Improvements in Apparatus for Supporting Persons while Learning to Skate or Slide, or for use as a Gymnastic Appliance.
Year: 1891

page_text: GUME LEIE DIEULFIGATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Supporting Persons while Learning
to Skate or Slide, or for use as a Gymnastic Appliance.
I, HENRY BARNARD CHALON of No. 47 Finsbury Circus in the City of
London, Accountant do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
Good skating rapidly acquired with either real skates having steel blades, roller
skates or other appliances-and proficiency attained, including the execution of
the figure eight (8) and fancy skating both backwards and forwards without the
possibility of falling in acquiring the art.
It is well known that skating as heretofore learnt absolutely requires patience skill
and great practice, as well as indifference to more or less serious falls, rendering it
almost impossible for those who are no longer young to put on skates for the first
time without risk.
This invention has therefore been devised to enable any one to become a good
skater & at any season of the year, without the slightest danger or difficulty before
venturing upon outdoor skating.
I require for the purpose a platform floor, or surface, of either natural or
artificially made, ice, or of any other substance, or material, that will afford the
attributes or qualities necessary for skating or sliding purposes, either within a rink,
hall or other building, or room of any dimensions adapted for the purpose with a strong
and well sustained roof or ceiling, having grooves formed of metal stone, wood or
other material, or suitable rails parallel to each other, or otherwise, or a circular
or elliptic tube or tubes, each one having a slit or opening underneath, within such
roof or ceiling, or upon it, or dependent therefrom by brackets or otherwise or
instead of being attached to or from the roof or ceiling or in addition thereto, they
may be firmly fixed from the sides of the walls, or upon pillars or supports from the
floor. That upon or within such groove or grooves, tube or tubes, shall be a movable
wheel, or wheels attached to each other by an axle or spindle, or a ball, or balls
similarly connected, or a roller or rollers, or other contrivance adapted for the
purpose, free to rotate, roll or move forwards or backwards.
I attach to the centre of the axle, or spindle connecting two wheels, balls or
rollers or otherwise, or at the sides, ends or otherwise of one wheel, ball or roller,
a rod, wire, chain, wire rope, or rope composed of hemp, catgut, whipcord or other
material, or more than one, with one or more handles attached (hereinafter termed
for conciseness " ropes") extending from the roof to a convenient distance from the
flooring and adjustable to the height of the learner and to be grasped by one or
both hands and thus effectually prevent the possibility of a fall to the ground,
whenever in acquiring proficiency the feet of the learner slip away beyond his or her
control. That these grooves, tubes and appliances in or from the roof or ceiling
or attached thereto, or to the side walls, or with supports from the floor shall be
continued in a grooved guide rail or road or tram, endless or otherwise, round the
rink, hall or other building or room, or outside platform, or round a certain portion
of it, or for a certain distance only, straight or curved.
That in the middle of the floor or in any convenient part of the rink or hall &c.
or in any other part adjacent, shall be firmly fixed one or more pillars, or strong
poles or supports from the roof or ceiling being a centre or centres for long arms
to be affixed and extend, say two, three or more in number, and several feet in
length, say 12 feet, 15 feet and 20 feet, more or less, rotating on their axes, or
centres at the top of the pillars, or poles, or from supports hanging from the roof or
ceiling and with ropes (similar to those before stated) attached to the extremities

page_text: of these arms, dropping to within reach from the platform, having suitable handles
attached, to enable more than one learner to use them at the same time, and to pass
each other without inconvenience.
That the principle of the "Giant Stride" used in large schools and gymnasiums
be also applied with ropes and handles attached, to revolve round supports
immediately on the top of the fixed pillar or pole, or from the supports hanging
from the roof or ceiling.
That ropes with handles may depend from hooks or staples fixed in other parts
of the roof or ceiling, walls or pillars of suitable and adjustable lengths, to be used
when desired by one or more learners in making circles, or the figure eight (8) upon
the outside edge, or otherwise.
That circular or elliptic grooves or tubes shall be attached to the roof or ceiling
or to the walls or supports constructed in the manner already described as required,
for more easily learning figure or fancy skating.
And that I also claim that the invention & the appliances referred to may be
used by any one without skates in acquiring proficiency in sliding or as a gymnastic
apparatus in such a building as already described or in gymnasiums and other
buildings with or without a flooring of ice, or artificially made ice.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. Supporting learners in the art of skating by chains, rods or ropes running on
wheels balls rollers or other appliances in grooves fixed to the roof or sides of
rooms halls or rinks or to pillars, or attached therefrom or to fixed or movable
brackets, or from arms rotating on the top of fixed pillars or posts or supports
substantially as described.
II. Using the above mentioned appliances for general gymnasium exercises
independent of skating.
Dated this Twentieth day of June 1891.
HENRY BARNARD CHALON.