IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Samuel de Beauvoir Yelloly, Lieutenant Royal
Navy, and Arthur Henry Stuart Elwes, Sub-Lieutenant Royal Navy, for an
LETTERS PATENT to John Samuel de Beauvoir Yelloly, Lieutenant Royal
Navy, and Arthur Henry Stuart Elwes, Sub-Lieutenant Royal Navy, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Samuel de Beauvoir
Yelloly and Arthur Henry Stuart Elwes at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents on the 14th January 1882.
JOHN SAMUEL DE BEAUVOIR YELLOLY Lieutenant Royal Navy and ARTHUR
HENRY STUART ELWES Sub-Lieutenant Royal Navy. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SKATES."
These improvements in skates are intended to combine the facility of putting
on and off of the "Acme" with the security and support to the feet only to be
obtained by the skates being secured by straps round the feet.
The skate consists firstly of a block of wood though metal may be used in
place of it nearly conforming to the size of the foot and with a receptacle for the
heel.
The underside of this block is grooved or ploughed and within this groove lies
the fin or blade of the skate; immediately under the heel a hole is made through
the blade and a pin passing through the block and through this hole makes an
articulated joint of the block hand blade.
The same articulation can be made by other means such as as a hinge.
From this pin as a fulcrum the following action takes place. When the toe ends
of the block and of the skate are opened or widened the ends of both block and blade
at the heel end are brought together and vice versa through the heel of the blade or
mortice hole is provided for a strap, or a hooked projection would equally answer,
the strap.passing through this hole or round the end of the blade, is carried round
the foot above the instep. It will be seen that if the foot is placed on the block
the toe ends of the block and blade being open and the strap fastened round the
foot that the toe ends being brought together the strap will be tightened round
[Price Gd.1

page_text: the foot, the strap being adjusted then with the toe ends of the block and blade
open, the foot pressing on the toe end, brings both block and lathe together at these
ends and a part at the other and the strap tightens round the foot. In the wood
or other block are spring or lever devices or catches so that when the block and
blade are brought together they become fixed until the skater by pressure releases
the catches.
The fore part of the block at the ball of the toe or tread is hollowed out longitu-
dinally and so that a strap or straps passing round over the foot and block and
moderately tightened the strap bridges over this hollow.
The foot pressing the toe ends of the blade and block together brings the strap
onto the upper edge of the blade of the skate and the pressure of the foot causes
the blade to force up the strap into the longitudinal hollow and so tighten the
strap round the foot.
When the blade and block are closed together as before described the strap,
catch or bolt holds both together and the foot is firmly held by the straps tightened
under the action of the lever and the hollow in the block as described. As the
straps only fit moderately tight when the skate is opened the foot can be placed
very easily in the straps without altering the buckles, the snapping together of
the skate blade and block completing the full tightness of the straps as may be
required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Samuel de Beauvoir Yelloly and Arthur Henry Stuart Elwes
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th July 1882.
JOHN SAMUEL DE BEAUVOIR YELLOLY, Lieutenant Royal Navy and ARTHUR
HENRY STUART ELWES Sub-Lieutenant Royal Navy.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
SKATES."
These improvements in skates are intended to combine the facility of putting
on and off of the "Acme" with the security and support to the feet only to be
obtained by the skates being secured by straps round the feet.
The skate consists first of a block of wood though metal may be used in
place of it nearly conforming to the size of the foot and with a receptacle for the
heel.
The under side of this block is grooved or ploughed and within this groove lies
the pin or blade of the skate; immediately under the heel a hole is made through
the blade and a pin passing through the block and through this hole makes an
articulated joint of the block and blade.
The same articulation can be made by other means such as a hinge.
From this pin as a fulcrum the following action takes place. When the
toe ends of the block and of the skate blade are opened or widened the
ends of both block and blade the heel end are brought together and vice
versa; through the heel of the blade a mortise hole is provided for a strap or a
hooked projection will equally answer, the strap passing through this hole or round
the end of the blade, is carried round the foot above the instep. It will be seen
that if the foot is placed on the block the toe ends of the block and blade being
opened and the strap fastened round the foot that the toe ends being brought
together the strap will be tightened round the foot, the strap being adjusted then
with the toe ends of the block and blade open, the foot pressing on the toe end
brings both block and blade together at these ends and apart at the other and
the strap tightens round the foot. In the wood or other block are spring or lever
devices or catches so that when the block and blade are brought together they become
fixed until the skater by pressure and manipulation releases the catches. The fore
part of the block at the ball of the toe or tread is hollowed out longitudinally and
so that a strap or straps passing round over the foot and block and moderately
tightened the strap bridges over this hollow.
The foot pressing the toe ends of the blade and block together brings the strap
on to the upper edge of the blade of the skate and the pressure of the foot causes
the blade to force up the strap into the longitudinal hollow and so tighten the
strap round the foot.
When the blade and block are closed together as before described the strap catch
or bolt holds both together and the foot is firmly held by the straps tightened
under the action of the lever and the hollow in the block as described. As the
straps only fit moderately tight when the skate is opened the foot can be placed
very easily in the instep or toe strap or straps without altering the buckles the
snapping together of the skate blade and block completing the full tightness of the
straps as may be required and the ankle strap can be moderately tightened only, the
shutting together of the block and blade of skate giving the necessary tightness.
In the Sheet of Drawings forming part of the Specification―.
Figure 1 represents view of the underside of the skate.
Figure 2 side view of block and fin or blade of skate.
Figures 3 and 4 cross section through block and blade of skate Figure 2.
Figures 5 and 6 spring catch and fastening holding front part of block and

page_text: a body or block of skate, a¹ the bridge part under ball of foot, 6 fin or blade of
skate, c block attached to a the body of the skate articulated by the pin c' to
b the pin.
d mortise hole in the fin for the ankle strap d', e strap over the toes or below
instep going over the bridge or projection a¹, a¹. f metal hoop to keep strap e
attached to block, g the rotating catch working on pin g¹, in the slot g², in the
fin 6 and retained when in place fixed as shown in Figure 1 by the spring g³ and
catch g in the slot in the fin g³.
When the skate requires to be opened the catch gsee Figure 2 is pressed up out
of the slot g³ then the piece g is rotated till the slots at 96 correspond with the
bridge fastening piece h and the fin b can then open from the body a and relieve
the pressure on the straps d and e.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Invention
we would have it understood that what we desire to claim and secure in the
said herein in part recited Letters Patent is :-
First, The method herein described of articulating the fin of the skate and the
body and using any suitable fastening so that it shall give the means of tightening
and releasing the pressure on the strap round the ankle substantially as described
and for the purpose set forth.
Secondly. The action of the fin' on the strap over the projections or bridge on the
body of the skate for tightening the strap round and over the toes or below the
instep substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said John Samuel de Beauvoir Yelloly have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Eleventh day of July in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
TAK