IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John McLintock and John William Brown, both of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND APPLICABLE TO ROLLER SKATES."
aleḍ the 23rd May 1876, and dated the 11th February 1876
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John McLintock and John
William Brown at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th
February 1876.
JOHN MCLINTOCK and JOHN WILLIAM BROWN, both of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO ROLLER SKATES."
Our Invention relates,-
Firstly. To a novel method of attaching the rollers or wheels to the stock or foot-
piece of the skate, by which means the rollers or wheels are made to adjust at will
and by pressure of the foot of the skater, so that the skater can turn and cut figures
without undue exertion.
Secondly. To a novel application of "roller axles," whereby the friction of the
rollers or wheels is reduced to a minimum, and the lubrication is also facilitated.
Our Invention consists firstly of a plate or flange which is screwed or otherwise
attached to or forms part of the under side of the skate stock. Below this plate or
flange, and by means of a bolt or its equivalent passing through the centre thereof,
there is pivotted a bracket in the form of a cross or T, and having two projections
or lugs to carry the axle of the wheels or rollers. Between the cross or T bracket
and the plate or flange there is placed a corresponding cross or T piece of india-
rubber or other suitable elastic material. To more perfectly keep the clastic material
in position the under side of the plate or flange is formed with a concave groove,
and the upper side of the T bracket has also a concave groove to correspond with
the plate or flange. The plate or flange is provided with stops to control the laterál
movement of the T bracket, and the T bracket is provided with inclined projec-
tions, upon which bear antifriction rollers, which are placed on the plate or flange,
thus controlling the vertical or angular movement of the skate stock. The front
and back wheels or rollers are duplicates, and fitted to brackets constructed as
before described.
The second part of our Invention consists in fitting the bush or centre of the wheel
or roller with a steel or other suitable spiral spring. Inside this spring there are a

page_text: series of rollers, which are fitted to work and bear on the axle of the wheel or
rollers and upon the inner surface of the spring. The spring and rollers are kept
in position by suitable plates on the sides of the wheel. Perfect lubrication and
ease of motion is obtained, as the lubricant is always retained between intercises of
the spring and the rollers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John McLintock and John William Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office
the 2nd August 1876.
JOHN MCLINTOCK and JOHN WILLIAM BROWN, both of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO ROLLER SKATES."
Our Invention relates,-
Firstly. To a novel method of attaching the rollers or wheels to the stock or
footpiece of the skate, by which means the rollers or wheels are made to adjust at
will and by pressure of the foot of the skater, so that the skater can turn and
cut figures without undue exertion; also so that the whole weight of the skater is
borne on an elastic medium.
Secondly. To a novel application of "roller axles," whereby the friction of the
rollers or wheels is reduced to a minimum, and the lubrication is also facilitated.
Our Invention consists firstly of a plate or flange, which is screwed or otherwise
attached to or forms part of the under side of the skate stock. Below this plate, or
flange, and by means of a bolt or its equivalent passing through the centre thereof,
there is pivotted a bracket in the form of a cross, T, or H, and having two projec-
tions or lugs to carry the axle of the wheels or rollers. Between the cross, T, or H
bracket and the plate or flange there is placed a corresponding cross, T, or H piece of
india-rubber or other suitable elastic material. To more perfectly keep the elastic
material in position the under side of the plate or flange is formed with a concave
groove, and the upper side of the cross, T, or H bracket has also a concave groove
to correspond with the plate or flange. The plate or flange is provided with stops
to control the lateral movement of the cross, T, or H bracket, and the cross, T, or
H bracket is provided with inclined projections, upon which bear antifriction rollers,
which are placed on the plate or flange, thus controlling the vertical or angular
movement of the skate stock.
The second part of our Invention consists in fitting the bush or centre of the
wheel or roller with a steel or other suitable spiral spring or coil. Inside this spring
or coil there are a series of rollers, which are fitted to work and bear on the axle of
the wheel or rollers and upon the inner surface of the spring or coil. The spring or
coil and rollers are kept in position by suitable plates on the sides of the wheel.
The before-going being the nature, object, and purposes of our Invention we will
now proceed to describe more in detail how the same may be carried out into
practical effect, and for that purpose we have attached a Sheet of Drawings sufli-
ciently illustrative of our Invention to enable others to carry out the same. Like
letters and figures marked on the Drawings are used to denote similar parts
throughout the various views.
Figure 1 represents an outside view of a roller skate constructed according to our
Invention.
Figure 2 is an outside view of the application or attachment of the rollers or
wheels; Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section at a, Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a plan of elastic buffer.
Figure 6 is a plan of bracket, carrying rollers or wheels, with upper plate
removed.
Figure 7 is a plan of upper plate viewed from the bottom.
Figure S is a modification of Figure 5, Figures 6 and 7 being made to correspond,
as will be understood.

page_text: Figure 10 is a inodification of Figure 9.
UI
Upon reference to the Drawing it will be seen that a represents the stock or foot-
piece of the skate, which may be constructed in any usual manner; b, b', are the
rollers or wheels.
Now our Invention consists, firstly, in the novel method of attaching the rollers
or wheels b, b, to the stock or footpiece a, so as to enable the axles f of the wheels
to become radii of circles, so that the skater can turn and cut figures. This we
accomplish by the use of the novel shaped bracket c and the plate d. These are made,
as shown, in the form of a cross, with concave grooves to take the india-rubber
buffer c, which is placed between the bracket c and the plate d. This india-rubber
buffer carries the whole weight of the skater. The bracket c carries the wheels b,
and the plate d is screwed or otherwise attached to the footpiece a. The bracket c
is attached to the plate d by means of the bolt h, which forms the rocking centre
of the bracket c and wheels b in relation to the plate d and the footstock a.
To
regulate the travel or movement of the plate d and the footstock a the plate d is
provided with the stops k to control the lateral movement, and the inclined pro-
jections to control the vertical or angular movement of the footstock a. The
front and back set of wheels b, b, are duplicates, with the exception of the plates
and brackets being reversed, as shown in the Drawings.
The operation of this, the first part of our Invention, is, that upon pressure of the
inside of the foot of the skater the axles of the wheels bare forced to become what
we will term inside radii, thus enabling the skater to cut inside circles. Again,
upon pressure of the outside of the foot of the skater the axles of the wheels bare
forced to become what we will term outside radii, and thus enable the skater to cut
outside circles. The whole weight of the skater is borne upon the india-rubber
buffers e.
Our Invention consists, secondly, in fitting the bush or centre of the wheel b
with a steel or other spiral spring or coil s. Inside this spring or coil and between
the spring or coil and the axle f we fit a series of rollers v. This arrangement will be
seen upon reference to the wheel b in Figure 1. The spring or coils and the rollers v
are kept in position by the plates y.
Where our improved rollers or wheels are applied to skates with an india-rubber
buffer such as e, as shown in the Drawings, we fit such wheels as shown in section
at Figure 9, but when our improved rollers or wheels are applied to skates not
having an india-rubber or elastic medium, such as e, we insert an india-rubber
washer between the main body of the roller or wheel and the bush t, as shown at
Figure 10.
By the use of our improved rollers or wheels perfect lubrication and ease of motion
is obtained, as the lubricant is always retained between the intercises of the spring
or coils and the rollers V.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature, object, and purposes of
this our Invention, and shown how the same may be put into practice, we would
have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact details or dimen-
sions of parts as shown in the Drawings, but what we claim as our Invention and
secured to us by Letters Patent as aforesaid is,–
Firstly. The herein-before described method of attaching he wheels or rollers to
the stock or footpiece of the skate, substantially in the manner and for the purposes
specified.
Secondly. The use and application of an elastic buffer in the form of a cross, T, or
H, such as e, in combination with a bracket such as c, and a plate such as d, the
whole operating and arranged in relation part to part in manner herein-before set
forth.
Thirdly. The use and application of an elastic buffer, such as e, arranged to bear
the whole weight of the skater in inanner herein-before set forth.
Fourthly. The use and application of a roller or wheel, such as b, in combination

page_text: with a spring or coil such as 8 and rollers such as vand axle f, the whole operating
and arranged in relation part to part in manner herein-before set forth.
Fifthly. The use and application of a roller or wheel, such as b, in combination
with a spring or coil such as 8, an india-rubber washer such as z, rollers such as v
and axle f, the whole operating and arranged in relation part to part in manner
herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said John McLintock and John William Brown,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-eighth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness to the signature of
John McLintock,
GRINDLE RAGG,
Of 25, South John St.,
Liverpool.
Witness to the signature of
John William Brown,
JOHN C. BOURNE,
83, Vauxhall Road,
Birmingham.
(L.)
JOHN WILLIAM (L.S.)
BROWN.