US1211557A - Roller-skate. - Google Patents

Description

F. M. DORE.

ROLLER SKATE.

A'PPLlcATloN me June 26. |916.

L21 1,557',l Patented Jan. 9, 19171.

@TATF ROLLER-SKATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

Application filed .Tune 26, 1916. Serial No. 106,033.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK M. Donn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Helena, in the county of Lewis and Clark and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roller-Skates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to roller skates and the general object of my invention is the provision of'a very Vsimply and cheaply constructed roller skate with three wheels whereby the eectiveness of the skate will be very much enhanced.

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved means whereby the skate may be attached to the foot of the wearer and in this connection to provide means whereby the fastening means will engage different sizes of shoes. In other words, whereby the fastening means may be adjusted to various clamping positions.

Other `objects. will appear in the course of the .following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my skate; Fig. 2 is asection on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is an under side plan view, the tubular member l27 being in section; Fig. i is a perspective view of the member 15 and Fig. 5 is a perspective view .of the member 27; and Fig. 6 is `a view of the yoke or bracket 18.

Referring to these drawings, 10 designates the sole plate or top plate which is made to conform to the shape of the sole of a shoe and which, at its rear end, is formed with an upwardly projecting heel lug 11. Straps 12 are attached to the sole plate in any suitable manner, which straps are adapted to engage over the instep of the wearer by means of a buckle 13.

The skate is provided with two rear wheels 14 which are mounted upon a supporting member 15 which is attached in any suitable manner to the plate 10 beneath the heel thereof. This member 15 extends downward and is provided with the laterally projecting gudgeons or bearings 16 upon which the wheels 14 are mounted in any suitable manner so that the wheels are independently rotatable. The forward end of the skate is supported by means of a single wheel 17 which is supported in a bifurcated yoke or bracket 18 which, as illustrated in Fig. (S, has the laterally projecting shoulders 19 and a rearwardly projecting shoulder 20 which engages beneath the under face of the plate 10. This yoke 19 has a relatively rectangular upwardly projecting lug 21 which fits into the plate 10 and keeps the wheel from turning sidewise, that is from rotating in a horizontal plane. The shoulders 19 and 20 prevent the bracket or yoke from pulling out of the plate 10 should any obj ect strike the bracket or the wheel 17.

For the purpose of attaching the forward end of the skate to the sole of a shoe, I provide a clamping rod 22 which, as illustrated in Fig. 3, is split for the greater portion of its length or divided into two arms 28, these arms being somewhat resilient and extending forward and laterally and then being bent upward as at 24 to form jaws engaging the shoe sole. These jaws bear firmly against the side edges of the forward end of the'sole plate. The rear end of the rod 22 passes through a perforation 25 formed in the member 15 and this rear end is screwthreaded for engagement by a wing nut 26 which forms a key whereby the clamping jaws may be drawn together to engage the sole of a shoe or released from such engagement. As shown in Fig. 3, this clamping nut 26 has wings which extend out beyond the end of the rod 22 to which the key is screwed so as to prevent anything catching or -striking the rear end of the rod 22.

For the kpurpose of causing the closing of the jaws as the rod 22 is drawn rearward by xthe key 26, I provide Va hollow member 27 which is disposed beneath the plate 10 and may be in advance of the bracket 15, this hollow ymember is formed with a bore at its rear end of approximately a size slightly larger than the rod 22. At its forward end the member v27 is laterally widened or ared as illustrated best in Fig. 5. The member 27 is fastened by a vertical pin or bolt 28 which extends downward from the plate 10 and extends through the member 27. This pin passes between the arms 23 so as not to interfere with the longitudinal movement of the rod 22.

The operation of this mechanism is easily understood from the drawing. In practical use, when the skate is applied to the foot, the straps 13 are tightened over the instep and the skate is clamped to the toe of the shoe by turning up upon the nut 26, thisY draws the rod 22 longitudinally and as the rod 22 is drawn rearward the divergent arms 23 are caused to close inward or toward each other by engagement with the hollow member 27, thus securing great lateral pressure upon the holding members or jaws 24. The member 27 permits the prongs or arms 23 of the rod 22 to spread or contract as the rod 22 is shifted .rearward or forward and keep the jaws 24: pressed tightly to the soles of the shoe, this being assisted by a spring 29.

It will be seen that this skate is very simply constructed, that it has only eight main pieces and that a very tight clamping engagement may be had withi a shoe. It is to be particularly noted that the advantage in having wings on the nut 26 extended rearwardly of the rod 22 is two-fold. First this shape makes it easy to secure a firm and quick grasp by the fingers in securing or screwing up the key and second, these wings protect the threaded portions of the rod 22 from any jars which would otherwise be likely to dull or bend the threads, thus making it difficult to adjust the rod 22 backward or forward.

The advantages of a three-wheeled skate are many. Having only three wheels the skate is manifestly lighter and cheaper than a four-wheeled skate. By reason of having lonly one wheel at the forward end of the skate it is possible to provide for the attaching members formed by the arms 23 and the rod 22. There being only three wheels, there is less friction to overcome and not so much exertion in skating. Furthermore, the three-wheeled skate will guide easier and with less exertion than with 'the usual fourwheeled skate. f

Having described my invention, what I claim is: Y

1. In a roller skate, a sole plate, supporting rollers mounted thereon, means for engaging the skate with the shoe sole comprising a longitudinally movable clamping rod split -to provide divergent arms, the extremities of the arms being formed with upwardly extending clamping jaws, means for drawing said rod rearward, and a tubular member through which the rod passes acting to force the arms toward each other as the rod is shifted forward, the tubular member being operatively attached to the sole plate.

2. A roller skate of the character described comprising a sole plate, forward and rear rollers mounted thereon, means for engaging the forward end of the sole plate with a shoe comprising a longitudinally movable rod operatively supported'beneath the sole plate and split to provide divergent resilient arms, said arms at their forward ends extending upward and terminating in clamping jaws, the rear end of said rod being screw-threaded, a member through which the rear end of the rod passes, a nut engaging the screw-threads and bearing against said member, and a tubular member mounted upon the sole plate and through which said rod passes, said tubular member being laterally iared at its forward end.

3. A roller skate comprising a sole plate, a bracket member attached to the sole plate adjacent its rear end and extending downward therefrom and formed with laterally projecting gudgeons, and a medially disposed aperture, rear wheels mounted upon said gudgeons, a front roller operatively supported upon the forward end of the sole plate, a clamping rod screw-threaded at its rear end and passing through the aperture of said member, said rod being split to provide divergent resilient arms extending forward and at their forward ends being bent upward to form sole clamping jaws, a nut forming a key engaging the screw-threads of the rod and bearing against said apertured member, and a tubular member operatively supported upon the sole plate in advance of the apertured member and through which said rod passes, the interior of said tubular member being laterally flared at its forward end to cause the contraction of said arms of the clamping rod when the clamping rod is moved rearward.

ln testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in Vthe presence of two witnesses.

FRANK M. DORE.

Witnesses:

EDGAR M. HALL, CARL RAsoH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, VWashington, D. C.

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