IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING SKATERS ON RINKS OR FLOORS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Wallington, of Bristol, in the County of Gloucester,
Painter, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING
SKATERS ON RINKS OR FLOORS."
Sealed the 14th October 1876, and dated the 19th April 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Wallington at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th April 1876.
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IM-
ALFRED WALLINGTON, of Bristol, in the County of Gloucester, Painter.'.
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING SKATERS ON RINKS OR FLOORS."
My Invention has for its object the adaptation and application to skating rinks
and floors of apparatus or means of support for skaters in order to prevent
accidents.
The apparatus or means of support consists of a central rod of iron fixed to the
roof or upper part of the building in which the rink or floor is situated, or other-
wise fixed at the top, such rod extending downwards and carrying at its lower
end a horizontal disc of suitable diameter to admit of a series of rollers running
in a circle on the surface of such disc. On each of the said rollers is supported
an arm or rib formed of inverted T or angle iron or other suitable material,
and connected at the upper end to a tube which is fitted so as to be capable of
revolving on the said vertical rod, the lower ends of the said arms or ribs being
connected to a hoop or ring, to which may be fastened ropes or cords at suitable
distances apart so as to be convenient for use by a number of skaters at the same
time.
The said tube may, if required, be provided with internal friction rollers to
facilitate its revolving noiselessly on the rod.
The vertical rod is or may be kept steady as required by means of guy rods or
stays, fixed at one end to the rod a little above the said tube, and secured at the
other end to the upper part of the building.
The vertical suspending rod may, if required, be extended to the floor, in which
case guy rods or stays may be dispensed with.
In order to meet the requirements of particular skaters, arms of different lengths
may be adapted and applied to the supporting vertical rod extended for the purpose
below the said horizontal disc, such arms having on their inner ends short tubes,
which are furnished with internal rollers to admit of their revolving around the
[Price 6d.]

page_text: rod as a centre, and with ball and socket arrangements for the tubes to rest and
work upon. To the outer ends of the said arms are fastened cords or ropes to be
laid hold of by the skaters. By this means circles of different radii may be
traversed by skaters, and the arms may be made to travel alternately in opposite
directions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Alfred Wallington in the Great-Seal Patent Office on the 18th October
1876.
"
ALFRED WALLINGTON, of Bristol, in the County of Gloucester, Painter. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING SKATERS ON RINKS. OR FLOORS."
My Invention of "Improvements in Apparatus for Supporting Skaters on Rinks
or Floors" has for its object the adaptation and application to skating rinks and
floors of apparatus or means of support for skaters in order to prevent accidents.
The apparatus or means of support consists of a central rod of iron fixed to the
roof or upper part of the building in which-the rink or floor is situated, or a spindle
or shaft supported by a column fixed on a suitable foundation. When a suspended
rod is employed, it extends downwards and carries at its lower cnd a horizontal
disc of suitable diameter to admit of a series of rollers running in a circle on the
surface of such disc. On each of the said rollers is supported an arm or rib formed
of inverted Tor angle iron or other suitable material, and connected at the upper
end to a tube which is fitted so as to be capable of revolving on the said vertical
rod, the lower ends of the said arms or ribs being connected to a hoop or ring, to
which may be fastened ropes or cords at suitable distances apart, so as to be con-
venient for use by a number of skaters at the same time.
The said tube may, if required, be provided with internal friction rollers to
facilitate its revolving smoothly and noiselessly on the rod.
The vertical rod is or may be kept steady as required by means of guy rods or
stays fixed at one end to the rod a little above the said tube, and secured at the
other end to the upper part of the building.
The vertical suspending rod may, if required, be extended to the floor, in which
case guy rods or stays may be dispensed with.
In order to meet the requirements of particular skaters, arms of different lengths
may be adapted and applied to the supporting vertical rod, extended for the purpose
below the said horizontal disc, such arms having on their inner ends short tubes,
which are furnished with internal rollers to admit of their revolving around the
rod' as a centre, and with ball and socket arrangements for the tubes to rest and
work upon.
To the outer ends of the said arins are fastened cords or ropes to be
laid hold of by the skaters. By this means circles of different radii may be
traversed by skaters, and the arms may be made to travel alternately in opposite
directions.
When a vertical spindle or shaft supported by a column is employed, horizontal
arms of different lengths for carrying the assisting ropes or cords are fastened to
boxes, which revolve on the said vertical spindle or shaft in the manner herein-
after described, suitable rollers being applied to diminish friction.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, in which is represented the apparatus with a central
spindle or shaft supported by a column fixed to a foundation.

page_text: as shewn; C, D, and E, are circular boxes which revolve on the spindle A, and
have securely fixed to their outsides a number of bars or arms F, F, which may
(as in the case of the upper circle of bars or arms) have their outer ends fixed or
united to a ring as at G, which revolves with the box C, or they may be doubled,
as shewn at Fig. 3, or otherwise strengthened as required. The ring G has also for
its support a number of stay or tie rods H, H, which are secured at their ends by
a disc capable of revolving on the spindle A at the same speed as the ring G, to
which may be connected ropes or other appendages adapted for supporting the
skater or person using the apparatus. Or the bars or arms F, F, may be carried
out or extended to any required distance, as shewn by the two lower circles of bars
or arms, and have provided at their extremities, or at any required point in their
length, means of connecting therewith ropes or other appendages for supporting the
persons using the apparatus.
The circular boxes C, D, and E, are provided with friction rollers at top and
bottom enclosed in the small casings or inner boxes J, J, to allow of easy motion
round the vertical spindle or shaft A. These circular boxes C, D, and E, are held
in their respective positions on the spindle A as required by bosses or collars K, K,
keyed or otherwise securely fixed to the spindle, and provided at their upper
parts with friction rollers L, L, to give ease to the notion of the circular boxes
C, D, and E.
The above-described apparatus consisting of a central vertical rod or spindle,
supported either by suspension from above, or by means of a column below, and
horizontal radial arms at different elevations and of different lengths revolving on
the said rod or spindle, may be applied to other uses, such as at swimming baths, in
order to support persons learning to swim.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I would remark that do not claim as of my Invention any
of the parts of apparatus described when separately considered, but what I do claim
as of iny Invention is the general arrangement and combination of parts of appa-
ratus consisting of a central vertical rod or spindle, supported either by suspension
from above or by means of a fixed column, with radial bars or arms of different
lengths fitted so as to be capable of revolving thereon in the manner and for the
purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Wallington, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
THOMAS COOK,
Tailor's Foreman (Cutter),
2, Little John St.,
Broad St.,
Bristol.
ALFRED WALLINGTON. (L.S.)