IMPROVE- MENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Graham Bennett, of 28, Grand Parade,
Brighton, in the County of Sussex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
Sealed the 9th April 1875, and dated the 15th January 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Graham
Bennett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 15th January 1875.
I, FRANCIS GRAHAM BENNETT, of 28, Grand Parade, Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in roller skates, and
the improvements relate to the means employed for inclining the axles
of the two pairs of rollers or runners towards one another in either
direction to set the rollers in proper positions for running in a curved
course in either direction desired. For this purpose the axis of each pair
of rollers is carried by arms descending from a plate which rests against

page_text: and at its centre is pivoted to the bottom surface of a metal block fixed
to the under side of the skate.
The under side of the metal blocks fixed respectively below the heel
and toe ends of the skate are each set at an angle in such manner that a
line at right angles to such surface inclines backwards, whilst a similar 5
line at right angles to the surface of the back block inclines forwards.
By this means if the skate be tilted to one side or the other the inclined
surfaces of the blocks, acting against the inclined surface of the plates
which carry the rollers, cause these plates to turn around their central
pivots and incline the axles of the back and front rollers to one another 1
on whichever side the pressure is put, so setting the rollers in proper
position for running round a curve.
If desired, friction wheels or rollers my be interposed between the
plate which carries the wheels and the block to which it is pivoted.
In order that the axles which carry the rollers may also tend to remain at 1
right angles to the skate, so that the skate shall run in a straight course
unless it be tilted to one side or the other, I cause the back edge of the
plate which carries. the rollers to bear against a strip of vulcanized india-
rubber clamped to the under side of the skate. -
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francis Graham Bennett in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 15th July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
GRAHAM BENNETT, of 28, Grand Parade, Brighton, in the County of
Sussex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Francis Graham Bennett,
Her special licence that I, the said Francis Graham Bennett, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Francis
Graham Bennett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should'

page_text: at any time agrec 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Francis Graham Bennett, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or onc
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same 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 Francis Graham Bennett, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereto annexed and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that
is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in roller skates, and
the improvements relate to the means employed for inclining the axles.
of the two pairs of rollers or runners towards one another in either
direction to set the rollers in proper positions for running in a curved
course in either direction desired. For this purpose the axis of each pair
of rollers is carried by arms descending from a plate which rests against
and at its centre is pivotted to the bottom surface of a metal block fixed
to the under side of the foot plate of the skate.
The under side of the metal blocks, fixed respectively below the heel
and toe ends of the foot plate, are each set at an angle in such manner
that a line at right angles to the under surface of the front block, or that
at the toe end, inclines backwards whilst a similar line at right angles to
the surface of the back block inclines forwards. By this means if the
foot plate of the skate be tilted to one side or the other the inclined
surfaces of the blocks acting against the inclined surface of the plates
which carry the rollers cause- these plates to turn around their central
pivots and incline the axles of the back and front rollers to one another
on whichever side the pressure is put, so setting the rollers in proper
position for running round a curve.

page_text: If desired friction wheels or rollers may be interposed between the
plate which carries the wheels and the block to which it is pivotted.
In order that the axles which carry the rollers may also tend to
remain at right angles to the length of the skate, so that the skate shall
run in a straight course unless the foot plate be tilted to one side or the
other, I cause the back edge of the plate which carries the rollers to
bear against a strip of vulcanized india-rubber clamped to the under
side of the foot plate of the skate.
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2 is a back elevation; and
Figure 3, a plan of the under side of a roller skate constructed according
to my Invention; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the same on
linc A, B, Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a transverse section on line C, D,
Figure 3.
sizc.
These Figures are drawn to a scale of about half full
a is the foot plate of the skate which is to be secured to the
foot of the skater by straps b, b, (shewn in Figures 1 and 3 only)
arranged in any convenient manner; c, c, are the two similar metal
blocks fixed to the under side of the foot plate a beneath the toc and
heel (a plan of the under side of one of these blocks is shewn separately
in Figure 6); it has an inclined surface at c¹, surrounding a socket or
recess c²; d, d, are the rollers; they are made of hard wood, and the axis
of each pair of rollers is carried by arms e', e', descending from a plate e.
This plate is shewn separately in plan at Figure 7; it has a cylindrical
boss e projecting up from it which enters the socket or recess c². A
stud e fixed in the plate e passes through the block c; it receives a
washer on its end and is revetted over, so that the plate e is held in
contact with the surface c', but is able to turn freely about the stud es
as a centre; f, f, are boxes or holders fixed to the foot plate a and. con-
taining the strips or blocks of vulcanized india-rubber g, g, which abut
upon the plates e, e, in such a manner that whenever the plates are
turned in such manner as to incline the axes of the rollers the india-
rubber is compressed and its elasticity tends to restore the axes to the
position in which they are parallel.