IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Pilkington and Thomas Pilkington, both of
Sheffield, in the County of York, Joiners' Tool Manufacturers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES."
Sealed the 24th June 1862, and dated the 8th January 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Pilkington and
Thomas Pilkington at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 8th January 1862.
We, CHARLES PILKINGTON and THOMAS PILKINGTON, both of Sheffield, in
the County of York, Joiners' Tool Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES," to be as
follows:-
The Invention consists of a metallic skate composed of any suitable descrip-
tion of metal, such as iron, steel, tin, zinc, brass, copper, german silver, or
other metal, or combination of two or more metals, either in alloy or otherwise.
The form of the body of the skate is stamped out or raised by dies in the
ordinary form of the skate clog as made in wood. The sole is then similarly
stamped and soldered on. Any description of fancy ornament may be added,

page_text: so that it may form a very handsome appendage to the boot, at the same time
that it is quite free from the danger of breakage or splitting, to which the
ordinary wooden-soled skates are liable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Pilkington and Thomas Pilkington in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 8th July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
PILKINGTON and THOMAS PILKINGTON, both of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Joiners' Tool Manfacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Charles Pilkington and Thomas Pilkington, Her special licence that we, the
said Charles Pilkington and Thomas Pilkington, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles Pilkington and Thomas
Pilkington, our 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,"
'upon the condition, amongst others, that we, the said Charles Pilkington and
Thomas Pilkington, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or one of our, 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 we, the said Charles Pilkington and Thomas
Pilkington, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same 'is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement in writing, and on reference to the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
The Invention consists of a metallic skate composed of any suitable descrip-
tion of metal, such as iron, steel, tin, zinc, brass, german silver, or other metal,

page_text: or combination of two or more metals, either in alloy or otherwise. The form
of the body of the skate is stamped out or raised by dies in the ordinary form
of the skate clog as made in wood. The sole is then similarly stamped and
soldered on. Any description of fancy ornament may be added, so that it may
form a very handsome appendage to the boot at the same time that it is quite
free from the danger of breakage or splitting, to which the ordinary wooden-
soled skates are liable.
Such being the nature and object of our said Invention for "" Improvements
in Skates," we will now proceed to describe more in detail the manner in
which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect.
And in order that the same may be distinctly understood we have annexed
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the same
with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation thereof, that is to say:-
In the annexed Drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of a skate
constructed according to our Invention; and Figure 2 is a plan or horizontal
view of the same as seen from above; Figure 3 shows the same applied to a
different form of skate.
The clog of the skate is made in two principal parts a, a, and b, b. The
body a, a, is stamped out or raised in metal by means of suitable dies and a
press or other similar apparatus, and the sole b, b, being similarly stamped or
cut out in metal is attached to the upper part or edge of the body or clog by
hard soldering. The holes c, c, c, for the straps to attach the skate to the foot
are lined with thin sheet brass or other metal, also soldered so as to prevent
any water or other matter from getting into the body of the clog. The skate
iron is attached to the clog by screws in the usual manner.
The principal advantages in constructing skates according to our Invention
are, that the clog, being composed entirely of metal, is not so liable to split or
break as clogs constructed in the ordinary manner, and the holes through
which the straps pass being lined with metal not being subject to swell with
damp or wet, as the wooden clogs are, will always be free to admit the straps,
thus remedying a great inconvenience attendant upon the use of the ordinary
wooden skate clogs. The metallic skate clogs may be either left hollow or
they may be filled up inside with any suitable light solid material as may be
preferred.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention for
"Improvements in Skates," together with the manner in which the same is to
be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, we would remark in

page_text: conclusion, that we claim as our Invention the manufacture of skates with
metallic clogs formed by stamping or raising the body of the clog in metal and
soldering a metallic sole thereto.
And, secondly, we claim lining the strap holes of skate clogs with thin sheet
metal, in the manner and for the purposes above set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Pilkington and Thomas
Pilkington, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth
day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-two
CHARLES PILKINGTON. (L.S.)
THOMAS PILKINGTON.
(L.S.)
CHARLES PILKINGTON. (L.S.)
THOMAS PILKINGTON.
(L.S.)