Year: 1886

page_text: I JAMES EDWARD EVANS, of 177 West 4th Street, Cincinnati, in the State of
Ohio, United States of America, Engineer 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:-
My improvements in roller skates relate first to improved antifriction bearings
for the axles of rollers; secondly to an improved arrangement of oil-cup for
lubricating the bearings; and thirdly to improved means of adjusting the pressure
of the springs which resist the lateral oscillation of the sole plate.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
Specification, wherein Figure 1 is a section on line 1-1 Figures 2 and 3. and
Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 Figure 1. of the bearing of one of the pairs of
wheels of the skate. Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 1. and Figure 4 is a face view
of one of the wheels. Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the bearing of a
pair of wheels showing a modification of the antifriction rollers. Figure 6 is a
similar section of another modification of the antifriction bearing one of the wheels
being also in section. The same letters of reference indicate the same, or similar,
parts in all the Figures.
My first improvement relates to that class of antifrictional bearing for roller-
skates in which a rotating axle bears upon a series of antifriction rollers within
a cylindrical or annular chamber the chamber being closed at the ends. by the
wheels so as to confine the antifriction rollers in their place,as hereafter described.
Referring to Figures 1 to 4 a is the axle, and b is the cylindrical shell of the
bearing in which it turns. It is bored sufficiently larger than the axle to admit
of a circle of antifriction rollers being introduced within the annular space
between the two. These antifriction rollers are, in this case, of equal length to the
bearing. The ends of the bearings are closed by washers & placed between the
wheels e and the bearing and the wheels e are loose on the axle and are retained
thereon by a head at one end and a pin, or nut, at the other, suitable washers
being also introduced between the outer faces of the wheels and the head and pin
or nut The ends of the axle are enclosed by sheet metal caps f attached to the
face of the wheel. As the axle revolves it turns from contact with any stationary
bearing, the bearing coming wholly on the antifriction rollers c which roll around
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page_text: it and against the inner surface of the shell 6, whereby the axle is able to turn
with the utmost freedom and with but little friction.
In Figure 5. the antifriction rollers c do not extend the whole length of the
bearing, but are divided into two sets of shorter length. The centre part of the
shell b is bored of a diameter to allow the axle to pass freely, the ends being bored
of a larger diameter to receive the antifriction rollers c which are retained in place
on the one hand by the shoulders g and on the other by the washers d and
wheels e.
In Figure 6 I have shown antifriction balls instead of cylindrical rollers. They
are contained in enlarged annular cup-shaped chambers 6 formed on the shell b
and bear against cones h fitted tightly on the axle a but with freedom of
adjustment thereon to compensate for wear of the balls by tightening up the nut
on the end of the axle a. In order to transmit the pressure of the nut to the
nearest cone h, a metal tube or quill i is employed passing through the wheel e.
In all these arrangements access can be had freely to either annular chamber
formed by the shell and axle by removing one of the wheels for the purpose of
replacing, repairing, or adjusting the rollers.
Each wheel e is secured to the axle so as to turn frictionally thereon and carry
the axle round as the wheel revolves, but permit the wheels and shaft to turn
independently when travelling in curves. The annular space between the shell
and the axle also constitutes an oil reservoir, or channel permitting the oil to pass
freely to the anti-friction rollers. As, however, the oil would be supplied too freely
if the said channel were kept constantly full, I provide the bearing with an oil
cup k, having a screw cap and an opening communicating with the said channel
but situated below the level of the latter so that the greater portion of the oil
when the skate is in a horizontal position will flow to, and be retained in, the oil-
cup, but so that on inclining the skate the oil will flow into the annular channel
containing the antifriction rollers. The bearing shell b is pivoted upon a pin k¹
inclined in a fore and aft direction at an angle of about 50° from the vertical in
the well known way, and supported in a bracket or hanger rivetted to the
underside of the sole plate of the skate. The bearing is provided with a T-head m
through which the pivot-pin k passes, and the hanging bracket forms a box to
receive the said T-head and also to contain a cushion of india-rubber n forming
a spring to resist the oscillation of the bearing on the pivot and return it to
its normal position when the lateral pressure which caused the oscillation is
removed. This spring cushion is backed by a loose metal plate o and a pair of
adjusting screws p screwing through tapped holes in lugs formed on the bracket
and bearing against the plate o. These screws are accessible for adjustment
through holes in the sole plate, and by setting up these screws, or one of them,
more or less the lateral oscillation may be controlled or adjusted as required, to
-compensate for wear or settling of the india-rubber. Both the box and the india
rubber cushion are of the taper form shown to prevent jamming of the india
.rubber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a roller skate the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts
consisting of the loose wheel-axle, the wheels loose thereon, the open ended bearing
shell, the antifriction rollers contained in the annular space between the axle and
shell and extending the whole length of the latter, and confined in position therein
by the wheels on the axle, substantially as, and for the purpose specified.
2. In a roller skate the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts
consisting of the loose axle, the wheels loose thereon, the open ended shell bored
out at the ends only, and the two series of antifriction rollers received in the
enlarged end portions of the shell and confined in position therein between the

page_text: shoulders of the shell and the sides of the wheels substantially as, and for
the purpose, specified.
3. In a roller skate the combination and arrangement of the loose wheel axle,
the wheels loose thereon, the bearing shell having enlarged cup-shaped ends, the
two series of antifriction balls running round therein, the adjustable cones upon
the axle and the means of adjusting them to compensate for wear, the cups being
closed by the bosses of the wheels, substantially as, and for the purpose specified.
4. In a roller skate in which the wheel axle turns within a shell containing
antifriction roller, or ball bearings as herein described the arrangement of the oil-
cup below the level of the bearing so as to communicate with the bearing in an
upward direction, substantially as shown and described.
5. In a roller skate in which the wheel bearing oscillates upon an axis inclined
in a fore and aft direction and is furnished with a T-head bearing against an
elastic-cushion which limits the oscillation of the bearing the combination with
said cushion and T head of a pair of adjusting screws applied substantially as
shown and described whereby the lateral oscillation may be controlled or adjusted
as required.
6. In a roller skate in which the wheel bearing oscillates upon an axis inclined
in a fore and aft direction, and is furnished with a T-head bearing against an
elastic cushion which limits the oscillation of the bearing, the construction of the
cushion and of the box containing it of the tapered or bevelled form described and
shown in Figure 2 for the purpose specified.