IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Ward, of No. 43, Meeting House Lane, Brighton,
in the County of Sussex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER
SKATES"
Sealed the 21st August 1877, and dated the 13th June 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Ward at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th June 1877.
RICHARD WARD, of No. 43, Meeting House Lane, Brighton, in the County of
Sussex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
My Invention relates to an improved construction of roller skates, wherein cach
skate is provided with a single wheel or roller placed in the axial line of the foot
plate.
"
I construct such skates as follows:-Taking a slab of wood, by preference
about 14 inch thick, cut in the direction of the grain, and out of the quarters I make
a square picce of a size corresponding to that of the foot for which the skate is
intended. I draw two diagonal lines through the opposite corners, and for a skate
intended for a left foot I set off upon the upper end of the diagonal, which slopes
downward from left to right, a distance equal to one-third of the diagonal; from
the lower end of the other diagonal I set off a similar distance. I then draw a
line from the left-hand lower corner to the middle of the top side, and at the point
of intersection. with the first-named diagonal (which will be found to correspond
with the before-mentioned points set off thereon) I draw a line parallel with the
left-hand side of the square; and at the point of intersection of this line with the
bottom side of the square I draw a line parallel with the before-mentioned line
drawn from the corner to the middle of the top side. The space contained between
these two parallel lines constitutes the piece of wood which I employ for making
the foot plate for the left skate, the object of cutting the foot plate out of the slab
in the peculiar manner described being to obtain the grain of the wood 'running
in a certain direction which is most favourable to the action of the skate.
.The point of intersection between the line parallel with the left side of the square
and of the diagonal running froni left to right forms the centre of the axis for
the roller or wheel, which point...will be found to correspond with the distance of

page_text: one-third previously set off on the diagonal, and will also be found to correspond
with the centre of the hollow of the foot
The last-named diagonal will intersect the right-hand side of the foot plate at a
point equal to one-third of the length of the diagonal from its upper end, and will
give the point at which the ball of the big toe will come on the foot plate, while
the intersection of the other diagonal with the other side of the foot plate will give
the point where the little toe will come on the latter, so that these points being
given, the foot plate can be shaped accordingly.
The wheel is carried in metal brackets on the under side of the foot plate, which
is by preference hollowed out to such an extent as to allow the upper part of the
roller or wheel to fit into it.
The upper side of the foot plate is by preference cut down to some extent at the
heel to receive the heel of the boot, and is also hollowed somewhat at the front end
to fit the curvature of the sole.
Owing to the front end of the foot plate extending a considerable distance
forward of the point of support of the roller, it can, by bringing the toe down on
to the skating floor, be readily made to act as a brake for stopping the motion of
the skater.
1
As before stated, the mode above described for setting out the foot plate from the
square block is that corresponding to the left skate; for the right skate the direction
of the lines is reversed.
"
In setting out the foot plate it is preferred that the lower side of the slab should
correspond to the bark side of the wood, and the upper side to the heart thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Ward in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
December 1877.
RICHARD WARD, of No. 43, Meeting House Lane, Brighton, in the County of
Sussex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
My Invention relates to an improved construction of roller skates, wherein each
skate is provided with a single wheel or roller placed in the axial line of the foot
plate.
I construct such skates as follows:-Taking a slab of wood, by preference
about 1/4 inch thick, cut in the direction of the grain, and out of the quarters I make
a square piece of a size corresponding to that of the foot for which the skate is
intended. I draw two diagonal lines through the opposite corners, and for a skate
intended for a left foot I set off upon the upper end of the diagonal, which slopes
downward, extending from left to right, a distance equal to one-third of the
diagonal; from the lower end of the other diagonal I set off a similar distance. I
then draw a line from the left-hand lower corner to middle of the top side, and at
the point of intersection with the first-named diagonal (which will be found to
correspond with the before-inentioned point set off thereon) I draw a line parallel
with the left-hand side of the square, and at the point of intersection of this line
with the bottom side of the square 1 draw a line parallel with the before-mentioned
line drawn from the corner to the middle of the top side. The space contained
between these two parallel lines constitutes the piece of wood which I employ for
.

page_text: making the foot plate for the left skate, the object of cutting the foot plate out of
the slab in the peculiar manner described being to obtain the grain of the wood
running in a certain direction which is most favourable to the action of the skate.
The point of intersection between the line parallel with the left side of the square
and of the diagonal running from left to right forms the centre of the axis for the
roller or wheel, which point will be found to correspond with the distance of one-
third previously set off on the diagonal, and will also be found to correspond with
the centre of the hollow of the foot.
The last-named diagonal will intersect the right-hand side of the foot plate at a
point equal to one-third of the length of the diagonal from its upper end, and will
give the point at which the ball of the big toe will come on the foot plate, while
the intersection of the other diagonal with the other side of the foot plate will give
the point where the little toe will come on the latter, so that these points being
given the foot plate can be shaped accordingly.
The wheel is carried in metal brackets on the under side of the foot plate, which
is by preference hollowed out to such an extent as to allow the upper part of the
roller or wheel to fit into it.
The upper side of the foot plate is by preference cut down to some extent at the
heel to receive the heel of the boot, and is also hollowed somewhat at the front end
to fit the curvature of the sole.
Owing to the front end of the foot plate extending a considerable distance
forward of the point of support of the roller, it can, by bringing the toe down on
to the skating floor, be readily made to act as a break for stopping the motion of
the skater.
As before stated, the mode above described for setting out the foot plate from
the square block is that corresponding to the left skate; for the right skate the
direction of tho lines is reversed.
In setting out the foot plate it is preferred that the lower side of the slab should
correspond to the bark side of the wood, and the upper side to the heart thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
For the purposes of my before-described Invention I cut from the trunk of a tree
a slab of wood in a radial direction from the heart to the bark, as shown at A,
Fig. 1, so as to obtain parallel lines of cleavage throughout the slab. I then cut a
square piece from this slab, the sides of which are equal in length to the foot for
which the skate is intended, preferring to take the bark side for the heel of the
foot plate to be cut therefrom. I then draw the diagonals B, C, Fig. 2, and set off
distances equal to one-third the length thereof, as indicated at b¹, b, c², c²,
For making a foot plate for the left foot I first draw a line D, Fig. 3, extending
from the left-hand corner to the middle of the top side, and then a line E parallel
with the side of the square and passing through the points b₁, c¹, before mentioned,
and from the point where this line intersects the lower side of the square I draw a
line F parallel with D, the space between these lines giving the width of that
portion of the slab which is to be employed for the foot plate. The point of inter-
section of the lines E and B will be found to lie in the centre line of this piece,
and to be distant one-third the length of G, Fig. 4, from the lower edge or heel of
the foot plate. This point determines the position of the axis H of the wheel. For
the foot plate for the right foot the setting out proceeds from the right-hand corner
of the slab, in the same manner but in the reverse direction to that described. The
piece for the foot plate thus produced is then shaped, as herein-before described and
as shown in the side view and plan of the complete skate at Figs. 5 and G.
The wheel I is by preference made of large diameter, the foot plate K being
slotted out underneath to receive the upper part thereof, so that the axle L of the
wheel runs in brackets M as closely as practicable to the under side of the foot
plate. This is recessed at N to receive the heel of the boot, and it is also hollowed
out to a corresponding depth in front, as shown, to fit the sole thereof.

page_text: Tlie foot plate is, by preference, provided at the toe with a washer O of leather
or other suitable material, to preserve it from injury when the toe is brought to the
ground in skating.
By cutting the wood for the foot plate in the peculiar manner above described
any bias of the wood is destroyed, and great accuracy is thus given to the action
of the skate; also by placing the single wheel at the point described, which
corresponds with the centre of the hollow of the foot, the wearer is afforded the
most perfect control, over the skate and great facility in turning, while less strain
is put upon the foot and leg of the wearer than is the case with other skates.
The wearer may control his speed sufficiently by keeping in a perpendicular line
over the axles of the wheels, but when it is necessary to stop quickly, this is
effected by bringing the toe of the rear skate to the ground, whereby efficient break
power is afforded.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that a single wheel skate may
be constructed, according to my Invention, without of necessity constructing the
foot plate in the peculiar inanner herein described; what I claim is,―
First. The method, herein described, of forming the foot plate of a roller skate.
Second. Constructing roller skates with a single wheel placed centrally under
the foot plate, the axis of the wheel being situated at a distance from the heel of
the foot plate equal to one-third the length of the latter, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described.
Third. Constructing a single wheel skate, the foot plate of which is formed in
the manner herein described, while the axis of the wheel is situated at a distance
from the heel equal to one-third the length of the foot plate, substantially as herein
described.
:
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Ward, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand