GB2178666A - Roller skates - Google Patents

Abstract

A roller skate (10) comprises a boot (12) of conventional style mounted on a roller assembly (14). The roller assembly (14) comprises suspension units (22, 24) on each side of which is a flat bar (36). Between the flat bars (36) are mounted a pair of rollers (46) one in front of the other. The rollers are replaceably mounted on the bars 36 in selected holes 42 to give a desired 19 wheelbase length. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Roller skates This invention concerns roller skates.

Conventional roller skates comprise a shoe or boot on two pairs of roller wheels possibly with intervening suspension mountings. The pairs of rollers provide a relatively wide wheelbase which is also usually of a fixed length.

This arrangement, whilst providing reasonable stability for a skater, is not ideal for executing the type of movements that can be performed, for example, by an ice skater.

The object of the invention is to provide a roller skate that may permit greater manoeuvrability for a skater.

According to the invention there is provided a roller skate comprising a shoe or boot mounted on a roller assembly that has two roller wheels arranged one in front of the other.

Having such a two wheel arrangement affords greater manoeuverability because of the narrower wheelbase that can be provided compared with a conventional roller skate.

A similar comparison exists between a motor car and a motor cycle, the former leans outwards when negotiating a curve whereas the latter leans inwards so holding the curve better. It is, therefore, easier for the motor cycle to travel around a curve at higher speeds than a motor car. Thus, on the skates of the invention it is envisaged that a skate will be able to lean in towards a curve and so reduce strain on the skaters ankles. Indeed by using very narrow wheels the roller skate can become almost like an ice skate. As it may be difficult for a skater to cope with very narrow wheels immediately, the rollers of the skates of the invention will preferably be replaceable, i.e. by wider or narrower rollers as desired.

To that end, the roller skates of the invention may be supplied with sets of different width rollers so that a skater can start with the widest rollers and gradually work their way to the narrowest as proficiency increases. In addition, it is preferred that the length of the wheelbase be adjustable. Clearly the shorter the wheelbase the easier it will be for a skater to skate around corners or make tighter turns. Preferably also the roller wheels are mounted on the underside of the shoe via a suspension unit or units.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a roller skate has a pair of suspension units possibly of a type used on conventional roller skates and the suspension units carry a pair of parallel plates or bars, one on each side thereof between which the roller wheels are mounted The plates or bars are removable for replacement of the rollers and preferably also have more than one mounting position for each roller so that the wheelbase can be altered.

The roller skates of the invention may also have a stop beneath the toe end of the shoe, whereby a skater can stop quickly. The stop may be rotatable so that pivotting movements can be executed on the stop by a skater.

The suspension mountings may be made as a single casting, say of aluminium or as a single moulding, say of carbon fibre, on which the shoe is fastened say by rivets.

The rollers of the skates of the invention may have a generally flat running surface, possibly with rounded edges. Preferably, however, the running surface will be curved laterally.

It is hoped that the skates of the invention will enable skaters to execute more complicated manoeuvres than hitherto possibly of the type performed by ice skaters.

The invention will now be further described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a roller skate; Figure 2 is a view from below of the roller skate of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a front view of the roller skate of Fig. 1; and Figure 4 is a rear view of the roller skate of Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, a roller skate 10 comprises a boot 12 of conventional style mounted on a roller assembly generally designated 14. The roller assembly 14 comprises an aluminium casting 16 that provides a plate 18 that is attached to the sole 19 of the boot 12 by rivets 20 and beneath the plate 18 are a pair of suspension mountings 22 of conventional type. The suspension mountings 22 each carry a shaped member 24 that is secured to the mounting by a bolt 26 with a rubber sleeve 28 therebetween and by an arm 30 held in a rubber glove 32 in a bore 34 in the casting.

The shaped members 24 have mounted on each side thereof one of a pair of parallel flat bars 36 by means of screw threaded rods 38 therethrough held by nuts 40 on each end.

The flat bars 36 each have a series of aligned holes 42 in which axles 44 of rollers 46 are retained by means of nuts 48. The rollers 46 may be of any suitable material but will probably be of plastics material. The wheelbase of the roller skate can be altered by moving one or both of the rollers to different pair of holes of the flat bars. The rollers shown have a generally flat running surface but may be substituted by rollers having a laterally curved running surface. Rollers of different widths may also be readily substituted for the rollers already on the skate.

For this reason it is envisaged that a pair of roller skates of the invention may be supplied with sets of different width wheels. A skater can then start with the skates having on the widest wheels and replace them by narrow wheels as him or her proficiency increases.

Beneath the toe of the boot 12 is a rotatable stop 52 mounted on a casting 54 that may be part of the casting 16 or a separate casting rivetted to the sole of the boot.

As an alternative material for the part 16 carbon fibre may be used in which case that part will be moulded rather than cast.

Claims (9)

1. A roller skate comprising a shoe or boot mounted on a roller assembly that has two rollers arranged one in front of the other.

2. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rollers are replaceable.

3. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1 or 2 having an adjustable wheelbase.

4. A roller skate as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the rollers are mounted on the underside of the shoe or boot via a suspension unit or units.

5. A roller skate as claimed in claim 4 wherein suspension units carrying a pair of parallel plates or bars, one on each sole, between which the rollers are mounted.

6. A roller skate as claimed in claim 5, wherein the plates or bars have more than one mounting position for each roller, whereby the wheelbase may be altered.

7. A roller skate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, having a stop beneath the toe end of the boot or shoe.

8. A roller skate as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the rollers have a laterally curved running surface.

9. A roller skate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.