A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF SKATING OR BICYCLING, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF MAGNETISM THERETO
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Horstman, of Bloomsbury, in the County of
Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
METHOD OF SKATING OR BICYCLING, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF MAGNETISM
THERETO."
Sealed the 29th September 1877, and dated the 26th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Horstman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th May 1877.
HENRY HORSTMAN, of Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Electrical
Engineer. "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF SKATING OR BICYCLING, AND IN
THE APPLICATION OF MAGNETISM THERETO.'
This Invention consists,―
First. In the construction and use of a railway, so called, centrifugal or suspended
vertical, circular, or elliptical line or lines of rail, of concave or convex tread or
head, flat, flanged, or any other desirable section, for the purpose of enabling a
person with skates of ordinary (as roller skates) or of special construction, or with
bicycles to travel on such line or line, describing such curves; the said lines being
used if desired in combination with a sufficiently long or steep gradient, down
which the skater or bicyclist would acquire sufficient momentum to be carried round
the inside of or over such vertical curved lines. By line or lines of rail is meant
that one line may be used for both feet, or one for each foot, or more than two lines
may be used if desired.
Secondly. In forming the said line or lines with an under cut shoulder or groove,
so that a corresponding safety clutch piece or hooked projection on the bottom or
side of the skate or skates travelling in such groove, while permitting motion in the
required direction, will prevent the skate or skates leaving the line, thereby acting
as a means of safety.
Thirdly. The application and use, if desired, of electro or permanent magnetic
appliances to the rails or skates for giving a propelling or retaining power (or
both) to the latter; for instance, an apparatus for electro-magnetic rotation being
en

page_text: attached to the skate, the battery power to cause such rotation, and consequently
motion of skate, may be applied along the line or lines by means of a suitable
insulating and contact-making arrangements; or permanent (by which is meant
fixed) magnetism may be used separately or in conjunction with the foregoing
to assist in the propelling power or to cause adhesion of the skates to rail.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Horstman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
November 1877.
HENRY HORSTMAN, of Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Electrical
Engineer. "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF SKATING OR BICYCLING, AND IN
THE APPLICATION OF MAGNETISM THERETO."
This Invention consists,-
First. In the construction and use of a railway, so called, centrifugal or suspended
vertically, inclined, circular, or elliptical line or lines of rail, of concave or convex,
flat, flanged, or any other desirable section, for the purpose of enabling a person with
skates of ordinary (as roller skates) or of special construction, or with bicycles to
travel on such line or lines, describing such curves, the said lines being used if
desired in combination with a sufficiently long or steep gradient, down which the
skater would acquire sufficient momentum to be carried round the inside of or over
such vertically curved lines.
Secondly. In forming the said line or lines with an under cut shoulder, groove, or
flange, so that a corresponding safety clutch piece or hooked projection on the
bottom or side of skate or skates, travelling in or along such groove or flange,
whilst permitting motion in the required direction, will prevent the skate or skates
leaving the line, thereby acting as a means of safety.
Thirdly. The application and use of electro or permanent magnetic appliances
to the rails or skates for giving a propelling or retaining power (or both) to the
latter.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, reference being made to the
accompanying Drawing, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of one form of my Invention.
Fig. 2, a side elevation of a skate adapted to a double line of angle iron rails
inclined as seen in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, a transverse section on line 1, 2, in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4, a plan of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5, a transverse section of a skate adapted to a
single line of flanged or Trail.
According to the first and second parts of my Invention, A represents a combined
convex and vertically inclined circular line or lines of rail suspended from the roof
or other convenient part of a building or any place of exhibition by the guy ropes
or chains a, a, (or they may be supported by posts or framework from below), and
starting at its highest point from a platform B. whence it assumes the descending
convex gradient b round the vertically inclined circle b' (or more than one circle

page_text: may be used if found desirable), and thence along the convex portion be on to the
lower platform C. "Along or over this line or lines of rail A a person is caused to
travel by the use of a skate (or skates) D (seen more particularly in Figs. 2, 3, and
4) which is formed on its sides with flanges c, c, projecting downwards over the
outside edges of the two opposite angle iron rails A, A, and provided thercat with
rollers d, d, (one under cach corner of the skate D), working against the upper
sides
of the horizontal flanges of the rails A, A, and with rollers e, e, (one at each side at
the middle of the skate D), working against the under sides of the horizontal
flanges of the rails A, A. The whole forming, as it were, a safety roller clutch piece
or projection with the flanges of the rails A, A. At each end of the skate D on tho
under side of its table or foot plate are two rollers f. f, working against the inside
faces of the vertical flanges to the rails A, A. By this arrangement of rollers the
skate (or skates) D (while capable of travelling longitudinally along or over the
rails A, A,) is prevented from leaving the same, thereby acting as a means of
safety.
The skate (or skates) D is provided with straps 1, 2, or other devices for securing
it to the foot of the wearer. A person using the skate (or skates) D in starting
from the upper platform B travels along the line or lines of rail A down the
gradient b, and in so doing will acquire sufficient momentum to carry him round
the inside of the circle b', and along the ascending portion b² on to the lower plat-
form C. In the case of a single line of flanged or T rail (see Fig. 5) the arrange-
ment of a skate D is similar to that in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, with the exception that in
lieu of the rollers f, f, between the rails A, A, the rollers h, h, are substituted,
working against the outside edges of the single rail A, as shewn.
The third part of my Invention, which consists in the application of electricity or
magnetism to the apparatus above described, is shewn in Figs. 6 and 7, where
the skate D (as constructed in Figs. 2, 3, and 4) is fitted with an electro-magnetic
rotary engine E, of ordinary or special construction, acting upon one or more of the
rollers d, d, of the skate D by means of gearing, as shewn, or by any other suitable
device. A voltaic battery F (see Fig. 7) is provided, having its two terminal or
conducting wires attached respectively to the ends of the two angle iron rails A, A,
which are connected with each other, and at the same time perfectly insulated by
the insulating bolts g, g, to the ends of which are attached the guy or suspension
ropes or chains a, a, before described. A current of electricity passing from the
battery F along the lines A acts upon the magnetic engine E, which causes the
rollers d, d, to rotate, thereby producing or assisting to produce locomotion of the
skate (or skates) D and of the person using the same.
Permanent magnetism may also be employed alone or in combination herewith
for the purpose of retaining the skate D on the line or lines A.
In the case of a single line of rail a flexible or other conductor is provided
running parallel to the single line and completing (as in the case of the double lines
A, A,) the electric current through engino F.
For adapting bicycles to the line or lines A, A, the peripheries of the wheels aro
made of the sections seen in Figs. 8 and 9; that in Fig. 8, for a double line of rails,
shews a flat tread h, where the wheels bear on the rails A, A, and a bevilled projecting
rim i for running between the rails A, A, and for guiding the wheels along the
same. Section Fig. 9 shews a flat tread ; bearing on the single line of rail A, and
two bevelled projecting rims k, k, at the sides of the rail for guiding the wheels
along the same. In both cases one or more safety roller clutches l, carrying rollers
m, are provided at the side or sides of the bicycle for preventing then from leaving
the rail or rails A, A These clutches may be made in the form of brackets
embracing the hubs of the wheels, and dependant therefrom, as shown, or they may
be applied in any other desirable manner, as found most suitable.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and

page_text: therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
1. The combination and use of skates or bicycles of ordinary or special con-
struction, with centrifugal or suspended vertically inclined, circular, or elliptical
line or lines of rail of whatever section, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
2. The combination and use with the skates or bicycles, and with the suspended
line or lines of rail, of electro or permanent magnetism, or both, substantially
as and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Horstman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
HENRY HORSTMAN. (L.S.)