US2485147A - Stop toe for roller skates - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 18, 1949. v, ow s 2,485,147

STOP TOE FOR ROLLER SKATES Filed April.30, 1947 INVENTOR GEORGE v. FOWLKES H l S ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 2,485,147 STOP TOE F OR ROLLER SKATES George V. Fowlkes, Tulsa, Okla. 7 Application April 30, 1947, Serial No. 744,965

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to stop toes or toe brakes for roller skates.

The stop toes used heretofore have not been well designed to fit in with the conformation of the shoe skates or so arranged that they can be removed readily for repair or to permit the skates to be used without the stop toes. Moreover, the brake element has not been arranged so that it I wears uniformly or so that the greatest advantage is derived from the brake element.

An object of the present invention is to provide a stop toe in which the receiver for the stop device is attached permanently to the shoe skate and can be used either with or without the brak-,

ing member, as desired.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stop toe which is attractive in appearance and which can be applied to or removed from the skate with a minimum of difficulty.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stop toe in which the braking material thereon can be readily removed or replaced and in which the braking material is disposed in the best position to attain the desired braking or stopping action.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a typical form of stop toe embodying the present invention.

My new stop toes include a receiver plate which is adapted to be attached permanently to the toe portion of a shoe skate or other type of roller skate. This receiver is adapted to receive detachably a supporting member having an inclined surface thereon, to which the braking material, such as for example, a block of rubber, is attached, this block being inclined with respect to the sole of the shoe or the under surface of the skate so that it can be brought into contact with the floor or other surface on which the skate is being used.

More particularly, the receiver and the holder for the braking material are provided with a complemental groove and rib or flange for positioning the holder on the receiver. A releasable locking member is included to hold the members in assembled relationship.

The above-described construction has the advantages of permitting the use of the skates either with or without the braking member and of facili-- tating the application of the braking member to 2 1 or removal of it from the skate, as the conditions demand. The entire structure may be formed of light-weight material so that the balance of the skate is not appreciably altered and the appearance of the skate, with or without the stop toe, is not unattractive.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a typical form of stop toe embodying the present invention applied to a portion of a roller skate shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a front view of the stop toe;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the under surface of the holder plate of the device;

Figure 4 is a view in cross-section taken on line i4 of Figure 3 Figure 5 is a view in front elevation of the toe stop holder to which the braking material is applied; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of the stop toe holder removed from the holder-receiving plate.

The toe stop embodying the invention includes a receiver member or plate I!) which has, preferably, a straight rear edge H and a rounded or curved front edge i2 which conforms substantially to the shape of the toe of the skate. As shown in Figure 1, the plate at is secured by means of the screws [3, in front of and above the front rollers I4 of the skate.

The receiver plate In is provided with a downwardly opening, centrally located groove I5 which tapers in width from the forward end toward the rear edge I! of the plate it and may be provided with a flared rearward portion l6, if desired, although such a flared portion is not necessary. The side walls I? and i8 defining the groove l 5 are undercut or dovetailed, as shown in Figure 4.

The groove l5 receives a rib or flange it) on the bottom of the stop toe holder 25!. The rib or flange I9 is shaped substantially complemental to the groove l5 so that the rib I9 may be inserted into the groove l5. The rib I9 is provided with inclined lateral edges 2| and 22 which are also undercut or flared to fit tightly against the walls I! and [8 of the groove l5.

The rib 19 carries a plate portion 23 which. is generally semi-circular in shape and somewhat narrower and shorter than the plate [0. The plate portion 23 is inclined at an angle to the plane of the flange I9 so that it is inclined to the horizontal when the skate rests on all four rollers. The inclination of the plate may be varied considerably, but an angle of 27 has been found suitable for most skates. The plate portion 23 is suitably connected, preferably integrally with the flange I9, by means of the ribs 24, 25, 26 and 21 which extend outwardly from the flange IS.

The lower surface of the plate portion 23, as viewed in Figure 1, may be roughened or provided with small spikes, not shown, which engage in a block 280i braking material which is secured to the late portion 23 by means of suitable screws 29, 30, etc. The braking material may be rubber or other similar resilient material which will grip the skating surface in order to bring. the skate to a stop when the skate is tilted forwardly about the front rollers M. The thicknessof the block 28 is such that its lower surface lies in :a plane. substantially tangential to the rollers. In this Way, when the skate is rocked forwardly, the lower surface of the braking block 28 will come flatly into engagement with the skating surface.

The holder may be retained on the receiving plate H] by means of a locking device which prevents relative movement between them when they are assembled. A suitable locking device may consist of a cylindrical bolt member 3| which is slidably mounted in the bores .32 and 33 in the flange |9-and the plate 23. The bolt 3| can be projected into an aligned opening .34 in the receiver I!) to prevent relative movement of the receiver H] and the holder 20; When the bolt is retracted, the holder can readily be separated from the receiver I0. The bolt may be manipulated by means of a pin 35 extending. radially therefrom. The bolt is retained in its projected position by means of a short pin 36, which projects out of the web and engages behind the pin when the bolt. 3! is projected. The under surface of the plate portion 23 may be .provided with a small notch 31 in which the pin 35 is received when the bolt 3| is fully retracted. Unless the pin 35 is. engaged in, the notch, the bolt 3! cannot beretracted sufficiently to permit separation of the holder 23 from the receiver W, thereby avoiding accidental disengagement of these two members.

The receiver i3 and the holder 23- may be formed of any suitable kind of material, but preferably they are formed of light-weight material, such as for example, aluminum, aluminum alloys, magnesium or magnesium alloys, in order to provide the necessary strength without excessive weight.

From the preceding description, it will beapparent that I have provided a stop toe which may .be applied easily to a shoe skate or removed therefrom with a minimum of difficulty and which provides a most effective braking, action under all conditions of use. Moreover, the brake block 28 is so located thatit wears uniformly over its entire lower surface, thereby reducing the frequency with which it must be replaced. Also much better control of the braking action can be obtained with my stop toe for the reason that a firm braking surface of substantially uniform area is provided throughout the entire life of the brake block.

It will be understood, of course, thatethe size and proportions of the stop toe can be modified as desired, in order to conform to skates of different sizes and design. Therefore, the form of the invention described herein should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A stop toe for roller skates comprising a plate to be secured to the under surface of a skate at the toe thereof, means forming a groove in the lower surface of said plate, said groove being dove-tailed in cross-section, a member having a rib complemental to and fitting in said groove, a surface on said member inclined at an acute angle to said rib to converge toward the toe of said skate, bolt means on said member engageable with said "plate for releasably retaining said rib against endwise movement in 'said groove, and a block of braking material fixed tosaid inclined surface.

2. A stop toe for a roller skate comprising a plate conforming to the shape of and adapted to besecured to the under surface of the toe portion of a roller skate, means forming a groove in zthe: under surface of said plate, said groove being dove-tailed in cross-section and decreasinginwidthrearwardly from. the toe end of said plate, a member having a rib thereon substantially complemetal to the shape of. said groove and fitting therein, .a lock for retaining said. rib against endwise movement in said groove, a surface on the opposite side of said member fromsaid rib, said surface being inclined with respect to said rib to converge toward the toe of said skate, and a block ofbraking material fixed to said inclined surface.

3. A stop toe fora roller skate comprising a holder plate having a rounded front end conforming. to the-shape of the toe of a skate and a rear end, a groove in one surface of said plate, said groove having undercut walls converging from the front end toward the rear end of said plate, a. member having a. rib on one side complemental to and, interfitting with said groove and a plate portion on its other side converging toward said rib, said plate portion having a rounded front. disposed adjacent to said rib, ablock of. braking material secured to and substantially conforming, to the shape of said plate p.or.tion,.and releasable locking means .for retaining said rib against endwise movement in said groove.

4-.A stop .toe for roller skates comprising a. plate to be secured to the under surface of a skate at the toe thereof, means forming a groove in the .lower surface of said plate, said groove being, dove-tailed in cross-section, a member having .a rib complemental to and fitting in said.

groove, av surface onv said. member inclined at an acute angle to said rib to converge toward the toe of. said skate, apertures in said. plate and said, rib. adapted to be aligned when said rib is in .said groove, a locking bolt. slidably mounted in the aperture in. said rib, a projection onsaid bolt for moving it into the aperture in said .plate to lock. said plate and member together, and a. block of braking material of substantially uniform thickness fixed to .said inclined surface.

.5. A stop toe. for a roller skate comprising a holder plate having a. rounded front end conforming to the shape of the toe of a skate and azrear end, a groove. in onesurface of said plate, said groove having undercut Walls converging from. the front end toward the rear end of said platana member having .a rib on one side com-,

locking bolt slidably mounted in the aperture in v said rib, a projection on said bolt for moving it into the aperture in said plate to lock said plate and member together, and a block of braking material secured to and substantially conforming to the shape of said plate portion.

6. A toe stop for roller skates comprising a plate to be secured to the under surface of a skate at the toe thereof, means forming a first dovetail portion on the lower surface of said plate, a member having a complemental dovetail portion fitting said first dovetail portion, a surface on said member inclined at an acute angle to said complemental dovetail portion to converge toward the toe of said skate, bolt means on said member engageable with said plate for releasably retaining said complemental dovetail portion against endwise movement with respect to said first dovetail portion, and a block of braking material fixed to said inclined surface.

GEORGE V. FOWLKES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 333,583 Yarger Jan. 5, 1886 661,986 Heizer Nov. 20, 1900 2,356,736 Blaes Aug. 29, 1944

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