US2536569A

US2536569A - Propelled wheeled skate

Info

Publication number: US2536569A
Application number: US735773A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward L Purkey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-03-19
Filing date: 1947-03-19
Publication date: 1951-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-02

Description

Jan. 2, 1951 PURKEY 2,536,569

PROPELLED WHEELED SKATE Filed March 19, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 1 //3 22m (l /LL W+ wall E. L. PURKEY PROPELLED WHEELED SKATE Jan. 2, 1951 5 SheetsSheet 2 Filed March 19, 1947 1951 E. PURKEY PROPELLED WHEELED SKATE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 19, 1947 v I gwue/wto'a w @127 cm, Mwm

Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROPELLE'D WHEELED SKATE Edward L.'Purke y, Oklahoma City, Okla. Application March 19, 1947, Serial No. 735,773

This invention relates to wheeled skates and more particularly to skates of this class, the wheels of which are driven by intermittent downward pressure applied by the feet alternately to the respective right and left skates.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved skate of this type, which is easy to operate and control, and possesses numerous advantageous features making for greater flexibility and safety.

Certain of the novel features are found in the improved resilient center suspension and the arrangement for steering each skate by a simple twisting movement of the lower leg and foot, the latter procedure interfering in no way with the vertical reciprocating driving or propelling movement of the center suspension.

Other novel features are involved in the details of the driving mechanism and transmission,

including the arrangement of buffer and return springs, and the quiet non-chattering pawl.

Other objects and features of novelty, including brake devices, boot attachments protective sheathing, and other elements will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a skate embodying the principles of the invention, a part of the sheathing or fender construction being broken away for the sake of clear'ness of illustration of certain of the operating parts;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the skate;

Fig. 3 is a view in rear elevation of the boot attachment;

Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section of the skate taken on line 44 of Figurel;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in vertical section and on an enlarged scale, of an intermediate portion of the skate, showing details of the propelling mechanism;

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary detail views similar to Figure 5, showing the driving pawl and ratchet in two different operative positions;

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 5; V

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 99 of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the brake mechanism taken on line iii-l0 of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view in transverse vertical section taken on line I l-l l of FigurelO; and

Figure 12 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line l2--l2 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the general view in Figure 1 it will be seen that the skate, designated broadly 13 Claims. (Cl. 280-11.11)

by the reference numeral It, comprises certain principal assemblies including the chassis frame or running gear assembly l2, the vertically reciprocating central driving suspension or assembly indicated ,at l4, and the swivelling foot support employed for steering the skate and designated by the reference numeral 15.

The chassis ,or running gear l2 comprises the body frame 20 which has an upwardly and forwardly directed curved portion 2! within which is swivelled the stem or post 22 of the fork .23 for the forward steering wheel 25. Rearwardly, the frame 29 is provided with the bifurcations 25 which straddle the rear wheel 21 and are provided with slots 28 which adiustably receive the hearing axle 29 of the wheel 2?. Referring also to Figure 9 of the drawings, in this connection, it will be seen that a hub 3%! is rotatably mounted upon the axle 29 and this hub carries a sprocket wheel 3!. A shaft 32 is carried by the main central body portion of the frame 28 and one of the bifurcations 26 and spans a recess 33 in the frame. Upon this shaft and within the recess there is disposed the driving sprocket wheel 3 3 which is connected with the rear Wheel sprocket ,3] by means of the chain 35. The driving sprocket wheel 34 is of peculiar construction and is adapted to be driven by novel transmission connections which will be presently described. The wheels 25 and 2'! are preferably provided with inflatable rubber tires 36.

A sheathing or fender construction 38 surrounds the chassis and protects the operative mechanism from damage and also acts as a mud guard to prevent spattering by the wheels when running through wet or muddy areas. The fender 38 may be attached to the chassis in any suitable way as for example by means of the forward projecting supporting bar 39 secured to the upwardly and forwardly extending portion 2| of the frame 20, and by the brackets it which serve to connect the sheathing to the rearward bifurcations 26 of the frame.

The reciprocating central driving suspension which serves as a flexible cushioned support for the operator and also t propel the skate, comprises the horizontal plate or platform 45 which is best shown in Figures 1, 5 and 8 of the drawings. At the central portion of the plate there is secured the yoke or bracket 45, as by means of screws 4?, shown best in Figure 8 of the drawings. The bracket 4G is of a general U-shaped configuration and is rigidly supported upon the upper end of the vertical suspension bar 58. This bar is preferably of polygonal. cross-section in order to prevent rotation when it is received within the similarly shaped opening 5| in the chassis frame 29. A stop plate 53 is secured, as by means of the bolt 54, to the lower end of the rod or bar 511 to prevent upward withdrawal of the rod or bar from the frame. The abutment plate 53 seats within the recess 55 in the frame, when at its upward limit of movement. At its upper end the bore 5! is widened to provide the annular recess 55 within which is seated the coil spring 51 which surrounds the shaft 50 and is adapted to buffer the downward movement of the plunger when the spring is compressed between the bracket 46 and the shoulder at the bottom of the seating recess 56. The spring likewise affords a resilient cushioned shock absorber support for the user, not only when the skates are being positively propelled but also during coasting periods.

It will be understood that the vertical reciprocation of the center driving suspension I4 which includes the

principal elements

45, 46, and 50, effects the forward driving movement of the skate, and the transmission from the suspension [4 to the drive sprocket 34 will now be described. Pivotally secured as by means of the pin 60 to the angle bracket Bl carried by the U-shaped yoke 45 is the pitman 62, the lower end of which is pivotally connected as by means of the pin 63 to the pawl-carrying driving lever or crank 65. The end of the lever 65 to which the pitman 62 is connected is ofiset as at 66 from the intermediate portion 6?, which latter portion is disposed within the hollow sprocket wheel 34 as clearly shown in Figure 9 of the drawings. The intermediate portion 67 of the lever 65 is provided with a hub 69 which is rockably mounted upon the shaft 32 independently of the rotation of the sprocket wheel 34, and the rearward end of the lever 85 supports the driving pawl 10.

The pawl H3 is pivotally mounted upon the rabbeted-out end of the lever E5 by means of the pin H and is provided with a tooth engaging point 12 which cooperates with the angular ratchet teeth 13 which are internally disposed upon the annular rim of the dished sprocket wheel 34. The teeth 13 are preferably provided with a slight overhang, for a purpose which will be later described. The shank end of the pawl H1 is provided with a swivel pin 15 and a similar pin 16 projects inwardly from the adjacent portion of the bifurcation 26 of the chassis frame 20, and as close as possible to the shaft 32. The pins l5 and It are connected by the coiled compression and tension spring 71. Whenever the pins 15 and F6 are disposed in their positions in which they are furtherest apart, the spring functions as a tension spring tending to urge the pins together. Contrariwise, when the two

pins

15 and 15 are in the positions in which they most closely approach each other, the spring H is compressed between the pins.

The rabbeting of the end of the lever 65 provides a shoulder 79 which is so shaped and spaced with respect to the rear edge 80 of the pawl 10 as to permit the very slight pivotal movement of the pawl with respect to the lever which is necessary for retraction and engagement of the point 12 with the teeth 13 of the ratchet. The rear edge 8! of the pawl is shown at its limiting position in abutment with the shoulder 19 in Figure 6 of the drawings.

In order to restore the reciprocating suspension M to its uppermost position when the downward pressure is relieved, the following mechanism is provided. Secured as by means of the bolts 82 to the rear portion of the frame 20 is the horizonal plate 83. Hinged as at 84 to the rear edge of this plate is the vertical arm 85, and pivotally connected as at 86 to the upper end of this arm is the angled restoring lever 81. The free outer end of the lever 87 is provided with a rounded knob 88 which contacts the under side of the horizontal portion of the U-shaped yoke or bracket 45 and is adapted to be depressed upon downward movement of the yoke. Between the rearward straight portion 90 of the lever 81 and the rearward portion of the plate 83 there is compressed the coil spring 92, this spring being retained and centered by suitable guides or seating projections formed on the elements 83 and 95. The lever 85 and the plate 83 are maintained in an approximately right angle relationship by means of the two laterally disposed springs 33. The purpose of the spring 92, of course, is to urge the restoring lever 8! upwardly about its pivot 86, and in doing so there may be some slight tendency to move the lever 85 to the left in Figure 5, and the springs 93 are adapted to resist any tendency in this direction.

The operation of the driving transmission will now be described. Upon depression of the suspension I4 when the user throws his weight on the skate under consideration, the pitman 62 will cause the lever 65 to rotate about the shaft 32 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figures 5, 6, and '7 of the drawings. When the driving suspension is in its uppermost position, the parts are in the positions shown in solid lines in Figure 5. The pin 15 on the pawl and the pin 15 on the frame part 26 are at their maximum distance apart and the spring H is therefore under tension. Thus the pawl is urged in a counterclockwise direction around the pivot and the tooth T2 is urged into engagement with the ratchet teeth 13. During the downward movement of the suspension [4 the pawl travels upwardly and drives the sprocket wheel 34 in a clockwise direction.

Shortly after leaving the lowermost position, the relationship of the spring seats and the dimensions of the spring 'l'l cause the spring to revert from tension, through a neutral condition, to a condition of compression. However, the angularity of the ratchet teeth and the tooth pressure under the driving force of the mechanism circumvents the exertion of the spring TI, and the pawl remains in engagement with the ratchet teeth until the upward limit of movement is reached, whereupon the ratchet-sprocket 34 continues to move and the pawl is thrown out of engagement by the compression of the spring Ti and the surface 80 of the pawl comes in contact with the shoulder 19 (see Figure 6). This prevents the shank end of the pawl from striking and rattling against the ratchet teeth during at least half of the return movement of the driving lever or crank 65 and the pawl. As the pawl passes beyond its mid-position and approaches its lowermost position, the spring ll passes through neutral and comes under tension between the pins 15 and 16, and this causes the tooth 12 to reengage the ratchet teeth 13 as indicated in Figure '7 of the drawings. Then the upward or power stroke of the pawl is repeated as before.

It has already been explained that the buffer or cushion sprin 51 serves to cushion the downward movement of the driving suspension l4 when the bracket 46 strikes it and compresses it within the spring seating recess 56. During the downward movement of the driving mechanism the bracket 46 forces the lever 8'; downwardly thus compressing the coil spring 92 between the lever portion and the base plate 83. When the pressure of the foot is released aesasee upon this particular skate, as the weight of the skaters body is transferred to the other foot, the spring 92 through the restoring lever 8i forces the center driving suspension upwardly to effect its return stroke. The platform 45 may be provided with an opening or recess 95 to afford clearance for the upper end of the return spring assembly at the end of the down stroke.

A shroud or sheathin 98 is secured to the edges of the platform 45 and is widened where necessary to overlap the sheathing 38 which surrounds the chassis assembly I2, under all conditions of operation.

The foot of the skater is received upon the swivelled foot rest assembly I5 and is secured fixedly in position thereon. Preferably a boot I is provided which may, if desired, be permanently retained upon the foot rest I5. The foot rest sub-combination comprises essentially the plate Ifii which is preferably provided with upstanding marginal flanges I02 within which the boot we is received, and also the following elements and combinations of elements. Straps and buckles I53 and IM may be provided to retain the boot in place. At the rear end of the foot plate an upstanding plate IE is provided and at the upper end of this plate or bracket there is pivoted, as at IE6 the rigid vertical rod Iil'I. The rod I01 extends up to about the center of the calf of the leg, and is there provided with the rigid fork I08 which curves around the calf of the leg and about mid-way of the width of the calf is provided with the upstanding prongs or projections I09. At the upper end of the boot I90 a band IIB, preferably of metal, partially surrounds the leg, being fastened to the upper portion of the boot by any suitable means such as the rivets III. Upon each side of this band there are secured the brackets or guides II2 which are angular in shape, the horizontal flange II3 of which is perforated to detachably receive the prongs I09. By this means, it will be seen that the skaters leg is made rigid with the swivelled supporting rest I5 so far as lateral movement is concerned, the only relative movement permitted being the forward and rearward bending of the ankle permitted by the hinge I65.

Depending downwardly from the foot plate IGI which is the principal part of the swivelled foot rest assembly I5, is the vertical spindle II5, as best seen in Figures 4, 5, and 8. The supporting spindle H5 is mounted for limited rotation in a horizontal plane upon the thrust bearing IIB, the swivelling movement of the foot rest I5 being limited by the abutting contact of the spaced stop lugs II? with the stop pin II8, the lugs I it being carried by the respective sides of the heel portion of the foot rest, and the central stop II 8 comprising a vertical pin or pro jection extending upwardly from the plate 45 of the central suspension, all as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Upon the lower end of the spindle I I5 there is rigidly secured the cross-arm or spreader I20 and the cross-arm is steadied and resiliently urged toward a true transverse position by means of the pair of coil springs I2 I, the rearward ends of the springs being secured to the under side of the plate or platform 45 as by means of the hooks or eyes I22.

At a point toward the rear end of the driving suspension platform 45 there is disposed a post I24 which projects downwardly and carries upon its lower end the swinging cross-arm I25. Semiiii iii

rigid rods, lines, or cables I26 serve to connect the respective ends of the cross-arms :I20 and I25 so that they are made to swivel in unison whenever the foot plate IilI and the spindle H5 are rotated. Any suitable means for pivotally connecting the ends of the rods I26 to the crossarms may be employed, one example of such connection comprising the nuts I27 which are threaded upon the bent ends of the rods which extend through openings in the cross-arms.

The upper end of the swivelling steering post 22 attached to the front fork 23, and rotating in suitable bearings I28 in the frame part 2I, is provided with a rigid cross-arm I313, similar to the cross arms I25 and I25, already described. Rods or lines I32 are pivotally connected to the outwardly extending ends of the cross-arm E32 and extend rearwardly of the frame within the U-shaped yoke or bracket 35 and are passed slidably through the swivelied eyes I35 carried by the respective ends of the cross-arm I25 adjacent the rear end of the frame. The rods I32 project beyond the eyes I35 for a short distance and are provided at their ends with the nuts or stop elements I35. Between the eyes I35 and the nuts I35 are compressed the coil springs I31, and these springs being of equal strength, provide a resilient yieldable element in the steering arrangem-ent.

It will be readily perceived from the drawings and the specification thus far, that the skate is adapted to be steered very readily by a simple twist of the foot and lower leg, either to the right hand or to the left hand, and in any position of the driving suspension, whether during propulsion, retraction, or coasting. A rotation of the foot upon the foot rest I5 causes the rest to swivel through the limited distance permitted by the stops -I I7 and H3 and the cross-arm I22 carried by the lower end of the post H5 causes the rear cross-arm I25 to swivel to exactly the same degree. The swinging of the cross-arm I25 resiliently urges the steering arm I32 to swing right or left, through the rods I 32 and the resilient connection I35I3'I, and thus the front wheel 25 is swung in the direction desired. It will be readily understood that this steering movement is permitted in any position of the driving suspension I4, the springs I3! permitting a suitable extension of the effective length of the rods I32, depending upon the position of the driving assembly. The steering wheel 25 is biased toward its straight ahead position not only by the angularity of the steering post 22, in the same Way that a bicycle is controlled, but the springs I2I also serve to bias the steering system toward midposition.

The novel brake construction is shown to best advantage in Figures 9, 1i), and 11 of the drawings. The flanged brake drum I48 is riveted to the disk portion of the driving wheel 27 concentric with the hub 30, and the brake band I42 surrounds the drum, this band having one of its ends anchored to the bifurcated frame 26 as at I43, while the free end of the band is provided with the angle bracket I44. Through the outstanding flange of the bracket I 4 3 extends the pin I45 which has an eye I46 at its opposite end, the eye being adapted to receive the pivot pin I41 carried by the end of the brake lever I48. A pair of nuts Hi9 are threaded on the pin I45 and serve for adjustment of the tension of the brake band for a given position of the lever I68. The brake lever N38 is pivoted upon a transverse stub shaft I50 which passes through an opening in one of the side frame members 26. The forward end of the brake lever M8 enters a slot or recess I52 in the main frame portion 25 and is urged downwardly toward brake release position by the coil spring I68, seated in the recess I61.

When in idle position, the end 456 of the lever M8 is adapted to rest upon the upper end of the cylinder 163 which is set in an opening in the frame 2!! and projects downwardly therethrough. The cylindrical guide I53 may be provided with a flange or bracket l5? by means of which it is secured in place. The principal function of the cylinder I63 is to guide the brake operating plunger I55 which is positioned for vertical reciprocation therein. The cylinder 163 has a portion of its side wall cut away as at I64 and through this side opening a lateral extension IE5 of a member IE8 extends. The member I65, I68 is substantially L -shaped and is pivotally connected at its upper end, outside of the frame, as at H3 to the intermediate portion of a lever Hi].

The lever lift is pivotally mounted at its rear end upon the stub shaft I56 which projects outwardly of the side frame portion 25. The extreme forward end N5 of the lever is pivotally connected as at 116 with a vertical link ill to which may be connected a cord I85! or handle device of any suitable construction by which the skater may pull upwardly upon the lever I19 and thus rotate the main brake lever M8 in a counter-clockwise direction, through the connections E55, I58, and apply the brake bank M2 to the drum Mi It will be seen that by the present invention there has been provided a skate of this character which affords a cushioned resilient central driving suspension which is rotatable about a substantially central point in order to steer the device, and is vertically reciprocable in order to drive the skate, the flexible or resilient cushioning eifect being maintained under all conditions whether during prpulsion or while coasting.

Preferably the parts are so arranged and proportioned that for a person of average weight, the flexible center driving suspension, during coasting, is supported by the spring at a point where the pawl m is retracted from the teeth 73 of the sprocket wheel by the spring H, so that objectionable chattering or clicking of the pawl will not occur during this period.

It is understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiments illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A propelled wheeled skate comprising, in combination, a chassis frame, driving and steering whee"s supporting said frame, a foot rest mounted on the frame for both vertical reciprocation and limited rotary swivelling movement in a horizontal plane relative to said frame, transmission means connecting said foot rest with a driving wheel and operative upon reciprocation of said foot rest to propel the skate forwardly, steering connections between said foot rest and a steering wheel, said steering connections being operative upon swivelling of the foot rest to turn the steering wheel to guide the skate, and extensible and contractible means in said steering connections rendering the steering connections operative in any vertically displaced poition of the foot rest and driving connections.

2. A propelled wheeled skate comprising, in combination, a chassis frame, wheels supporting said frame, a foot suspension vertically reciprocable with relation to said frame, a sprocket wheel on one of said supporting wheels, a combination sprocket and ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in the frame and operatively connected with said first named sprocket wheel by means of a sprocket chain, said combination wheel comprising a peripherally flanged disk, sprockets formed on the exterior surface of the flange and ratchet teeth on the interior thereof, an oscillating pawl carrier carried by said frame, and having a portion disposed within the flange of the combination wheel, a pawl pivotally mounted on said carrier, spring means for engaging the pawl with one of the ratchet teeth for movement in one direction for disengaging the pawl upon overrunning of the wheel at the end of said movement, and for maintaining the pawl out of engagement during at least a portion of the return movement, and means for connecting said foot suspension with said pawl carrier.

3. A propelled wheeled skate comprising, in combination, a chassis frame, wheels supporting said frame, a foot suspension vertically reciprocable with relation to said frame, a sprocket wheel on one of said supporting wheels, a combination sprocket and ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in the frame and operatively connected with said first named sprocket wheel by means of a sprocket chain, said combination wheel comprising a peripherally flanged disk, sprockets formed on the exterior surface of the flange and ratchet teeth on the interior thereof, an oscillating pawl carrier carried by said frame concentrically with said combination wheel, a pawl pivotally mounted on said carrier, means for engaging the pawl with one of the ratchet teeth for movement in one direction, for disengaging the pawl upon overrunning of the wheel at the end of said movement, and for maintaining the pawl out of engagement during at least a portion of the return movement, said last named means comprising a coil spring connecting said pawl with a stationary point or said frame spaced from the center of rotation of said carrier, and means for connecting said foot suspension with said pawl carrier.

i. A propelled wheeled skate, comprising, in combination, a chassis frame, wheels supporting said frame, a vertically reciprocable foot supporting driving suspension carried by said chassis frame, and a pawl and ratchet driving transmission between said suspension and one of said wheels, said transmission including a ratchet wheel and means operatively connecting said wheel with said supporting Wheel, an oscillating pawl carrier and means operatively connecting said pawl carrier with said vertical reciprocating driving suspension, means for mounting said pawl carrier concentrically with said ratchet wheel, a pawl pivotally mounted on said pawl carrier and engageable with the ratchet teeth on said ratchet wheel, a combination tension and compression spring connecting a point on said pawl with a point on said frane eccentrically of said pawl carrier, whereby said connected points are closest together when said pawl is at one end of its power stroke and farthest apart when it is at the other end of said stroke, the neutral condition and dimensions of said spring being such that the spring is under stress in one direction or the 9, other to urge said pawl out of engagement with the ratchet teeth during at least half of the return stroke and at the end of said power stroke, and under stress in the opposite sense to bias the pawl into engagement at the end of said return stroke.

5. In a propelled wheeled skate of the class described, in combination, a chassis frame, supporting wheels therefor, a foot supporting driving suspension having a vertical rod received within an opening in said chassis frame for vertical reciprocation therein, a driving transmission operatively connecting said driving suspension and one of said wheels, a coil return spring acting between said chassis frame and said driving suspension to raise the latter during the return stroke, an operative mounting for said return spring comprising a base plate upon which the lower end of the spring is seated, a connecting plate hinged to one end of said base plate, a restoring lever hinged to said connecting plate, overlying and bearing upon said spring, and having an end in pivotal contact with a portion of said driving suspension, whereby downward movement of said suspension compresses said spring between said lever and said base plate.

6. In a propelled wheeled skate of the class described, in combination, a chassis frame, supporting wheels therefor, a foot supporting driving suspension having a vertical rod received within an opening in said chassis frame for vertical reciprocation therein, a driving transmission operatively connecting said driving suspension and one of said wheels, a coil return spring acting between said chassis frame and said driving suspension to raise the latter during the return stroke, an operative mounting for; said return spring comprising a base plate upon which the lower end of the spring is seated, a connecting plate hinged to one end of said base plate, an angular restoring lever hinged to said connecting plate, overlying and bearing upon said spring, and having an end in pivotal contact with a portion of said driving suspension, whereby downward movement of said suspension compresses said spring between said lever and said base plate, and a supplemental spring connecting said base plate and said connecting plate to maintain them at substantially right angles.

7. A propelled wheeled skate comprising, in combination, a chassis frame, driving and steering wheels supporting said frame, a vertically reciprocating foot supporting driving suspension comprising a substantially horizontal platform and a vertical rod rigidly connected with said platform and received for vertical reciprocating movement within an opening within said chassis frame, driving transmission means operatively connecting said driving suspension with a driving wheel, a substantially horizontally disposed foot supporting plate swivelled in said platform for limited pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, and steering connections passing through said platform and operatively connecting said foot plate to a steering wheel.

8. A propelled wheeled skate comprising, in combination, a chassis frame, driving and steering wheels supporting said frame, a vertically reciprocating foot supporting driving suspension comprising a substantially horizontal platform, a U-shaped bracket depending from said platform and a vertical rod rigidly connecting with said platform by means of said bracket and received for vertical reciprocating movement within an opening within said chassis frame, driv- 10 ing transmission means operatively connecting said driving suspension with a driving wheel, a substantially horizontally disposed foot supporting plate swivelled in said platform for limited pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, steering connections passing through said platform and through said U-shaped bracket and operatively connecting said foot plate to a steering wheel, extensible and contractible portions in said steering connections permitting steering in all positions of said driving suspension.

9. A propelled wheeled skate comprising, in combination, a wheel supported chassis frame, a vertical reciprocating foot supporting driving suspension operatively carried by said chassis frame, and a driving transmission between said foot suspension and one of said wheels, a skirtlike sheathing carried by said chassis frame and enveloping the greater part of the chassis and driving mechanism, another skirt-like sheathing surrounding and depending from said foot suspension, overlapping and telescoping with said first named sheathing.

10. A propelled wheeled skate comprising, in combination, a chassis frame, driving and steering wheels supporting said frame, a foot supporting driving suspension mounted on said frame and comprising a platform arranged for vertical reciprocation relative thereto, a driving transmission operatively connecting said vertically reciprocating suspension with one of said wheels, a foot supporting plate disposed above said platform and having a downwardly extending spindle passing through and having bearings in an opening in said platform, a substantially horizontal spreader bar carried by said spindle beneath said platform, and. extensible steering rods operatively connecting said bar with a steering wheel.

11. A propelled wheeled skate comprising, in combination, a chassis frame, a driving and a steering wheel supporting said frame, a swivelled fork for said steering wheel and a horizontal steering arm carried by said fork, a foot supporting driving suspension mounted on said frame and comprising a platform arranged for vertical reciprocation relative thereto, a driving transmission operatively connecting said vertically reciprocating suspension with one of said wheels, a foot supporting plate disposed above said platform and having a downwardly extending spindle passing through and having bearings in an opening in said platform, a substantially horizontal spreader bar carried by said spindle beneath said platform, a cross-arm pivoted at its center at a point on the rearward portion of said platform, steering lines connecting the respective ends of said spreader bar and said cross-arm, and steering lines connecting the respective ends of said cross-arm and said steering-arm on the steering wheel fork.

12. In a wheeled skate of the class described, in combination, a foot rest, an upwardly extending rigid bar pivoted at the rear end of said foot rest for swinging movement in a fore and aft plane only, a forwardly extending fork rigidly carried by the upper end of said bar and adapted to partially embrace the calf of the skaters leg, a band adapted to surround the calf and provided with brackets on each side theneof, and detachable connections between said fork and said brackets.

13. A propelled wheeled skate comprising, in combination, a chassis frame, driving and steering wheels supporting said frame, a foot rest 11" mounted on the frame for both vertical reciprocation and limited rotary swivelling movement in a horizontal plane relative to said frame, driving connections between said foot rest with a driving Wheel and operative upon reciprocation of said foot rest to propel the skate forwardly, steering connections between said foot rest and. a steering Wheel, said steering connections being operative upon swivelling of the foot rest to turn the steering Wheel to guide the skate, and means in said steering connections rendering the steering connections operative in any vertically displaced position of the foot rest and said driving connections.

EDWARD L. PURKEY.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 499,052 Storla June 6, 1893 587 .837 Latimer Aug. 10, 1397 732,120 Schmidt June 30, 1903 883,100 Wells H Oct. 9, 1906 1,628,004 Stetson May 10, 1927