Improvements in Skates.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Skates.
I, SAMUEL HIRSCH CANTROWITSCH of 50 Rosenthalstrasse Berlin in the
Empire of Germany Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide an improved skate in which the skate
blade or runner may be folded up close to the underside of the foot plate when
desired for convenience in walking over ground on the skates or at any time
obtaining secure foothold without removing the skates from the feet, also for greater
convenience in carrying the skates by reason of the smaller space they may be made
to occupy.
A further improvement relates to the mechanism for fixing the skate upon the
boot of the skater.
In the accompanying drawing-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the skate with parts in position for use.
Fig. 2 is a similar view with parts folded up.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the foot plate and fixing mechanism.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of the skate on the line a Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a detail view of the locking arm by which the blade is fixed in its position
for skating.
a is the foot plate, 6 the skate blade or runner. The latter is connected to the
These two fork-like
former by the two parallel double link pieces c¹ c' or d¹ d¹.
supporting link pieces are pivoted on bolts passing respectively through lugs bent
down from the foot plate and the runner. The links have the cross pieces or
which abut against the noses 6 on the runner and the upper ends of the links may
also be shouldered to prevent the blade or runner from shifting forward with regard
to the foot plate beyond the point which corresponds to the proper position of the
runner for skating as shown in Fig. 1.
When the runner is in this position it is prevented from shifting backward in the
direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, and thus folding to the foot plate, by the locking
arm f. carrying a cross piece f¹ which bears against the nose of the runner when
in the locking position. The arm of revolves on a bolt carried in lugs under the
foot plate, and it is pressed into its locking position by the lever g pivoted under
the toe of the skate and ending in the thumb piece g' projecting slightly beyond
the toe. The spring presses the lever y into the position shown in Fig. I and
thus presses the arm finto the locking position and prevents its disengagement
when locked.
When it is desired to fold the runner up against the foot plate, the end g₁ of the
lever y is pressed down and the lever g lifts the arm by the cross piece. This
releases the runner which may now be folded backward in the direction of the
arrow Fig. 1.
The runner is secured against the footplate by the nose 63 entering a slot in the
foot plate and being secured by sliding under it the cross bar (Fig. 2) which is
fixed by screws to the slide the rear end 3 of which projects slightly beyond the
heel of the footplate for moving it by hand.
The spring tends to throw out the runner when the nose 63 is released from the
cross bar i.
The footplate may be cut away or recessed to provide space for the various
projecting parts such as the noses and cross plates c².
The improved construction by which the skate is fixed onto the boot is placed on
the upper face of the foot plate so that it lies within the space below the waist of

page_text: the boot. To the heel clamp 1 is fixed or made the plates which are provided on
their upper as well as their lower sides with rack teeth or recesses answering the
same purpose. On the sliding plate m which governs the side sole clamps oo in the
known manner, are also rack teeth on the upper surface adapted to engage with
those on the lower surface of the plates l' so that the plate mand the heel clamp
may be moved simultaneously as one integral part by the pinions n n gearing with
the teeth on the upper face of the plates, while provision is made for the adjust-
ment of the heel and sole clamps relatively to one another by the method of
connecting the plate m with the plates aforesaid.
As will be seen on reference to Fig. 4 the pulleys n n are mounted on a shaft n
common to both, its bearings being in lugs bent up on the footplate. On the one
side the bearing is large enough to enable the shaft with the wheels to be drawn
out after removal of the nut from the end of the shaft thus permitting the plates m
and to be relatively adjusted. The handle n³ on the crank by which the
shaft is turned may be pushed in as shown in Fig. 4 both to be out of the way
and to serve as a lock or detent for the shaft n'.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is ;-
In a skate
1. The combination with a foot plate of a runner connected thereto by parallel
links and adapted to be folded close to the foot plate substantially as and for the
purpose or purposes set forth.
2. The combination of a foot plate and a runner with parallel links shouldered as
set forth and a locking arm f for holding the runner extended from the foot plate
as described.
3. The combination of a foot plate and a runner adapted to be laid close to the
foot plate, of a nose 3 on said runner and a sliding detent i for engaging said nose
and retaining the runner against the foot plate.
4. A heel clamp and a plate governing the sole clamps connected adjustably
together by intermeshing rack teeth and jointly movable by means of a pinion or
pinions engaging with rack teeth on the one of said parts.
Dated this 7th day of December 1891.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.