IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Worby Beaumont, of Camberwell, in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER
SKATES."
Sealed the 29th December 1876, and dated the 19th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Worby Beaumont
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1876.
WILLIAM WORBY BEAUMONT, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
My Invention relates to certain improvements in roller skates whereby such
skates are made more simple and less costly than hitherto.
In carrying out my Invention I form two spiral springs of steel or other suffi-
ciently strong and elastic material formed into wire of cylindrical or other section ;
each spring consisting of one or more complete circular turns of a convenient diameter,
and of one half or nearly half turn, the spires in one of the pair of springs being
twisted similar to a right-handed screw, and the other similar to a left-hand screw.
The two ends of the wire are left straight and so that each forms a tangent to the
spiral.
When the springs are in position to be attached to the sole plate or foot stock,
which may be of any of the forms usual for roller skates one of these pro-
jecting pieces is parallel thereto and approximately horizontal, the other projecting
piece leaves the spiral at such a point thereof nearly opposite to the former that the
spring being free and unloaded this projecting piece shall be either parallel with
the other projecting piece or shall make a small angle therewith in the plane of
the spiral.
Two pairs of such springs constitute the mounting for one skate, all being fixed to
the sole plate or foot stock with the mean plane of the spirals perpendicular or nearly
perpendicular thereto, and parallel to the centre line of the skate, the two forward
or toe spirals having their centres in a line transverse to the centre line of the foot
stock are placed with the tangent pieces projecting backwards, and the after or lieel
pair of spirals similarly fixed having the projecting pieces projecting forwards or
towards the toe. The two spirals of each pair may be twisted out of a single piece
of wire, the extremities of both projecting tangents in contact with the sole plate
[Price 6d.]

page_text: or foot stock being connected by a transverse piece of the wire of the spring, and
the projecting tangents or this transverse piece or both are secured to the sole plate
Four rollers are
or foot stock by screws, rivets, staples, or other suitable means.
employed, each pair placed upon a metallic axle, the ends whereof are cylindrical,
and the portion between these of such rectangular or other form as will admit of
two holes being bored through it of a size and form to permit one of the free
projecting tangent pieces of each of the two adjacent spirals to enter freely. The
position of the roller axle is then limited by its contact one way with some part of
the spiral upon which it bears, and in the opposite direction is prevented from slipping
off or leaving the wire of the spiral forming the free tangent pieces by a nut
screwed upon each of the extremities thereof, with or without a washer of suitable
elastic material, or a small spiral spring placed between the nuts and the axle.
Or the axle may be prevented from slipping off the free projecting tangent pieces
by suitably bending the wire itself or forming the end of it into a rivet head.
When the skate is in place upon the foot of the skater his weight is borne,
whilst his tread is even and vertical, equally by the four spirals, the lower and free
projecting tangent pieces of which support the axles, but when the weight of the
skater presses unequally upon one or the other side of the central line of the skate
the springs are at that side most compressed and the axles are at that side forced
along the projecting tangent pieces unequally, and in such a manner that the roller
axles following for a greater or less distance the curve of the spirals and the
direction of the projecting tangent pieces no longer remain exactly transverse to
the centre line of the skate but become sleeved round, so as to enable the rollers
without drag or slip to follow round such curved course as the skater desires, and
as the tangent pieces at the toe and heel of the skate point in opposite directions
the slewing round of the fore and rear axles takes place in opposite directions,
so that if their lines of direction were produced they would converge at the
same side of the central line of the skate as that at which the greater weight is
applied.
In lieu of employing two rollers upon the extremities of each axle outside the
spirals, as herein-before described, one roller of greater axial length or two rollers
may be placed between the spirals if found desirable. In this case the axle may.
be cylindrical throughout, and may be connected with the free projecting tangential
parts of the springs by suitably formed clips and screws or nuts or other suitable
fastenings, or by forming the end of the free projecting tangential parts of the
springs into an eye or loop, or otherwise bending it so that it shall hold the axle
in its place. A collar of suitable form or a sleeve with a collar projecting from it
may be placed or fixed upon the axle, the sleeve covering that part of the axle
upon which the rollers run and the collar bearing against the circumference of the
spring coil or coils.
In lieu of the separate axle carrying both rollers whether inside or outside the
spirals, the free projecting tangent piece of each spring may by being bent at right
angles to the plane of the spiral and in a horizontal direction be made an axis of
revolution for cach roller, and a collar or sleeve and collar may be placed upon each
axle so formed, the ends of the axles being provided with suitable means for
retaining the rollers thereon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Worby Beaumont in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
January 1877.
WILLIAM WORBY BEAUMONT, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, Engineer. 5
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in roller skates whereby
such skates are made more simple and less costly than heretofore.

page_text: In carrying out my said Invention I form two spiral springs of steel or other
sufficiently strong and elastic material formed into wire of cylindrical or other
section; each spring consisting of one or more complete circular turns of a con-
venient diameter, and of one half or nearly half turn, the spires in one of the pairs.
of springs being twisted similar to a right-hand screw, and the other similar to a
left-hand screw. The two ends of the wire are left straight and so that each forms
a tangent to the spiral.
When the springs are in position to be attached to the sole plate or foot stock,
which may be of any of the forms usual for roller skates, one of these projecting
pieces is parallel thereto and approximately horizontal, the other projecting piece
leaves the spiral at such a point thereof nearly opposite to the former that the
spring being free and unloaded this projecting piece shall be either parallel with the
other projecting piece or shall make a small angle therewith in the plane of the spiral.
Two pairs of such springs constitute the mounting for one skate, all being fixed
to the sole plate or foot stock with the mean plane of the spirals perpendicular or
nearly perpendicular thereto and parallel to the centre line of the skate, the two
forward or toe spirals having their centres in a line transverse to the centre line
of the foot stock are placed with the tangent pieces projecting backwards, and the
after or heel pair of spirals similarly fixed having the projecting pieces projecting
forwards or towards the toe. The two spirals of each pair may be twisted out of
a single piece of wire, the extremities of both projecting tangents in contact with the
sole plate or foot stock being connected by a transverse piece of the wire of the
spring, and the projecting tangents or this transverse piece or both are secured to
the sole plate or foot stock by screws, rivets, staples, or other suitable means.
rollers or wheels are employed, each pair placed upon a metallic axle, the ends
whereof are cylindrical, and the portion between these of similar or such other
form as will admit of two holes being bored through it of a size and shape to
perimit one of the free projecting tangent pieces of each of the two adjacent spirals
to enter freely. The position of the roller axle is then limited by its contact one
way with some part of the spiral upon which it bears, and in the opposite direction
is prevented from slipping off or leaving the wire of the spiral forming the free
tangent pieces by a nut screwed upon each of the extremities thereof, with or
without the interposition of a washer of suitable elastic material, or a small spiral
spring between the nuts and the axle. Or the axle may be prevented from
slipping off the free projecting tangent pieces by suitably bending the wire itself
or forming the end of it into a rivet head.
Four
When the skate is in place upon the foot of the skater his weight is borne, while
his tread is even and vertical, equally by the four spirals, the lower and free
projecting tangent pieces of which support the axles, but when the weight of the
skater presses unequally upon one or the other side of the central line of the skate
the springs are at that side most compressed, and the axles are at that side forced
towards each other by or along the projecting tangent pieces, in such a manner
that the roller axles following for a greater or less distance the curve of the spirals
and the direction of the projecting tangent pieces no longer remain exactly
transverse to the centre line of the skate but become slued round, so as to enable
the rollers without drag or slip to follow round such curved course as the skater.
desires.
In lieu of employing two rollers or wheels upon the extremities of each axle
outside the spirals, as herein-before described, one roller of greater axial length or
two rollers may be placed between the spirals if found desirable. In this case the
axle, which is by preference cylindrical throughout, may be connected with the free
projecting tangential parts of the springs by suitably formed clips and screws or
nuts or other suitable fastenings, or by forming the end of the free projecting
tangential parts of the springs into an eye or loop, or otherwise bending it so that
it shall hold the axle in its place. A collar of suitable form or a sleeve with a
collar projecting from it may be placed or fixed upon the axle, the sleeve covering
that part of the axle upon which the rollers run and the collar bearing against the
circumference of the spring coil or coils.

page_text: In lieu of the separate axle carrying both rollers, whether inside or outside the
spirals, the free projecting tangent piece of each spring may by being bent at right
angles to the plane of the spiral and in a horizontal direction be made an axis of
revolution for each roller, and a collar, or sleeve and collar, may be placed upon each,
axle so formed, the ends of the axles being provided with suitable means for
retaining the rollers thereon. Skates, however, provided with springs so made
will not be suitable for describing curves of small radius.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now pro-
ceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, similar letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a side elevation
partly in section of a roller skate constructed according to my Invention provided
with four rollers or running wheels; Figure 2 is an end view of the same looking
towards the toe of the skate, and Figure 3 is an under side view of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a side elevation partly in section of a slightly modified construction
of skate provided with two rollers or broad running wheels; Figure 5 an end view
of the same, and Figure 6 a view of the under side of Figure 4 with one of the
rollers removed. The remaining Figures are details and modifications which will be
herein-after referred to.
Referring to Figures 1; 2, and 3, the front or toe rollers A, and the rear or heel
rollers A, are mounted respectively upon axles B, B', having perforations or
passages C, C, formed therein for the reception of the ends of the coiled wire
springs D, D¹, which springs are secured to their respective axles by nuts E, E¹,
and to the sole plate or foot stock F by means of metal plates or clamping pieces G
(shewn detached at Figure 7) screwed or otherwise attached to the under side of
the sole plate. Each of the springs D and D' may be made from separate pieces of
wire if desired, but I prefer to construct cach pair of springs in one piece, as shewn
in my Drawings. The straight projecting portions or ends a of the whole of the
springs are arranged tangentially to their respective coiled portions b, as shewn in
Figure 1, and in the detached perspective view Figure 8, whilst the ends a of the
respective pairs of springs are arranged so as to extend in a direction approaching
each other, that is to say, the ends of the front or toe springs D extend in a direc-
tion towards the rear or heel of the skate, and the ends of the rear or heel springs
extend in a direction towards the front or toc of the skate, and the coil of each
spring of both pairs is made in the reverse direction to that of the other spring of
the same pair, and also in the reverse direction to that of the corresponding spring
of the other pair after the manner of right and left hand screws.
When the skate is in use and the skater exerts a vertical and even pressure upon
the sole plate his weight is borne equally by the four spirals and the skate will
travel in a straight direction, but so soon as the weight of the skater is brought to
bear on one or other side of the central line of the skate the axles at that side will
be caused to approach each other on the ends a of the springs as the latter partially
wind up under the pressure on that side of the skate, whereby the skate will be
directed in a curvilinear course. It will thus be seen that the curve described by
the skate may be varied at the will of the operator by the act of causing the weight
of his body to preponderate on one or other of the sides of the central line of the
skate according to the direction in which he desires to travel.
In the arrangement illustrated by Figures 4, 5, and 6, two rollers A, A¹, only are
employed mounted on axles B, B', which are connected to the springs D, D', by
forming in each of the ends a of the springs an eye H, as shewn clearly in the
detached perspective view Figure 9, and passing such eyes on to the axles.
In this
case the parts may be retained in their place, either by means of nuts screwed on
to the ends of the axles, or by constructing the axles in the form of bolts, the
heads I of which will serve to retain the springs at one side, as shewn in Figures 5
and 6, whilst the springs of the opposite side are retained by means of nuts 11
collars K being interposed between the eyes H and the body of the rollers for the
purpose of reducing the friction and maintaining the rollers in their proper positions.

page_text: This mode of carrying the rollers may be adopted when four rollers are employed
by simply placing upon the axles a sleeve extending between the eyes formed in
each pair of springs, or by increasing the diameter of the axles at that part, the
rollers being mounted on the ends of the axles as in the arrangement illustrated by
Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Figure 10 illustrates another mode of connecting the springs to the axles, and
which may be adopted when either one or two rollers are mounted on one axle.
According to this modification the tangential end a of each spring is inserted in a
socket & formed in a metal block e, which is mounted upon the axle and secured
therein by a nut marked E. The axle may be formed with collars f. f, as also
shewn in Figure 10, against which the rollers bear, or a loose sleeve or long collar
may be fitted to or formed on the axle, if desired, for a similar purpose.
Figure 11 is a perspective view, and Figure 12 a back elevation of a modified
form of coil spring, in which the tangential ends a, a, are bent to a right angle to
the plane of the coil b in such a manner as to form axles for a pair of rollers, which
axles may either bear directly upon the coils, as shewn at g, or be passed through a
block or collar h, the collar in that case being fitted to bear upon the coil.
This
last-described construction of spring is most suitable for small skates and for sucli
only as are intended to traverse large curves.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the saine is or may be used or carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is the application and use to and in roller skates of spiral or coil springs
carrying or forming axles on which the running wheels or rollers are mounted,
such axles being caused to converge and diverge by the winding and unwinding of
the said springs under the action of the foot of the skater, substantially in the
manner herein-before described.
.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Worby Beaumont, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of January, One thou-
sand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WILLIAM WORBY BEAUMONT. (L.S.)