IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Moy Thomas, of the Garden House, Clement's Inn,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of
“IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES."
Sealed the 9th May 1876, and dated the 7th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Moy Thomas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th February 1876.
HENRY MOY THOMAS, of the Garden House, Clement's Inn, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
ROLLER SKATES."
The object of my improvements is not only to enable the roller skate to run in a
curve either to right or left, but to cause it when so running to perform mechanically
segments of a perfect circle, by which great facility in turning and neatness and
sinoothness of action are attained without any great skill in the skater.
For this purpose I mount two pairs of rollers on two axles, each fixed in a
carriage, which I prefer to shape like a cross, capable of turning vertically upon its
own axis. The crosses are mounted and work in suitable bearings, which bearings
are fixed rigidly to the under part of the platform or stock of the skate. From one
side of each cross at right angles to the axle projects a longitudinal regulator.
The regulator from the cross at the heel of the skate terminates half way between the
two axles in a slot, and the regulator from the front axle proceeding in the opposite
direction continues to the back of the skate, where it is retained by an india-rubber
ring or band, or other suitable spring, which tends to keep the axles at right angles
to the foot of the skater.
The aforesaid front regulator carries at half way between the two axles a stud
or bolt, which works in the slot of the back regulator, and links the two regulators
together. At a point between the two axles a lever secured by straps to the
bottom of the foot works through the platform or stock of the skate in suitable
bearings, which form the fulcrum of the lever. The lower end of this lever works
in a slot made in the forward regulator near to the axle of the front rollers. This
lever is level with the top of the platform or stock of the skate, which is bevelled
off at each side, leaving a central support for the foot of the skater, and allowing
the foot to rock thereon, and act upon either of the projecting sides of the lever
when it is required to skate in a curved direction.
מ.

page_text: I would here remark that the two axles being worked by one moving point, and
being reset at right angles to the foot by one spring, must always work with
uniformity in such manner that when the skate is running in a curved direction,
the axles, taken in relation to a line to be drawn longitudinally along the centre of
the platform or stock, must be necessarily at angles of the saine degree, though in
opposite directions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Moy Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th August
1870.
HENRY MOY THOMAS, of 16, Clement's Inn, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES."
The object of my improvements is not only to enable the roller skate to run in a
curve either to right or left, but to cause it when so running to perform mechanically
segments of a perfect circle, by which great facility in turning and neatness and
smoothness of action are obtained without any great skill in the skater.
For this purpose I mount two pairs of rollers on two axles, each fixed in a
carriage, which I prefer to shape like a cross, capable of turning vertically upon its
own axis. The crosses are mounted and work in suitable bearings, which bearings
are fixed rigidly to the under part of the platform or stock of the skate. From one
side of each cross at right angles to the axle projects a longitudinal regulator.
The regulator from the cross at the heel of the skate terminates half way between
the two axles in a slot, and the regulator from the front axle proceeding in the
opposite direction continues to the back of the skate, where it is retained by an
india-rubber ring or band, or other suitable spring, which tends to keep the axles at
right angles to the foot of the skater.
The aforesaid front regulator carries at half way between the two axles a stud
or bolt, which works in the slot of the back regulator, and links the two regulators
together. At a point between the two axles a lever secured by straps to the
bottom of the foot works through the platform or stock of the skate in suitable
bearings, which form the fulcrum of the lever. The lower end of this lever works
in a slot made in the forward regulator near the axle of the front rollers. This
lever is level with the top of the platform or stock of the skate, which is bevelled
off at cach side, leaving a central support for the foot of the skater, and allowing
the foot to rock thereon, and act upon either of the projecting sides of the lever
when it is required to skate in a curved direction.
I would here romark that the two axles being worked by one moving point, and
being reset at right angles to the foot by one spring, must always work with
uniformity in such manner that when the skate is running in a curved direction
the axles taken in relation to a line to be drawn logitudinally along the centre of
the platform or stock must be necessarily at angles of the same degree, though in
opposite directions.
I will now proceed to describe my Invention in detail, with the aid of the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and by reference to the letters and figures marked on
such Drawings.
On the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 represents an under side view.
Figure 2, a plan.
Figure 3, a side view.

page_text: A represents the stock or platform; D, the rollers capable of revolving on axies,
which are fixed to or form part of the vertical axle carriage or frame ID of the
shape of a cross, which itself is capable of turning upon its own axis. This ver-
tical axle carriage or frame D, as particularly shewn in Figures 5, 6, and 7,
terminates top and bottom in a journal E. To the under part of the stock or
platforin A are fixed rigidly two buttons or bearing plates F, one near the heel, the
other near the toc, to receive the top journal E of each axle carriage or frame D,
the lower journal E of each axle carriage or frame D being capped by a bracket G,
which secures the axle carriage or frame D in its position vertically without
rivetting or otherwise making fast the said axle carriage or frame D to the button
or bearing plate F, thereby relieving the button or bearing plate F of the strain
which is brought to bear upon it when the axle carriage is so rivetted or made fast.
On one side of the axle carriage or frame D at right angles to the axle C is a projection H
to which is rivetted or otherwise fastened one part of the regulator I. The part of the
regulator I rivetted or otherwise fastened to the axle carriage or frame D near the
toc of the skate carries a stud or bolt K, which is fixed to the said part of the
regulator I in such a position that the distance from this stud or bolt K to the front
axle C shall be so much greater than the distance from this stud or bolt K to the
back axle C, that when the axles are caused to converge to the greatest possible
extent the stud or bolt K having travelled through a part of (or altered its position
in) the slot L made in the other part of the regulator I projecting from the axle
carriage or frame D at the heel of the skate assumes a position half way between
the two axles, and so regulates their convergence to the same angle, though in
opposite directions.
This arrangement causes the wheels of the axle carriage or frame D at the heel
of the skate to follow the wheels of the axle carriage or frame D at the toc of the
skate in the line of the same circle, of which these front wheels are describing a
seginent, thereby causing less impediment to the progress of the front wheels than
is caused by the back wheels of a skate when they are not connected to the front
wheels, in which latter case there is generally more or less imperfect correspondence
in action between the two sets of rollers when running in a curve. Beyond this
stud or bolt K the part of the regulator I rivetted or otherwise fastened to the pro-
jection H on the axle carriage or frame D at the toe of the skate is continued
towards the axle carriage or frame D at the heel, and is bent up so as not to
interfere with or impede the movements or the part of the regulator I projecting
from the axle carriage or frame D at the heel, and such bent up portion terminates in
another stud M, which connects this part of the regulator to the stock or platform A
by an india-rubber ring N, or other suitable spring, secured by the hook O. Tho
part of the regulator I projecting from the axle carriage or frame D at the heel of
the skate, and fastened thereto in the same manner as the part above described,
terminates near the centre of the skate. Near the end of this part of the
regulator I is a slot L, one end of which slot is enlarged in the form of a round
hole, the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the head of the stud
or bolt K to allow the two parts of the regulator I to be disconnected without
removing the stud or bolt K from that part of the regulator to which it is fixed.
To the top side of the stock or platform A, Figure 2, under the ball of the foot, aro
secured two metal plates P, each of which forms a bearing for a pin passing
horizontally through a three-sided lever Q in a direction from the toe to the heel,
and forming a fulcrum for this lever, as particularly shewn, where part of the stock
or platform A is represented in Figure 3 as cut away for this purpose. One side of
this three-sided lever at right angles to the other two sides descends through the
stock or platform A, and works in a plain slot R made in the part of the regulator J,
which carries the studs or bolts K and M, so that as the body of the skater is inclined
to the right or left so is the three-sided lever Q depressed on the right or left (the
stock or platform A being bevelled off on each side to allow this movement, as
shown in Figure 4), and so are the two parts of the regulator I set by the lever Q

page_text: in such a position that the wheels run in a curve in the direction of the inclination
of the body of the skater.
The axle carriage or frame D, represented in Figures 6 and 7, is of a somewhat
different form from the axle carriage or frame D, shewn in Figure 5, and is only to be
preferred to the latter when strength is deemed more important than lightness of
the skate, hence it constitutes part of and does not deviate from the above
Invention.
This form of axle carriage or frame D, Figures 6 and 7, has a projection H on
each side at right angles to the axle it carries, and the regulator in this case is
passed through an opening in the axle carriage or frame, and is rivetted or othor-
wise attached to each projection, so that it may be more firinly secured than in the
case of the axle carriage above described with the projection H on one side only. It
has also arms or a frame to strengthen the axles by supporting them outside the
wheels.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be carried into effect, I would have it understood that I claim,―
That form of regulator I, consisting of two parts, one of which carries two fixed
studs or bolts K and M, and a plain slot R, and is bent up as described, the other
part having a slot L shaped in a form adapted to the purposes described, as shewn
in Figure 1.
Secondly. Fixing the stud or bolt K to the part of the regulator I, as described,
so that when the axles C are caused to converge to the extreme extent limited by
the degree in which the three-sided lever can be depressed, the said stud or
bolt K assumes a position at equal distances between the centres of the hind and
fore axles C, so that the wheels are caused to run in a segment of a true circle.
Thirdly. Securing the axle carriages or frames of a skate to the buttons or bearing
plates by means of a bracket G.
And, Fourthly. Arranging the spring of a skate in the manner described, so that
it acts simultaneously, and with equal power, upon each axle carriage or frame, and
hence produces an easy and steady movement, my Invention in this respect differing
from other skates with only one spring, tending to retain both axles in their normal
position, such spring having hitherto been made to act directly upon one axle
carriage, which axle carriage has been made to communicate the effect of the
said spring by various devices to the other axle carriage, the result being a jerking
and unsteady movement, which I hereby claim to have remedied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Moy Thomas, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
F. M. THOMAS,
68, Oldfield Rd.,
Stoke Newington,
London, N.
H. MOY THOMAS. (L.S.)