Improve- MENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George James Rhodes, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Machinist, for the Invention of "Improve-
MENTS IN ROLLER SKATES."
Sealed the 26th April 1876, and dated the 4th December 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George James Rhodes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th December 1875.
I, GEORGE JAMES RHODES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES," to be as follows:-
My said Invention consists of the improvements in roller skates
herein-after described, the object of my improvements being principally
to enable the person using them to secure on the ice, floor, or surface
on which he is skating a firm resistance for one foot while striking out
with the other, and thereby enabling him rapidly to acquire a high
velocity and without the risk of falling which attends the use of roller
skates as ordinarily constructed.

page_text: I construct and arrange the parts of the skate in the following
manner: To the under side of the sole or base of the skate I attach a
metallic frame in bearings in which the principal roller of the skate
situated nearly under the middle of the foot works. At the rear of the
said frame and nearly under the heel of the wearer is a small roller
working in a bracket hung by a joint to the before-mentioned frame.
This bracket has motion through a small angle. When the said small
roller by the motion of the supporting bracket recedes from the
principal roller the bracket after moving through a small angle is
arrested by a stop, but the rotatory motion of the small roller is not
interfered with; but when the said small roller by the motion of its
supporting bracket in a direction opposite to that referred to is made to
approach the principal roller the periphery of the said small roller.
comes in contact with the framing, and the rotatory motion of the said
small roller is arrested as well as the motion of the bracket carrying it.
The said small roller being now incapable of rotatory motion its bearing
upon the floor or surface gives a firm resistance for the foot when the
other foot is striking out. As the locking or braking of the small roller
takes place only when backward pressure is exercised on the skate the
apparatus is automatic, the mere planting of the foot with the slight in-
voluntary backward pressure accompanying the act locks the small roller
and furnishes the foot with the firm support it was seeking to obtain. On
striking the foot forward the small roller becomes unlocked and the
skate advances freely, the locking of the small roller of the other skate
furnishing the required resistance. By the construction and action
described the small roller of the foot which is striking out is always free,
while the small roller of the foot which is at rest is always locked.
Although I prefer the automatic arrangement described, yet the
locking or braking of one of the rollers of the skate may be effected by
the voluntary motion of the skater. For this purpose the heel part of
the sole of the skate may be provided with a spring connected with a
brake on the rear small roller or rollers of the skate. When the spring
is in its raised or normal position the brake is out of action, but when
the skater exerts a slight pressure by his heel he presses down the spring
and thereby brings the brake into action; the rotatory motion of the
rear roller or rollers is thereby arrested and the required resistance
obtained.

page_text: with a common axis I support the axis on brackets jointed to uprights
on either side of the foot and capable of motion through a small angle.
A brake is supported near the peripheries of the rollers by an arm on
the upright. When the brackets carrying the axis of the rollers are in
their normal position the peripheries of the rollers do not bear against
the fixed brakes, but when they are turned upon their joint so as to
bring the axis towards the toe end of the skate the peripheries of the
rollers come in contact with the fixed brakes and the rollers are pre-
vented from turning. This locking of the rollers is brought about by
slightly elevating the foot upon the heel so as to incline the fixed
uprights to which the brackets are jointed, the resistance occasioned by
the backward pressure also tends to produce the same effect.
In order to adapt one pair of roller skates to feet of different sizes I
make the rollers at the heel or toe end or at both ends capable of
adjustment, that is, the bearings of the said rollers are capable of sliding
nearer to or further from each other, and of being fixed in the positions
to which they have been brought to the front rollers. I connect the
toe cap which is adjusted with the said front rollers, and to the rear
rollers I connect the heel plate which is adjusted with the said rear
rollers. This part of my Invention may be applied to roller skates of
various kinds..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George James Rhodes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
JAMES RHODES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, 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 George James Rhodes,
Her special license that I, the said George James Rhodes, my exc-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George

page_text: James Rhodes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree 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 the Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George James Rhodes, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one 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 calender months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
$.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George James Rhodes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
•
The object of my improvements is principally to enable the person
using them to secure a firm resistance for one foot on the ice, floor, or
surface while striking out with the other, and thereby enable him to
acquire a high velocity and to skate without the risk of falling.
I construct and arrange the parts in the following manner :—'
-To the
under side of the base or sole plate of the skate, Figure 1 of the accom-
panying Drawings, I attach the metallic frame B in bearings in which
the principal roller C of the skate works, being situated nearly under the
middle of the foot; at the rear of the frame B is the small roller F, the
lower edge nearly reaching to the floor, working in brackets D hung by
à joint to the frame B; this bracket has a motion through a small
angle regulated by the screw stop E; when the small roller F by
the motion of the supporting bracket D recedes from the roller C
the bracket D after moving through a small angle is arrested by the
stop E, but the rotary motion of the small roller F is not interfered
with; but when the small roller F moves with its supporting bracket D
in the opposite direction to that referred to, and approaches the principal
roller C, the periphery of the small roller F comes in contact with the
framing B and the rotary motion of the small roller F ceases as well as
the motion of the bracket D carrying it; being now incapable of rotary

page_text: motion its bearing on the ice, floor, or surface gives a firm resistance for
the one foot while the other is striking out. As the locking or braking of
the small roller takes place only when backward pressure on the skate
is excrcised.
The apparatus is automatic, the mere planting of the foot
with the slight involuntary pressure accompanying it furnishes the foot
with the firm support it was seeking to obtain. By the construction and
action described the small roller of the foot which is striking out is
always free, while the small roller of the foot which is at rest is always
locked.
In' describing curves on these skates the small brake rollers do not
usually conic in contact with the ice, floor, or surface, but to prevent
the danger arising from the aforesaid small rollers accidentally touching
the surface skated upon I generally make that part of the métallic
frame B, Figure 1, to which the small roller is fastened by its bracket, a
separate piece B, Figure 3, from the metallic frame B; I call it the
castor frame. I allow this castor frame B to revolve around a pin or
spindle A, Figure 3, which projects downwards at right angles from
and forming part of the rear portion of the base or sole plate; this
pin A, Figure 3, passes through bearings in one extremity of the castor
frame B, B, Figure 1, B, Figure 3; at the other extremity of the castor
frame B, Figure 3, is suspended by a joint the small swinging bracket D
and brake roller F. The pin A is terminated by a pear-shaped disc or
head, the point pointing in the direction of the principal roller C,
Figure 1; upon this head the small brake roller locks itself; this head
also serves to retain the castor frame B on the pin A.
The construction I have now described is a brake, the roller of which
is mounted so as to swing in any direction as the roller of a furniture
castor does, and so automatically adapt itself to the movement of the
skate in any direction should the said brake rollers come in contact with
icc, floor, or surface skated upon while the skater is describing curves.
When the castor frame B, Figure 3, with the bracket D and the roller F
are twisted around the pin A by the action of the skater as the brake
roller approaches the principal roller C, Figure 1, the point of the pear-
shaped pin head, Figure 3, presses the small swinging bracket D against
the stop, and by so preventing the swinging motion of the bracket D
the brake, roller F is left free to rotate on its own axis in either
direction; this prèvents a tendency the small swinging bracket has

page_text: when in this position to press the small roller F against the head of the
pin A and so prevent its rotation. When the small brake roller F with
its bracket D moves into any other position round the pin A the pear-
shaped pin head does not come in contact with the swinging bracket D,
therefore the small brake roller F may become locked or free, as before
described. T is a spring, preferably of india-rubber, to carry castor
frame B back to its normal position.
Figure 5 is the Drawings of a brake in which I substitute for the castor
frame, swinging bracket, brake roller, and brake, mentioned in the
description of Figures 1, 2, and 3, an ordinary furniture castor, on the
roller D of which is fastened a small ratchet wheel C, in the teeth of
which a small spring, catch, or pawl A works in the usual manner. Bis
a spring to bring back the roller D to its usual position.
Figure 6 is a form of brake in which a pin or spindle A with its one
end F nearly reaching to the surface skated upon, and having a cap of
india-rubber F on its lower end which serves as a brake. To prevent the
rubber accidentally coming in contact with the surface skated upon, and
so stopping the skater, to the castor frame B, swinging round the pin A
is attached the small swinging bracket G carrying the two rollers D, D.
This bracket C has a motion through a small angle regulated by the
stop E, but the motion of the rollers D, D, is not interfered with. When
the skate carrying this brake moves forwards the bracket C swings
backwards, carrying with it the small brake rollers D, D, until it stands at
right angles with the surface skated upon, when it is arrested by the
stop E, the brake F is then some distance above the said surface. When
a backward movement of the skate is made the rollers D, D, and
bracket C move in the reverse direction, and the pin or brake F comes in
contact with the ice, floor, or surface, and gives the firm resistance the
foot requires. The rollers D, D, of this brake with their bracket C and
castor frame B swing round the pin A unless fixed by the set screw I;
G is a light steel spring to prevent the wheels D shaking.
Figure 6¹ is elevation of, and Figure 62 a plan of the under side of
a skate, which is adjustable to fit feet of different sizes. A roller A
runs in bearings E in brackets B, B, nearly under the centre of the foot.
Between the top of the roller A and the sole. plate are other bearings D,
through which can be passed a spindle projecting on both sides of the
framing B, and carrying a large roller on each side of the foot. These

page_text: large rollers are put on when a high velocity is required. The heel
cap F, and the toe cap G slide along the frame B and are fixed by the set
screws J to the heel cap For the toe cap G, or both of them, I so
connect any of the brake roller arrangements previously described, so
that they are adjustable and move with the heel or toe cap, or both of
them. This part of my Invention may be applied to roller skates of
various kinds.
I wish it to be understood that though I describe this a new kind of
skate, I do not claim the adjustable arrangement of the heel or toe caps,
or this or any other arrangment of rollers (not being brake rollers)
for supporting the foot.
In applying my Invention to that class of roller skates running on four
wheels, of which Plimton's Patent is a specimen, I fasten a cast metal
clip B or plate by screws or other suitable device to either or both
ends of the sole plate C, Figure 7. These plates have a recess D in
which the pins G fit, and are fastened by the set screw E. In the
recess D are fastened any of the before-mentioned brakes, the lower
part of the brake rollers standing about a quarter of an inch from the
surface skated upon. The heel brake is generally placed to act in the
opposite direction to that described in Figure 1, that is, when the skate
is moving backwards, and tipped upon the back brake roller, the brake
does not impede the movement, but when the skate moves forwards,
still tipped upon the heel, the brake stops the movement and forms a
point of resistance for striking off in skating backwards. Should the
skate accidentally roll forwards from under the skater, the skate is by
the involuntary motion of the skater in falling tipped, so as to bring
the heel brake into action when it stops the skate slipping and the
skater falling backwards. The skater may stop at pleasure while skating
forwards by pressing on the heel brake roller H.
The brake at the toe end of the skate I place to move forwards freely,
but to brake by a backward pressure or slip of the skate; this
entirely prevents the falling, forwards of the skater, furnishes a brake
for stopping at pleasure while skating backwards, and gives the point
of resistance required in striking off in forward skating. This brake
arrangment does not interfere with the skating on the four rollers, but
when curves are executed on two rollers, the castor motion (if it is
adopted) will cause the brake to adapt itself to any curve.

page_text: The brakes I generally construct of iron or brass, and the rollors of
hard wood.
The skate, Figure 6, is principally constructed of malleable cast iron,
with wood or metal rollers, or with the rollers C with india-rubber
tires.
Although I have represented the best means and materials with with
which I am acquainted for carrying my Invention into effect, yet I do
not limit myself thereto, as the position or shape of the parts may be
varied so that the Invention acts in the manner described; neither do
I limit myself to size, shape, or position of the rollers.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner
in which it is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim
as my Invention the improvements in roller skates, herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, that is to say,
the application of any of the before described brakes or any colourable
imitation thereof to roller skates in the manner before stated, or in a
similar way, for the purpose of forming a point of resistance for one foot
while striking out with the other, and for preventing the falls of persons
skating on roller skates, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said George James Rhodes, have herc-
unto set my hand and seal, this First day of June, in the year
of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
GEORGE JAMES RHODES. (L.S.)
Witness,
JAMES BURDEN,
Steam Gauge Manufacturer,
Birmingham.