Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 5th June. 1397
HENRY FAWSITT 69 Chapel Street Ancoats Manchester in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to securing the skate to the boot and consists in the novel:
method of construction and arrangement of parts forming a pneumatic attachment.
The object of this invention is to provide a skate which by inexpensive means can
be quickly and firmly secured to the boot...
In carrying out this invention the sole plate of the skate can be provided with a
turned up elge surrounding or partially surrounding the foot.
This turned up edge is formed into a hollow block or flask which has a flexible face
contiguous to the heel and sole of the boot.
The flexible face may be of indiarubber, canvas or any suitable material, the face
may be roughened if prefered or may have attached to it metal catches to engage with
the heel and sole of boot.
The turned up edges can be made seperate from the sole plate. if preferred so that
they can be adjusted to fit the boot and then secured in their proper places these
adjustable turned up edges would form seperate hollow blocks or flasks having flexible
faces and all having common tubular connection for inflating.
Or if preferred one or more hollow blocks could be made to grip the heel of the boot,
and two or more to grip the toe-part of the boot.
These adjustable hollow blocks could have common tubular connection or be inflated
seperately if preferred.
On any suitable position on the skate a valve can be placed to which can be attached
an inflator, the said valve forming inlet valve for the air and also acting as back-
pressure valve, instead of seperator inflator being used, a little pump could be attached
if preferred worked by lever-or any suitable means.
The advantage which skates constructed according to this invention offer is a quick
and simple means of firmly attaching the skate to the boot without damaging the boot
and being free from mechanism the skate can be made very light.
This invention would apply to roller skates as well as to ordinary skates used
on ice.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Skates.
I, HENRY FAWSITT, of 69 Chapel Street, Ancoats, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this 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 relates to skates and its object is to provide a simple and efficient
0. means of securing them to the feet of the user...
3 I, HENRY FAWSITT, of 69 Chapel Street, Ancoats, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this 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 relates to skates and its object is to provide a simple and efficient
0. means of securing them to the feet of the user.
...

page_text: A skate constructed to embody these improvements is formed or provided with
flanges or upward projections along the edge of the sole plate or that part of the skate
upon which the foot is placed. One or more of these flanges is or are provided on the
inner face with a flexible chamber or its equivalent which is adapted to expand under
fluid pressure. When the skate is to be secured in place the foot is placed within the
flanges or projections and the chamber or chambers is or are expanded, preferably by
air under pressure.
The flexible chamber may be constructed of indiarubber combined with canvas or
any other suitable material and may, if desired, be combined with metal faces having
prongs or the like to engage with the substance of the boot.
So that my invention may be more readily understood I have. hereto appended a
sheet of drawings to which I will make reference hereinafter.
Figure 1 illustrates in plan an ordinary wooden skate with one form of my improved
attaching devices.
Figure 2 represents to a larger scale in section part of one of the expanding
chambers combined with the vertical flange.
Figure 3 shows the skate in side elevation.
It will be seen that the sole plate or equivalent part of the skate A is provided with
flanges or upwardly projecting plates at suitable and convenient points at the heel and
toe. These plates B may, if desired, he rigidly connected to the skate but are
preferably adjustably connected by the screws or pivots C so that they may be capable
of a slight movement to adapt themselves to different sizes and shapes of heels and
soles. These plates or some of them are provided with expanding chambers or the
like D which may be placed simply upon the faces of the plates or be contained in
recesses formed in the plates. The chambers are connected in any suitable manner
with a valve E to which an ordinary air inflator may be attached.
In order to secure the skate to the foot the latter is placed within the flanges B, a
pump is attached to the valve E, and the chambers D arè expanded until they tightly
grip the heel and sole of the boot. The skate can then not be removed from the boot
until the chambers are deflated.
The chambers may have their faces roughened or corrugated as shown in Figure 2
and these corrugations may be formed of harder indiarubber than the rest of the
chambers. As an alternative method of increasing the grip the faces may have emery
or other similar or suitable material incorporated with them. Instead of the india-
rubber or other face of the chamber gripping the boot directly, a metallic plate or the
like may be interposed, this plate being either attached.to the chamber or hinged to
the body of the skate or to the flange so as to be capable of being moved by the
expanding chamber.
In the form shown in the drawings each of the flanges may be furnished with an
expanding chamber but this is not absolutely necessary. For example, one of the toe
flanges may be plain or faced with solid rubber or the like and only one of them may
be provided with a chamber. The expansion of this chamber draws the opposite flange
tight against the boot sole and effects a secure grip. Similarly part or some of the
heel chambers may be dispensed with.
In a further modification the chambers of both toe plates may be absent, and the
sole of the boot may be thrust forward and jammed firmly into place between the two
plain plates. The heel is then lowered into its own position and is secured by the
expanded chambers.
Instead of providing the chambers with the connection and valves shown, which
necessitate the carrying of an inflator by the user of the skate, a pump may be arranged
.to form part of the body of the skate. This may be conveniently effected by boring
part of the body and fitting it with a plunger which may be operated, say, from the
back of the skate, either directly or by means of a lever. Each chamber may have a
separate pump or means of connection with the inflator or all the chambers may be
connected so that they are inflated simultaneously. A separate deflating valve may be
¡employed.
Different arrangements of flanges may be provided to that illustrated in the drawings.

page_text: For example the flange may be continuous all round the body of the skate but the
arrangement shown will he found generally convenient.
It will, of course, be understood that other types of skates to that shown may be
similarly fitted with the inflated gripping devices. Skates so fitted are light and do
not damage the boot.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the saune is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a skate, the combination with the sole plate or other equivalent part, of a
flange or flanges furnished with an expanding chamber or chambers, constructed
arranged and operated substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In a skate, the fluid operated gripping devices, constructed arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
3. In a skate, the combination of the fluid operated gripping devices and an
inflator or pump formed in the body of or attached to the skate,, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
4. A skate provided with fluid operated gripping devices constructed and arranged
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.