US3309098A

US3309098A - Skate

Info

Publication number: US3309098A
Application number: US403494A
Authority: US
Inventors: Merle S Parker
Original assignee: TOY DEV CT Inc
Current assignee: TOY DEV CT Inc; TOY DEVELOPMENT CENTER Inc
Priority date: 1964-10-13
Filing date: 1964-10-13
Publication date: 1967-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 1984-03-14

Description

March 14, 1967 M. s. PARKER SKATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 13, 1964 INVENTOR.

TE/V549 arch 14, 1967 SKATE Filed Oct. 13, 1964 M. S. PARKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A/[Fdf 5. 2424 66 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,309,098 SKATE Merle S. Parker, Torrance, Calif., assignor to The Toy Development Center, Inc., Beverly Hills, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Oct. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 403,494 Claims. (Cl. 230-1126) This invention relates to skates, and has particular reference to improved mechanisms for attaching roller skates, ice skates and the like to the shoe of the wearer.

Various means have heretofore been proposed for removably attaching roller and ice skates to the shoes of the wearer and in particular much attention has been directed to the design of various types of toe clamps and/or sockets. Each of the mechanisms heretofore proposed have been subject to one or more disadvantages such as the failure to provide a universal attachment means for the toes of various types of shoes such as tennis shoes as well as conventional leather shoes; the necessity for interconnecting the clamps for tightening and loosening the same; the necessity for skate key devices for use in adjusting the clamps; and the failure to provide for secure clamping means without damage to the shoe and/or discomfort of the wearer. An important object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide skates embodying novel and improved means for attachment of the skate to the shoe in a manner overcoming the aforesaid and other disadvantages of the prior art.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved toe attachment device for skates capable of automatically conforming to the shoe of the wearer to hold the same against movement with respect to the skate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a skate embodying novel and improved toe attachment or clamp means which do not require nor include any interconnection between the clamp members for movement thereof toward and away from the clamping position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a skate embodying novel and improved means for longitudinal or length adjustment thereof.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of a roller skate having the attachment means of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the skate of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the skate of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, illustrating one form of length adjustment means.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary bottom view illustrating one position of the locking lever of the device shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but showing a different position of the locking lever.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but showing the locking lever in the engaged position.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary top plan View of the skate of FIGURE 1, illustrating the toe attachment or clamping members in the widened, adjusted position.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention is shown as embodied in a roller skate having a base portion comprising heel and toe plates 10 and 11, respectively, operably connected together by means of a length adice justment assembly 12 and suitably mounted upon rollers or wheels 13. The rollers 13 are journalled on ball bearing assemblies (not shown) carried on shafts 15 which are in turn mounted on the forward and

aft bracket members

17 and 18, respectively. A suitable heel guard member 20 is positioned on the heel plate 11 and is provided with slots 21 or other means for attachment of a conventional ankle strap.

The novel toe attachment or clamping mechanism of the present invention includes a pair of

clamp members

30 and 31, each of which can be formed of a single sheet of metal or molded of plastic. Each of the clamp members comprises a base portion or

plate

33, 34 extending parallel to and underlying the toe plate 11, the

plates

33, 34 extending outwardly from both sides of the toe plate 11 through

elongated slots

36, 37 provided at the intersection of the toe plate 11 and the side flange 11a thereof, the

slots

36, 37 being substantially longer than the widths of the

plates

33, 34, for a purpose to be described below. Extending upwardly and substantially at right angles to the

plates

33, 34 are side portions 40, 41, the aft portions of which merge into horizontally-extending lips or

ledge members

44, 45, the vertical spacing between the top of the toe plate 11 and the underside of the

lips

44, 45 being slightly greater than the normal shoe sole thickness. Forwardly of the

lips

44, 45, the portions 4%, 41 merge upwardly into inwardly-

curved portions

46, 47 which overlie the toe plate 11, the

innermost edge portions

48, 49 thereof being substantially parallel to the toe plate 11 and spaced thereabove a substantial distance in positions to contact the upper toe portion of the shoe of the wearer.

Means are provided for operably connecting the

clamp members

30, 31 to the toe plate 11, and as shown in the drawings, these means may include a pair of

pin members

50, 51 having the enlarged head portions as seen in FIGURE 1, the pin members being secured to the

respective plates

33, 34 and extending upwardly through slots 60, 61 provided in the toe plate 11. Preferably, the slots are C-shaped as shown, to provide for width adjustment of the clamp members from the narrow width position of FIGURE 1 to the wide position of FIGURE 8. If such width adjustment is not desired, the slots could be replaced with holes slightly oversize with respect to the diameter of the

pin members

50, 51, so that in either event the clamp members are free to pivot about the pin members, as indicated by the phantom lines of FIGURE 8. Thus, the clamp members are pivot-ally connected to the toe plate 11 and are free to move to conform to the shoe of the wearer, such movement being limited by the widths of the

slots

36, 37.

In use of the skate thus far described, assuming that the necessary length adjustment has been made as will be described hereinbelow, the wearer simply slips his foot forwardly into the skate, inserting the toe of his shoe under the

curved portions

46, 47. Continued forward movement of the shoe automatically causes the

clamp members

30, 31 to pivot upwardly until the shoe sole has been properly positioned on the skate, with the wearers heel properly in place on the heel plate 10. At this point, the

clamp members

30, 31 have adjusted themselves to the configuration of the toe portion of the wearers shoe. Thus, if conventional shoes with conventional soles are worn, the

lips

44, 45 engage over the tops of the soles and provide vertical as well as longitudinal clamping, the

curved portions

46, 47 further aiding in preventing vertical movement of the toe of the wearer. If footwear of the tennis shoe type are worn, the clamps operate in generally the same manner, except that the

lips

44, 45 tend to grip, or embed themselves in, the rubber sides of the soles of such shoes. In any event, a firm attachment is provided, without any necessity for the use of auxiliary devices such as threaded interconnections between the clamp members and the necessary skate key and the like.

It is to be understood that the toe clamping mechanism described above is adapted to be used in otherwise conventional skates which may or may not be provided with conventional length adjustment means. However, the above-described clamping mechanism finds particular utility when used in combination with the length adjustment means 12. As shown in the drawings, and in particular FIGURES 4 through 7, the means 12 comprises a forward channel member 70 secured to the underside of the toe plate 11, and an aft channel member 71 secured to the underside of the heel plate 10, the member 71 telescoping into the member 70 for relative longitudinal sliding movement. A spring member 72 is preferably provided to prevent separation of the two members and to resiliently urge them together, one end of the spring being attached to the member 70 and the other end to the member 71, as shown in FIGURE 4.

The member 71 is provided on the lower surface thereof with a plurality of curved, parallel portions or abutment members 73, these members being positioned at a slight angle with respect to a line normal to the longitudinal side edges of the member 71.

Pivoted to the lower surface of the member 70 is a locking lever 80 having a handle portion 81 and having a cam portion 82 adapted to extend through a slot 83 in the side wall of the member 70, the cam member being provided with a curved face portion 85 adapted to contact the aft face of any one of the members '73.

The thus-described length adjustment assembly 12 is shown in the locked or closed position in FIGURES 4 and 7 of the drawings, wherein the cam, face 85 is engaged against the rear face of one of the members 73, thus locking the heel and toe portions of the skate against relative outward (lengthening) movement. Any inward (shortening) movement of the heel and toe portions of the skate is of course prevented by the shoe of the wearer. For adjustment purposes, the lever 80 is simply pivoted outwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 5, whereupon the heel and toe portions of the skate can be freely moved relative to each other for shortening or lengthening of the skate. Once the desired length has been obtained, the lever 85 is moved back to the locked position. Preferably this is accomplished after the user has inserted his foot into the skate, and in moving the lever back to the closed position, as shown in FIGURE 6, the cam member of the lever engages the adjacent member 73, the relative angular positions of the contacting portions causing the member 71 and the associated heel portion of the skate to be moved or cammed forwardly in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 6, thus exerting a final clamping action between the

clamp members

30, 31 and the toe of the shoe.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A skate comprising the combination of a heel plate and a toe plate, ground-contacting means attached to said plates, and means for connecting together said plates for longitudinal adjustment of the spacing therebetween, said means comprising a channel member on one of said plates and provided with a plurality of spaced abutment members, and a lever pivotally connected to the other of said plates and carrying a cam member adapted to be inserted between a pair of said abutment members for locking said plates against relative motion therebetween, said abutment members being provided with mutually parallel portions, each inclined at an angle in positions to be connected by said cam member for movement of said channel member and its plate toward the other of said plates.

2. A skate comprising the combination of a base for supporting the shoe of a wearer, ground-contacting means connected to said skate, and a pair of toe clamps, each of said clamps being individually operably connected to the forward portion of said base for movement with respect thereto to automatically conform to the toe of a wearers shoe, said clamp members including inwardly directed lip portions for overlappingly engaging sole portions of the wearers shoe and including curved portions forwardly of said lip portions, said curved portions extending upwardly and being inclined with respect to said base and spaced therefrom for engaging the upper portions of the wearers shoe.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the clamp members are individually pivoted to said base.

4. In a skate, the combination of a toe plate and a pair of toe clamp members, each of said members being provided with a plate portion extending under and in contact with the underside of said toe plate, means for pivotally connecting said clamp members individually to said toe plate for pivotal movement of said clamp members in the plane of said toe plate, said clamp members including toe-engaging portions extending upwardly from each of said plate members comprising inwardly-directed lip portions for overlappingly engaging sole portions of the wearers shoe and curved portions forwardly of said lip portions, said curved portions extending upwardly and being inclined with respect to said toe plate and spaced therefrom for engaging the upper portions of the wearers shoe.

5. A skate comprising the combination of a base having a heel plate and a toe plate for supporting the shoe of a wearer, groundcontacting means connected to said skate, and a pair of toe clamps, each of said clamps having toeengaging portions and being individually operably connected to the forward portion of said base for movement with respect thereto to automatically conform to the toe of the wearers shoe, said base including connecting means for connecting together the heel plate and said toe plate for longitudinal adjustment of the spacing therebetween, said connecting means including a channel member on one of said plates and provided with a plurality of spaced abutment members, and a lever pivotally connected to the other of said plates and carrying a cam member adapted to be inserted between a pair of said abutment members for locking said plates against relative motion therebetween, said abutment members being provided with mutually parallel portions, each inclined at an angle in position to be contacted by said cam member for movement of said channel member and its plate toward the other of said plates.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,535,422 4/1925 Larsen 2801l.26 2,170,162 8/1939 Segal 280l1.26 2,201,990 5/1940 Dekome et a1 280-1131 2,579,256 12/ 1951 Giudice 280-1132 3,007,706 11/1961 Pullen 28011.26

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, Examiner.