IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AXLES OF WHEELS, AND IN THE APPLICATION AND ADAPTATION OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS TO CARRIAGES AND ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Clark at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1876.
GEORGE CLARK, of No. 10, Craven Buildings, Drury Lane, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AXLES OF WHEELS, AND IN THE APPLICATION
AND ADAPTATION OF SUCH IMPROVEMENTS TO CARRIAGES AND ROLLER SKATES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the axles of wheels,
and in the application and adaptation of the said improvements to carriages and
roller skates, and consists of the following parts, namely:-
1st Improvement.-Two axles instead of one axle, one attached to the frame of
that kind of wheel known as a castor wheel, so that two wheels may be fitted to
and at the extremities of each of such axles, one at each end, and made to pivot
by means of a ball-and-socket action on and around the aforesaid frame.
2nd Improvement.-Relates to the adaptation of castor frames and axles con-
structed and fitted in the manner above described, as the first improvement to carriages
of any kind or to roller skates having a pair of wheels at each end of any such
carriage or skate Each pair of such castor wheels with their axles and frame is to be
so fitted and fixed at and to the ends of the carriage or skate as aforesaid, that such
pivoting ball-and-socket action of the castor frame shall be outside, and the axles
and wheels inside at the ends of the carriage or skate. The 2 pairs of wheels
will thus be actuated by the pivoting action in opposite directions, and the result
will be that in giving a circular motion to the carriage or skate the axles and the
wheels will at both ends turn inwards inside the circle, and outwards outside the
circle described by the carriage or skate when in circular motion. This improve-
ment is applicable to ordinary castors with one wheel for the purpose of causing the
wheels to turn in opposite directions when imparting a turning or circular motion
to any carriage or roller skate to which such ordinary castors are or may be
applied.
3rd Improvement. The construction and use of a spring treadle to be attached to
the foot board of a roller skate, so that one being placed in the proper position on
each side of the front of the foot board, it may be acted upon by the skater turning
his foot on one side or the other, and thereby facilitate the turning action of the
aforesaid castor wheels by inclining the body of the skater on either side when
imparting a circular motion to the skate. The mode of constructing the aforesaid
spring treadle is to fit to a tube of the required diameter and length, say, the

page_text: former, to 3 inch, the latter 1 to 1½ inch closed at. the bottom and having a
flange at the top. This tube being fitted into á-hole through the foot board and
secured thereon by means of its flange forms a socket, into which is fitted a spiral
spring covered with a cap of the same external diameter as the inside diameter of
the tube, and the cap of the spring is fitted to the tube by a pin secured to the cap,
and passing through a hole at the bottom of the tube, the necessary tension of the
spring being regulated by means of a key passing through the aforesaid pin of the
cap underneath the bottom of the tube. From the above described arrangement it
will result that the skater's foot having under it on each side one of these spring
treadles he may by pressure. of the foot on one side or the other give an inclination
of the body to either side without straining the muscles of the foot or ancle.
4th Improvement.-The combination of castor wheels on 1 or 2 axles placed
at the ends of any carriage or roller skate in the manner described in the 2nd im-
provement on any carriage or roller skate with 2 wheels on a fixed or revolving
axle at the centre of any such carriage or skate between the castor wheels at
the ends.
It is to be understood that the improvements constituting my said Invention are
applicable to all kinds of road and railway carriages, including locomotive engines,
passenger and luggage carriages, and vans and goods trucks, and all other vehicles
travelling on wheels, as well as roller skates. With reference to the above described
2nd and 3rd improvements it is to. Be explained that when after the converging
position on the axles has been given to them by the turning motion of the skater
as described in the second improvement, the axles may be locked and maintained in
their radial condition by means of the action of the skater's-foot pressing on a
spring treadle, similar to that above described as the third improvement, the pin
of the treadle cap descending vertically, being so adjusted that the lower end of the
pin when pressed down by the skater's foot shall come into contact with a pin
projecting horizontally from the axle when the latter has attained its radial position.
Or the same object of locking and maintaining the converged position of the axle
may be accomplished by attaching to the axle a vertical stem of sufficient length to
be raised above the top of the foot board outside or through a hole in the latter, the
top of the said stem being provided with a stud in such manner that a horizontal
bar or plate under the foot may be made to press by the skater on the aforesaid
stud, and thereby fix the axle in its radial position.