IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Benjamin Lamb, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ROLLER SKATES."
Sealed the 16th June 1876, and dated the 20th December 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Benjamin
Lamb at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 20th December 1875.
I, EDWARD, BENJAMIN LAMB, of Manchester, in the County, of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in a method of mounting the rollers of skates,
so that between them and the sole there is an intermediate part of india-
rubber or other such flexible material in order to allow the sole to assume
different angles when being used. The method of accomplishing this
which I propose is to mount the axle of each pair of rollers in india-
rubber bushes carried in studs which project from the sole, and I

page_text: propose to chamfer the part in which the said bush is placed in order to
allow more play at required angles. The elastic bush may be kept in
its place in any suitable manner, but I propose to form a conical
projection at one end of the axle and to screw a similar part on to the
other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Benjamin Lamb in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
BENJAMIN LAMB, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Benjamin Lamb, Her special
license that I, the said Edward Benjamin Lamb, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Benjamin
Lamb, 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, and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLER SKATES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edward Benjamin Lamb, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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 calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Benjamin Lamb, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings
(that is to say):

page_text: My Invention relates to a method of constructing roller skates,
whereby movements in curves are provided for in a simple manner, and
this I effect by mounting the axes of the rollers in india-rubber bushes
or bearings.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents the skate in side
view, the parts for fastening the same to the foot being omitted, as they
may be of any ordinary construction; Fig. 2 is an end view of the
same.
Figs. 3 and 4 views upon an enlarged scale of two of the wheels and
the parts which carry them; and Fig. 5, a detached view shewing the
method I adopt of constructing the axle.
At a is the stock or that part upon which the foot rests; b, the heel
piece, and c part of any suitable arrangement of straps. The skate is
provided with four rollers, two at front and two at the back, but the
description of one pair of these will suffice as the other pair is precisely
the same; taking therefore the back pair, at d is a pedestal attached to
and extending downward from the stock a; this pedestal is provided
with a cylindrical perforation in which is placed a block of india-rubber e.-
pressed tightly therein, so that the said block is firmly adapted; this
block is pierced at its centre, and through it is driven or otherwise
forced the axle ƒ formed with a screw thereon, as shewn at Fig. 5;
at g is a flange screwed on to the axle and then made fast therwith by a
pin passing through the whole or by other means; and at h another
flange also screwed on to the axis f, but which is not made fast; these
two flanges are slightly conical, as shewn in the Drawing, and their
inward edges press against the india-rubber block e. At i are the two
wheels mounted upon the axis fand prevented from running off by
means of pins or any other usual contrivance. The front wheels are
precisely the same as those above described.
In using the skates a straight forward run is performed as usual, but
supposing it desired to move in a curve to the right while going forward,
then the toe part is moved in that direction, but not necessarily at an
inclination to the horizon, the effect of which will be that the axis of
the wheels will be turned bodily against their flexible bearing e, so as to
suit themselves to the required curve, and the said elasticity restores
them when required to their rectangular position.

page_text: In order to facilitate the above described movements of the axes f, the
pedestals d are hollowed out on their edges, as shewn at k, Figs. 4, 2,
and their being four of such hollowed parts in pairs opposite to each
other the swivelling of the axes is effected with less effort of the foot.
There is a recess and a spike m the more firmly to hold the block e.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it
to be understood that I claim as secured to me under the above in part
recited Letters Patent, and for the purpose above set forth, mounting
the axes of roller skates in blocks of india-rubber or other such elastic
material.
. In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Benjamin Lamb, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of June,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.