IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO ROLLER SKATES.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Mackay, of Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO ROLLER
SKATES.
Sealed the 1st May 1877, and dated the 22nd February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Mackay at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd February 1877.
JAMES MACKAY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
AND APPLICABLE TO ROLLER SKATES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My Invention relates to a novel construction of axle and foot stock bracket for
carrying same to be applied to roller skates, so as to enable the skater to perform
gyrations and cut figures, and consists in forming the axle with a projection or
provision in its centre, the sides of which form two inclined planes. The rollers or
runners are on the ends of the axle and run thereon. The foot stock bracket which
carries the axle has a slot or fork forming two inclined planes, which slot or fork
receives the projection or provision before mentioned as being on the centre of the
axle. The axle is attached to the foot stock bracket by a pin which passes through
the fork or slot of the bracket, and through the projection or provision on the centre
of the axle, so that the foot stock bracket is free to cant on the axle to either side.
The axle is provided with springs, either spiral, flat, or of india-rubber, which
always tend to keep the axle in a position parallel to the foot stock. The foot stock
brackets thus constructed are fitted to the foot stock with their inclined slots or
forks pointing inwards, or towards the instep or centre of the skate.

page_text: My Invention relates to a novel construction of axle and foot stock bracket for
carrying same to be applied to roller skates, so as to enable the skater to perform
gyrations and cut figures, and consists in forming the axle with a projection or
provision in its centre, the sides of which form two inclined planes, or which forms
an inclined plane. The rollers or runners are on the ends of the axle and run
thereon. The foot stock bracket which carries the axle has a slot or fork forming
two inclined planes, which slot or fork receives the projection or provision before
mentioned as being on the centre of the axle, or the foot stock bracket has a
provision forming an inclined plane, on which works the inclined plane on the axle
face to face. The axle is attached to the foot stock bracket by a pin which passes
through the fork, slot, or provision of the bracket, and through the projection or
provision on the centre of the axle, so that the foot stock, bracket is free to cant on
the axle to either side. The axle is provided with springs, either spiral, flat, or of
india-rubber, which always tend to keep the axle in a position parallel to the foot
stock. The foot stock brackets thus constructed are fitted to the foot stock with
their inclined planes pointing inwards or towards the instep or centre of the skate.
That my Invention may be clearly understood I have hereunto annexed a Sheet
of Drawings illustrative thereof, marked with letters and figures of reference corres-
ponding with those in the following-explanation. In all the Figures the same
letters of reference (so far as they are applicable to the Figures) indicate the same
or corresponding parts.
Upon reference to the Drawings,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of an axle and foot stock bracket
according to my Invention, as applicable to roller skates; Figure 2 is a plan of
Figure 1, shown partly in section; Figure 3 is plan through the dotted line X, Y,
Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a side elevation partly in section of a roller skate constructed
according to my Invention, the detail of the foot stock bracket and axle varying
from that shown at Figure 1; Figure 5 is a plan of Figure 4 viewed from the
bottom; Figure 6 is a plan through the dotted line V, W, Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a side elevation partly in section of a roller skate constructed
according to my Invention, the detail of the foot stock, and bracket, and axle
varying from that shown at Figure 1; Figure 8 is a plan of Figure 7 viewed from
the bottom; Figure 9 is a plan through the dotted line S, T, Figure 7.
Figure 10 is a side elevation partly in section of a foot stock bracket and axle,
varying in detail from that shown at Figure 1; Figure 11 is a plan through the
dotted line Q, R, Figure 10.
Upon reference it will be seen that a is the axle of the rollers A. The axle a is
formed so that when in position, as at Figures 1, 4, 7, and 10, it has two inclined planes,
the upper of which 6 bears upon the inclined plane c formed on the foot stock bracket d.
The wheels A rotate on the axle which is pivoted to the foot stock bracket & by
the pin e, which passes through the centre of the axle a and through the inclined
plane c on the foot stock bracket d; the foot stock bracket d is thus free to cant on
the axle a to either side. This canting is performed by the pressure of the foot of
the skater on the foot stock B. The axle is provided with springs h, either flat, as
shown at Figures 1, 2, and 3, or spiral, as herein-after referred to. These springs h
always tend to keep the axle a in a position parallel to the foot stock B, and when the
pressure of the skater's foot cants the foot stock, the spring ħ allows the axle to
radiate on the pin e, and thus enables the skater to cut figures. The spring h
works in the V piece (Figure 3) on the foot stock bracket d, which controls its
action.
My Invention can be considerably varied in detail, as for example, that shown at
Figures 4, 5, and 6. In this case the axle a is formed in a piece with the pin e and
the controlling bar k. The foot stock bracket d is formed with an inclined surface c,
upon which the inclined surface b of the axle a works. The pin e is held in position
by the nut and split pin l. The foot stock bracket d is provided with two lugs m,
through which pass the bar n which carries the spiral springs, the controller bar k

page_text: | being held in position by the springs h and working on the bar n, as will be seen
upon reference to Figure 6.
Figures 7, 8, and 9, illustrate a modification of my Invention, in which the foot
stock bracket d is composed of two parts, namely, the pin d and the hollow boss d
which is attached to the foot stock. The hollow boss d is provided with a spiral, or
india-rubber, or other spring o, which bears on the top of the pin d¹³, as will be seen
upon reference to Figure 7.
a
In the modification shown at Figures 10 and 11 I use a straight spring bar n,
which is attached to the foot stock by the lugs or brackets m. The spring bar n is
provided with a sleeve washer p and barrels 8. The controller bark is formed with
jaw which takes into the sleeve washer p, so that the controller bar & travels to
the right or to the left on the spring bar n. The spring his compressed on one side
or the other into the barrel 8, and when the controller bar is hard over, the barrel &
takes the pressure from the controller bar on to the lug m which is fixed to the foot
stock, and thus relieves the spring h.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of improvements in and applicable
to roller skates, and shown how the same may be carried into effect, I would
observe that I am aware that many kinds of roller skates are now patented or in
use, whereby the skater is enabled by the pressure of the foot on one side or the
other of the foot stock, or an apparatus attached thereto, to vary the direction of
the skate, and in particular that, amongst others, the following Patents have been
taken out for the same, that is to say, by Alfred Vincent Newton (No. 2190,
A.D. 1865), dated 25 August 1865; by Adolphus Frederick Spiller (No. 2574,
A.D.1874), dated 23 July 1874; by William Phillips Thompson (No. 3440, A.D. 1876),
dated 1 September 1876; by William Phillips Thompson (No. 4347, A.D. 1876),
dated 10 November 1876, and that I do not herein make any claim in general to
the making of a guidable skate, but what I do claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. Applying rollers to the foot stock of a skate, in the manner herein-before
described and shown in the Drawings annexed hereto, by means of an axle which
has an inclined plane working directly upon the face of an inclined plane on the
foot stock bracket, so that the skater is enabled to perform the requisite curves in
figure skating by the pressure of the foot upon the foot stock of the skate.
Second. The construction of a foot stock bracket, such as d, as applied to roller
skates shown in the accompanying Drawings, with an inclined working face or
plane, such as c, upon which works an axle, such as a, the same being pivoted
thereto by a pin, such as e, and controlled by a spring, such as h, substantially as
herein described or set forth and shown in the Drawings hereto annexed, or any
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Mackay, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JAMES MACKAY. (L.S.)