IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Tolhausen, of 149, Boulevart Magenta,
Paris, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES."-
A communication from Owen Wilson Taft, Merchant, residing in the
City of New York United Stator of A mosine
Sealed the 17th April 1866, and dated the 30th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Tolhausen
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th October 1865.
I, FREDERICK TOLHAUSEN, of 149, Boulevart Magenta, Paris, Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SKATES," a communication to me from Owen Wilson Taft, Merchant, a person
resident in the City of New York, United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists, firstly, in the application of a heating attachment
to a skate, the said heating attachment being composed of a chamber attached
to the foot plate or any other equivalent device in such a manner that by
inserting into the said chamber a heated stone or other body, or a burning lamp,
the foot plate is warmed and the feet of the skater are prevented from getting
cold; it. consists, secondly, in arranging the heating attachment in such a
manner that the heater can be introduced or removed without taking the
feet off from the skate, which is effected by making the inner portion of the
foot plate detachable, which detachable portion is held in place by hooks in
front and by a button in the rear, so that it can be readily taken out in order

page_text: to get access to the interior of the heating chamber; it consists, thirdly, in
the application to the foot plate or to the heating chamber of hook catches
in combination with studs projecting from the sides of the heater, and with
a spring secured to the upper surface thereof in such a manner that by the
combined action of the said spring, studs, and hook catches the heater is
held in position and prevented from moving to and fro in the heating chamber;
it consists, fourthly, in making the foot plate of the skate removeable in such
a manner that it can be conveniently taken off to get access to the heating
chamber below by means of the arrangements described under the second
head above; it consists, fifthly, in stamping the foot plate out of sheet metal,
and providing it with a rim or flange extending all around its edge in such a
manner that a foot plate can be produced which is very light and yet suffi-
ciently stiff and strong to support the weight of the skater; it consists, sixthly,
in providing the heating chamber aforesaid with suitable draught openings
and doors, so that if a lamp is used in the same, the said lamp can be lit
without taking it out of the chamber, and that the flame will burn freely
while the chamber is secured to the skate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Tolhausen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
TOLHAUSEN, of 149, Boulevart Magenta, Paris, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her. heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Frederick Tolhausen, Her special licence that I, the said Frederick
Tolhausen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Frederick Tolhausen, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES," a communication to me from Owen Wilson Taft,
Merchant, a person resident in the City of New York, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Tolhausen,

page_text: my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention; and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick Tolhausen, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
This Invention consists, first, in the application of a heating attachment
to a skate, said heating attachment being composed of a chamber attached
to the foot plate or any other equivalent device in such a manner that by
inserting into said chamber a heated stone or other body, or a burning lamp,
the foot plate is warmed and the feet of the skater are prevented from getting.
cold; it consists, second, in arranging the heating attachment in such a
manner that the heater can be introduced or removed without taking the
foot off from the skate; it consists, fourth, in the application to the foot plate
or to the heating chamber of hook catches in combination with studs pro-
jecting from the sides of the heater, and with a spring secured to the upper
surface thereof in such a manner that by the combined action of said spring,
studs, and hook catches the heater is held in position and prevented from
moving to and fro in the heating chamber; it consists, third, in making the
foot plate of the skate removable in such a manner that it can be con-
veniently taken off to get access to the heating chamber below; it consists,
fifth, in stamping the foot plate out of sheet metal, and providing it with a
rim or flange extending all round its edge in such a manner that a foot plate
can be produced which is very light and yet sufficiently stiff and strong to
support the weight of the skater; it consists, sixth, in providing the heating
chamber with suitable draught openings and doors, so that if a lamp is used
in the same, said lamp can be lit without taking it out of the chamber, and
that the flame will burn freely while the chamber is secured to the skate.
This Invention is represented in the accompanying Drawing, in which Fig. 1
represents a sectional side elevation of a skate constructed according to this
Invention; Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the foot plate having the heater
attached to it; Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same when the
foot plate is stamped and the heating chamber made detachable; Fig. 4 is a
sectional plan or top view of the same; Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the
same. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

page_text: A represents a skate made in the usual form and manner with a runner
B and foot plate C, said foot plate is elevated above the runner to such a
height that room is obtained for the heating chamber D; this chamber is:
either cast solid with the foot plate of the skate, or it may be stamped out
of sheet metal and attached to said foot plate in any suitable manner. . If
the heating chamber is rigidly attached to the foot plate the principal portion.
of said foot plate is made removable, and it is perforated with a large number
of holes to allow the heated air from below to ascend and to come in contact
with the foot of the skater; said detachable portion of the foot plate is held
in place by hooks a in front, and by a button b or other equivalent device in
the rear, so that it can be readily taken out in order to get access to the
interior of the heating chamber. The sides of the heating chamber may be
protected by a lining of felt or other good non-conductor of heat to prevent
radiation, and said chamber is made to receive a heater E of soapstone or
any other suitable material, or it may be arranged to receive a burning lamp,
though in practice a heater may be preferable. By said heater the foot
plate of the skate is kept warm and the foot of the skater is prevented from
getting cold. The heater E is either secured to the under surface of the
foot plate or it may be fastened to the heating chamber; it is held in place
by hook catches d, which are so formed that they catch over studs e, projecting
from the sides of the heater, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the Drawing.
The rear end or tail of the heater rests in a forked stud f, secured in the
foot plate, and a spring g, secured to the upper surface of the heater and
pressing against the foot plate, holds the studs e and the tail of the heater in
place, and prevents them from becoming detached spontaneously. In order
to detach the heater from the foot plate it must be pressed up against said
foot plate and then moved forward, an operation which can be performed
It is obvious
instantaneously and with the greatest ease and convenience.
that instead of these fastenings many different devices might be applied to
connect the heater with the foot plate. The skate is attached to the foot by
and by a heel cap J with a suitable
a toe cap with a suitable strap I,
strap K, or by any other suitable means, though I prefer to use the toe cap in
combination with the heating chamber so as to prevent the feet from cooling
off after the heater has become cold.

page_text: plate of a skate that access can be had to its interior without removing the
foot from the foot plate, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3°. Making the foot plate of a skate detachable, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
4°. The hook catches d and forked stud f, or their equivalents, in com-
bination with the foot plate C, heater E, studs e, and spring 9, constructed
and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5°. The rim or flange f extending all round the edge of the foot plate,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
6°. The arrangement of the lamp F and heater E in combination with the
heating chamber D and foot plate C, constructed and operating substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Tolhausen, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of April, A.D. 1866.
TOLHAUSEN
FTOLHATISEN
(L.C.)