GB2128483A

GB2128483A - Ice skate

Info

Publication number: GB2128483A
Application number: GB08305450A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Staples
Original assignee: MK SKATES Ltd
Current assignee: MK SKATES Ltd
Priority date: 1982-10-21
Filing date: 1983-02-28
Publication date: 1984-05-02
Also published as: GB2128483B; GB8305450D0

Abstract

A skate or skate boot has a blade (2) and heel and sole fixtures (32, 22) which are normally separate but can be formed as one member, the plates being mounted to the blade with fore and aft adjustment. The adjustment is provided by means of slots (12, 14, 16) in extensions of the blade which co-operate with lugs (24, 26, 34) on the heel and sole plates via respective pins or Allen screws. Control of the adjustment is effected by an Allen screw (40) engaged in a threaded hole (39) formed in a further lug (38) of the heel plate and having at its forward end an element (42) which engages in a slot (20) of the blade. Alternatively, such control may be effected by means of a rack on either the blade or one of the fixtures (32, 22) associated with rotatable or static rack-engaging means or by means of a notched slot provided in the blade for engagement with a cogged member mounted on one of the fixtures. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A skate This invention relates to ice skates.

The object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the skate blade is adjustable relative to the skate boot so that the tip of the blade can be finely adjusted relative to the boot after the skate is secured to the skate boot.

According to the present invention a skate or skate boot has a blade, a heel and a sole fixture, the fixtures being mounted to the blade with fore and aft adjustment. A great advantage of fore and aft adjustment is that the skate blade can be adjusted relative to the centre of gravity of the skater in between different skating performances or routines. It will be appreciated that in competition skating the adjustment is very critical and that for different routines the relative position if adjusted may result in improved performance for the skater.

Preferably means are provided between the sole or heel fixture and the blade for controlling the amount of fore and aft adjustment. A simple arrangement for controlling the adjustment is an index scale on the skate blade with an index mark on one of the plates or parts thereof adjacent the scale.

Suitably the controlling means comprises a screw control acting in the fore and aft direction between the heel plate and the blade. In other embodiments the controlling means comprises a series of teeth on one of the plates or the blade with a tooth engaging means to engage with the teeth.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the means for controlling the fore and aft adjustment comprises a threaded member rotatably mounted to the heel fixture, the member having a terminal element engaging in a slot in the skate blade.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a skate according to the invention, Figure 1 A is an end view of the heel plate seen from C-C in Figure 1, Figure 1 B is a side view of the skate of Figure 1 on a boot, Figures 2 to 6 are side views of different arrangements for adjusting the fore and aft relationship between plates and blade taken at the heel plate seen from B in Figure 1A according to the invention, Figure 6A is a partial cross section taken on A-A of Figure 6, Figure 7 is a side view of a fore and aft direction controlling arrangement fitted to the heel plate and blade taken from B in Figure 1 A according to the invention, and Figure 8 is a side view of a simple fore and aft adjusting arrangement for a skate as taken from D in Figure 1 A, according to the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a skate blade 2 having upward extensions 4, 6 and 8 and a serrated tip 10. Each upward extension 4, 6, 8 has a fore and aft slot 12, 14, 16 respectively approximately 2 an inch (12.7 mm) long and at the rear of the after upward extension 8 is a slot or groove 20.

A sole plate 22 having holes (not shown) or other suitable means for securing to a skate boot (not shown) is provided with two pairs of downward extending lugs 24 and 26 respectively.

Pins or Allen screws 28 and 30 extend between each pair or lugs through the slots 12 and 14 so that the blade can slide in a fore and aft direction relative to the sole plate.

A heel plate 32 is similarly mounted to the rear end of the skate blade 2 by means of a pair of downwardly extending heel plate lugs 34 and a pin or Allen screw 36 securing the lugs 34 to the slot 16.

Figure 1 A shows the Allen screw 36 engaging in a threaded hole of the left hand lug 34 to secure blade 2.

To the rear of the heel plate is a further downwardly extending lug 38 having a threaded hole 39 in which an Allen screw 40 engages. At the forward end of the Allen screw is an element 42 which when the heel plate is secured to the skate blade engages in slot 20. The Allen screw 40 has a normal Allen head 44 with a recess 46 for inserting a key. The slot 1 6 is approximately 2 an inch (12.7 mm) long. The heel plate has suitable means such as holes (not shown) for securing to the heel of the skate boot.

In use the skate heel and sole plates 22, 32 are secured to the skate boot and the skate blade is then adjustable relative to the boot by turning the Allen screw 40 one way or the other thus enabling an adjustment of about a 4 of an inch (6.4 mm) either way so that the tip 10 of the skate may be finally adjusted relative to the skate boot.

Figure 1 B shows the skate of Figure 1 mounted to a boot 50 with fore and aft adjustment indicated by arrows 52 relative to a line 53 drawn downwards from a centre of gravity of the skate.

In competition skating this relationship between blade position and skater's body has been found to be very critical. Furthermore for different skating routines it has been found that adjustment in the fore and aft direction can substantially improve the competitor's performance.

In order to ensure the blade is kept as perfect as possible it has also been found advantageous to remove the blade for sharpening. Due to the close fit between element 42 and the groove 20 when the blade is replaced it will be secured back in precisely the same fore and aft position. In order to gauge this position an index scale as shown in Figures 2-8 at 56 is provided and which can be aligned with marker 58. This enables a simple arrangement to be provided as shown in Figure 8 where no fore and aft controlling or indexing means is provided. The Figure 8 arrangement is clearly not so easily controlled an arrangement as that shown in Figure 1 and in more detail in Figure 2 but for a less sophisticated performance may be sufficient and is more economical to make.

Various other different ways of controlling the fore and aft movement of the blade are proposed in Figures 3 to 7 but these are by no means exclusive.

Figure 3 shows a rack 60 formed on the rear part of upward extension 8 of blade 2 and toothed engagement block 62 secured or formed on the underside of plate 32. The rack teeth are suitably pitched at four teeth to the distance between every whole number on the index scale 56.

Adjustment is controlled by slackening or removing screw 36 and relocating block 62 relative rack 60. A similar arrangement is shown in Figure 7 but where a rack 64 is formed on the underside of plate 32 and a tooth or teeth 66 are formed on the upward extension 8 of the blade.

Figure 4 shows the upward extension 8 of the blade provided with a rack 68 and a rack engaging cog wheel 70 mounted on a downward extending lug 72 on plate 32. A screw driver notch on the cog wheel 70 enables the wheel to be turned to effect fore and aft adjustment after slackening screw 36.

Figure 5 shows a worm wheel fore and aft adjustment comprising a worm wheel 76 mounted by lugs 78 on the underside of plate 32 and a rack 80 on the upward extension 8 of the blade. The worm wheel 76 is scored longitudinally across the worm to provide a finger grip.

Adjustment in the fore and aft direction is by slackening screw 36 and rotating wheel 76.

Figure 6 and 6A show an arrangement in which a rack 82 is provided in slot 16' on upward extension 8. Slot 16' is somewhat broader than slot 1 6 to accommodate a cogged portion 84 of screw 36' which can rotate in lugs 34. To adjust the blade in the fore and aft direction a nut 86 or the like on screw 36' is slackened, an Allen key is inserted in screw 36' and screw 36' is rotated with its cogged portion 84 engaging on rack 82 to effect fore or aft movement.

Thus it will be seen that there are several different ways of controlling the fore and aft movement not all of which are shown. For instance slot 1 6 can be provided with a plurality of opposed arcuate notched portions on the upper and lower surfaces which engage with the shank of screw 36 to lock the blade in one of a number of positions. It will be understood that although the index scale and controlling means are shown as being provided at the rear of the skate some of these arrangements could equally be provided on the sole plate and one or other of the forward upward extensions of the blade.

In order to strengthen the lugs 34 bracketing portions 90 as shown on Figures 2 and 6A may be provided.

So as to make the skate more recognisable a milled out portion 92 of the front of the blade near the tip 10 (see Fig. 1) is filled with a red plastic insert 94. The insert 94 may have circular grooves to make it more reflective.

In a further embodiment the heel and sole plate can be formed as a single member or fixture.

Alternatively the connection between the blade and boot may be by means of a fixture or fixtures moulded into the skate boot.

It will be appreciated that the invention also enables replacement blades to be fitted as well as blades with a different blade edge curvature. For instance blades with a 7 foot (2.13 m) radius can be replaced with a blade having a 4 foot (1.22 m) radius.

Claims

1. A skate or skate boot having a blade, a heel and a sole fixture, the fixtures being mounted to the blade with fore and aft adjustment.

2. A skate or boot as claimed in Claim 1 wherein an index scale is provided on the blade or on one of the fixtures to gauge the fore and aft adjustment.

3. A skate or boot as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein means are provided between the sole or heel fixtures and the blade for controlling the amount of fore and aft adjustment.

4. A skate or boot as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the controlling means comprises a screw control acting in the fore and aft direction between the heel fixtures and the blade.

5. A skate or boot as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the screw control comprises a screw mounted in a threaded portion to the heel fixture and an element mounted to the screw, the element engaging in a slot in the blade so that turning of the screw moves the element and thus the blade in the fore and aft direction.

6. A skate or boot as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the screw control comprises a worm wheel engaging with a rack.

7. A skate or boot as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the blade is provided with a rack and a rotatable rack engaging means enables fore and aft adjustment.

8. A skate or boot as claimed in Claim 3 wherein one of the fixtures is provided with a rack and a rotatable rack engaging means enables fore and aft adjustment.

9. A skate or boot as claimed in Claim 7 or 8 wherein the rack engaging means comprises a cogged member.

10. A skate or boot as claimed in Claim 7 or 8 wherein the rack engaging means comprises a static toothed member.

11. A skate or boot as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the rack is provided in a fore and aft slot in the blade and wherein a cogged member is rotatably mounted to one of the fixtures to engage with the rack.

12. A skate or boot as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the controlling means comprises a notched slot extending in the fore and aft direction, the slot being provided in the blade, the notches being engaged by a member mounted to one of the fixtures to lock the blade relative the fixtures.

13. A skate or boot as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 12 wherein a reflector is provided in the blade toward the tip of the blade.

14. A skate or skate boot substantially as described with references to Figures 1, 1 A and 1 B of the accompanying drawings.

1 5. A skate or skate boot substantially as described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

1 6. A skate or skate boot substantially as described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

1 7. A skate or skate boot substantially as described with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.

1 8. A skate or skate boot substantially as described with reference to Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

1 9. A skate or skate boot substantially as described with reference to Figures 6 and 6A of the accompanying drawings.

20. A skate or skate boot substantially as described with reference to Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A skate or skate boot substantially as described with reference to Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A method of adjusting the relative position of a skate blade and the foot of a skater by providing fore and aft adjustment between heel and sole fixtures of the skate and the skate blade.

23. A method of adjusting the relative position of a skate blade and the foot of a skater substantially as described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.