AN IMPROVED SKATE
Year: 1831

page_text: TÓ ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN and
GEORGE RODGERS, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Cutlers, and THOMAS
FELLOWS, junior, of New Cross, Deptford, in the County of Kent, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by is Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Eighteenth day of January, in the first year of His
reign, did, for Himself, Ilis heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said John and George Rodgers and Thomas Fellows, junior, is especial
licence that we, the said John and George Rodgers and Thomas Fellows,
junior, our exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John
and George Rodgers and Thomas Fellows, junior, our exors, adñiors, or
assigns, should at any time agree with and no others, from time to time and at
all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "AN IMPROVED SKATE;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging us, the said John and
George Rodgers and Thomas Fellows, junior, or one of us, by an instrument
in writing under our, or one of our hands and seals, particularly to describe
and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in IIis said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within two calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
John and George Rodgers and Thomas Fellows, junior, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention to consist in making the whole of the sole of a
skate, or that part on which the foot rests (and which is generally made of
wood), of one elastic piece of tempered steel or iron supported on flanges, either
forged with the skate iron, or made separately and attached to it, whereby all
injurious pressure from the straps is avoided, and a free action given to the tocs
of the skater.
And in further compliance with the said proviso we, the said John and
George Rodgers and Thomas Fellows, junior, do hereby describe the manner
in which our said Invention is to be performed by the following description
thereof, reference being had to the Drawing annexed, and to the figures and
letters marked thercon (that is to say) :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of our said improved skate. A, B, is the blade
or skate iron; C is a strong plate of tempered steel, cut into the form of and
serving for the sole of the skate. This steel plate or sole is rivetted firmly by
means of the flanges E to the skate iron at A, where it is thicker than at its
two extremities; at D is the plug or stud for the heel, & at B is a hole cut in
the blade or skate iron for the heel strap; J is a flange, similar to that at E,
for the purpose of supporting the heel of the spring; EL is one of four points
that enter the sole of the shoe or boot of the skate, and help to keep the skate
steady on the foot at the tread. F is a broad strap to buckle over the foot
behind the toes, and G is a narrow strap from the heel to buckle over the
instep and ancle.
Figure 2 is a plan of our said improved skate. C is the metal spring sole;
D, the heel stud; H, H, H, I, the four points, before mentioned; F is the
foot strap, which, it will be seen, is firmly rivetted to the steel sole; G, G, is
the heel strap, which, it will be observed, passes through a hole or slot in the
heel of the skate iron. In this Figure the plan of the skate iron is repre-
sented by dotted lines.
Now whereas we claim as our Invention and improvement the making of
the whole of the sole of the skate, or that part on which the foot rests, of an
elastic plate of tempered steel, iron, or other metal, supported on the flanges,
as aforesaid; and such our Invention being to the best of our knowledge and
belief entirely new, and never before used within that part of His said
Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, called England, His
Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, we do hereby declaro

page_text: this to be our Specification of the same, and that wo do verily believe this our
said Specification doth comply in all respects, fully and without reserve or
disguise, with the said proviso in the said herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent contained; wherefore we do hereby claim to maintain exclusive right
and privilege to our said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Rodgers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thistu ono
Inrolled the Eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-one.