IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John. William Gray, of Loughborough Park, Brixton,
in the County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SKATES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Gray at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd February 1876.
JOHN WILLIAM GRAY, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the County of Surrey,
Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES."
This Invention relates to improvements in skates.
According to the first part of my Invention I employ two pairs of rollers, each
pair secured on a transverse horizontal axle to the under side of a stock or foot
rest, one near the heel and the other near the toe, in such a manner that a very
slight turn of the stock or foot rest in a horizontal plane round a vertical axis will
cause the two axles of the wheels to converge on the side to which the toe of the
stock is directed, assuming the radii of a circle an enabling the skater to travel in
curves as desired.
The following is a method of carrying the Invention into effect:-The stock is
attached by a vertical pin (placed about midway between the two axles of the
rollers) to a narrow plate of metal, traversing its under side centrally in the
direction of its length, and to the opposite ends of this plate are attached the two
axles of the rollers on vertical axes, so that the axles of the rollers will turn in a
horizontal plane. A short horizontal arm extends from each of the axles at right
angles thereto, that one near the toe extending outwards towards the toe and the
other inwards towards the centre of the stock. These levers have each passing
through its extremity a pin attached to the stock, so that when the stock is turned
on its vertical axis the motion is communicated through the short levers to the
axles of the rollers, which are thereby turned on their centres and caused to
converge or assume the radii of a circle. A spring of india-rubber or metal inay be
used to assist in bringing the axles back to their normal position at right angles
to the direction of the length of the stock, and the stock may, if desired, be made
to rock laterally to accommodate itself to the inclination of the skater's body whilst
traveling in curves. Or this latter object may be accomplished by rounding the top
31

page_text: of the stock so that the foot of the skater may rock thereon, and providing near the
side edges buffers of india-rubber or other springs to yield to the lateral pressure of
the foot. For skating on ice four runners are used instead of the rollers.
The second part of my Invention relates to the employment in connection with
roller skates having two pairs of rollers the axles of which are caused to converge
to enable the skater to travel in curves of a centre pair of rollers set to run in the
normal direction of the length of the stock and of slightly larger diameter than the
outer rollers, so that the three pairs of rollers cannot, travel on the ground at the
same time. Or these centre rollers may be of the same diameter as the outer rollers
but set on a lower centre. Thus when skating in one direction the toe and contre
rollers only will be used, and in the other direction the heel and centre rollers,
whilst in going straight ahead a good skater will travel almost entirely on the
centre pair.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John William Gray in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 2nd August
1876.
JOHN WILLIAM GRAY, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the County of Surrey,
Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATES."
This Invention relates to improvements in roller skates, and to that class or
description in which two pairs of rollers are employed, one pair near the toe of the
foot stock and one pair near the heel thereof. The rollers of each pair are set at a
convenient distance apart on a horizontal axle, the normal position of the two axles
being parallel to one another and at right angles to the length of the foot stock.
My Invention consists in so connecting these rollers and their axles with the
foot stock that a small amount of twisting notion of the foot stock, or in other
words, motion thereof in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis imparted by the
skater by a twist of the foot will cause the said roller axles to be put out of the
parallel and to converge on that side to which the leading end of the foot stock
(toe or heel as the case may be) is directed. The axles thus assume the positions
of radii of a circle, and so enable the skate to be run in curves of large or small
radius, according to the degree of convergence imparted to the axles, and the skater
therefore to execute curves and gyrations at pleasure.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe it with the aid of the accompanying
Drawings, reference being had to the letters and figures marked thereon. The same
letter of reference indicates like or corresponding parts in the different Figures
unless otherwise stated.
Figures 1 to 5 illustrate a simple form of my improved skate; Figure 1 being
a side elevation, partly in section, and with the front one of the back pair of rollers
removed to shew the parts behind; Figure 2, a back elevation; Figure 3, a plan of
the lower part of the skate, i.e, with the foot stock removed; Figure 4, a plan
view of the under side of the foot stock; and Figure 5 a part transverse sectional
view taken at the line a, b, Figure 1.
The skate illustrated in these Figures is designed for running straight forward
or backward, and for running in curves when going forward. It is however not
designed for travelling in curves when going backward, but it is the simplest form
of my improved skate and is recommended where it is not desired to do figuring
backwards.
A is the foot stock provided with ordinary straps B for attaching the skate to the
foot of the skater. To the under side of this foot stock is screwed the narrow strip
of metal A¹, so as practically to form part of the foot stock. This strip of metal A¹
carries a vertical pin C, by means of which the foot stock is attached to the lower
part of the skate. This pin C passes vertically through a hole of corresponding

page_text: size in the back bone or plate or metal D, which exCCHRIS
ULIC TOOD STOCK
nearly from toe to heel centrally in the direction of its length, and is secured in
position by washer and split pin C¹ as shewn. To the opposite ends of this back-
bone D the roller axles E are attached hy their vertical axles G, so that the axles E
with the rollers will turn in a horizontal plane about their vertical axes. To the
top of each of the vertical axles G is fixed a small arm H, both at right angles to
the axles E, that one of the arms H near the toc extending outwards towards the
toe and the other inwards towards the centre of the skate, as shewn. These
levers H have cach passing through its extremity a pin I (by preference of steel)
attached at the centre line to the plate A' on the foot stock, preferably by being
screwed into same. If now the foot stock be turned slightly about its vertical
axis C so that its centre line will assume the position indicated by dotted line c, d,
Figure 3, the pins I keeping the centre line communicate the motion of the foot
stock to the levers H, and thence through the vertical axles G to the roller axles E
causing them to turn in a horizontal plane and converge, as shown at Figure 3,
assuming the positions of radii of a circle and enabling the skate to be run in
curves; J, J, are springs to bring the roller axles back to their normal position
(parallel to one another) directly the skate is raised from the ground. They are
blade springs bent (for convenience of attachment), as shown in Figure 1, and are
fixed by screws at one end to the backbone D, and act each at the other end against
a small flat projection from the bottom of the roller axle. The central pin C has a
shoulder which, resting on the backbone D, determines the distance between the
latter and the foot stock, and two projections A² from the plate A¹ rest also on the
backbone D, to take the strain off the vertical pin C and assist in steadying the
foot stock, the backbone D being widened at D¹ to allow for the travel of the pro-
jections A² over same. The vertical pin C is placed midway between the extremities
of the levers H, so that equal motion will be imparted to the two roller axles.
Figures 6 to 11 illustrate a form of my improved skate for enabling curves and
gyrations to be executed equally well backwards as forwards; Figure 6 is a side
elevation partly in section and with the front one of the back pair of rollers removed
to shew the parts behind; Figure 7 is a back elevation; Figure 8, a plan of the
under part of the skate, i.e., with the foot stock removed; Figure 9, a plan view of
the under side of the strip of metal A¹ to be attached to the foot stock; Figure 10, a
part transverse sectional view at the line e, f, Figure 6; and Figure 11, a view of
detail. In this form of skate the levers H are double, i.e., they extend both sides
of the vertical spindles G, and are of the peculiar form illustrated at Figure 8;
they are geared into and actuated by pins I fixed to the foot stock as before
described, but in this case there are four of these pins instead of two, only two of
them however operate at a time effectively on the levers H.
On reference to Figures 6 and 8 the position of the four pins I, I, 12, 13, will be
seen. The skate is there shown set for going toe forward, and the pins I, 1', are in
effective gear with the levers H. The foot stock is supposed to have been turned
about its vertical axis (by the foot of the skater) until its longitudinal centre line
has assumed the position indicated by the dotted line g, h, Figure 8 (the four pins I,
I, I, I, all being fixed to the stock on that line), the pins I, I, in gear with the
extremities of the levers H having imparted the motion of the stock to the said
levers, and thence to the roller axles. It will also be seen that the pins I² and I³
will not have been acting on the said levers H, but will simply have moved round
along the base of the triangular slots in which they work. If the skate now be
moved heel forwards the foot stock is so connected with the body of the skate that
it will move forward before the latter, and so move over it bringing the pins I²
and I into the apexes of their triangular slots, and so into active gear with the
levers H, whilst the pins I, I, will be brought on to the bases of their triangular
slots and so out of active gear. If now the foot stock be turned about its vertical
axis the roller axles will be caused to converge on the side to which the heel (now
the leading end of the skate) is directed.
As the body of the skate and so the whole of the skate rests on rollers it is

page_text: necessary in order to enable the foot stock to move forward before and over the
body of the skate, that it (the foot stock) shall practically rest on larger rollers than
does the body of the skate. This is effected in the manner illustrated in the
Drawing. The foot stock is attached to the body or back bone D of the skate by
the levers K, on the tops of which levers the foot stock rests. The tops of these
levers are segments of a circle struck from the centre M on which the levers work,
so that practically these levers are segments of rollers, the radius of which is equal
to the length of the lever, and as the length of these levers K (as will be seen on
reference to Figure 6) is considerably greater than the radius of the rollers on
which the skate runs the foot stock is practically resting on larger rollers than the
lower part of the skate, and so moves forward first whenever the direction of the
motion of the skate is changed from forward to backward or vice versa. The
backbone D of the skate is provided with two hanging lugs D2 (see Figure 6), to
support the lower ends of the levers K which are attached thereto by pins M, and
the strip of metal A¹ attached to the bottom of the foot stock is provided with two
pairs of lugs As, each pair to take the upper end of one of these double levers or
links K; they are made fork-like, joined at the top by the curved surface described,
and are attached to the lugs A³ by pins N which pass through the two lugs, and
the heads of the levers. These pins fit the holes in the lugs tightly, but the hole in
the head of cach lever through which the pin passes is made sufficiently slack to
ensure that the foot stock will rest on the head of the lever and not on the pin.
These holes are also elongated sideways to allow of the cross position assumed by
the pin when the foot stock is turned about its vertical axis; Figure 9 shews these
pins N in position in the lugs A", but without the levers K.
Figure 10 is a part transverse sectional view taken at the line e, f, Figure 6, and
shewing backbone lug D2, lever or link K over same, and attached by pin M at
bottom, and also attached to lugs A at top by pin N; Figure 11 is a side view of
lever or links K. In moving forward and backward the foot stock rolls over
levers K, and in moving about its vertical axis slides over the levers K whose tops
rest against the metal strip A. In this form of skate no part of the weight of the
skater is thrown on to the vertical axis of the foot stock, but is wholly thrown on
to the levers K. The vertical axis of the foot stock is formed by a roller S attached
to the foot stock on a vertical pin. This roller works between two guide lugs T on
the backbone D, the roller being a little sinaller in diameter than the space between
these lugs, so that it cannot touch both at the same time. This roller offers very
little impediment to the forward and backward movement of the foot stock over
the body of the skate, whilst by the roller being confined between the two lugs T,
the foot stock if turned at all must turn from the centre of the roller which thus
becomes the vertical axis of the foot stock. U are stop pins with which the
roller S comes in contact when at the finish of its forward or backward motion,
and which pins thus take the forward thrust and strain on the skate when in use,
instead of the small pins I and the levers H; P, P, are springs to bring the roller
axles back to their normal positions. A spindle O having a flat head is passed
through a hole bored in each of the lugs D, and between the head of the spindle
and the lug is a small spiral spring P. The head of the spindle is pressed against a
square surface on the roller axle, so that when the latter is diverted from its normal
position it depresses the head of the spindle and compresses the spring, but as soon
as the skate is raised from the floor the spindle O is forced out, and the roller
spindle caused thereby to resume its normal position. If desired the head of the
spindle inay be extended sideways so as to act on the roller axles nearer their
extremities, and thus be subjected to more motion. Also instead of the spindle
going directly into the hole through the lug D this hole may be made a little
larger and a nut be secured therein, the spindle passing through this nut, and the
spiral spring acting against it. Thus by screwing the nut in or out the strength of
the spring could be regulated at will.
Figures 12 to 15 illustrate a modification of the last described form of skate,
.Figure 12 being a side clevation partly in section with the front one of the back

page_text: ;
pair of rollers removed to show the parts behind; Figure 13, a back end elevation;
Figure 14, a plan of the lower part of the skate, i.c., with the foot stock removed
and Figure 15, a plan of the under side of the strip of metal A¹. The object of
this modification is to obtain a greater degree of convergence of the roller axles
from a given amount of motion of the foot stock about its vertical axis. This is
effected by fixing the levers H on separate centres and gearing the outer extremity
of each with a short lever Q fixed to cach of the vertical axles G. The full motion
of the levers H is thus communicated to the shorter levers Q which are consequently
moved through a greater arc of a circle, and so move in their turn the roller axles also
through the increased are, thereby causing a greater degree of convergence for the
given motion of the foot stock about its vertical axis. The levers H are attached
to the backbone D by the vertical spindles R secured in position by washer and
split pin at the lower end of each. The levers H.and are geared together by a
pin fixed to the extremity of each of levers Q entering a small slot in the outer
extremity of each of levers H. It will be noticed that in this case both the
short levers Q are turned outwards. This is because the reverse motions of the two
roller axles is obtained through the medium of the double levers H, the inner half
of one and outer half of the other of which are always in gear with the foot stock.
The levers K in this form of skate are placed outside of instead of between the
two pairs of rollers.
In each of the forms of skate above described the foot stock is supposed to
remain horizontal while the skate is in use. To suit those persons who have
learned to use skates with a rocking foot stock, the footboard of my improved skate
may if desired be attached to the strip of metal A¹ in such a manner that it will
rock thereon. The rocking however will have nothing to do with operating the
skate to obtain a convergence of the roller axles.
Figures 16 to 19 illustrate a simple method of so attaching the foot stock.
Figure 16 is a side elevation; Figure 17, a plan; Figure 18, a transverse section
at i, j, Figure 17; and Figure 19, a like section at k, l, Figure 17. To the upper
side of strip A¹ are cast two (or more) lugs V, and to the under side of the foot
stock are attached a like number of sockets W, into which lugs V enter and are
connected thereto by pins X. Pads of india-rubber Y are placed between the foot
stock and strip A¹ to steady the foot stock, and assist in restoring it to its normal
position on the removal of the lateral pressure of the foot of the skater. An
alternative method is to round off the top of the foot stock at the sides so as to
allow the foot to rock thereon, as shewn in Figure 5, pads of india-rubber being
provided, as also shewn to steady the foot.
In my Provisional Specification I described an application of my Invention to
ice skate. I also described a form of a six roller skate; these I have found in
practice not to answer my expectations, and I therefore abandon them.
I claim as my Invention to be secured by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent,-
First. Constructing roller skates having two pairs of rollers as described, so that
the skater may cause the roller axles to be put out of the parallel, and so converge to
enable the skate to be run in curves, and the skater to perform gyrations by the
turning of the foot stock in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis.
Secondly. The forms of skates herein-before described and illustrated, as carrying
my Invention into effect.
In witness whereof, I, the said John William Gray, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand cight hundred and seventy-six.