Improvements in Skates.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896
Improvements in Skates.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM GOLBY of 36 Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by Hermann
Thielscher, and Paul Thielscher, both of Brieg, Breslan, Ring 8, in the Empire of
Germany, Merchants, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to construct skates in such a manner that the sole
and heel clips automatically fasten to the material of the boot or shoe by the act
of placing the foot on the sole-plate of the skate. The skates are also provided
with means whereby they can be stood upright on the ice in proper position for
placing the foot thereupon.
The accompanying drawings represent examples of the invention.
Fig. 1. is a longitudinal vertical section of a skate constructed according to this
invention as it would appear when fastened on the boot; Fig. 2. is a partly
sectional under plan of same with the skate blade removed;
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the skate open and ready to be stepped into; and
Fig. 4 is a detail view of the means for fastening the skate when closed.
Figs. 5 to 8 are similar views of a modification of the invention;
Figs. 9 to 13 and 14 to 17 are similar views of two other modifications.
The screw spindle S works in the well known manner through the nut m
which slides in the slot a of the sole-pate T and carries the forward heel clip b.
The prism-shaped screw head K slides in a winged key c which revolves in a
bearing in the heel support p, in the manner also well known in connection with
skates.
At its other end the screw spindle S is connected to a cross-head n to each
side of which is pivotted a toggle-joint lever or so that one of said levers is on
each side of the blade L. The forward arms r of the toggle-levers or are pivotted
to a hinge-bolt B on which are also pivotted on a vertical pivot the sole clip
levers t t.
The hinge-bolt B slides in the ordinary way in the slot al of the sole plate T
and the sole clip levers t t slide also by means of slots over the guide pins E fixed
to the sole plate T.
It is evident without going further into the matter that the sole clip levers can
be moved nearer together and the forward heel clip moved backward when the
knees of the levers or are forced upwards, and that a reverse movement can be
effected by opening the sole clip levers t t.
The movement of the knee levers or is effected by means of the double
fastening levers ww which are pivotted to blocks 99 on the underside of the
sole-plate and one to each knee lever.
The arm o of each knee lever is connected to its fastening lever to by means of
a fixed pin N which slides in the slot A.
On the insides of the ends of the fastening levers w w, which are made of springy
material, are pivotted the shanks of the spring fork y. The forward bent up ends
of this fork are tightly fastened together by means of a rivet-bolt z.
The rear.
cheeks of the fork are turned outward at their ends as shown at ff so as to grip
under the fastening levers to to and raise the same out of the recesses formed
ou the locking piece V in the sole-plate T. This locking piece is likewise furnished.
with a wider bow shaped head k pointed outwards. The rear cheeks of the

page_text: spring fork y lie under this head k as shewn in Fig. 1 and open when the forward
end of the fork y, is pressed downwards, so that the head k enters between like a
wedge.
Thereby the fastening levers ww to which the spring fork y is pivotted are
forced apart until they can slide sideways down the bow shaped head k.
To the fastening levers w w are pivotted the arms which revolve round
their centres G and which are held fast in a parallel and perpendicular position
by the influence of the spring M. The spring R which fixes the catch P
in its closed position on the key c is prolonged under the sole-plate T and
lies springwise with this prolongation on the screw spindle S. By this means any
unintentional movement in a backward direction of the screw spindle S when
the skate is open as in Fig. 3 or the unintentional closing up of the skate is
prevented.
When using the skate the fastening levers to w must be first closed. The sole
clip levers are then drawn apart from each other by the hand so far that the boot
or shoe to which the skate is to be fixed can be placed between the clips. Then
by turning the winged key c the forward heel clip b is displaced sufficiently to
allow the heel to conveniently enter.
The boot or shoe must now be placed on the sole-plate and the screw spindle S
turned until the heel clip is resisted by the boot or shoe heel; whereupon
(by further turning) the serew spindle S together with the cross head 11, the
angular levers or, the hinge-bolt B, and the sole clip levers tt working on the
fixed pins E, are forced forwards and the sole clip levers t t close themselves.
When the skate is set tight the screw key e is fixed in the ordinary way by
means of the spring catch P which lies with a groove over a wing of the key c.
For the taking off and refastening of the skate the above described closing
process need only be utilized. The forward bent up ends of the fork y must be
pressed downwards whereby the fastening levers w w are raised from their
recesses and moved in a downward direction.
Thereby the kuees of the levers or are moved downwards also and the skate
opened.
To refasten, the arms w¹ must be folded downwards. The boot or shoe can then
be placed on the foot plate as the skate is sufficiently supported by the said arms
and the end of the blade. The open skate. is then stepped on whereby_the
fastening levers wo wo are forced into the recesses in the locking picce V, it
being understood that the arms w' are longer than the height of the blade amounts
to. As the fastening levers to w are forced upwards so are the levers or, which
are connected to the same by pins and slots, stretched out and the clips are thereby
forced onto the shoe placed on the skate. Finally the arm w' is closed against the
sole plate by sliding the skate forwards.
In Figs. 5 6 7 & 8 a skate is represented which differs only from that already
described by the fastening being at the heel end of the skate.
The changes necessitated thereby are as follows;-The ends of the fastening
levers ww lie under the heel part of the skate. The slot a¹ in which slides the
hinge-bolt B of the sole clip levers tt is found nearer to the middle of the sole
plate T. The clip levers tt and the slots in the same with which they slide on
the guide pins E are directed forwards. The recesses are arranged on both
sides of the heel support p close under the sole plate T. The fastening levers w w
are for the sake of sure grip provided in these recesses with bent in parts z z. The
ends of the fastening levers to to are beut outwards behind the heel part of the
skate, to these are pivotted the shanks of the spring fork y. The fork cheeks
do not slide along the heel support p as a locking piece, but on the piece k
fixed under the heel and specially made similar to the head of above described
locking piece V Fig. 4. The turning movement of the fork y is limited with
respect to the levers w w by the stop bridge ff passing over the upper surface of
the fork.
The method of using this skate is really the same as that described above.

page_text: In Figs. 9 10 11 12 and 13 a skate is represented in which the blate itself is
used as a fastening lever and for this purpose the sole plate and blade are not
connected fast together but are pivotted.
The construction of the skate as shewn in the drawing is as follows;-The
general arrangement of the skate is conveniently adapted as in the description of
the skate described with reference to Figs. 1-4.
The hinged connection between the sole plate T and the blade L is attained by
the heel support p which is fixed tight to the sole plate T being connected by a
pivot s with the blade L. The swinging distance of these pivotted parts attached
to each other is determined by the size of a slot g arranged in the body of the
blade in which slides the rivet bolt f fastened to the heel-support p.
The hinge bolt B of the sole clip levers t t is connected with the end of the
cross-head n fastened to the screw spindle S by means of the knee levers or. The
arms are prolonged over the knee and bent down and outwards. These prolonga-
tions serving as supports to the open skate are distinguished in Figs. 9 10 and 12
of the accompanying drawings by the letters w¹.
A special rail mechanism u serves to connect the blade L fast with the sole
plate T. This mechanism consists of two bands fitted to both sides of the toe
support of the sole plate by means of slots e working on guide bolts 2. One end of
the rail projects beyond the toe support of the sole plate and in its ends is pivotted
the excentric y, and the other end tapers off and is cut oblique and fits in a special
locking device V fastened on the blade L which forms the middle support of the
sole plate T. Into this locking device V enters a staple fastened to the sole-
plate T and destined to receive the tapered end of the rail u.
The
Moreover the slots A are arranged in the sides of the lock case V in which
engage the pins N fixed tight on the arms o of the knee levers o r. By this means
the blade L serving as closing lever is connected with the knee levers o r.
toe support is connected to the sole plate by means of a flange
with a corresponding aperture in the sole plate T. The rail u is by means of a
spiral spring F forced continually towards the lock case V.
which engages
The method of using this skate is as follows;-After the sole and heel clips have
been fastened to the shoe in the same way as in the skates previously described,
the excentric y is forced down to open the skate.
Thereby the rail w under the influence of the spiral spring F is drawn back and
its tapered end is drawn out of the staple .. By the continuation of the pressure
on the eccentric y the blade L is turned downwards round the hinge-bolts. Thereby
the knee levers or which are connected with the blade by means of the sliding
bolt N in the slots A are likewise forced downwards, the knee of the same is drawn
down and the sole and heel clips are withdrawn from the boot or shoe. The latter
can then be removed from the sole plate.
The skate finds a sufficient basis of support to enable it to stand upright in the
sideways bent supporting arms w¹ w¹ and the blade. To refasten the skate to the
shoe it is simply necessary to tread ou the sole plate T. Thereby the staple is
forced into the lock case V which acts on the obliquely end and of the rail u by
pushing it back.
When the staple is forced sufficiently far into the lock
case the rail under the influence of the spring Fautomatically enters the
staple and in this manner effects a locking connection between the sole plate
and the blade. In closing the skate the knee levers or must be extended
and the clips holding the boot or shoe fast are forced against the same as
described.
In Figs. 14 15 16 & 17. is represented a skate which is similar in its method
of use to that just described, but the fastening mechanism is under the heel
part.
The difference in this skate and that above described with reference to Figs. 9
to 13 is as follows:-
The sole plate T and the blade L are connected at the front by a hinge s. The
middle support D is cut in two lengthwise one half D₁ being fastened to the

page_text: blade L and the other half D to the sole plate T. This middle support in two
parts is surrounded by a strong spiral spring M.which holds the supporting halves
together and continually forces the sole plate T and the blade L apart. The
screw spindle S lies with its head K under the middle of the sole plate T. The
screw end together with the cross head n is directed towards the heel. The hinge-
bolt B and the arms t of the sole clip levers are constructed in a similar manner to
those shewn in Figs. 5 to 8.
The arms of then knee-levers or are prolonged beyond their knees. The
prolongations of the arms o are fitted with slots A. By these slots the lever
In the same
arms o slide over the bolt N which is placed in the beel support p.
manner the rail u slides on the bolt N which penetrates a longish slot in said rail
which is embedded in the support p. The staple is fixed to the sole plate T
above the rail u.
lever
catches up
The opening of the rail u occurs under the influence of an angular lever y whose
turning bolt is placed in a flap shaped projection on the heel support p. The
the rail u by means of a bolt 9 which slides in a slot in the
The spiral spring F forces the lever y and the rail u always into the locked
position.
rail.
The fastening and loosening of the skate is effected in a similar manner as in the
skate described with reference to Figs. 9 to 13.
The
By the turning of the lever y in a downward direction the rail u is drawn as
shewn out of the staplex whereupon the sole plate T and the blade L are forced
apart by the pressure of the spiral spring M and turn round the hinge s.
skate now opens as owing to the parting of the sole plate T from the blade L
next to the heel parts, the lever armo which is connected by a slot and pin
with the heel support p on the blade L aud consequently also the lever armr
and its prolongation w¹ are forced downwards; thereby the clips of the skate are
separated.
The skate can in this condition be put on, as sufficient supporting points exist
in the blade L and the arms w¹. If the foot now be placed in the open skate the
sole plate T is turned downwards against the pressure of the spiral spring M the
staple presses on the obliquely cut head of the rail u whereby the latter is pushed
back until it can spring into the opening of the staple by the influence of the spiral
spring F.
By the approach of the sole plate T and the blade L the lever arms o are raised
together with the lever armr the knee levers or are extended and thereby the
sole and heel clips are drawn in the boot or shoe.
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 ;-
A skate fastening itself to the boot or shoe by pressure of the foot of the skater,
distinguished by the fact that the hinged bolt B to which the sole clip levers t t
are pivotted and the sliding piece m carrying the forward heel clip 6 which are
moveably arranged in slots a and a' in the sole plate T are connected by means of
knee-levers or with fastening levers w in such a manner that by pressing the
same into the closing: position which conveniently results by treading on the sole
plate, the sole clips are pressed tight against the sides of the boot or shoe and the
forward heel clip is moved back and pressed tight against the heel substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of December 1895: