US1188377A - Roller-skate. - Google Patents

Description

1., E.- WEAVER.

ROL'LER SKATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 22,1913.

7 1 188377. PfitentedJune 20, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- 0 a WI I IIVVENTOR I JAMES EWzEflVL'iE ATTORNEY J. E. WEAVER.

ROLLER SKATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, I913. 1 ,1 88,377. Pat-entdJune 20, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- WITNESSES: .1

' To all whom it may concern.

UNITED STATES PAT NT" oFFroE.

JAMES E. WEAVER, OF ELIZABETHTOWN, lN'EWYYORK.

ROLLER-SKATE.

I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J n 20, 1916 Application filed April 22, 1913. Serial N 0. 762,9(12.

Be it known that I, JAMES E. WEAVER, a citizen of the United States, and formerly a resident of Demarest, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, but now a resident of Elizabethtown, inthe county of Essex and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roller-Skates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to roller skates, and has for its object to so construct a skate of this kind that it may be readily convertible from a skate having two pairs of rollers arranged in the customary way, into a skate having two or three rollers arranged in tandem fashion, or into a skate having five rollers, four of them arranged in the usual way,

and the fifth centrally between them. Other arrangements of the rollers are also possible with my improved convertible skate.

This'skate is adapted for .ordinary skating (using the four rollers in that case), or for speed-skating (when a central roller is employed, preferably larger than the other rollers.)

The invention also comprisesmeans for relieving jars, and a brake arrangement which will be particularly useful when coastmg.

An example of the numerous ways in which my invention. may be carried out will now be described in detail. with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will then be pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved roller skate, with four rollers inposition; Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof;

Fig. 3' is a bottom view with three rollers arranged 1n tandem fashlon; Fig. 4 1s a corresponding side elevation; Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the skate with five rollers in position thereon; Figs. 6, 7 and 8-are cross sections on the lines 6-6, 7 7, and 88 re spectively of Figs. 2 and 4; Fig. 9 is a rear elevation of the skate in the condition illustrated by Figs. 1 and 5; Fig. 10 is a cross seetionon' the line 1010 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 11 is a partial longitudinal section on llne 1111 of Fig. 2. In several of these views,

' particularly in the sectional figures, certain parts have been omitted so structure more clearly.

as to show. the

The body or frame, of the improved skate comprises afrontplate A and, a rear plate or heel plate B, the latter being provided with any usual or approved projections a to which are secured the leatherb and straps c for fastening the skate at the heel,- but any other heel-fastening may be employed. The front plate A is shown provided with the usual rivets d on which the slotted soleclamps C aremounted to slide, said clamps having screw-threaded openings through which extends the screw D, held against lengthwise movement by the engagement of.

its reduced portion e witha fork E secured to the front plate A. One end of the screw D is shown angular for the reception of a suitable key (not shown). The sole-clamp arrangement shown is of a Well-known' character, but any other suitable construc also bent down as at h, the forward portion 2' of said plate being adapted to fit below the portion 9 of the front plate A. An opening j is provided in the vertical portion h of the rear plate, to allow the rear portion or tongue 9 of the front plate A to slide therethrough when the skate is fully shortened,

as for convenience in shipping. 'At its side edges, the forward portion '5 of the rear plate B is formed with upwardly extending flanges is, preferably flaring toward their upper edges, on which .the forward portion orbody of the front plate A is adapted to slide. portion f extends between the flanges Ira-as does also the rear portion'or tongue 9, the latter sliding on the forward portion i of the rear plate B.- The member or tongue 2' of the rear plate B is slotted lengthwise as at Z to receive a bolt F secured to the tongue 9 of the front plate A, this bolt having a nut m for' fastening the plates A and B together in any position towhioh they may have been adjusted. The flanges k withthe' tongue or forward portion i. of the rear The downwardly bent plate B, form a trough-like structure which stitfens and strengthens the skate materially. The tongue 9 of the forward plate A is also slotted lengthwise, as at 0, for a purpose stated hereinafter, the two slots Z and o beingin registry with each other.

Near the forward end of the front plate A is secured a bracket G, the vertical end members of which receive a pivot pin H forming a fulcrum for carrying arms J extending rearwardly and supporting'an axle K on which the two front rollers L are mounted to turn. The axleis screw-threaded in its entire length, and is held in position'on said arms J in the following manner: The arms J are made with approximately circular openings 1) from which slots 9, open at the bottom, extend downwardly. These slots are of suflicient width to allow the axle to be inserted upwardly or withdrawn downwardlyJ On the inside of the armsfJ. nuts M are screwed on the axle K, each of said nuts having a cylindrical rojection r whi'chfits into the adjacent openings p, and'projects 'therethrough to the outside of the arm J. On the portion of the projection 2' which is outside the arm axle K, said cone having a race for the balls Q also engaging a race in the roller L. A.

similar race at the outer portion of the roller engages balls R in contactwith a cone S screwing on the axle K. Then follows another dust-plate T, a small washer F, and a nut V screwed on the axle K.

The parts M. N, U, and Y have l been omitted from Fig. l in order to s%1ow more clearly. the opening p and the s ot g provided in the arm J.-

The carrying arms J are formed integral with a cross piece 8 to which is secured a bar W projecting outwardly over the inturned'flange s zof a U-shaped plate X secured to the front plate A. Between the bar W and the plate X is placed a cushion '20 of rubber or other suitable elastic material. Thus the arms carrying the front rollers. L are capable of a. slight up and down movement on the pivot H, the cushion u relieving jars.

at somewhat. similar construction is employed tor -supporting the rear rollers L. They are mounted to turn on an axle K screw-threaded in its entire length and carrying nuts, cones, washers, etc. in the same manner as described with reference to the .front axle K as willy be understood from located at the forward end of the armsel'. To

the cross member 3 connecting the rear ends 7 of the arms 3 15 secured a bar A the ends (if-which project overthe inturned flanges t of a U-shaped plate K secured tothe rear plate 1%. The cushioning efl ect'is obtained in this case by means ot a spring Y (3 its forward end secured to the .bers of the plate X. lever Z clears the spring Y and allows the The pivot H is 'bar V and tends to force itagainst the flanges z". A cam lever Z is pivoted to the rear plate B at zto swing about a vertical axis located forward of the plate X. The

rear end of this lever extends between said plate X and the spring Y is provided with a handle 20 within easy reach of the person using the skate, The lever Z can thus swing from side to side between the vertical mem- In one position, the

bar l and arms J to move upward relatively to the plate B (or rather, the plate B to move downward in relation to the rear ends of the arms J), thereby bringing the rear rollers L in contact with brake shoes a (of-wood, leather or other suitable material) carried by the plate X. In its other,

position. the lever Z engages the spring Y- and locks, the arms J to the rear plate B by pressing the bar Y firmly against the flanges t, so that the brake shoes .1. cannot engage the rollers L. Preferably the lever Z is self-locking in either'of its positions, which may be accomplished by making the lever elastic, with a tendency to spring up -ner set forth hereinafter.

The rear portion g of the front plate A. is adapted to slide rearward under the forward end of the spring Y and above the pivot H, between the vertical members of the bracket G. r

So far as described above. the skate is a roller skate having four rollers, a front pair and a rear pair. In ordinary use, the

lever Z will stand so as to engage the spring .Yand lock the' arms J? to the rear plate. thus putting the brakes ar out of'action. When coasting, the lever Z is preferably in the other position, that is to say, it will be swung clear of the spring if; the latter will still; normally keep the brake shoes out of engagement with the rollers 3L; but when the user desires to bring the brakes into action. he can dose by simply putting his weight on his heel. thus causing the arms J to swing on their pivot H and I bringing the brake shoes against the rear rollers L.- tloasting' with the improve-ii. skate thus becomes quite sate. since the speed may be readily checked at any inomerit,

The skate can be converted very quickly into a skate having only two rollers arranged in tandem fashion, in the longitudinal center of the skate. For this purpose, the elastic holding sleeves a are slipped ofl laterally from the central portions 'of the axles K, K, and then the nuts M, M are turned so as to travel toward the center, until said nutsare clear of the arms'J, J. The axles with the rollers thereon can then be removed through the open lower ends of the slots g. One of the rollers of each pair is then removed .from its axle, and the other roller is shifted to the central portion of the axle the nuts M, M are reversed, so that the washers N, N will be on the inside of the armsJ, J, see Figs. 3 and 4. Of course, the dimensions of the rollers and of their fittings, and the distance between the arms J or J are so proportioned that the roller will fit properly between the arms J or J when transferred to the central portion of the axle as described above. No parts need be placed on the axle exteriorly of the nuts M or M when the roller is placed in the center; still, for the sake of greater safety, the washers'U,'U and the nuts V, V maybe placed on the axle ends in this case also. While the same axle K or K may be employed for carrying either one roller,

between the arms J or "J or tworollers ext-eriorly of said arms, as described, an axle of exactly the same character, but ofsmaller length, may be substituted when the roller is to be arranged centrally, as indicated in Fig. 8, with respect to the rear axle.

While I have not illustrated in the draw-' ing a skate having only one central front roller and one central rear roller, this con- .struction will be evident from Figs. 3 and 4,

if we assume that we remove from these views, the roller shown between the front roller and the rear roller; that is to say, with only two rollers arranged in tandem fashion, the central portion of the skate would look like that of Figs. 1 and 2, and

the endportions like those of Figs. 3 and 4."

It will be obvious that a three-roller arrangement might be obtained by employing a pair of front rollers L or a pair of rear rollers L (as in Figs. 1 and 2) in conjunction with a single rear roller L or a smgle front roller L respectively (as in- Figs. 3

will probably never be used, and as, moreover, they will be readily understood, I have not shown them in the drawings.

By the addition of a supplemental roller between the front axle K and the rear axle K, I obtain either a skate having 'three rollers arranged in tandem fashion, as shown-- in" Figs. 3 and 4, or a skate having five rollers, viz,,: a pair of front rollers, a pair of rear rollers, ,and an intermediate central roller, as represented 1n Fig. 5.-- This supbracket or support 22 adapted to be secured detachably to the body of the skate. For this purpose, the support 22 is provided with two bolts 23 and nuts 24 to correspond, said bolts being adapted to pass through the slots l and 0 of the rear plate B and of the front plate A respectivelv. so that the support 22 may be adjusted lengthwise of the skate, within certain limits, and then secured by tightening the nuts 24. The horizontal member extending across the top of the support 22 is in contact with the forward portion 2' of the rear plate B. Tl supplemental roller- 20 is preferably of Lrger diameter than the rollers Land L, and in any event it is so arranged that it will project downwardly beyond the plane passing through time as the intermediate roller- 20. The- I skater can alsolift both end rollers off the ground after he has attained-a certainspeed,

and thus run exclusively on the supplemental roller 20. Friction is thus reduced materially, particularly if the said roller is of a relatively large diameter, and a very high speed may be attained. A similar effect will be obtained with five rollers (Fig. 5),

in which case the skater will start offwith Q three rollers (the supplemental roller and either the front pair L or the rear pair L) resting on the ground, and after a acquiring a certain speed, he can balance himself exclusively onthe supplemental roller 20.' A

particularly skilful skater might even remove both front rollers and both rear rollers so as to-travel on thesupplemental roller as the single roller of the skate.

. Various modifications maybe madewithout departing from the nature of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: v 1. A roller skate having front and rear rollers and an intermediate roller adjustable lengthwise of the skate.

2. A roller skate having'front and rear rollers and an intermediate roller and pro.-

vided with means. for adjusting the distance of said intermediate roller from said front and rear rollers. a

3. A roller skate having front and rear rollers, means whereby the distance betweenthe front and rear'rollers may be adjusted,

and an intermediate roller adjustable toward and from said front and rear rollers.

4. A roller skate comprising a .frame,.

85 the-bottom lines of the rollers L and L, as

front 'and'rear rollers whose axes are movable up and down relatively to sa1d-frame, and an intermediate-roller whose axis 1s at a constant distance from the bottom of theframe the lower edge of the intermediate roller extending beyond the plane whichpasses through the bottomlines of the other rollers. w

5. A roller skate comprislng a frame,

yielding rear and front carriers movable up and down relatively to sa1d frame, an intermediatecarrier held against vertical movementrelatively to the frame,- and rollers mounted on said darriers the intermediate roller having its lower edge extending'beyond the plane which passes through the bottom lines of the other rollers.

6. A rollerskate comprising a frame, av

carrier movable up and down relati ely to sa1d frame, a roller mounted on said carrler,

and a lever for looking or releasing said car- 7 rier relatively to the frame. I

7. A roller skate comprising a frame, a

carrier movable up and down relatively to said frame, a roller mountedon said carrier, a brakearranged to be apphed by the movement of the carrier relatlvely to the frame,

and means for locking the carrier to the frame. a v

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of the subscrib-

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