US338070A - Roller-skate - Google Patents

(No Mod el.)

J. HEAOOGK.

ROLLER SKATE. No. 338,070. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

WITNESSES INVENTOR BY VG,

ATTORNEYS.

lINiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOEL HEACOCK, OF BRIGHTON, IOWA.

ROLLER-SKATE.

CPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,070, dated March 16, 1886.

A pplication filed July 9, 1885.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OEL HEACOOK, of Brighton, in the county of \Vashington and State of Iowa, have invented a new and Improved Roller-Skate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention frelatcs to roller-skates more particularly designed for traveling along a railway-rail, and has for its object to promote comfortable and safe travel in this way by providing a simple, inexpensive, efficient, and durable skate of this character.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts of the roller-skate, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved roller-skate as applied to use, and Fig. 2 is an under side view of the skate.

The letter A indicates the foot-piece of the skate, which preferably is made of a thin metal plate havinga pendent marginal stiffening-flange, a, and provided with an upwardlyprojecting heel-flange, a, to which the back straps, B, are connected, the front straps, 0, being attached to the flange a, and by which straps the skate may be held to the foot, as shown in Fig. 1.

At D is shown the main roller of the skate, which is journaled by its axle or gudgeons d in the flange a, and so as to be located directly beneath the shank e of the boot or shoe E, thereby allowing a roller of larger diameter to be used, to allow easy running over rough places and without raising the skates any higher from the surface on which the rollers run.

In front of the roller D is journaled to the foot-piece, by its axle or gudgeons f, the forward roller, F, which islocated under the ball or toe of the foot, and forward of the roller F are pivoted to lugs g h the opposite flange wheels or disks,G H,which preferably are con vexed on their inner faces, as in Fig. 2, and are arranged to run one ateach side of the head I of the railway-rail, on which the skates Serial No. 171,149. (No model.)

shown are specially intended to be used, the wheels G H acting as guides or guards to pre vent slip of the skater sidewise from the rail.

Immediately underneath the heel of the footpiece A is fastened by screws or otherwise the block or plate J, of rubber, leather, or other suitable material, and which is intended for use as a brake against the top of the rail I, to prevent a backward fall of the skater, should the forward part of the skate be unduly lifted from the rail, and in front of the roller F is fixed to the foot-piece A the block or stop K, of rubber, leather, or other suitable material, which is intended to strike and bind on the rail as the skater steps each foot forward to propel himself along the rail, the stop-blocks K taking a firm hold of the rail as the heel of each foot is lifted, and .thus preventing backslip of the skater on the forward rollers, F, of his skates.

It will be seen that the main roller D is almost directly beneath the center of gravity of the skater,- hence the skate'rs weight may be sustained almost wholly by said main roller, thus reducing largely the weight on the forward roller, F, and preventing excessive friction of the flange or guide wheels G H on the sides of the rail-head, consequently the skates will run easily and safely on the rail.

In using these skates the skater will propel himself along one of the rails I of a railwaytrack, while he supports or steadies himself by means of a staff provided with rollers, which he holds against the other rail of the track.

It is obvious that when the flanged guidewheels G H and their bearings g h, and also the forward stop-blocks, K, are removed, the skates will serve well for use on ordinary level floors or walks, and when so used the heel blocks or plates J will prevent backward fall of the skater, and by balancing himself on the roller D, by slightly lifting the forward roller, F, which may very easily and safely be done, very short turns or curves may be made to either side.

When used as an ordinary floor-skate, the peripheral faces of the rollers D F will preferably be slightly convexed, to facilitate the turning of the skater, as will readily be understood.

The skate-rollers will preferably be made of wood; but'any other suitable material may be em loyed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 5 as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A roller-skate consisting of the foot-plate A, having toe and heel-stops K J, roller D,

journaled at din front of the rear stop, the roller F, journaled at f in rear of the toe-stop, 10 and thetwo guide-rollers G H at the toe end of the plate on opposite sides of the front stop, K, and spaced to receive the head I of a rail between them, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the foot-plate A, of the roller D, journaled thereon, as shown 1 at d, the roller F, journaled as shown at f, in

front of the roller D, and the two guide-rollers G H, journaled at the toe of the plate to receive the head of a rail between them, as shown and described.

, JOEL HEAGOOK.

Witnesses:

R. S. MILLs, O. O. HEAOOQK;