AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolphus Frederick Spiller, of the Royal Surrey
Hotel, Surrey Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, for the
T
L
D
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolphus Frederick
Spiller at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 23rd July 1874.
I, ADOLPHUS FREDERICK SPILLER, of the Royal Surrey Hotel, Surrey
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER
SKATE," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain arrangements of mechanism whereby
the operator is enabled to obtain a circular motion and execute at will
any gyration or evolution with ease.
To the under surface of the foot stock are affixed two small plates or
brackets so constructed at each end as to form bearings to an axle, to

page_text: which the carriage carrying the rollers is attached. The said plates or
brackets have a longitudinal slot down the centre, which, with the om-
ployment of a scrow, serves not only to attach the said axle to the plates
or brackets, but also acts as a regulator by permitting the axle to slido
backwards or forwards in its bearings, as may be desired.
On the under surface of the axle are two parallel longitudinal ridges
or projections, which fit into two corresponding grooves on the upper
surface of the carriage, by means of which an oscillatory or tilting move.
ment is imparted to the carriage, the latter being prevented from
traversing in said grooves by means of a projection or bolt cast on tho
axle, which fitting into a slot in the carriage keeps both in corresponding
position.
The carriage is fitted to the axle by means of two screws, the sockets
for which are recessed so as to receive springs, spiral or otherwise, for
the purpose of imparting clasticity and giving with greater case the
oscillatory or tilting motion necessary to perform the gyrations or cvolu-
tions required.
The axle upon which the rollers are fitted passes through two arms or
axle forks cast upon the body of the carriage, and has its terminal
bearings in the frame of the carriage, which is so constructed as to serve
as a lock to a spring attachment at one end of the axle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Adolphus Frederick Spiller in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ADOLPHUS 2:
FREDERICK SPILLER, of the Royal Surrey Hotel, Surrey Street, Strand, in
tho County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty- 3
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Adolphus Frederick Spiller, Her'
special licence, that I, the said Adolphus Frederick Spiller, my exc-

page_text: cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Adolphus Frederick Spiller, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER
SKATE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Adolphus
Frederick Spiller, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the saine was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Adolphus Frederick Spiller, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
-
This Invention relates to an improved construction or arrangement of
mechanism forming the under parts of roller skates, whereby a skater is
enabled to perform circular or curvilinear motions within limited areas,
and to execute any required gyration or evolution with case and
comfort.
I am aware that roller skates having a cramping action of the rollers
by a canting of the footboard have been used before, but those hitherto
made, from the peculiar arrangement of the mechanism, have been
comparatively limited in their cramping action, and have thereby been
prevented from giving perfect freedom to practised skaters when they
desire to perform what may be termed graceful skating, that is, forming
figures in a contracted area, or enabling skaters to maintain the required
changes of positions.
My Invention also enables unpractised skaters to adjust the cramping
action to almost any degree of rigidity, which can be released from time
to time until they possess complete control over the skates; when tho
mechanism can be "sett" for free play for graceful skating.

page_text: My Invention is clearly represented in the accompanying Drawings,
in which Figure 1 shows a roller skate with my improved construction
or arranged mechanism attached to the footboard or stock.
Figure 2 is a detached side view of one of tho metal plates or brackets
with a barrel for the reception of a steel spiral spring, which barrel
serves the very useful purpose of keeping the spring free from dirt or
dust at the same time that it is properly held. It also affords a bearing
for the pressure bolt, herein-after referred to.
Figure 3 is a plan of the carriage with the arms or bearings through
which the axles carrying the rollers are fitted.
Figure 4 represents a steel spiral spring, the body of which is to be
enclosed in the barrel above mentioned, and by means of which the
action of the skate can be regulated so as to meet the requirements of
the skater in obtaining circular or curvilinear movements, and which
also assists him in propelling himself along, while at the same time it
serves to restore the skate to its central position when the pressure of
the foot is removed.
Figure 5 is a vertical view of the pressure bolt or pin, and forms an
important feature in my improvements. Its stem is made to pass
through the steel spiral spring, as shown in Figure 6, the spring being
incased in a barrel g of the bracket B,) the head of which bolt can be
made as required thicker or thinner, and the amount of inclination that
can be given to the skate can be regulated by the thickness of the
head.
.
Figure 7 is a horizontal view of a cylindrical convex screw, which not 2
only serves to attach the carriage frame C to the metal plates or
brackets B, but also forms the central inclined axle upon which the said
carriage oscillates; and Figure 8 is a detached view of an adjusting
screw plug or cap, by which the pressure of the spring is also regulated,
whereby a more or less circular motion can be given to that skate.
Similar letters have reference to similar parts.
A represents the footboard or stock of the skate, to the under side of
which the metal plates or brackets B, B, aro screwed or otherwiso
secured.
8
Figure 2 shows a detached view of one of the brackets with the 3
bearings for the central screw or axle b, shown separately in Figure 7.

page_text: g is the central barrel or socket for receiving the spiral spring H (see
Figure 4), the lower end of which rests against the shoulder of the
bearing bolt or pin K, as shown at Figure 6, while the other or..upper
and receives the pressure imparted by the regulating. screw plug L,.this
working into the tapped upper end of the barrel or socket G.
m, m, m, m, Figure 3; is a plane circular platform forming the upper
part of the body of the carriage O, upon the surface of which the head
of the bearing bolt or pin K rests, when the said carriage C is attached
by means of the central screw or axle 6 to the metal plates or brackets
B, the carriage C being arranged between the bearings a, a, of tho
⚫bracket.
n, n, Figure 3, show the arms or bearings forming part of the body of
the carriage C, and through which the axle O carrying the rollers R, R,
is fitted, each end of said axle O having a lock nut upon it to prevent
the rollers R, R, from working loose.
-
To enable the operator or skater using this improved skate to gain
more or less oscillatory or circular motion, according to the degree of
efficiency acquired by him, all that is necessary, assuming the screw plug
to remain unchanged, is to screw or unscrew the aforesaid regulating
plug L, which action will have the effect of lessening or increasing the
pressure by compressing the steel spiral spring H in a greater or less
degree against the head of the bearing bolt or pin K, which latter in
turn presses with equal force upon the surface of the platform m, m, m, m,
of the carriage C, so that the amount of cramping motion obtained by
the carriage C on its axis 6 is entirely due to the pressure exerted by
means of the said spiral spring H and the regulating screw plug L.
It has been before explained that by using a pressure bolt with a
thicker or thinner head the rocking action of the skate can be regu-
lated.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I would observe
in conclusion that what I claim as my Invention of an improved con-
struction of roller skate under the above part recited Letters Patent is,—
Firstly. The combination of parts constituting my improved construc-
tion or arrangement of mechanism, and forming an adjustable means of
attaching rollers to a footboard or stock of a roller skate, whereby a

page_text: Thirdly. I claim the use, as and for the purpose described, of the
pressure bolt K.
In witness whereof, I, tho said Adolphus Frederick Spiller, have 1
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of January,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.