IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hart, of Cambridge, in the County of Cambridge,
Perfumer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO ROLLER
SKATES."
Scaled the 10th November 1876, dated the 13th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hart at the Oflice of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th May 1876.
THOMAS HART, of Cambridge, in the County of Cambridge, Perfumer.
PROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO ROLLER SKATES."
" IM-
My Invention consists in the adaptation and application to roller skates of a
trendle, which is separate from the skate and strapped to the foot, and is passed
through the sole of the skate, to which it is applied, and caused to act on a jointed
bar underneath the said sole connected with the axles of the rollers.
The treadle rests and works on a pivot fixed in the sole of the skate, and is
provided at its lower end with a fork or other suitable means adapted to fit on to
the said bar, thereby causing the bar to be shifted in the required direction by the
pressure of the foot on the plate of the treadle. For this purpose the bar is formed
in two parts connected by means of a slotted joint in the centre of the bar, whereby
the movement of the end of the bar acted upon by the treadle in a direction on
either side of the centre line of the bar will impart to the other end of the bar n
corresponding movement on the opposite side of the said centre line, and by the
connection of the two ends of the bar with the axles of the rollers the said move-
ments of the ends of the bar will be transmitted to such axles, and cause them to
converge in the direction required. The two parts of the bar are returned to their
centre position by means of springs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Hart in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th November
1876.
THOMAS HART, of Cambridge, in the County of Cambridge, Perfumer.
PROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO ROLLER SKATES."
1
IM-
My Invention consists in the adaptation and application to roller skates for use
on floors or roads of a treadle or lever which is separate from the skate and fastened
[Price Gd.]

page_text: to the foot, and is passed through the fixed foot stock of the skate and caused to net
on a jointed bar underneath the said foot stock connected with the axles of the
rollers, which are connected to the foot stock by vertical axes.
The treadle or lever rests and works on a pivot or socket fixed in the foot stock
of the skate, and is provided at its lower end with a fork or other suitable means
adapted to fit on or into the said bar, thereby causing the bar to be shifted in the
required direction by the pressure of the foot to the right or left on the plate of the
treadle or lever, thereby causing the skate to turn on the floor or road in whatever
way the skater may desire. For this purpose the bar is formed in two parts
connected by means of a slotted joint in the centre of the bar, whereby the move-
ment of the end of the bar acted upon by the treadle or lever in a direction on
either side of the centre line of the bar will impart to the other end of the bar a
corresponding movement on the opposite side of the said centre line, and by the
connection of the two ends of the bar with the said vertical axis and the nxles of
the rollers the said movements of the ends of the bar will be transmitted to such
axles, and cause them to converge in the direction required. The two parts of the
bar are returned to their centre position by means of a spring or springs.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be peformed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, in which is represented a skate constructed in the manner
Fig. 1 is a plan or horizontal view of the skate; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation,
and Fig 3 an underneath plan view of the same; Figures 4, 5, and 6 represent the
treadle or lever detached; Fig. 7 represents the socket in the foot stock. In theso
several Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A is the ordinary wooden foot stock of the skate, in which is fixed a metallic
plate B adapted to form the socket or centre of motion of the treadle or lever C,
which is provided with a pin or short spindle D intended to work in such socket as
required. The treadle C is also furnished with a stem E, which extends downwards
from its under surface, and passing through an aperture in the foot stock A enters
a hole formed in the bar F, thereby establishing by means of the fixed foot stock a
connection between the treadle or lever C and the bar F, whereby any movement
of the treadle or lever on its pivot at B would be cominunicated to the bar F at the
part thereof through which the stem of the treadle or lever is passed. The stem E
is formed with a shoulder to rest on the bar F, and with a pin or journal to pass
through the hole in this bar. The bar F is composed of two parts f¹ and f, jointed
at, and the part is connected to the vertical axis of the front rollers, while the
part is connected to the vertical axis of the hinder rollers, both which pairs of
rollers have their axles fitted at the bottom of the said vertical axes G, G, which
are passed through the foot stock A, and are capable of slight movement in their
sockets formed in the foot stock, india-rubber washers being inserted between the
said axes and the plates H, H, fixed to the bottom of the foot stock.
By means of the above described arrangement a skater by pressing with his foot
on the treadle or lever C in a direction either to the right or left will cause the
part of the bar F to be correspondingly moved, and with it the axle of the front
pair of rollers. At the same time through the jointed connection between the
parts and of the bar F the part f will be moved in a direction on the opposite
side of the centre line of the bar F, and communicate a corresponding movement
to the axle of the hinder rollers, thereby causing the axles of the two pairs of rollers
to converge as required. I is a spring fixed at one end to the bottom of the foot
stock A, and connected at i with the part f' of the bar F, by the reaction of which
spring the two parts of the bar will be returned to their central position on the
withdrawal of the pressure from the treadle or lever C. The strength or stiffness
of the spring I (or springs) may be regulated as required by means of a sliding clip.

page_text: For the road skate the rollers will bo increased in diameter and covered with india-
rubber tyres.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
saine is to be performed, I hereby declare that I do not claim as of my Invention
any of the parts of a roller skate represented and described otherwise than as
heroin-after stated; but what I do claim as of my Invention is-
First. The adaptation and application to roller skates of a treadle or lever com-
bined with a jointed bar, as herein-before described.
And secondly. The treadle or lever as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hart, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Eleventh day of November, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand cight hundred and soventy-six.
Witness,
FRED. T. H. MORRICE,
Trinity College, Cambridge.
THOMAS HART. (L.S.)