1089. Shaw, E., and Shaw, G. Jan. 15. Skates.-An appliance for supporting a skater's ankle is formed of two o bars jointed by a pin, the axis of which nearly coincides with the ankle joint. The upper bar is securely fastened to the wearer's leg or boot upper, and the lower bar is attached to the heel of the boot, or to the skate, or may be formed integral with the skate. The upper bar is preferably formed of a number of springy strips. Fig. 1 shows the appliance fitted to a boot. The lower rigid part e is provided with a circular plate k, fixed to the boot heel by screws passing through this plate and the skate heel-plate c. The plate k may be square and provided with slots for the screws to pass through. The upper part g, which is jointed by a pin j to lugs h of the part e, is secured by a lace to the upper of the boot. The part g may also be secured by a puttee passing over it ; or, it may pass through a sheath, formed in a puttee or attached to the boot. The part g may be held to the boot by a leathern &c. anklet, which embraces the upper of the boot. Fig. 10 shows a modification, in which the lower part e is enlarged at its lower end v and attached to the heel by a side screw x. The enlarged end v may also be secured by a bolt passing through the heel and a nut. The end v may be provided with extensions which envelope or partly envelope the heel. In the former case, the extensions are fixed by screws, and, in the latter, by a bolt 4 and nut 5, Fig. 14, or by means of screws passing into the sides of the heels. The part e may be detachably secured by means of screws to the skate blade, or may be formed integrally with the heel plate c. Fig. 19 shows the bar g secured to the leg by means of a strap 8. The bar g may be formed in two parts fitting telescopically &c., and fixed by means of clamping-screws 9. Figs. 21 and 22 show a modified form of joint between the bars e, g. The lower end g<1> of the part g fits into a socket 12 on the part e, the socket being provided with a cushion 13 of rubber. The socket 12 may be lined entirely with rubber, the bar g being made rigid. Fig. 25 shows the part g enclosed in a leather sheath 15 and secured thereto by a rivet 16 ; the puttee straps 19, 20 are adapted for binding the part g to the boot. This modification may be used with roller skates. In some cases, as when cast in an aluminium alloy, the part e is strengthened by a web 21, Fig. 28. The device may be fitted to skates in which sole clips and heel clips are tightened by right and left handed screws, working in lugs on the clips. The part e is formed integrally with the heel clip. The parts which fit against the heel may be provided with steadying-pins.