IM- PROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL SKATING FLOORS OR RINKS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Lock, of St. George's Infirmary, Marloes
Road, Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL SKATING FLOORS OR RINKS."
Sealed the 15th August 1876, and dated the 19th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Lock at the Office.
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th February 1876.
JOHN HENRY LOCK, of St. George's Infirmary, Marloes Road, Kensington, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL SKATING FLOORS OR
RINKS."
This Invention has for its object the providing artificial skating floors or rinks
which shall be elastic or flexible.
And in order that the nature of the Invention may be clearly understood I will
proceed to describe the means I propose to employ in carrying the same into
practice. It consists of a covered chamber, cistern, or reservoir, or chambers,
cisterns, or reservoirs for containing or holding an elastic body or bodies, such as air,
gas, water, or any other elastic body or combination or admixture of elastic bodies
or of elastic body or bodies with non-elastic body or bodies, the contents of the
chamber, cistern, or reservoir, or chambers, cisterns, or reservoirs forming the bed
for the floor or rink similar to water forming the bed for ice, whilst the cover or
covers form the floor or that upon which the floor can be laid, so that when in use
the action of the floor resting upon its elastic bed would be similar to the action of
ice resting upon its natural bed of water.
The construction of the skating floor or rink would be somewhat as follows:-
The ground or space upon which the rink is to be constructed would have a covering
of clay, metal, or other suitable material or materials, which would form the bottom
of the chamber, cistern, or reservoir. Sides of wood, iron, or other suitable material
or materials would be fastened or bedded to the bottom, and upon the sides and
extending over the space for the floor or rink would be fixed a cover of metal, wood,
or other suitable material or materials, the whole forming a chamber, tank, or
reservoir, which by the addition of necessary appliances could be charged or filled
with one or more of the bodies referred to previously. The cover would form the

page_text: skating floor or rink, or that upon which a suitable preparation could be laid for the
purpose, and as the cover or floor, whilst being supported by the sides, would also
be resting upon an elastic bed, its action when being skated upon would be similar
to the action of ice resting upon water.
A modification of the same may be adopted by dividing the chamber, tank, or
reservoir into parts or sections, or by substituting a series of chambers, tanks, or
reservoirs or other appliances for holding one or more of the bodies previously
referred to, & placing a floor or floors over the whole; or for the purpose of water
as the chief elastic agent the space for the rink may be converted into a reservoir
or reservoirs to contain the water, and the whole be covered with a floor or floors,
which would rest upon & be supported by the sides, edges, or banks of the reser-
voir or reservoirs, but whilst being thus supported they would also rest upon the
water, and would receive elasticity or flexibility from it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Lock in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th August
1876.
JOHN HENRY Lock, of St. George's Infirmary, Marloes Road, Kensington, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL SKATING FLOORS OR
RINKS."
This Invention has for its object making provision in the structure of artificial
skating floors or rinks, so that the same shall be rendered so far flexible as to
resemble in action a, surface of ice upon duly carrying out the said Invention.
To effectuate this object I construct a covered chamber, cistern, or reservoir (or
chambers, cisterns, or reservoirs) of the character hereafter described for containing
or holding an elastic body or bodies, such as air, gas, water, or other elastic body,
or combination or admixture of elastic bodies, or of elastic body or bodies with
non-elastic body or bodies, the contents of the chamber, cistern, or reservoir forming
the bed for the floor similar to water forming the bed for natural icc, whilst the
cover or covers (which are integral portions of the structure, though slightly
yielding) form the floor, or that upon which the floor can be laid, so that when in
use the action of the floor or rink upon its elastic bed would be similar to the
action of natural ice of such thickness as would impart elasticity when resting upon
its natural bed of water.
The construction would be somewhat as follows:-The ground upon which the
rink is to be constructed would have a covering of clay, metal, or other suitable
material or materials, which would form the bottom of the chamber, cistern, or
reservoir. Sides of wood, iron, or other suitable material or materials would be
fastened or bedded to the bottom. Upon the sides and extending over the space for
the floor or rink would be firmly fixed a cover of metal, wood, or other suitable
material or materials, the whole forming a chamber, tank, or reservoir which, by
the addition of necessary appliances, could be charged or filled with one or more of
the bodies referred to previously. The cover would form the skating floor or rink,
or that upon which a suitable preparation could be laid for the purpose, and as the
cover or floor, whilst being supported by the sides, would also be resting upon an
clastic bed, its action when being skated upon would be similar to the action of ice
resting upon water.
A modification of the same may be adopted by dividing the chamber, tank, or
reservoir into parts or sections, or by substituting a series of tanks, cisterns, or
reservoirs for holding one or more of the bodies previously referred to, and placing
a floor over the whole; or for the purpose of water as the chief elastic agent the
space for the rink may be converted into a reservoir or reservoirs to contain the water,

page_text: and the whole be covered with a floor or floors which would be securely and firmly
fastened down to the sides or edges or banks of the reservoir; but whilst being
thus supported they would also rest upon the water, and would receive elasticity
or flexibility from it.
In carrying out my Invention I prefer to adopt the arrangements shewn in the
Drawings, although I do not confine myself to the arrangements therein shewn, as
same can be varied without departing from the principle of my Invention.
Fig. 1 shews, by sectional isometrical view, one form of carrying out my
Invention.
Fig. 2 is plan of chamber, cistern, or reservoir.
Fig. 3 is plan of cover or floor, which fits or rests (as shewn in Fig. 1) on the
cistern, chamber, or reservoir (Fig. 2).
In these Figures a is the bed or bottom of cistern, chamber, or reservoir; b are
the sides thereof made of suitable material, as before described, and said sides are
fastened or bedded to the bed or bottom. Against the sides I sometimes bolt or
secure balks or pieces of wood c, which rise up to and are flush with the sides b.
On the sides b and portion c I place (as in the Drawings) planks of wood & arranged
in any suitable manner, and these are secured to the portion c by screws or bolts or
other suitable fastenings. Above this flooring I arrange an upper flooring e, which is
made to cross the under flooring d. The flooring or cover is in each case dowelled
together, and when formed as shewn constitutes the surface for skating, the
elasticity being produced by the floor or cover when skated upon, acting on the
body or bodies above referred to, which occupy the portion of the cistern, chamber,
or reservoir. By crossing the floor or cover as shewn a more equal action is
obtained.
It is evident that instead of the sides being used, as before described, with the
floor or cover resting thereon, the floor or cover may be secured to a framework,
which would rest on and be fixed to bearers at such height that the floor rests on
the water.
is the
Fig. shews a sectional arrangement for carrying this into effect.
natural bed of the water; resting on the surface of the water is the cover or
floor h.
In order to shew the application of my Invention the floor or cover his formed
or placed on a framework k, said framework & resting either upon the side or bank
of the pond or reservoir, and firmly fixed thereto, or if necessary the framework
rests on and is secured to bearers firmly fixed (as shewn). To avoid the water
issuing on to the floor in the event of displacement when the floor is being skated
upon I adapt a combing or rim i secured to the sides as shewn. To prevent too
much deflection a sectional framework may be formed, on which the floor will rest,
or the floor may rest on buoys or other suitable sustaining arrangements firmly
fixed in position. Between the floors when composed of two layers of wood a
waterproofing or other suitable material can be inserted.
I may here remark that in this my Specification, as will be obvious on careful
perusal thereof, that by resting on water I mean not as a floating surface, but as the
cover of a cistern when filled up to the cover with water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of "Improvements in Artificial
Skating Floors or Rinks," substantially as the same is herein-before set forth and
described, which Invention has for its peculiar characteristic the adoption of a
chamber, cistern, or reservoir for water or other fluid, of construction substantially

page_text: such as herein-before set forth and described, the top or cover thereof, or a surface
added thereto, forming the skating or rink surface.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Lock, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
T. MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventors' Patent-right Association, L.,
21, Cockspur Street,
S.W.
JOHN HENRY LOCK. (L.S.)