IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Kaye Crosby, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES."
Sealed the 19th January 1877, and dated the 27th July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Kaye Crosby at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th July 1876.
WILLIAM KAYE CROSBY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gentleman.
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES."
My improvements in roller skates will be understood from the following descrip-
tion I use (by preference) a large wheel underneath the toc, as also the heel, the
latter being fixed to the stock by a rigid carriage; but the carriage at the front
wheel may be made to revolve on a vertical central axis. Between those wheels I
mount in two separate wheel clips four more wheels; the said intermediate wheels
may be united, and work on appropriate axis, or cach wheel may have independent
motion; and the manner of mounting the said intermediate wheels, herein referred
to, is by holding them between metal clips, which clips rest on pedestals attached
to or formed on the lower side of the stock in a lengthway direction; on the
bottom of the said pedestals blocks of india-rubber are placed for the wheel clips to
rest on, and to the pedestals the clips are held by screws or otherwise, preferring
the use of india-rubber washers, or a pad of india-rubber to be placed on the
bottom side of the clips and the under side of the said screw heads, by which the
said clips are held to the pedestals before mentioned, affording a strong but flexible
connection of the parts. The edges of the clips towards the centre of the skate
are flanged upwards for the purpose of rigidity, as well as to form a seat for a
central double-acting lateral spring or springs to act on for the purpose of main-
taining the axis of the intermediate wheels in a rectangular position to the length-
way of the skate stock.
At the front and back of the clips that hold and support the intermediate wheels
small friction rollers are set up in separate or joint supports, and so placed that the
axis of the said friction rollers shall be slightly in advance of the front edge of the
front intermediate wheel clip and the back edge of the clip of the back inter-
mediate wheels. The periphery of the said friction rollers being but slightly below
Dasion G71

page_text: the top surface of the said clips, so that by depressing the stock of the skate the
said friction rollers on either side will cause the clips (carrying the intermediate
wheels) to be contracted, so as to enable the skater to move in a more or less curvi-
linear direction; and by straps being connected to the lateral ends of the front
clip that carries the front intermediate wheels, and to the carriage of the front
central wheel, the said wheel will be put into a corresponding position with the
intermediate wheels to run through a curve. But instead of the straps here named
other equivalent means may be used for effecting the same object, or when economy
is an object the front wheel may be dispensed with altogether; but in every
instance I purpose binding the tires or peripheries of the wheels with india-rubbor
or prepared leather, which may be made hard and non-absorbent by submitting the
said leather to a preparation of oil and pressure, and as a rule the line of pressure
on the peripheries of the wheels are unequal (that is to say) the fore and back
wheels come into action, according to the weigh of the body being thrown forward
or backward, so that the four intermediate wheels are relied on for giving freedom
of action to the user; and in strapping or applying my improved skates to the
feet of the user I provide a compound back strap (that is to say), a short length
of leather applied to the heel plate, and two straps fastened by a stud to the said
short length of leather, so that the said additional straps may swivel or work freely
in their adjustment. By this means the two top straps are buckled around the
instep, and clip the heel more firmly than by the ordinary plan, thereby preventing
all strain on the ankles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Kaye Crosby in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 27th
January 1877.
WILLIAM KAYE CROSBY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gentleman.
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER SKATES."
My improvements in roller skates will be understood from the following descrip-
tion:-I use, by preference, a large wheel underneath the toe, as also the heel, the
latter being fixed to the stock by a rigid carriage; but the carriage of the front
wheel may be made to revolve on a vertical central axis. Between these wheels I
mount in two separate wheels clips four more wheels. The said intermediate wheels
may be united, and work on appropriate axis, or each wheel may have independent
motion; and the manner of mounting the said intermediate wheels, before reforrod
to, is by holding them between metal clips, which clips rest on pedestals attached
to or formed on the lower side of the stock in a lengthway direction. On the
bottom of the said pedestals blocks of india-rubber are placed for the wheel clips to
rest on, and to the pedestals the clips are held by screws or otherwise, preferring
the use of india-rubber washers, or a pad of india-rubber to be placed on the
bottom side of the clips and the under side of the said screw heads, by which the
said clips are held to the pedestals before mentioned, affording a strong but flexible
connection of the parts. The edges of the clips towards the centre of the skate are
flanged upwards for the purpose of rigidity, as well as to form a seat for a central
double-acting lateral spring or springs to act upon, for the purpose of maintaining
the axis of the intermediate wheels in a rectangular position to the lengthway of
the skate stock.
At the front and back of the wheel clips that hold and support the intermediate
wheels small friction rollers are set up in separate or joint supports, and so placed
that the axis of the said friction rollers shall be slightly in advance of the front
edge of the front intermediate wheel clip and the back edge of the clip of the back
intermediate wheels. The peripheries of the said friction rollers being but slightly
below the top surface of the said clips, so that by depressing the stock of the skate

page_text: the said friction rollers on either side will cause the clips (carrying the intermediate
wheels) to be contracted, so as to enable the skater to move in a more or less curvi-
linear direction; and by straps being connected to the lateral ends of the front
clip that carries the front intermediate wheel, and to the carriage of the front
central wheel, the said wheel will be put into a corresponding position with the
intermediate wheels to run through curves. But instead of the straps, here named,
other equivalent means may be used for effecting the saine object, or when economy
is an object the front as also the back auxiliary wheel may be dispensed with
altogether; but in every instance I purpose binding the tires or peripheries of the
wheels with india-rubber or prepared leather, which may be made hard and non-
absorbent by submitting the said leather to a preparation of oil and pressure, and as
a rule the line of pressure on the peripherics of the wheels is unequal, that is to say,
the fore and back wheels when used come into action, according to the weight of
the body being thrown forward or backward, so that the four intermediate wheels
are relied on for giving freedom of action to the user; and in strapping and applying
my improved skates to the feet of the user I provide a compound back strap (that
is to say) a short length of leather applied to the heel plate, and two straps fastened
by studs to the said short length of leather, so that the said additional straps may
swivel or work freely in their adjustment. By these means the two top straps are
buckled around the instep, and clip the heel more firmly than by the ordinary plan,
thereby preventing all strain on the ankles.
But as the realization of my improvements in the construction and detail of
roller skates may be greatly diversified, I will further describe my Invention, aided
by the Drawings hereunto annexed, observing that the same parts as they appear in
separate or conjoint views are marked with the same letter of reference.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
Fig. 1 is a side view of a four-wheeled skate constructed according to my im-
provements.
A is the stock showing the toc leathers B secured to the said stock in the usual
way; C is the heel plate to which is attached a vertical strap marked D, to the
ears of which the ankle straps are attached, which I prefer to place a little higher
than usual, as here shown, in order that the strap D may be drawn in over
the heel of the boot of the wearer, berein-after referred to. These ankle straps
E, E, may be continued in one, or separated, and permitted to swivel on the metal
rivets that connect them to the back strap, as represented at Fig. 2. The wheels
are supported between flanges marked f, f, formed with and deflected from a
metal plate, shown in edge view both at Figure 2 and Fig. 3, marked F. These
wheel plates are respectively curved down at the front and back, as shown at F,
and in section at F1, Figure 1, and are connected together by straps rivetted or
otherwise secured on the under side of the same, marked G, G, shown separate
at Fig. 4, and in plan connected to the wheel plate F, Fig. 5, which straps are
formed with an opening for receiving the spring H, shown detached in side and
edge view at Fig. 6, which may be secured to, them by rivets, as here shown. The
wheel plates are further connected to a hanging loop, shown separate in section and
end view, marked c, c, Fig. 7, provided with holes for receiving the axis b, b, the
said axis being sufficiently long to pass through metal carriages secured to the under
side of the skate stock marked d, d, and d¹, d', shown separate in flat view at
Fig. 9, with the hanging loop c between them, the axis b, b, being principally shown
in dotted lines; and in this view I am enabled to show the central hole which
receives the rivet or vertical axis on which the wheel carriage turns for cramping
the wheels (hereafter to be referred to), as also the holes that receive permanent
rivets, which are rivetted over on two auxiliary plates; the bottom one may be
slightly thicker than the top one, as shown in a part section of the wheel plate under
the heel of the skate at Figure 1.
The metal plate or washer through which the rivets pass is shown in separate plan
and edge view at Fig. 10. The toe and heel friction roller carriages marked d¹, d, are

page_text: provided with ears or flanges for carrying the said friction rollers marked I, I, the
The wheels are
said rollers revolving on permanent axis rivetted to the said cars.
bushed with hardened stoel, and by preference are centrally tired with india-rubber,
prepared leather, or other enduring material, as shown in the section at Fig. 11,
but in the other views I have omitted it for convenience. The flanges f, f, are
thickly bushed, as shown separate in part section at Fig. 12. In the said bush I
have provided an oil way for lubrication. The outer face of the wheels work against
the inside faces of the bushes, but between the two wheels I uso a piece of tube
with a metal flange on each end, as shown at Figure 3, marked g. These flanges also
form working surfaces for the wheels to work against, or to revolve on the axis with
the wheels. With these details the axis is passed through the bush, then a wheel,
then the intermediate part y, next the second wheel and the other bush, and by the
axis having an enlarged head on one end and a hole passed through the extreme
end a wire cotter will make the connection secure. These general details will not
only be made clear from this description of Figure 3, but also from the counter
or back part, Figure 2, in which the same arrangement occurs with the intermediate
part g.
Fig. 13 is a direct under side view of the skate stock A, as at Figure 1, with the
wheels and wheel plato F and their flanges f, f, but f¹ represents a flange in section
with the outer bush clipping the said flange, the wheel in connection with it being
also represented in section. The clips that connect the spring H are shown in
plan, and represented as secured to the wheel plate F, as at Figure 5, but never-
theless rivets may be used for this purpose if desired, and as much as can be seen of
Figure 9 is shown in this view marked d, d', and d, d. The heel part is made
slightly fuller than the toe part, but they may be made the same size, and thereby
become interchangeable. The wheel plates are provided with two circular slots marked
,, and ¹,, partly obscured by plates marked m and m³, shown separate in plan
and edge view at Fig. 10. n is a central vertical axis exhibited in connection with
the front wheels by the wheel axis and intermediate part marked g, in Figure 3,
being partly removed to avoid confusion, and this same vertical axis is only
exhibited in dotted lines in the heel action, it being obscured by the wheel axis and
intermediate parts. The rivets p, p, and p, p, also pass through the metal plate m
and corresponding holes marked with the same letters in a hanging clip, as shown
in section at Figure 7, but in side view at Figure 1 working on the axis b, b, and
b1, b. The circular slots k, l, and k¹, A, limit the range of obliquity. The wheels
may assume in use by the depression one side or the other of the skate stock A. by
the friction rollers I, I, and 11, 1', being depressed on the front and back curved lip
of the wheel plate F, as defined by that letter and F at Figure 1.
The action will perhaps be better understood by referring to Figure 5, which
represents the under side of the wheel plate showing the flanges for receiving the
bushes carrying the front wheels, for this Figure is a repeat of the same parts
described at Figure 13.
The wheel carriages slightly revolve horizontally on the central vertical axis (n),
before described, and the rivets indicated by the dotted circles only passing through
this plate permit the wheel plate to turn right or left to the extent of the circular slots
kand. Skates thus constructed (in use) will have the quality of allowing the
wheels to oscillate horizontally by means of the axis d and d', and to be cramped
or contracted either one side or the other by means of the action of the friction
rollers working over the curved deflections at the front and back of the wheel plates,
which cause the said wheel plates to turn on their central axis, and assume radii
either to the right or left, but which position of the wheels are corrected or con-
trolled first by the altered position of the stock to the plane of the axis of the
wheels, or by the controlling force of the spring H connected to the wheel plates
by means of the straps G, G, as shown.
To make the skate sympathize with the anatomy of the foot I introduce, as before
stated, a back strap as at D, Figure 2, to which I apply by preference two separate
straps secured to D by metal fastenings that permit the said auxiliary straps E, E,

page_text: to work on the axis of the said metal fastenings, and the strap D being sufficiently
clevated to permit the auxiliary straps to engage the foot above the ankle or smallest
part. This simple arrangement will be found highly beneficial, as it securely holds
the foot of the user firmly to the heel of the skate, yet preserves the necessary
freedom of action of the ankle joint.
In some cases I avoid the use of the spring H and the connecting parts G, G, as
also the hanging carriage on which the wheel carriages horizontally work (and
attendant parts shown separate at Figure 9) by supporting the wheel plates F, F,
on pedestals deflected from the under side of the stock, as at Fig. 15, providing a
seat of india-rubber between the lower surface of of the pedestals and the top surface
of the wheel plate, as also between the lower surface of the wheel plate and the
under side of the heads of the scrows by which they are connected, in which case I
dispense with the curved slots as at k and l, Figure 5, altogether, as the india-rubber
will afford sufficient freedom; but I use a lateral curved slot, shown in dotted lines
at r, Figure 5. In this case I depend for the correction of the wheels on the india-
rubber seating or springs first described, but if desired the correction may be effected
by the use of a spring-like or equivalent to H, as described in Figures 1 and 13;
but in all cases I use the friction rollers for cramping the wheels.
As another modification 1 introduce an auxiliary wheel at the heel and toe, as
first described, and this front leading wheel may be set up on a carriago working
on a central axis, and derive its directing motion by being turned to the right or
left by the action of the combined front double wheel carriage having cross straps
attached to the front lateral right-hand side of the wheel plate F, and to the back
left-hand side of the front auxiliary wheel carriage; and by repeating this, that is
to say, attaching a second strap to the left-hand front side of the plate F crossing
the first strap and engaging with the back edge on the right-hand side of the
auxiliary wheel carriage, a complete sympathy of action will be obtained for con-
verging the front auxiliary directing wheel at the pleasure of the user, in which
case the intermediate wheels may be placed closer together, and instead of the
friction roller working on axis rivetted to the flanges on which they are placed, as
at S, S, Figure 9, an axis may be formed from bent wire, as shown in Fig. 14,
marked t, and the strap & may be sufficiently extended and flanged for receiving
or supporting an auxiliary wheel, here shown in dotted lines, grooved on its periphery
for receiving an india-rubber or prepared leather tire, as exhibited in section at
Figure 11, but omitted in the other Figures.
I have represented the wheel carriages F, F, with their flanges f, f, for supporting
the wheels as being made of sheet steel for strength and lightness, but they may be
otherwise produced and combined in parts if so preferred.
Having thus described my Invention, and the manner in which the same may be
carried practically into effect by artisans accustomed to the description of work
involved in the manufacture of wheeled skates I claim as of my Invention, the
general combination and mechanical arrangement for giving more freedom to the
action of skates (in use) than has heretofore been produced without regard to
any special size, form, or proportion of the various details herein described and set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Kaye Crosby, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
WILLIAM KAYE CROSBY. (L.S.)