IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOORS OR LEVEL SURFACES FOR SKATING RINKS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Cole, the elder, and James Cole, the younger, both
of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FLOORS OR LEVEL SURFACES FOR SKATING RINKS."
Sealed the 19th April 1876, and dated the 31st January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Cole, the elder, and
Janes Cole, the younger, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
31st January 1876.
JAMES COLE, the elder, and JAMES COLE, the younger, both of Coventry, in the
County of Warwick. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOORS OR LEVEL SURFACES FOR SKATING
RINKS."
Our Invention consists in the construction of floors and other level surfaces for
skating rinks of glass or enamel for forming the floor or surface of the said rink on
which roller or other skates are intended to be employed. For this purpose we
form a level surface of asphalte, concrete, or a combination of the same, or other
suitable material, such for example as wood, so as to form a bed for the glass or
enamel to rest on.
When we employ glass to form the surface we take sheets of this material of a
convenient size, and say 3/8 of an inch in thickness, and lay them on the prepared.
surface, which must be made as even as possible for the purpose; we find cement or
putty suitable materials to hold the plates together. The plates are preferably laid
so that the joints are broken. The above arrangement will apply to cases where
the glass is laid on such surfaces as concrete or asphalte, but for a wood bed we
should employ other means to secure the same thereto, such as by screws.
enamelled surface the metal plates should be enamelled before being laid down.,
For an
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said James Cole, the elder, and James Cole, the younger, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th July 1876.
JAMES COLE, the elder, and James Cole, the younger, both of Coventry, in the
County of Warwick. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FLOORS OR LEVEL SURFACES FOR SKATING
RINKS."

page_text: Our Invention consists in the construction of floors and other level surfaces for
skating rinks of glass or enamel for forming the floor or surface of the said rink, on
which roller or other skates are intended to be employed. For this purpose we
form a level surface of asphalte, concrete, or a combination of the same, or other
suitable material, such for example as wood, so as to form a bed for the glass or
enamel to rest on.
When we employ glass to form the surface we take sheets of this material of a
convenient size, and say three-eighths of an inch in thickness, and lay them on the
prepared surface, which must be made as even as possible for the purpose; when
cement or putty is employed we find it to be sufficient to hold the plates together,
but of course they may be secured together in any suitable approved manner,
preferably laying the plates so that the joints are broken. This arrangement will
apply to cases where the glass is laid on such surfaces as concrete or asphalte, but
for a wood bed we should employ other means to secure the same thereto, such as
by screws. For an enamelled surface the metal plates should be enamelled before
being laid down.
And in order that our Invention may be more clearly understood reference is
given to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Figure 1 represents a plan, and Figure 2 a cross vertical section (at the line a, b,
Figure 1) of a skating rink or floor constructed in accordance with one modification
of our said Invention. A is the skating surface proper surrounded by a border B
of concrete, brick, wood, or any other suitable material, and outside of that again
there is a level surface C used for promenading purposes. The skating surface A is
constructed as shewn more particularly at Figure 2) of a layer of concrete, asphalte,
or a combination of the same, or other suitable material, so as to form a perfectly
even surface or bed, upon which the skin or covering of glass or enamelled plates is
or are laid. We prefer using annealed glass, as it is not so liable to breakage.
The said plates of glass or enamelled metal should be arranged so as to break joint,
in the manner shewn at Figure 1, and are held together by cement or putty. We
also prefer that the outer plates of the skating surface A, that is to say those parts
slightly darkened in Figure 1, should be roughened or corrugated, or when glass
plates are used the rough or ground or cast or frosted side may be turned uppermost,
so as to afford surer footing for learners or those unpracticed in skating. The
skating surface should be a certain distance beneath the level of the promenade C.
We prefer in all cases to surround the glass or enamel floor with a border of
concrete.
In some cases we lay part of the floor in glass and part in enamel, or other material
or materials. In order to suit the tastes or proficiency in skating of different
skaters several kinds of surfaces are made use of in each rink, thus for instance,
one part may be laid with rough cast glass, another with ribbed or fluted glass, a
third part with ground or frosted glass, and a fourth part with smooth surface glass.
The glass or enamel may be of any desired or different colors and in or with any
desired designs or patterns. Steps Ď are provided so as to facilitate ascent and
descent to and from the rink A.
Instead of the herein-before described layer of concrete, asphalte, or other material
described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the plates of glass or enamelled metal
may be laid upon a floor or surface of wood, as shewn at Figure 3, which is an
enlarged sectional view of part of a skating rink so constructed. The plates A
may be fastened to the wooden floor by means of screws E in lieu of the cement or
putty herein-before referred to or in combination therewith. When plates of metal,
slate, or other material are used, they should be enamelled before being laid down.
Floors made of glass, made in the manner before described, may be laid down in
rooms and covered with carpet or other material when not required for skating
purposes. To be utilized as a skating floor the covering has only to be removed.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the mode or manner
in which the same may be carried into effect, we declare that we claim-The
construction of skating rinks or floors where roller or other skates are employed

page_text: with a layer or covering of glass or enamelled plates, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Cole, the elder, and James Cole, the
younger, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Twenty-seventh day of
July, in the year of Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six,
JAMES COLE, the ELDER,
(L.S.)
JAMES COLE, the YOUNGER. (L.S.)