one end of the cylinder to receive a wrench if required. The
heel dog has its middle portion turned down in a line with the upper part of the
mortice in the same; this is to sustain the pressure of the hoot heel against the dog
the same as if the dog were made of thicker or heavier metal. The said heel dog is
also armed with teeth, which enter the front part of the boot heel. By the arrange-
ment above described the skate can be securely cramped to the boot at both sole
and heel by operating a single nut, and yet act on both parts with an even and
square pressure, thus preventing a possibility of the sole clamps being made too
tight while the heel clamp remains loose, or vice versa, as is frequently the case
with other lever fastening devices. It is also applicable to various sized boots without
alteration.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the condition of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
July 1876.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING
TO SKATES." A communication to me from abroad by Messieurs G. E. Berteaux,
Alfred Bennington Sheraton, and James A. Whelpley, trading under the name of
the Eureka Skate Company, of Saint John, New Brunswick.
Referring to the Drawing, A is the runner; B, the sole plate; C, the heel plate,
having ears or turned up at the after end to receive the back part of the boot heel,
and projecting in front for the heel dog D to slide upon; there is a small boss a at
the end to prevent the heel dog D from slipping entirely off. The sole and heel
plates are attached to the runner by knees in the ordinary way.
Upon the under side of the sole plate and rivetted to it is the frame E, with raised
bars at either end to admit of the lugs b, b, passing freely between them and the
sole plate. The lugs b, b, are turned up diagonally at their at their inner ends to enter
converging slots in the lug tightener F. There is a small piece of metal C which is
keyed in a recess in the runner A by the small key d; said key also prevents the
dug tightener F from falling out of place by slacking the key d. The small piece of
metal or transverse adjuster c inay be moved to the right or left, carrying with it
the lug tightener F, and also the lugs b, b; thus the relative position of the skate
to the boot may be changed at will. The longitudinal mortise in the lug
tightener F is made broad for that purpose.
The nut G is tapped right and left handed. There may be a milled wheel in
place of the arms on said nut. The nut is also squared at one end to receive a
wrench if required; or there may be holes drilled in the arms or rim of the wheel
to admit a small wire bar. But as may be seen, the skate may be clamped to the
foot sufficiently secure for ordinary use by means of the short arms or milled wheel
only. The heel dog D has the middle portion at C turned down on a line with the
upper part of the mortise in the same; this is to sustain the pressure of the boot
heel against the dog, the same as if the said dog were made of thicker and heavier
metal said heel dog is also armed with teeth, which enter the front part of the
boot heel. By the arrangement above described the skate can be securely cramped
to the boot at the sole and heel by operating a single nut, while at the same time it
acts on both parts with an equal and regular pressure, thus preventing a possibility
of the sole clamps being made too tight, while the heel clamp remains loose, and
vice versa. It is also adapted to various sized boots, never requiring to be taken
from the boot to tighten or readjust, a fault which nearly all of the lever fastening
skates posses.
This fastening is applicable alike to ice runner or roller skates,

page_text: Having thus described my Invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by
Letters Patent,--
1st. The lug tightener F, having converging slots for operating side lugs in the
manner shown.
2nd. The combination of the lug tightener F, heel dog D, and right and left hand
nut G, or it equivalent, operating in the manner described.
3rd. The heel dog formed in the manner shown, and for the purposes herein-
before described.
4th. The frame E, having raised bars at either end, for the purpose described.
5th. The device for adjusting the skate transversely on the boot, as described.
6th. The use of the right and left hand threaded nut when applied to a skate in
the direction of its length and for the purpose of operating the side lugs and the
heel dog simultaneously.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thomson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
1976
Witness,
EDWARD G. COLTON,
Patent Office,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.
WM. P. THOMPSON. (L.S.)