Fastenings and Ankle Supports for Roller Skates and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Fastenings and Ankle Supports for Roller Skates and the like.
I, BENOIT ALFRED DORST, of 10 Windsor Terrace, City Road, London N.,
Foreign Correspondent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists in the berein-described fastenings and ankle supports,
adapted for such roller skates, the construction and motion of which necessitate,.
that the part of the foot, behind the ball, be left free to move upwards and
downwards, according to the position of legs and body, and they are designed, to
bold the skate upright when in use, and to prevent the foot moving sideways. The
first part of my invention consists in two tubes of suitable size and strength, which
are fixed on both sides of the centre tube of the skate A Fig. I, by means of a
spindle passed through same, which may be fitted with ball bearing cups (or to a
cross-piece B Fig. 1, formed of tubular arms) or to the underside of the foot-plate,.
either direct or to downwardly projecting horns. These two tubes C Fig. 1, may
be connected by means of another tube, or by a strip of metal, brazed or otherwise
fixed round same. The tubes may be round, oval or Hat. A smaller tube, D Fig. 1,
or blade, gauged to fit exactly, is then inserted into each of tebes C, the outwardly
projecting ends of which are pressed flat (or convex in some parts) and perforated
for the reception of a round nut B Fig. VIII, fitted with sidestays C and female
thread, through which a screw A, to be fastened into the heel is passed and which
arrangements hold the tubes in position. By these means the tubes will follow the
movement of the foot, the larger ones, fixed to the skate, in the manner described,
by turning upon their axis and the smaller ones by gliding up and down within the
former, according to the curve of the foot. I may however also fix the smaller
tubes to the skate and insert these into larger ones, forming part of the heel
supports, or to which the latter are fixed. In this case the larger tubes will slide
forwards and backwards as described above. The tubes forming the heel support
may, in some cases be connected behind the heel. E in Fig. I shows heel
support.
The ankle support, shown on Fig. VII, may be constructed of any suitable
material. I prefer to use a thin metal blade E, which may be hollow, or pressed
into a convex shape. The lower portion, as shown on same figure is also perforated
and fixed with the projecting arm D of the aforesaid sliding tube in the manner
aready mentioned and illustrated by Fig. VIII. E being projecting arm of sliding
tube and, D the blade of the ankle support. An indiarubber ring or a nut, with or
without thread, may be fitted to the screw between the heel and the nut, holding
the supports in position. The upper portion of the ankle supports is fixed by means
of a rivet G Fig. VII to a broad piece of leather F, lined with stout felt or other
suitable material, and in such a way so as to allow it of a certain forward and
backward movement, yet being held in the same place. At the lower extremity
of the said telt-lined leather, I fix a strip of leather or metal, H, or other suitable
material over the blade, forming the support, within which the latter glides.
I may however also fix the above on the bare felt or on straps passed round same.
Instead of fixing two separate tubes to the centre tube, as described, I may take
a suitable metal plate of required size and shape and press or bend it into such a

page_text: '
shape, so as to form a round, oval or flat tube on each side, (see Fig. IV) into
which, heel supports of respective shapes, being either round, flat or oval, or mere
steel blades, are fitted. The tubes so formed may be strengthened by brazing or
soldering another tube or hollow blade inside or round same. If the tubes be oval
or flat, they may occupy a horizontal, slanting or vertical position. The above
arrangement may also be fixed to the skate as already described, or be hinged to
the foot plate in a suitable manner.
According to another part of this invention I take a flat, or in some places
slightly curved steel or metal plate A Fig. 11, with arns projecting away from
the heel and which may be bent round a spindle or crosspiece or be fixed in any of
the ways already mentioned. I may also make these arms shorter, or omit them
and hinge the said plate to the foot rest. Another suitable sheet of metal B, with
bent round edges, or a flat or slightly curved hollow blade is then passed over the
above described plate and to which suitable heel supports C are fixed. This
arrangement follows the movement of the foot, by turning firstly upon an axis and
secondly through the outer plate or blade gliding forwards and backwards over the
inner one acting as a stay. Instead of fixing the inner plate to the skate, I may
do this with the outer plate or blade and fix the supports to the outwardly
projecting part of the latter.
In some cases I may also employ a metal plate A. Fig. V with edges fixed at
right angles, or slightly curved, to the same, or braze two plates together and
bend the edges as described. In both cases the heel supports will be bent round
these edges, see B, Fig. V.
In other cases I may discard the sliding arrangement altogether and cut a slot
into the heel support, as shown on Fig. III, which support will be fastened to the
heel in the way already described.
Another part of my invention consists in an arrangement, to prevent the foot
sliding backwards on the foot-plate. To carry this into effect I take a broad piece
of leather and fix it, at its front extremity only, flat on the upper part of the foot-
plate, which may be recessed on that portion. This leather ends in two straps
standing backwardly out on each side and which are to encircle the foot, in its
narrow centre and to be tightened above the boot. These two straps may,
however, also be sewn on to the above-mentioned piece of leather. Instead of
using a piece of leather I may employ a thin blade, made of spring steel and fix
the straps to same in a like manner. This blade may however be longer, in some
cases, and reach as far as the heel. A sliding arrangement, as shown on Fig. II
and V may also be made and more than two straps employed, or the blade may
be made to slide on or under the foot plate.
The manner in which I prefer to fix the latter to the skate is illustrated by
Fig. IX, another plate C being bent and soldered or brazed round the underside
of the centre tube A and the edges fixed, in a suitable manner to the foot-plate B.
In order that the foot-plate may have a better hold on the centre tube, I may
flatten the top portion of the latter, or fix a suitable piece of metal to the sides of
the tube, so as to give the upper portion the shape of the foot plate.
Another part of this invention consists in a metal plate fixed at one extremity
only to the foot plate (see Fig. VI): The front end is provided with a projecting
nail, or a screw A, which may be fitted with a nut. This projecting nail or screw
is to be inserted into a perforation in the tip of the sole. In some instances, as for
broad boots, I may employ more than one nail or screw. To give the foot yet
greater security, I may also perforate the foot-plate on two or more places and
use a boot, the sole of which is fitted with metal spikes, which will exactly fit
into these perforations, thus preventing the foot gliding or turning in either
direction.
Another part of this invention consists in a direct ankle support, formed of a
series of hollow metal blades, pressed into a convex shape. I preferably use three
such blades, gauged to fit exactly into one another. The outer blade, which is the
Jargest, is fixed to the cross- piece of the skate, to which the horns, holding 'the

page_text: backwheel are fastened (or to the spindle of the said wheel) or to the horns, and in
such a way so that the blade may be free to move in a forward and backward
manner, without much friction, but preventing it from moving sideways. The
supports are fastened to the leg, in a like manner, as those already described in the
present specification. This support follows the movement of the foot, by virtue of
the blades sliding up and down within each other, arrangements being made so that
they may not come out too far. To carry this part of my invention into practice
I may however also use round or oval tubes or mere metal blades with edges bent
round, within which the smaller blades glide or fix the smaller tubes or blades to
the skate and pass the others over them.
In conclusion I wish it to be understood that the annexed drawings being only
given, so that the specification may be more readily understond, I do not hold
myself to the particular shapes given, only, as in practice I may find it advantageous
to vary or modify the shapes, to attain better results.
Dated this 21st day of March 1896.
Fastenings and Ankle Supports. 1or Roller Skates and the like.
I, BENOIT ALFRED DORST, of No. 10 Windsor Terrace, City Road, Londou N.,
Foreign Correspondent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention for improvements in road or roller skates relates to skates of that
class that are not raised from the ground in use and in which the course described
is a straight line, and has for its object to secure the foot of the user to the frame
in such manner that the heel and rear part of the foot are free to move upwardly
and downwardly with an action similar to that of walking and without losing hold
of the frame or lifting the rear part of the skate, to provide means for preventing
the foot slipping backwards on the frame and for relieving the strain on the forward
part of the foot.
A skate embodying my improvements according to this invention consists of an
elongated, preferably tubular frame, a front and a back-roller fastened between
forks secured to the frame, a foot and a heel plate mounted on the frame, a heel
fork, forming the heel fastening, pivoted to the frame to rise and fall, a back-check
strap preventing the slipping backwards of, the foot on the frame, and an ankle
support pivoted to the heel fork and adapted to rise and fall with the foot.
The last three named parts constitute the novel features claimed under this
patent.
In the accompanying two sheets of illustrative drawings;
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a skate embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a
plan of the same;
Fig. 3 is an ankle support shown partly in section;
Fig. 4 is a flanged bush; and
Fig. 5 is a section of a tubular crosspiece with boss and horns in section as
hereinafter described.
The longitudinal main tube a is provided, more or less near its centre, with
a short cross-piece b, 61, which is by preference tubular and which may be stamped
out in the manufacture of the main tube or be brazed or otherwise fixed to the
In this tubular cross piece b, b', is mounted, (brazed or fixed in any
approved manner) an axle, which should preferably be hollow. Each side of this
axle may be provided with two annular recesses, one at the extremity of the axle

page_text: and the other recess near the cross tube or b¹, or with three or more longitudinal
recesses, which may be stamped into the said hollow axle, for the reception of
hardened steel balls, intended to work against the inner surface of the outer
tubesc, c. When the short tubular cross piece b, is stamped out in the
manufacture of the main tube a, the axle may be in one piece from end to end, the
centre part, when the axle is fixed, being lodged in the hollow centre of the main
tube a.
But when this said cross piece b, b₁ is independent of and brazed to the
main tube, the axle is preferably in two parts, one being fixed into part b and the
other into b' of the tubular cross piece. The short outer tubes c, el fit exactly over
the tubular axle and to these are brazed or fixed rearwardly extending guides or
tubes d, d', which may be straight or curved and round or oval, and of any suitable
length; but by preference they are either round or oval and straight. The tubular
cross-pieces c c of these guides are free to oscillate about the above mentioned
axle, which acts as pivot. Sliding in telescopic fashion in the guides or tubes d, d¹
are rods or tubes shown by e in Fig. 1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The
backwardly projecting parts of these sliding rods or tubes, which extend along
the sides of the heel, are flattened, and perforated near the vertical centre of
the heel, for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. Instead of flattening the
backwardly extending parts of these sliding rods or tubes, a separate part shaped
as, or approximately as shown by f in Fig. 1 and by f, f¹ in Fig. 2, and preferably
provided with a short boss, may be brazed into or otherwise secured to the
extremity of each sliding tube or part, being likewise perforated as described.
These flat portions extending along the sides of the heel and the pivoted parts and
slides, forming the heel fastening, will hereinafter be called the "heel fork."
The sliding tubes may sometimes be made to work outside the pivoted guides.
The flat portions of the heel fork may be connected by a narrow metal strap or
part, shaped as desired, which is screwed or otherwise fixed to the forward part of
the flat portions of the heel fork say from points g to g¹. In some cases the sliding
parts may be omitted and a flattened portion of the guides, or a separate flat part,
shaped as described and brazed or otherwise fixed to the extremity of each guide,
may be arranged to extend along the sides of the heel, so as to cover or slightly
exceed the length of the latter. These flat portions are each provided with
a longitudinal central slot about 2 inches in length more or less. Into each such
slot a flanged bush, hereinafter mentioned, will be inserted, to slide forwards and
backwards within the said slots, as the foot rises or falls. In order to lock the
cross tubes c, c¹ of the guide tubes d, d¹ in position and to prevent the same from
disengaging themselves from the tubular axle, a short, preferably hollow, and
externally threaded boss, provided with a milled flange h, h, may be screwed into
the extremities of the hollow axle at each side, which will be internally threaded
at that part. This applies to axles without ball bearing recesses. Into axles
provided with recesses for steel balls, a short boss, shaped according to the section
of the hollow axle, must be brazed or otherwise fixed into the axle at each side.
These bosses are provided with a short, externally threaded projection, onto which
a milled disc or a locking nut is screwed, thus locking the tubular cross-pieces cc¹
of the guides d, d' in position, but leaving them free to oscillate about the axle.
When a solid axle is used, a disc or a uut is screwed onto a short, externally
threaded projection at each side of the axle and against a shoulder on the
Baid axle.
The ankle support shown in Figs. 1.and 3, is preferably a metal blade, which
may be flat at both ends and slightly couvex in other parts, as shown, and it may
be straight or slightly curved outward. The upright rods forming the ankle
support are perforated at i. A flanged bush as shown in Fig. 4 is passed through
this perforation, also through the perforation in the flat portion f of the heel fork,
and the loose flange is then fixed to the bush, thus securing one rod of the ankle
support to the heel fork, but leaving both the ankle support and the heel fork free
to oscillate about the bush. A cylindric or taper screw, provided with a broad
milled head is introduced into each of the perforated bushes in the direction of the

page_text: arrow and screwed into the sides of the heel when the skate is in use. These
screws are preferably not threaded throughout their whole length, the part lodged
in the bush being without a thread to enable the bush to oscillate about the smooth.
part of the screw. The upper part of the ankle support is secured to a broad,..
felt-lined ankle strap by means of a broad beaded rivet m, which is passed through.
a perforntion in the said support, likewise through the strap and sometimes also,
through the felt pad n and riveted over a metal dise, to prevent the rivet from
dislodging itself. One such upright rod is pivoted at each side of the skate to the
prongs of the heel fork and to the ankle strap.
Fig. 3 shows an ankle support having the bush i solid with the support, but for
this solid bush I make no claim.
The horns between which the wheels of the skate are, fastened and for which I
niake no claim in the present specification, are flat or convex metal blades or parts,....
preferably raised from a sheet metal blank, and may be of any suitable shape, also.
ornamented in any approved manner. The front fork o is preferably made of
sheet steel about th of an inch thick, so as to hold the wheel rigidly in position
and the horns of this fork may be flat or when thinner metal is used they may be.
trough shaped as or approximately as shown by p. pl in Fig. 5. The backfork ..
I may construct as the front one, but prefer to make the horns of elastic spring
steel of suitable thickness, to facilitate curvilinear motion, by virtue of the yielding:
property of the fork. The blades of this fork and likewise those of the forward
one may be provided with extended parts and have preferably a straight upper,
edge, for the foot or heel plate to ride upon. The horns are perforated in the
usual way for the reception of the projecting part of the spindle of the wheel.
The manner in which I prefer to fix the forks to the frame is illustrated by Fig. 5,..
the horns p, being welded, pinned, brazed or otherwise fixed to a boss s, s',
which may be hollow, and which bosses are brazed, serewed, pinned or otherwise
fixed into the extremities of the tubular, forward and backward crosspieces. The
bosses may however also he omitted for sake of lightness and the horus be brazed.
or fixed in any approved manner to the sides of the said tubular cross-pieces.
Another part of this invention consists in a back-check strap t ending in two
narrower straps w, u, standing hackwardly away on each side. This back-check.
strap is of leather. The two narrow straps u, u', one of which is provided with a
buckle and the other one perforated in the usual way, are adapted to be secured over.
the foot. The broad part t lies in a recess stamped into or otherwise produced in the-
foot plate and is secured at its forward extremity only to the latter. This may be done
by two or more screws passed through metal eyelets fixed in the said forward part.
of strap t. To prevent tearing, the forward end of the back-check strap & may be
encased in a thin metal casing, flattened over, or sewn on to same, which metal
casing is perforated and may also be eyeletted for the reception of screws, and in
such a manner that the heads of the screws shall be sunk to a level with the said
metal casing when fixed. Instead of making the broad part of the back-check.
strap of leather, a thin steel blade, fixed as with the strap or soldered into the
recessed portion of the foot-plate may be used, and the two back-straps, u may
be sewn or otherwise fixed to the rear end of the said spring steel blade.
The foot-plate, for which I make no claim herein, may be turned up forward of
the toes and ornamented in any approved manner and the recess is preferably
stamped into the said plate. The part into which the back-check strap fits may
also be entirely cut out and another thin plate be riveted or otherwise fixed to the-
underside of the foot plate and sunk to a level with the same. This I prefer to do.
when I use a stout aluminium plate to form the foot plate.
As mentioned in the opening chapter of the preseut specification, skates,
embodying these improvements, are never lifted from the ground in use and travel
in straight parallel lines. The rear part of the, foot, behind the ball is free to rise-
and fall on the frame with an action similar to that of walking and without losing
hold of the frame, by virtue of the tubular parts of the heel fork oscillating about
the axle-fixed to the frame and the sliding-motion of the telescopic or extensible.

page_text: parts. The pivoted heel fork thus following the rising and falling motion of the
foot. The ankle support pivoted to the heel fork is secured to the ankle and also
rises and falls on the frame with the rear part of the foot and with the heel fork.
When the sliding arrangement is omitted and the flat portions of the heel fork are
provided with a longitudinal slot, the said tubular parts of the heel fork also
oscillate about the axle and the bushes secured to the heel, to which bushes the
ankle support is fixed,. slide forwards and backwards within the said slots as the
heel fork and foot rise and fall on the frame. The back-check strap is preferably
passed behind lugs in the sole of the boot and secured to the foot over the instep.
This part is likewise free to follow the motion, of the sole, being only fixed at its
forward end to the frame.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said iuven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:
1) In a road or roller skate a heel fork pivoted to the frame, the backwardly
extending parts of which fork are adapted to receive the rear part of the boot and
to rise and fall on the frame with the rear part of the foot.
2) In a road or roller skate a heel fork constructed and operating substantially
as described and illustrated.
3) In a road or roller skate an ankle support secured to the heel piece pivoted
to the frame and adapted to rise and fall on the frame with the heel piece and the
rear part of the foot."
4) In a road or roller skate a combined ankle support and heel fork pivoted to
the frame and adapted to rise and fall on the frame with the rear part of the foot,
substantially as described.
5) In a road or roller skate a back check strap secured near its forward end to
the frame and provided with rear or sidewardly extending parts adapted to be
secured to the boot, so as to leave the rear part of the foot free to rise and fall on
the frame.
6) In a road or roller skate a back-check strap secured at its forward end to the
frame and provided with rear or sidewardly extending parts, adapted to be secured
to the boot, so as to leave the rear part of the foot free to rise and fall on the
frame, substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 16th day of December 1896.
'
BENOIT ALFRED DORST.