US2016847A - Roller skate - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 8, 1935. R'WYLIE 7 2,016,847

' ROLLER SKATE v Filed Feb. 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l I nuentm' Attorney Oct. 8, 1935. R. WYLlE 2,016,847

ROLLER SKATE Filed Feb. 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Attorney Patented Oct. 8, 1935 PATENT OFFWE ROLLER SKATE Robert Wylie, Corvallis, Oreg.

Application February 20, 1935, Serial No. 7,453 9Claims. (o1.20s'.17s

This invention relates; to certain improvements and structural refinements embodied in a novel type roller skate.

In particular, the invention has reference to 5 unique spring equipped means forming a support and an attaching device for that form of skate including pairs of front and rear rollers or wheels, the invention being generally adapted to the socalled stationary or non-extensible class of skates.

Visualized along structural lines, the preferred embodiment of the invention incorporates in the skate, a pair of substantially duplicate front and rear carriers for the front and rear wheel or vroller assemblies wherein said carriers are attached to the base or frame in a manner to per mit the rollers to have bodily movement toward and from the base or foot plate, and to have lateral twisting and axial movement to accommodate irregularities in the surface traversed, whereby to obtain the desired compensating results calculated to promote smooth and controllable skating.

In addition to the foregoing double carrier arrangement novelty is predicated upon the coordination therewith of shock absorbing and cushioning means which allows the limited self-levelling and control action of the foot plate due to the flexible properties embraced therein.

By way of comparison with known types of skates, it is believed that the one constituting the subject matter of this invention transcends in efiiciency and accommodation, and embodies appreciable innovations susceptible of justifying unqualified endorsement by the trade in general.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings:

In the drawings wherein-like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the improved skate as constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, with portions appearing in elevation.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View taken across one end portion to illustrate the jointing or coupling means for the roller carriers.

Figures 4 and 5 are detail perspective views.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing numerals it will be observed that the frame, generally referred to as the foot or base plate, is indicated by the numeral 6, this being of the stationary or non-extensible type and being provided with a heel plate '5 at the rear and toe clamp 3 and adjusting means at the front. The front rollers or wheels are differentiated by the numerals 9 and the rear wheels at Ill. The axles which carry the wheels are represented by the numerals l i. As before indicated, there is a carriage or carrier unit for each pair or set of wheels and as this is the same in each instance, it will be described in the singular. The carrier unit is referred to as a Whole by the numeral l2 and is formed from a single piece of metal. The major part thereof may be described as a slit or tubular sleeve it, this being horizontally disposed as indicated in Figure 3 to serve as a bearing for the axle. The ends of the sleeve serve as abutments for the ball bearing equipped Wheels. The numeral it is merely a reinforcing rib and i5 designates a thrust element or ear apertured to accommodate the notched end of the bolt IS. The nut equipped end of the bolt is attached to an adjacent end of a. flat spring I l and the shank portion carries a coiled spring It. The ear [5 may be said to extend in a right angularly disposed perpendicular position. Extending oppositely from the ear iii is an arcuate or longitudinally bowed shank l9 which terminates in a jointing head to somewhat in the nature of a miniature ball. This'head is seated in an annular hanger 28 forming a depending part of an attaching and retention bracket 22. The bracket 22 is riveted to the underside of the foot plate. The bracket is also apertured as at 23 to allow passage of the headed shank and to permit said shank to have the requisite vertical and axial movement or play. In fact, this arrangement provides a sort of self-adjusting ball and socket joint and therefore provides a somewhat universal movement to a limited extent for the roller or wheel assemblies.

The numeral 2% designates a substantially V- shaped hanger fixture to be centrally located on the underside of the foot plate and attached thereto by rivets 25 and a reinforcing leaf or shim 265. This allows the central apertured portion of the flat spring'to be bolted as indicated at 21 to the apex part of the hanger bracket and permits the one spring to serve both roller carrier units. The end portions of the spring l'l extend through guide saddles 2?. These saddles ,areof general U-shaped form as indicated in Figure 4 and provided with attaching lugs 28. The :bight or connecting portion 29- is in the form of .a narrow bar so as to provide a rest for the adjacent'end portion of the spring to prevent it from twisting too freely and so as to provide clearance for the nut equipped end of the bolt 55. Hence, it will be seen that at the center we have a hanger bracket 2% to which the central portion of the flat spring H is attached. The ends of the spring extending through the longitudinally spaced saddles adjacent the front and rear portions of the base plate, that is on opposite sides of the hanger bracket 24, This provides for a well-balanced arrangement calculated to afford the requisite flexible properties and to uniformly distribute stress and strain. In fact these parts have been carefully selected and mechanically coordinated with the thought in mind of retaining the requisite rigid and flexible properties combined.

In a sense, the spring I? serves as a thrust receiving means attached to the floating wheel carriers l2, said wheel carriers being of a rockable type with appropriate fulcrum action, the connections being made through the instrumentality of the thrust elements l5 and spring cushioning means it and i3.

I shall not attempt to give the scientific explanation of the diversified movement or trace in detail the bends and resistant action of the coiled and flat spring arrangement. The broad idea is to have the self-adjusting carriers pivotally attached to the foot plate 6 at one end and joined by flexible spring cushioning means at points between themselves to the central portion of the same foot plate, all of this being suflicient to carry out, in a practical and dependable way, the desired self-levelling twisting and compensating movement for the front and rear rollers.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a structural assembly of the class described, a base plate, a pair of wheels including a connecting axle, a bearing for said axle, said bearing being provided with an inwardly projecting thrust element, and with means having substantially universal connection with an adjacent portion of the plate, and spring means connected with and interposed between the plate and thrust element, said means including a flat spring attached to the plate, a bolt connection between the thrust element and spring, and a coil spring surrounding the bolt and located between the thrust element and flat spring.

2. A roller skate comprising a base plate, a bracket secured to said plate and including a depending part apertured and formed with a laterally projecting annular seat, a roller assembly including a pair of rollers and a connecting axle therebetween, and a tubular sleeve forming a bearing for said axle and located between said rollers, said sleeve being provided with an outwardly directed longitudinally curved shank extending through the aperture in said bracket and terminating in a hooked jointing head rockably and swivelly connected with said annular seat.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a carrier for a roller assembly comprising a tubular sleeve forming a bearing for an axle, an integral apertured thrust ear attached to and projecting laterally from the central portion of said sleeve, and an opposed upwardly and rearwardly projectible shank formed integral with said sleeve, said shank being longitudinally curved and terminating in an enlarged hook-shaped jointing head.

4. In a structural combination of the class described, a foot plate, a pair of rollers joined by an axle, a carrier for said rollers pivotally connected with the base plate, and spring compensating means comprising a flat spring attached to the base plate, a guide for one end portion of said flat spring, a bolt depending from said one end of the fiat spring and connectible with said carrier, and a coil spring surrounding said bolt.

5. In a structural assemblage of the class described, a base plate, a centrally disposed hanger bracket, a longitudinally elongated horizontally disposed flat spring attached centrally to said hanger bracket, saddles secured to the underside of the base plate on opposite sides of said bracket, the end portions of said flat spring extending through and beyond said saddles, front and rear wheel assemblies, and means for connecting the wheel assemblies to the base plate and end portions of said flat spring.

6. In a structural assemblage of the class described, a base plate, a centrally disposed hanger bracket, a longiudinally elongated horizontally disposed flat spring attached centrally to said hanger bracket, saddles secured to the underside of the base plate on opposite sides of said bracket, the end portions of said flat spring extending through and beyond said saddles, front and rear wheel assemblies, and means for connecting the wheel assemblies to the base plate and end portions of said flat spring, said means including tiltable wheel carriers, bolts connected to said wheel carriers and attached to the ends of said flat spring and coiled springs interposed between the ends of the flat spring and said wheel carriers.

'7. As a component part of a structural roller skate of the class described, a hanger bracket attachable to the frame of the skate, guide brackets also attachable to said frame, a flat spring detachably connected with said hanger bracket and having its end portion designed for cooperation with said guide brackets, and bolts attached to and depending at right angles from the end portions of said flat spring and provided with coiled companion springs, said coil springs surrounding the shank portions of the bolts between the heads and the ends of said flat spring.

8. A roller skate comprising a foot plate, a bracket secured to said plate and including a depending apertured part formed adjacent the aperture with an outstanding annular flange constituting a laterally projecting annular seat, a roller assembly including a pair of companion rollers and a connecting axle therebetween, a tubular sleeve surrounding and forming a bearing for said axle and confined between said rollers, said sleeve being provided with an outwardly directed longitudinally curved shank having its terminal extending through the aperture in the aforementioned bracket and terminating in a hooked head turnable and rockable in said an nular seat, said sleeve being further provided with an inwardly projecting thrust ear, a flat cushioning spring connected to said base plate, and an operating connection between said spring and attaching ear.

9. As a component part of a structural roller skate of the class described, a substantially V- shaped hanger bracket attachable to the frame of the skate, a pair of U-shaped guide saddles, said saddles being attachable to said frame be- .yond the ends of said bracket and a longitudinally and laterally flexing flat spring detachably connected intermediate its ends to said hanger bracket and having its end portions designed to rest slidably in said guide saddles.

ROBERT WYLIE.

Images