US1753810A - Roller skate - Google Patents

Description

T. SPACI E ROLLER SKATE April 8, 1930.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June '25 1926 April 8,1930.

T. SPACIE ROLLER SKATE Original Filed June 25. 1926 3 shets-sheet 2 h aw I IlllllllflllilA T. SPACIE April 8, 1930.

ROLLER SKATE Original Filed June 25, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 wz iness Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES THOMAS SPACIE, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS nornnn SKATE Application filed June 25, 1 926,5eria1 No. 118,442. Renewed February 28, 1930,

My invention relates to roller skates, and particularly to a skate adaptable for use with any size shoe.

It is a well-known fact that, in the manu- 5 facture of roller skates, the greater part of the cost lies in the various operations in assembling the skates, as well as the numerous parts required therein. The skate of my invention is intended to lessen to a large extent,

the number of these essential parts, and thus reduce the cost of manufacturing and assembling. 1

Another object in the skate of my'invention is to provide one set of ball bearings for each pair of wheels, instead of the customary set in each wheel, thus eliminating two sets of ball bearings in each skate.

A further object herein is to provide a skate that can be extended to any required length, and provided with a sole clamp that can be extended to the maximum width. This is possible by reason of the clamp guides being positioned at the very outside of the sole plate, thus permitting the opening of the clamp jaws to their greatest extent. This increased capacity for adjustment adapts the skate for use on shoes of widely varying sizes and reduces the stock necessary to be earned by the dealer.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: r

Fig.1 is a side elevation of a skate constructed in accordance with my invention;

and, i

' Fig. 8 is a View of the stamped trunnion bracket or yoke.

From the drawings, it will be seen that the 5.0 skate consists essentially of front and rear wheel-supporting frames and a connecting slide bar.

The rear portion of the skate comprises a member, the blank for which is best shown in Fig. 6. The portion, 10, of the blank is bent into arcuate form, and constitutes the end, having slots, 11, for the strap. The portion, 12 of the blank constitutes a divided heel plate, and occupies a horizontal position,

as best shown in Fig. 4. An intermediate portion of the blank is bent and rebent along the dotted lines 13 in Fig. 6, to form, the mating grooves or guideways, 14, shown in Fig. 4, adapted to receive the imperforate slide bar, 15. The marginal portions of the 4 blank at a point beyond the grooves are bent to occupy a vertical position as best shown in Fig. 4, such parts being indicated at 16. Round openings 17 and rectangular slots, 18 are provided in the vertical portion, 16, for a purpose to be later described. A clamping bolt, 19 passes through the openings, 17, the head and nut of the bolt being received in washers, 20, extensions, 21, from which overlie the sides of the guideways, 14. By

tightening the nut onthe bolt, a direct clamping action is effected, whereby to confine the slide, 15, within the'guideway.

The vertical portion, 16, serves to laterally confine a rubber cushion, 22, the ends of the cushion being confined by a trunnion bracket or yoke, the blank for which is shown in Fig. 8. It comprises a flat strip having lugs, 23, on both sides near its middle; the ends, 24 of the strip being adapted to be bent downward on the dotted line, 25, into the shape best shown in Fig. 3, said ends serving to confine the rubber-cushion. The lugs, 23, are adapted to enter the rectangular slots, 18, in the vertical portion, 16 of the blank, and to be riveted over, as best shown in Fig. 4; the body portion, 26, of the yokeis that portion between the dotted lines, 25, in Fig. 8, and is indicated in section in F igs. 3 and 4. The elongated openings, 27 in the ends of the yoke receive the trunnions of the ball bearing element, the construction of which will now be described. r

The ball-bearing element comprises a ou els wey 28 fix t n eg a th the axle, 29, the balls, 30, being confined within a two-part housing, 31. At the parting of the housing on a transverse center line, the housing elements are flanged as at 32, and semi-circular grooved retainers, 33, 34, are employed as a holding clamp. These retainers are of duplicate form, each having a lateral extension, 35, 36 on diametrically opposite sides, the extension, 35, being of semicircular form and of greater diameter than the extension, 36, so that when two of said retaining elements are placed in reverse relation, one small end may be received within the large end, and the large end compressed to enclose the smaller end, and to provide a trunnion that is substantially circular in cross section. This is best shown in Fig. 3, the two trunnions being accommodated within the openings, 27, within the yoke. In order to supplement the holding capacity of the lugs, 23 to prevent longitudinal shifting of the yoke relative to the sole plate, I provide the ears, 37, which are bent to lie in front and at back of the yoke.

The wheels, 38 are of common form, and are firmly mounted on the axle, 29. By means of the construction described, I am able to provide a full ball bearing construction by the use of but one bearing.

The front end construction is very similar, except that the sole plates, best shown in Fig. 7, are formed separately instead of in one piece. The construction comprises right and left hand sole plates, 39, which are of duplicate form, and but one of which will be described. These plates are bent on the dotted lines, 40, to provide guideways, for the slide, 15, a clamping bolt, 41, being utilized as in the case heretofore described. The construction of the yoke, wheel, bearings, cushion and holding device is likewise identical with that described. In addition, the yoke is provided with an opening, 42, in one depending portion, the opening being indicated in dotted lines, in Fig. 8, and in full lines in Fig. 3. This opening accommodates the hooked end, 43, of the brace, bar, 44, the upper end of which is riveted to and forms the connection between the forward extremities of the sole plates, the riveted end, 45, passing through openings 46 in the sole plate. The brace bar directly overlies and co-operates with a groove, 47, in the threaded member, 48, that acts as the controlling element for the clamping jaws, 49. These jaws are of common construction, having a longitudinal groove, 50 therein for cooperation with the downturned headed lug, 51, provided at each marginal edge of the sole plate. By utilizing this novel expedient in place of the usual rivet in the sole plate, I am able to effect a much greater lateral movement of the clamping jaws, and thus may utilize the same skate for a large variation of shoe sizes. The longitudinal extension of the skate provided for by the bar, 15, also enables extensive longitudinal adjustment and because of the construction shown, insures greater strength and rigidity by the use of the same weight of material. It will be noted by an examination of Fig. 1, that the two wheel supporting frames may be separated until the down-turned ends, 15 15 on the slide, 15, contact with the clamping element, represented by the bolts, 19, 41, and that the parts may be contracted until the rear corner of the sole plate contacts with the front corner of the heel plate. Thus the utmost in adjustment is secured by very simple means.

It will be noted from the preceding description, that the number of parts has been materially reduced, and that the assembling operation is consequently more economically carried out. All the parts may be formed by die operation, and the skate may be constructed relatively cheaply. An important feature is that of the bracing of the front or overhanging end of the sole plates by means of the brace bar, 44. The blows incident to use or to application of the skate are directly transmitted to the rigid frame work that supports the front wheels.

Numerous modifications may be made in the construction shown, and I do not wish to be limited except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a roller skate, the combination of a wheel frame, a sole plate, a toe clamp, a clamp screw and a brace bar connected to the sole plate and to the wheel frame, and underlying said screw.

2. In a roller skate, the combination of a wheel frame, a sole plate, a clamping screw and abrace bar, said bar having a hooked end for engagement with said wheel frame, the opposite end of said bar being fixed to said sole plate, the intermediate portions of said bar underlying and supporting said screw.

3. In a roller skate, the combination of divided sole and heel plates, slideways formed in said sole and heel plates, one portion of each slideway being formed in each portion of the divided sole and heel plates, an imperforate slide bar connecting said' sole and heel plates, and laterally acting clamping bolts for effecting a holding action by compressing the divided sole and heel plate on said slide bar.

4. In a skate construction, a single sheet of metal cut and formed to provide a band acting as a cuff, a pair of duplicate portions acting as a heel plate, and depending portions from the inside edges of the divided heel plate, said depending portions being bent to provide complementary grooves to receive a slide bar, and terminating in flanges adapted to receive between them a cushion.

5. In combination, a single sheet of metal cut and formed to provide a band acting as a cuff, a pair of duplicate portions acting as depending portions being bent to provide complementary grooves to receive a slide bar, and terminating in flanges adapted to receive between them a cushion, a fiat, flatwise disposed slide bar, and means for clamping said bar between said complementary grooves.

6. In combination, a heel plate divided along the center line of the skate, each half of the plate having a depending portion from its inside edge, said portion being rebent on itself to form a groove facing toward the center line, said depending portions of the two plates forming complementary grooves to receive a slide bar, and a pocket to receive a cushion.

7. In combination, a heel.plate divided along the center line of the skate, each half of the plate having a depending portion from 'its inside edge, said portion being rebent on.

itself to form a groove facing toward the .,center line, said depending portions of the two plates forming complementary grooves to receive a slide bar, and a pocket to receive a cushion,a screw acting to move said grooved portions toward each other.

8. In combination, a heel plate divided along the center line of the skate, each half of the plate having a depending portion from its inside edge, said portion being rebent on itself to form a groove facing toward the center line, said depending portions of the two plates forming complementary grooves to receive a slide bar, and a pocket to receive a cushion, a fiat, flatwise disposed, imperferate sllde bar, and a screw for moving said grooved portions toward each other to clamp 7 said bar. I

9. In combination, a heel plate divided along the center line of the skate, each half of the plate having a depending portion fromits inside edge, said portion being rebent on itself to form a groove facing toward the center line, said depending portions of the two plates forming complementary grooves to receive a slide bar, and a pocket to receive a cushion, and means for securing a bearing yoke in said depending portions.

In testimony whereof I have aifixed my signature.

THOMA S SPAGIE.

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