IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEEL OR ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Carter, Engineer, and Robert Tompkins,
Gentleman, both of Reading, in the County of Berks, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEEL OR ROLLER SKATES."
Sealed the 30th May 1876, and dated the 10th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas Carter and
Robert Tompkins at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th
March 1876.
WILLIAM THOMAS CARTER, Engineer, and ROBERT TOMPKINS, Gentleman, both
of Reading, in the County of Berks. " IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEEL OR ROLLER
SKATES."
This Invention relates to a two-wheeled skate for use on rinks covered with
asphalt, or on other prepared surfaces. The wheels of these skates revolve on axes
or spindles, which when at rest are horizontal. The ends of the said spindles fit in
small metal balls or spheres which work in hollow brackets; the said spindles are
connected with the balls through slots on the inner sides of the said brackets, and
the spindles are flattened to fit the slots and to allow them to slide therein without
turning. The said brackets are attached to the foot plate at an angle of about
thirty degrees. The brackets of the front wheel incline forward, and the brackets
of the hind wheel incline to the rear of the skate at the same angle, that is to say,
at about thirty degrees. Inside the said brackets above the balls are spiral springs,
and between each ball and spring is a cup of metal or wood.
The skater by pressing on either side of the skate causes the balls on that side of
the skate to slide up the inclined bracket, thus causing the spindles to assuine the
position of the radii of a circle in which the skater then moves over the floor or
surface, and the greater the pressure on the side of the skate the smaller will be
the circle or curve of the skater's movement. The movement of the spindle is
regulated by the length of the slot. The tension or pressure of the springs is regu-
lated by a screw passing diagonally through the foot plate and through a small
square plate fitted into the bracket; this screw operates on a plug at the top of
the spiral spring.
With this improved skate the weight is borne almost entirely on the springs, so
that any unevenness of the floor or rink does not greatly affect the motion of
the skater.
The wheels are preferably made of boxwood, with a sinall groove turned in its
Price fid.1

page_text: periphery, which groove increases the friction on the floor of the rink, and thus
prevents slipping sidewise. There is a brass bush fitted into each wheel, with brass
washers in each side of the same to keep the wheel properly in place on its axis or
spindle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Thomas Carter and Robert Tompkins in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 7th September 1876.
WILLIAM THOMAS CARTER, Engineer, and ROBERT TOMPKINS, Gentleman, both
of Reading, in the County of Berks. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEEL OR ROLLER
SKATES."
The object of our Invention is the production of improved skates for use on
asphalt or other prepared surfaces, such as are or may be used in skating rinks.
The said Invention relates to n two-wheeled skate, and consists in the combination
with the stock or foot plate and the wheels or rollers of peculiar devices, herein-
after described, whereby the skate may be turned or guided in any desired direction
by pressure properly exerted upon the said stock by the wearer of the skate.
term our said Invention the challenge skate.
We
In the accompanying Drawing we have shewn one of our improved skates.
Figure 1 is a bottom, plan, or under side view; and Figure 2 is a side elevation of
the same.
Figures 3, 4, 5, show portions of the skate detached.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the stock or foot plate of the skate, which may be formed of wood or other
suitable material; a, a, are the wheels or rollers; b, b, are the axles or spindles of
the same; c, c, are small metal balls or spheres in which the ends of the axles bare
fitted and supported; d, d, are hollow inclined brackets slotted on their inner sides,
and in which the said balls or spheres are fitted to work freely. The said spindles
are connected with the balls c through the slots e in the said brackets, and the
roller spindles are flattened at b', as shewn in Figures 1 and 3, to fit the slots e, and
to allow the spindles to slide without turning in the same. The brackets & are
attached to the foot plate by screws or other suitable means, and project therefrom
at an angle of about thirty-five degrees, as shewn in Figure 2. The brackets of the
front wheel incline downward and forward, and the brackets of the hind wheel
incline downward to the rear of the skate, at the same or nearly the same angle ;
that is to say, at an angle of about thirty-five degrees to the surface of the stock.
Inside each of the said brackets & above the balls c is a spiral spring f, and between
each ball and spring is a cup g of metal, wood, or other suitable material, which
forms a bearing for the ball.
The skater by exerting pressure on either side of the skate causes the balls c on
that side of the skate to overcome the resistance of their springs and slide up the
inclined bracket, thus bringing the axles or spindles b into an angular position, or a
position corresponding with two of the radii of a circle upon the skating surface,
and the greater the pressure on the side of the skate the more acute will be the
angle formed by the axles and the smaller the circle in which the skate will move;
and by almost imperceptible movements the skater can increase, diminish, or change
the direction of the curves in which he is moving. The extent of the movement of
the spindle in the brackets d is regulated by the length of the slots in the same.
The tension or pressure of the springs is regulated by a screw at the top of each
bracket d, the inner end of which screw presses upon the top of the spiral spring,
as clearly shown in Figure 4.
With this improved skate the skater rests almost entirely on the springs, so that
he will not be uncomfortably affected by any unevenness of the skating floor or
surface.

page_text: The wheels or rollers a are preferably made of boxwood, and may have a small
groove turned in their periphery to increase the friction on the floor of the
rink, and thus prevent slipping sidewise. A metal bush is fitted into cach wheel
to form its bearing on its axle or spindle b, and metal washers are placed on
each side of the same to keep the wheel properly in place on the said axle or
spindle.
The above described devices, namely, the balls or spheres fitted within the inclined
slotted tubular brackets with the springs at the top of the same, constructed and
arranged as shewn in the Drawing, may be modified in any manner, so long as
they retain the peculiar features thereof, that is to say, the yielding axle supports
working in inclined brackets with a capability of movement in response to pressure
exerted at either side of the stock.
Having thus fully described our said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, we wish it understood that we claim,-
First. In a skate which has two wheels or rollers, the above described peculiar
devices consisting of a pair of the inclined slotted tubular brackets, containing
balls or spheres which work freely in the said brackets and which support the ends
of the roller shafts or axles, and have springs interposed between them and the
upper end of the said brackets, so constructed and arranged that the said shafts or
axles are operated by pressure exerted upon either side of the skate, as above set
forth.
Second. In the said skate the two wheels or rollers arranged in line with cach
other and in combination with the above described peculiar devices, in the manner
and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Thomas Carter and Robert Tompkins,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
above-named Robert Tompkins in
the presence of
WM. CAVE,
WILLIAM THOMAS CARTER. (L.S.)
ROBERT TOMPKINS.
187, Oxford St., Reading,
Gentleman.
(L.S.)