Improvement in Cycle and Roller Skates and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883), as allowed by
the decision of the Comptroller General of the 22nd day of May 1897.
Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1895
La
EAL ለ.
1000
DEAL ALar
1906
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Cycle and Roller Skates and the like.
I ALFRED DORST, of 10 Windsor Terrace, City Road, London N., Foreign
Correspondent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to construct cycle or roller skates and the like
with elastic and pneumatic tyres mounted upon spindles upon which are extended
parts carrying the said spindles or annular recesses in which are a series of balls
working against the inner surface of globular casings or body of the wheel carrying
the rim upon which the tyres are mounted or fixed. Two hollow square (or
triangular) or round steel tubes, running along under the foot plate on which
they are firmly fixed by screws or rivets, and which are pressed flat on both ends,
the latter end being bent down, hold the rollers in position. Instead of constructing
the skeleton of 2 parts it may be formed of one hollow tube running along the
centre of the foot plate and dividing itself into forks in the front and at the rear
for the reception of the wheels. A hollow steel tube or a wire may connect the
two wheels on each side or the two connecting tubes or wires may be joined under
and in the centre of the foot plate, thus taking the shape of the letter X. The
rear wheel is left free to rotate backwards or forwards, whereas the front roller,
which is larger than the rear one and projects beyond the toes, is fitted in its hollow
body with a ratchet wheel firmly fixed to the spindle and a clutch moved by a
spring fixed to the flange bearing the tyre. By means of this arrangement the
skate can only move in a forward direction and will be stopped through the pawl
fixing itself into gear with the ratchet whenever the wheel tends to move back-
wards. Only the front part of the foot, between toes and first joint is fixed to the
body of the skate. This may be done with a strap attached to the sides of the
skate or by acne fittings or cramps. The tip of the sole may be perforated for
the reception of a steel projection or nail, which is fixed to the foot-plate by a cut
and which runs in a slot cut into the foot-plate so as to adapt itself to the length
of the boot. The tip of the sole may also be held in position by a cramp or a
screw. A thin, flat steel plate, being about half as wide as the skate is fixed on or
under the foot plate and reaches under the hollow of the boot as far as the heel or
nearly so. In proximity of the latter a fork is rivetted to the plate, the prongs of
which run along the sides of the heel. Each prong is provided with a slot and a
screw, which is loosely screwed into the sides of the heel when the skate is to be
used, thus allowing the heel free play in its upward and downward motion, but
preventing it from moving on either side. In this manner the strain on the fore-
part of the foot is relieved. This thin steel plate is bent upwards in the manufacture

page_text: and acts as a spring, imparting a subtle elastic motion to the foot and a pleasant
sensation to the whole body. Instead of a spring, a mere flat steel plate or hollow
tubes, both moving upon an axis and fixed to the skeleton of the skate may
be used.
The skate itself is to be used on roads or on special tracks for pleasure, health or
duty. When in use, the skates are never, under any circumstances lifted off the
ground but are to be pushed forward in straight, parallel lines. When the right
or the left foot is in front, the heel of such foot rests on the foot-plate whereas
part of the sole and the heel of the foot that is in the rear are bent upwards. The
skates not being able to move backwards, the foot which is in the rear (be it
the right or the left) has always a firm hold and thus a powerful stroke forward
can be made.
In conclusion I wish it to be understood that I may use more than two wheels
to each skate, or abandon the ratchet wheel inside the large wheel, or make the
rear wheel as large as the front one and projecting beyond the heel without
departing from the nature of this invention.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. I shows side elevation of my improved road skate and mode of fastening
the same to the foot.
A shows right skeleton tube on which the wheels are fixed.
B Spindles, clamped by outer nuts C.
D Flattened steel arms or supports.
E Thin tube or wire connecting the two rollers.
F. Foot plate fixed to the skeleton by rivets G.
H. Projecting steel nail which is introduced into the perforation in the tip of
the sole.
J. Strap holding foot in position.
K. Flat, broad steel spring.
L. Right fork prong fixed to the steel spring by rivets M.
N Screw fixed into heel.
Fig. II. shows plan of Fig. I.
Fig. III. shows cross section of the front wheel.
A. Rubber tyres.
B. Flange holding same.
C. Hub of the wheel.
D. Flattened steel arms forming part of the skeleton supporting same.
E. Spindle.
F. Ball-bearing parts.
G. Nut.
H. Ratchet wheel.
J. Pawl falling into gear with the ratchet.
London, December 14th 1895.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvement in Cycle and Roller Skates and the like.
1, ALFRED DORST, of 10 Windsor Terrace, City Road, London, 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 consists. in a device for preventing the backward motion of the

page_text: front roller that shall be automatically thrown out of action by the forward
rotation of the roller, so that by exerting a pressure with the forward part of the
foot of the user, the necessary impulse for propulsion can be given even when going
up inclines.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical sections at right angles to one another of the front
roller or wheel,
Fig. 3 is a section of the rear roller or wheel.
Figs. 4 and 5 are plan and front elevation of the pawl hereinafter described.
The front wheel or roller is provided with an automatic device which allows it to
rotate in one direction only. This direction being that in which the wheel turns
when the skate is moved forward. In the accompanying illustrative drawings, in
Figs. 1 and 2, is the spindle provided with the solid cones and the loose cone t,
which is screwed to the spindle; the recesses between these cones and the cups
on the hubs are provided with hardened steel balls to reduce friction. The lateral
projection u of the solid cone is square and fits into a like perforation in the
horn to prevent the spindle turning. The lateral projection ul of the loose cone
is round and rides in a like perforation in the horn v¹, the horns are tightened
against the cones in the case of the solid cone by means of an outer nut w screwed
to & round and threaded projection on the said cone, and in the case of the loose
cone by means of a nut screwed on the projecting part of the spindle. In soine
cases dust proof caps perforated to fit over the said projections on the cones
may be fitted between the latter and the horns fixed to the skate. On the spindle
and in the hollow body of the roller is firmly mounted a ratchet wheel of suitable
dimensions, which may be screwed against a collar fixed to the spindle, or be
screwed to the latter and pinned through the projections or brazed to a round
or square portion of the axle. If two loose cones are fitted to the spindle, the
latter and the ratchet wheel may be made in one piece. One or more pawls a¹ a
shaped as shown in Diagrams 4 and 5 and each actuated by a light spring is or
are pivoted to two downwardly projecting perforated supports secured to or
forming part of the rim. These pawls lock the wheel when it tends to move back-
wards. The pawls as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 are provided with lateral projections
at the forward part where the pawls engage with the ratchet whereby additional
weight is given to the pawls in front and also the spindle, to which the ratchet
wheel is firmly fixed, can be moved in an axial direction, for cleaning the solid
cone ball bearings, without the pawls becoming disengaged from the ratchet.
pawls are preferably pivoted to the supports by means of a small rivet provided
with a head at one end and a short thread at the other, which latter end is screwed
into one of the supports. To prevent the clicking of the pawls when the wheel
rotates slowly, a strip of india rubber or leather may be fixed into a dovetailed or
other recess in the lower portion of the forward part of the pawl, which strip
projects slightly and forms the face of the pawl. The springs actuating the pawls
may be fixed over the latter, forward of the pawl with the end resting on the
lattor or in any approved manner, and they may be soldered or screwed to the
inner surface of the rim or to the supports upon which the pawls aro pivoted.
These springs are only strong enough to sustain the weight of the pawls and to
maintain the same pressed against the ratchet wheel when the roller is at rest or
rotating slowly. The supports to which each pawl is pivoted are provided with a
flange and may be in two parts or may be connected over the clutch, being
screwed or soldered to the inner surface of the rim. The rim may in some cases
be perforated by a slot of sufficient dimensions to admit the base of the downwardly
projecting supports and the flanges be sunk and screwed into recessed portions
stamped into the rim, thus enabling the supports and pawls to be removed at will,
for cleaning purposes. If two pawls are used they are preferably fixed at such
distance apart that only one is in gear at a time as shown in Fig. 2. In this
manner the wheel being, for example, provided with a ratchet having 32 teeth can
in the least favourable case only turn back th part of its circumference, whereas
The

page_text: it would turn back and part of its circumference if both pawls engaged at the
same time.
This locking device being encased in every direction no dust or wet can get to
it and interfere with the proper working which is an enormous advantage. The
ball bearing cups c² are preferably cast in one piece with the hub of the wheel
and the flange bearing the rim or they may be made independently and brazed or
welded to the hub. The rim d' bearing the tire is screwed and rides upon the
flanges which latter may be provided with a groove for the wired portion of
the tire and with a turned up circular flange on each side to hold the tire. The
groove and the vertical flange f¹ may however be omitted and the rim itself turned
up on each side. Cushion, or pneumatic tires g' with the valve preferably at one
side, may be used. In the latter case the two ends of the wire on each side will
be allowed to project through perforations in flanges f¹ and the wires tightened
by means of small threaded nuts. The back wheel as shown on Fig. 3 is not
provided with a ratchet wheel and is smaller than the front one, but it may be
made as large and like the front roller.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. For a road skate a roller or rollers provided with a ratchet wheel within the
hollow body of the roller firmly secured to a fixed axle, and having a pawl or pawls
adapted to engage with the ratchet, pivoted to supports carried by the roller,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. A roller or wheel fitted with a ratchet and a pawl or pawls, constructed and
operating substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of October 1896
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.