IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER AND OTHER SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Cuthbert Ring, Gentleman, of 1, Portswood
Park, Bevois Hill, Southampton, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER AND OTHER SKATES."
Scaled the 2nd June 1876, and dated the 13th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Cuthbert Ring at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th March 1876.
EDMUND CUTHBERT RING, Gentleman, of 1, Portswood Park, Bevois Hill, South-
ampton. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER AND OTHER SKATES."
Heretofore in the construction of skates, whether for rinking or skating upon ice,
no effective system has been employed for the purpose of preventing the evils
arising from sudden falls upon the hard substance composing the flooring of the
rink or upon the surface of the ice itself. Now my Invention has for its object the
prevention of the skater from falling, and is composed, first, of projecting pieces or
spurs of convenient length constructed of metal or other suitable material extending
in the line of the longitudinal axis of the foot, both before and 'behind the sole or
foot plate of the roller or ice skate. These spurs or projecting pieces are so con-
structed as, while they clear the ground, they reach by means of a downward
curved or angular-descending arm within a little distance of the surface rinked or
skated upon in such wise that a certain extent of tipping of the skater's foot back-
wards or forwards, sufficient in itself with an ordinary skate to ensure falling,
brings the extremity of the lower arm of the spur in contact with the surface, and
by the consequent extension of the base line enabling the skater to bring the centre
of gravity of his body within it, and thus arrest the progress of the falling move-
ment. These spurs may form an integral portion of the skate, or by ordinary
mechanical means applicable to the purpose may be made to "reef," i.e., to be
diminished or extended in length or to be detached or replaced at will, and the
extremity of the spur nearest the ground may be fitted either with prongs or other
suitable device calculated to effect the desired end, or with a roller so contrived as
to turn freely on its spindle in a horizontal direction, but to cease turning on the
downward pressure produced consequent on the tipping of either too or heel.
The other part of my Invention has relation to the automatic stoppage or
braking the wheels in roller skates when the. skater overbalances. To effect this I
Price 6d1

page_text: apply an upper foot piece on two rocking brackets, these latter being within the
limits of the base formed by the axles of the fore and after wheels. The brake
extending through the lower foot piece to the wheels is by the act of overbalancing
applied by the pressure of the upper foot piece to the wheels, and checks their
rotation either by pressure on their periphery or by means of a toothed disc of
lesser diameter than the wheel worked by a ratchet or other equivalent mechanical
means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Edmund Cuthbert Ring in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
September 1876.
EDMUND CUTHBERT RING, Gentleman, of 1, Portswood Park, Bevois Hill, South-
ampton. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROLLER OR OTHER SKATES."
Heretofore in the construction of skates, whether intended for rinking upon
artificially-formed floors or skating upon ice, no effective system has been employed
with the view of preventing the evils arising from sudden falls upon the hard sub-
stance composing the flooring of the rink or upon the surface of the icc itself.
Now my Invention, having for its object the preservation of the skater from falling,
has reference to the construction of improved skates provided in addition to the
ordinary mechanical parts of such instruments in common use, whethor intended
for rinking or for skating upon ice, with certain projecting pieces or spurs of con-
venient length, manufactured of metal or other suitable resistant material, extending
in the line of the longitudinal axis of the foot piece, both in front and behind (or
only in one direction at will) beyond the extremities of the sole or foot piece of
the roller or ice skate. These spurs or projecting pieces are so contrived and
adjusted as while they clear the ground during such time as the skater preserves
an even balance in the direction of the line of his travel, they approach by means
of subtending angularly set arms, curved or strait, so near to the surface rinked or
skated upon that the tipping or tilting of the skater's foot backwards or forwards,
whether on a rocking foot piece or on a standing one, as shewn in the Drawings
herewith, suflicient in itself with skates unprovided with such safeguards to ensure
falling, has the effect of bringing the lower extremity of the subtending arm or
arms of the spur in immediate contact with the surface, and by the consequent
altered extension of the base line of support enabling the skater to bring the centre
of gravity of the body within the scope of the same, thereby checking and arresting
the progress of the incidental falling movement. These spurs by ordinary
mechanical means of adjustinent applicable to the purpose (such as slotted slide
bars adjusted by screws or sockets, with female screws tapped therein to recieve the
wormed mandrils or shafts of the spurs furnished with set pins) may be made to
reef, i.c., their projection to be diminished or extended within certain limits from
either the heel or the toe, or to be detached from the skates altogether and replaced
at will. The extremities of the subtending arms of these spurs nearest the ground
may be shod with leather or other suitable substance adapted for the purpose of a
shield, with the object of avoiding injury to artificial floors, or they may be fitted
either with serrated edges or short tooth prongs, or other device calculated to check
velocity and arrest motion by gripping the surface of the ice; or with a roller or
rollers so disposed as to turn freely on a spindle set in a horizontal direction, but to
cease turning on the application of the downward pressure produced by such
means as are hereafter described consequent upon the tipping or tilting of the
skater's foot.
Another part of my Invention has reference to the automatic stoppage or
braking of the rotation of the rollers in roller skates when the wearer over-
balances forwards or backwards, and is effected by the instrumentality of an upper
foot piece pivoted by a centre pin (or by a hinged joint or other mechanical equi-

page_text: valent) steadied in position by a spring and rocking lengthwise upon cross brackets
appropriately moulded and affixed permanently to one or other of the foot pieces,
and set within the limits of the longitudinal base line, bounded by the axles of the
fore and the hinder rollers. The brake overlapping the ends of, or if preferred,
working through a slot cut in the lower foot piece, is by the act of the skater over-
balancing brought by the tipping or tilting of the upper foot piece in juxtaposition
with the peripheries of the rollers, thereby checking and arresting their rotation.
A similar result may be produced by the employment of a disc in the form of a
ratchet wheel concentric with but of lesser diameter than the roller itself to which
it is bolted.
In the case of the ice skate the spur need not necessarily form a separate addition
to the foot piece or be affixed thereto, as in the case of the roller skate, whether by
means of ordinary lugs and screws countersunk in the wood or metal of the foot
piece or otherwise, but may if preferred be forged and fashioned in one with the
blade of the skate.
Having described my said Invention as above in order that it may be more fully
understood and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed, similar letters of reference indicating corresponding parts where
such parts appear at each of the Figures respectively.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure I. is the side elevation of a roller skate, shewing the heel spur A, with
subtending arms affixed to an upper rocking foot piece; B shews the toe spur hung
on a hinge with curvilinear spring; X, X, are cross brackets in position set per-
manently on to the lower foot piece, the two foot pieces being pivoted in the middle
by a centre pin steadied by a spring.
Figures II. and III. are end views of Figure I.
Figure IV. is longitudinal vertical section of Figure I. through a, a, Figure II.,
and b, b, Figure III.
Figure V. is the side clevation of a roller skate fitted with heel spur D, the
extremities of the subtending arms of the toe spur E being provided with rollers of
reduced dimensions and proportionately-sized ratchet wheels.
Figures VI. and VII. are end views of Figure V.
Figure VIII. is longitudinal vertical section of the skate, of which the side
elevation is shewn in Figure V. through d, d, Figure VI., and c, c, Figure VII.,
exhibiting the brake action of the ratchet wheels fitted to the small rollers.
Figure IX. is the side elevation of a roller skate with heel spur and curved
subtending arms, the guard at the lower extremities of the same being shod with
leather or other suitable material.
Figures X. and XI. are end views of the preceding Figure.
Figure XII. is longitudinal vertical section of Figure IX. through g, g, Figure X.,
and h, h, Figure XI.
Figure XIII. is plan of a foot piece showing spur affixed by countersunk lugs and
screws.
Figure XIV. shews friction brake attached to upper foot piece with slot in
lower onc.
Figure XV. shews longitudinal vertical section of brake, consisting of toothed
concentric disc or ratchet wheel bolted on to roller.
Figure XVI. is the side elevation of portions of an ice skate (broken off near
centre). L, the heel spur forged in one with the blade; M, the toc spur.
Figure XVII., end views of L and M in Figure XVI.
Figure XVIII. shews mode of" reefing" by means of slotted slide bars and screws.
Figure XIX., the same by means of male and female screw and set pin.
CLAIM.

page_text: 1st. The construction of skates, whether roller or ice skates, fitted in addition
to their ordinary mechanical parts with projections beyond the extremities of the
toe and heel (or either of them), termed by me "spurs," such spurs, having sub-
tending arms, and being so set on to a rocking or standing foot piece of the skate
that the extremities of the subtending arms of the spurs may clear the ground
during such time as the skater preserves an even balance in the direction of the
line of his travel or longitudinal axis of the foot piece, but coming into contact with
the surface rinked or skated upon, consequently on the tipping or tilting either
backwards or forwards of the skater's foot, thereby checking and arresting incidental
motion and producing an alteration or extension of the longitudinal base line of
support.
2dly. The construction of roller skates with the addition to their ordinary
mechanical parts of friction brakes admitting of application to the peripheries of
the rollers, or of ratchet wheels affixed to the rollers, both or either of which brakes
being brought into operation by the tipping or tilting of the skater's foot, as above
described, through the instrumentality of an upper foot piece rocking lengthwise on
cross brackets.
And, lastly. I do not confine myself to any precise combination of the several
mechanical parts or matters herein-before set forth, but I claim any other similar
arrangement of such mechanical parts or matters above described, substantially
tending to produce the like effects.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Cuthbert Ring, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of September, in the year of our Lord
1876.
E. CUTHBERT RING. (L.S.)