IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Whitlow, of Caterham, in the County of Surrey,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
Sooled the 10th T.... 1870
ሰ
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Whitlow at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1876.
JAMES WHITLOW, of Caterham, in the County of Surrey.
ROLLER SKATES,"
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
According to my Invention I construct roller skates in the following manner :-
Beneath the foot stand is attached a framing consisting of two side cheeks, between
which is a horizontal plate. Round this plate are placed two endless flexible bands
or chains passing over rollers at the ends of the plate. On these bands are fixed
eyes serving as bearings to small transverse spindles connecting the two bands and
having loose upon them small rollers. These rollers have a middle portion of
cylindrical shape, and a cone or rounded part at each end. In skating with theso
skates the cylindrical portions of the rollers rest on the rink floor, and the before-
mentioned plate rests upon the tops of the rollers, so that as the skater propels tho
skate the rollers, together with the endless bands to which they are connected, will
continuously travel round from the under to the upper side of the bearing plate,
after passing along which they will return to the under side. On canting the foot, and
with it the skate, the rollers will be caused to run upon the conical or rounded ends
on one side, whereby the skater will be enabled to run in a curve. By preference
rollers are also provided at the ends of the before-mentioned bearing plate, over.
which the travelling rollers pass, so as to avoid friction.
If desired a wood block may be fixed between the checks, beyond the rollers, at
the back end of the skate, at such a height that the skater in canting back his foot
will bring the block in contact with the floor, thus causing it to act as a skid to
stop the motion.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Whitlow in the Great Seal Patcut Office on the 4th Novem-
ber 1876.
JAMES WHITLOW, of Caterham, in the County of Surrey.
ROLLER SKATES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
According to my Invention I construct roller skates in the following manner :-
Beneath the foot stand is attached a framing, consisting of two side cheeks, between
which is a horizontal plate. Round this plate are placed two endless flexible bands
or chains, passing over rollers at the ends of the plate. On these bands are fixed
eyes, serving as bearings to small transverse spindles connecting the two bands, and
having loose upon them small rollers. These rollers have a middle portion of
cylindrical shape, and a coned or rounded part at each end. In skating with these
skates the cylindrical portions of the rollers rest on the rink floor, and the before-
mentioned plate rests upon the tops of the rollers, so that as the skater propels the
skate the rollers, together with the endless bands to which they are connected, will
continuously travel round from the under to the upper side of the bearing plate,
after passing along which they will return to the under side. On canting the foot,
and with it the skate, the rollers will be caused to run upon the conical or rounded
ends on one side, whereby the skater will be enabled to run in a curve. By prefer-
ence rollers are also provided at the ends of the before-mentioned bearing plate
over which the travelling rollers pass, so as to avoid friction.
If desired a wood block may be fixed between the checks, beyond the rollers, at
the back end of the skate, at such a height that the skater in canting back his foot
will bring the block in contact with the floor, thus causing it to act as a skid to
stop the motion.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 is a plan of my improved skate, Fig. 3
representing a transverse section on the line X, X, and Fig. 4a transverse section on
the line Y, Y, of Fig. 1.
The frame of the skate consists of two side cheeks A, A, holding between them a
flat plate or board B, and having cross plates or boards C for sustaining the foot of
the skater, with a heel socket D and the usual straps for securing the skate to the
foot. At each end of the plate B is mounted a roller E, hollowed out in the middle so
as to present two side collars c, c, over which is passed a continuous flat strap or
band F of leather or other flexible material. Through this band there are cut at
intervals rectangular holes, and on each side of these are fixed eyes g, through
which are passed pins. On these pins are mounted rollers G, which project partly
through the holes in the strap F, and bear by their peripheries against the
face of the plate B. When the skate is propelled along a rink or other floor the
rollers under the plate B bear by their lower sides on the floor, whilst the plate B
bears upon their upper sides, so that the rollers move onwards at half the velocity
with which the skate advances. Each roller, after traversing the length of the
plate B along its under side is carried by the band F round the end roller E of the
plate, returns along its upper side, then descends past the other end roller E, and
again travels under the plate, so that there is always a succession of rollers under
the plate, supporting the skater as he moves onwards. The rollers G may be some-
what coned or rounded off at each end, so that the skater can give a little rocking
inotion laterally to his foot when he desires to travel in a curved path; also the
plate B, instead of being flat, as shown, may be somewhat curved downwards in
the middle, so that the under surface of the rollers which bear on the floor are in
convex curved line.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim the use of a roller skate in which a number of rollers

page_text: mounted on a continuous travelling band are made during the movement of the skate
to pass succesively under and ovor a longitudinal plate or board, substantially as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I; the said James Whitlow, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of Novomber, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and seventy-six.
JAMES WHITLOW. (L.S.)