IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ROLLER SKATES."
A. com-
munication from abroad by Eugene Leloup, of Bruxelles, in the Kingdom of
Belgium.
Sealed the 27th February 1877, and dated the 1st September 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st September 1876.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RELATING TO ROLLER SKATES." A communication from abroad by Eugene Leloup,
of Bruxelles, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
AND
The object of this Invention is to construct roller skates in a simple, economical,
and yet effective manner.
1st. For this purpose to an ordinary foot stock I attach a metallic frame at toe
and heel, having two arms projecting downward at an angle. of 45°, or thereabouts,
having inclined slots at the same angle cut in them The axle is passed through a
block of india-rubber (preferably horizontal cylindrical) held between the arms by
means of pins or rivets, and rests on the slots aforesaid, and an expanding metal
collar or band actuated by a thumbscrew entirely surrounds the block. By screwing
up the thumbscrew the rubber is compressed round the axle tighter. The axle is
usually furnished with a collar on either side to prevent its coming through the
slots; one collar however is filed away on either side to admit of the withdrawal of
the axle through the slots. I sometimes, instead of forming the collars simply drill
two holes in the axle to insert cottars. It will thus be seen that on the foot board
being tilted laterally the axle mounting one slot and sliding down the other takes
a position more or less angular to the stock. The rubber block at the same time
allows of its being moved with ease and steadiness, and returns it to the normal
on the side pressure, being removed.
Instead of the rubber block I sometimes use a coiled spring, the diameter of which
increases gradually from the centre to each side of axle, or vice versa, the whole
encased in the expanding collar or band. The thumbscrew admits of the skate
[Price 6d.】

page_text: being adjusted without its removal from the foot. The metal frames of course point
away from each other.
2nd. Instead of these frames I sometimes employ a vertical metal tube, secured to
the stock by screws or otherwise, and having the inclined slots cut in it, the interior
of the tube being filled with rubber, and which is compressed by a thumbscrew or
otherwise.
3rd. Another form of skate, designed to give stability in skating, is as follows:-
I arrange the foot stock to rock laterally inside a frame (metallic or wood), and
preferably the same form as the skate. To the frame are fitted two brackets, having
sockets in which pins carrying the axles swivel An inclined arm is linked to each
axle and also to the rocking stock (to which the straps are attached), and a flexible
metal or rubber spring is attached to both frame and stock in any convenient
manner, so as to return the frame, and consequently the wheels, to the normal on
lifting the foot off the floor; or instead of metal arms I may use inclined flat metal
springs attached at one end to the axle and at the other to the 1ocking stock; or I
use a parallel jointed lever connecting both axles, and arrange a pin in the centre of
the rocking stock so as to actuate the lever as the foot is canted, and of course
cause the convergence of the axles. It will be seen that the frame carrying the
wheels always maintains its parallel position to the ground however the foot is
rocked or canted.
Other ways of making the axle swivel than that above mentioned may be used,
such as connecting the axle to the bracket by a ball-and-socket joint, and securing
the inclined arm to the axle and rocking stock as before.
The next part of my Invention relates to a two or three wheel skate. At one
end of the skate I arrange an elliptical or egg-shaped wheel, which may if desirable
be coated with india-rubber (or roughened to prevent its slipping,) and fitted to turn
on an axle fixed in a rigid frame secured to the stock, or may revolve with the axle
in bearings in said frame, the other end of the skate being fitted with one or
more rollers arranged to cant or turn (as in any ordinary roller skate) on any desired
principle.
The skate described in paragraph 1st may also be converted into a two-wheel
skate by widening the inclined frames and fitting the axle and wheel between them.
In this case I pass the axle through a rubber washer or block attached to each side
of the frame; or instead of this frame I use two of the vertical tubes brackets
therein described, the axle passing through the slots and rubber in both tubes, and
the wheel of course running on the axle between them.
The next part of my Invention relates to the automatic lubrication of skates, and
is especially applicable to skates having ball-and-socket joints. The top of the ball is
collapsible, like the ordinary well-known pressure oil can. The axle is hollow, and
is in free communication with the oil in the ball, a minute hole being drilled over
each bearing. The spring for returning the axle to the straight presses against the
collapsible top of the ball in any convenient manner, so that whenever the foot is
canted a minute drop of oil is squirted over each bearing, and consequently oils the
wheels. A minute hole is also drilled in the ball over the cup, and thus oils both
cup and ball. In any other skate the oil is contained in a small box with the
collapsible top under the stock, and arranged to be pressed in by the canting of the
skate, branch pipes, flexible or otherwise, being connected to a hollow axle, as
before, or in any other way, so as to squirt oil on the bearings of the wheels.
I sometimes make my wheels of glass, preferably toughened, and which may be
slightly roughened or otherwise on their periphery, and the wheels may be stained,
painted, cut, frosted, or ornamented in any desired manner.
I also sometimes use glass (toughened or otherwise) bushes or bearings for the
wooden or composite wheels now in use, and sometimes put a glass bush on the
axle. These wheels and bearings require little or no oil.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th February 1877.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO ROLLER SKATES." A communication from abroad by Eugène Leloup,
of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium.
Figure 1 shows an elevation of a skate made according to my Invention.
Figure 2, a transverse section of a bracket; and Figure 3, a plan of the skate.
Figure 4 shows an elevation of a variation of the bracket; Figure 5 a plan of
the same.
In Fig. 1 the wheels on one side are shown removed.
The object of this Invention is to construct roller skates in a simple, economical,
and yet effective manner.
For this purpose, 1st., to an ordinary foot stock I attach a metallic frame A at
toe and heel (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3), having two arms projecting downward
vertically and parallel with each other, the lower end of the arms being provided
with a bulge or wider piece, in which I cut slots at an angle of 45°, or thereabouts;
or the arms may proceed from the stock at the same angle as the slots, but I prefer
the arrangement of vertical arms. Insted of cutting a complete slot I might form
simple inclines on the arms, but I prefer the slots. The parts of the arms carrying
the slots I usually dish or bend to the segment of a circle, as shown in the Drawing,
but they can be loft parallel if desired. The axle B is passed through a block of india-
rubber or othe elastic substance (preferably horizontal cylindrical), held between
the arms by means of pins or rivets passing through holes in the block. I prefer to
use pins with screwed ends taking into tapped holes in the metallic frame, and
furnished with a nicked head for the screwdriver at the other end, and countersink
the holes in the frame to receive the screw heads. These pins are shown at D, D,
in the Drawing The axle rests on the slots aforesaid; the part of the axle passing
through the rubber and resting on the slots being usually of greater diameter than
the portion on which the wheels revolve. This materially prevents the axle from
easily shifting its position in the block, but if desired a plain axle of a certain
diameter may be used. An expanding (or hinged) metal collar or band E, actuated
by a thumbscrew or other sciew, entirely surrounds the block. By screwing up
the thumbscrew the rubber is compressed round the axle tighter, thus limiting tho
easy play of the skate, while by slackening the screw the reverse is obtained. In
fitting the skate, after fixing the axle in its place, I slip a couple of semi-round
beads, made of some hard metal, on the larger portion of the axle immediately
against the slots, and then place the wheels, securing them by pin and washer in
the usual manner. A spherical bulge on each side of the axle will answer the
purpose of the beads. One of the bulges must be filed away on either side to
admit of its withdrawal from the slots, but is more costly than the beads. I
usually stamp the brackets out of sheet steel, and afterwards bend them to the
reqired shape. It will thus be seen that on the foot board being tilted laterally the
axle, mounting one slot and sliding down the other, takes a position more or less
angular to the stock. The rubber block at the same time allows of its being moved
with ease and steadiness, and returns it to the normal on the side pressure being
removed.
Instead of the rubber block I may use a coiled spring placed horizontally, the
diameter of which increases gradually from the contre to each side of the axle,
or vice versa, the whole encased in the expanding collar or band. I prefer
the india-rubber as best. The thumbscrew admits of the skate being adjusted

page_text: without its removal from the boot. The slots or inclines on one frame of course
point away from those on the other frame.
Instead of these frames I sometimes employ a vertical metal tube, secured to the
stock by screws or otherwise, and having the inclined slots cut in it, the interior of
the tube being filled with rubber, and which is compressed by a thumbscrew or
otherwise. A combination of these two plans however is best, as shown in the
Drawings, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, in which the slotted frame is curved to the contour of
a segment of a vertical cylinder, or at least in a curved form, so that the cross
section (or diameter) shall be approximately equal for every position of the axle.
I sometimes make a still more perfect combination of the two forms by making a
cast vertical bracket F, with vertical cylindrical sides, and a hinged clip G imme-
diately round the axle. I cut it short above the rubber, and construct the bracket
of metal only from that point up to the foot stock. This form is shown in Figs. 4
and 5 I prefer to cast it in phosphor bronze.
2. The next part of my Invention relates to a two or three wheeled skate. At
one end of the skate I arrange an elliptical or egg-shaped wheel, which may if
desirable be coated with india-rubber (or roughened to prevent its slipping), and
fitted to turn on an axle fixed in a rigid fiame secured to the stock, or it may
revolve with the axle in bearings in said frame, the other end of the skate being
fitted with one or more ordinary rollers arranged to cant or turn on ny (or any)
principle.
The skate described in paragraph- 1st may be converted into a two-wheel skate
by widening the inclined frame, and fitting the wheel and axle between them. In
this case I pass the axle through a rubber washer or block attached to each side of
the frame, and arranged to be compressed by my improved clip and screw, as before
described. Or instead of this frame I use two of the vertical tube brackets therein
described, the axle passing through the slots and rubber in both tubes, and the
wheel of course running on the axle between them. I do not however recommend
two-wheeled skates.
There are several other matters which I believe to be both new and useful
mentioned in my Provisional Specification, but as they are of limited application,
and I have not had time to work them out, I offer them freely to the public and
make no claim for them.
Having now described my Invention, and the best modes known to me of
carrying it into effect, I wish it to be understood that I make no claim for inclined
slots by themselves, nor yet for the principle of supporting the axles in rubber
blocks, but what I believe to be new and claim under the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The combination of the axle B with the cylindrical rubber block C and the
slots or inclines A, for the purposes described.
2nd. The india-rubber block, specially made with one large hole in the centre and
one or more smaller ones for pins or screws, for the purposes described.
3rd. The screws D for joining the two frames together and at the same time sup-
porting the rubber block, substantially as described.
4th. Confining the spring or india-rubber block through which the axle passes
in a metallic chamber composed of two or more pieces, the sides of which are
slotted in an inclined direction to receive the axle and of a curvilinear shape, so
that the length of axle between the two exterior surfaces of said chamber shall be
approximately the same, no matter in what direction the axle shall be placed, in
combination with a device for regulating the block or spring, substantially as
described and shown in the accompanying Specification and Drawings.
5th. A metallic band or chamber, capable of being opened and closed or increased
and lessened in sectional area by means of a thumb or other screw, and to surround
a cylindrical block of rubber or spring, through which the axle of a roller skate
passes or is supported.
6th. In a roller skate the combination of an egg-shaped or elliptical roller revolving

page_text: in a rigid frame at one end of the skate with a roller or rollers arranged to cant or
turn at the other end, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of February, in the year of our
Lord 1877
Vitness,
EDWARD G. COLTON,
Patent Office,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.
W. P. THOMPSON. (LS.)