A. R. RIEGER. REMOVABLE BRAKE AND GUARD FOR ROLLER SKATES.
APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 24,.1908.
Patented Mar. 9, 1909 Witnesses:
Attorngys.
THE mmms PETERS co., wasmmmm, nsc.
Brakes and Guards for Roller-Skates;
AUGUST R. RIEGER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.
REMOVABLE BRAKE AND GUARD FOR ROLLER-SKATES.
Specification of Letters Patent.
Patented March 9,1909.
Application filed August 2%, 1908. Serial No. 450,022.
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that 1, AUGUST R. Rrnenn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook, in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Removable and I do hereby declare that the following de scription of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.
This invention has general reference to improvements in a combined brake and safety guard for roller skates; and it consists, essentially, in the novel and peculiar combination of parts and details of construction, as hereinafter first fully set forth and described, and then pointed out in the claims.
The object of this present invention is the production of an effective brake and safety guard for roller skates, which can be instantly applied to, and removed from, the skates, and which can be manufactured and sold independently of the skates, it being applicable to skates of various designs and sizes. To attain these objects I construct this brake and safety guard as shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Figure 1 is a side-elevation of a roller skate fitted with my improved guard and brake, one of the rear-wheels being removed to show details of construction which would otherwise be invisible. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the guard and brake detached. Fig. 4 is a plan of the blank from which the guard and brake-frame is formed.
Like parts are designated by corresponding symbols and characters of reference in all the figures.
A in the drawings represents a roller skate of any of the various designs and construction now in use.
B is the rear axle, and C, one of the rear wheels.
D is the foot-plate and E the rear buckles by means of which, and the usual straps, not shown, the skate is affixed to the persons foot-wear.
F is the brakeplate. It is formed from a sheet-metal blank shown in Fig. 4, being a rectangular strip having on one end anex cision 2, whereby twolugs 8, are produced, which lugs are curved at a, to a curvature corresponding with that of the axle-bearing 5, Fig. 1. On the opposite end of this brakeplate, the plate is widened at 6 and there is in this end acleft 7, having inwardly projectingprongs 8, the transverse distance between the foot or base of the oppositely located prongs corresponding to the width of the footplate D. The plate F is bent upon itself at the rear-end along the parallel lines 9, 10, thereby making this portion of the plate slightly elastic or "springy so that when this end is placed upon the axlebearing 5, it will be retained thereon by thecurved lugs 3 in a manner hereinafter to be referred to. This plate F is further, and downwardly bent along the dotted line 11, land upwardly turned along the dotted line 12 so that when the plate is applied to the skate, as shown in Fig. 1, the portion of the plate between the dotted lines 11 and 12 is horizontal while the part of the plate forward of the dotted line 12 is inclined at an angle of approximately 30 degrees (more or less) and the doubled-up portion of said plate downwardly inclined, all as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.
Upon the doubled-up portion of the plate F there is placed a strip of an elastic orl exible material, 13, rubber being preferred, and this cover for the doubled-up portion is retained in position by a bolt and thumb-nut, 14, passing through theapertures 15, in said plate and the rubber or flexible covering 13.
By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the heel-portion 16 of the foot-plate D is curved or pear-shaped, theportion 17 of said plate being narrower than the heel-portion 16, and this wider portion of the heel-plate is engaged by theprongs 8 of the brake-plate to prevent both, a rearward, and a tilting, movement of the brake when applied to the skate.
In order to apply this brake to the skate, the U-shaped or doubled-up portion of the brake-plate is placed upon thecurved axlebearing 5 until theprongs 8 overlap the heelplate. The space 19 between thecurved lugs 3 and theportion 18 of the brake-plate (being that portion which is within the dotted lines 11 and 12) is wider than the outside diameter of the axle-bearing 5 so that in applying the brake-plate, a forward movement beyond the normal position of the brakeplate on the skate is possible, whereby theprongs 8 may be caused to engage the heelplate. If now theclamping bolt 14 is tightened, it will draw theparallel members 20, 21, of said plate closer together and thereby pull theprongs 8 onto the heel-plate and securely lock the brake plate to theaxlebearin 5.
When in use, this brake is sufiiciently far away from the floor to permit of free movement of the skater and not interfere with his or her progress, but as soon as it is desired to slacken up speed or stop, the skater slightly lifts the forward end of the skate when the brake will come in contact with the floor and exert its retarding influence, at the same time forming, or acting as, a guard to prevent the skater from falling backward,
The attachment heretofore described can be cheaply manufactured and when applied to skates forms an eflicient and effective brake and guard which can be quickly ap plied and removed from a skate and which is adapted for use in all kinds and sizes of roller skates.
Having thus fully described this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. As an improved article of manufacture a roller skate brake and guard consisting, essentially, of a plate having on its forward end prongs adapted to engage the heel-plate of said skate, and having its rear end bent upon itself and terminating in curved prongs adapted to engage the axle-bearing of said skate, an elastic-covering for said doubledup portion, and removably secured thereto, and a clamping bolt passing through said elastic covering and the parallel members of saidplate 2. In a roller skate, the combination, with the heel-plate having a narrow or neck-portion 17, of an axle-bearing having a substantially circular transverse section, and a brakeplate, said brake-plate being provided with prongs adapted to engage said heel-plate at its narrower portion, and with curved prongs iaidfaipted to engage the axle bearing, as speci- 3. In a roller skate, the combination, with the heel-plate having a narrow or neck-portion of an axle-bearing for the rear-axle of said skate, and a brake, consisting of a plate, there being inwardly-projecting prongs on said plate'at one end adapted to engage the heel-plate at its narrower portion and a U- shaped clamping member at the opposite end adapted to engage the axle bearing as described, and means for drawing the parallel members of U-shaped clamping portion toward one another whereby the brake is secured to said heel-plate and the axle-bearing.
4. In a brake and guard for roller skates, a brake-body consisting, essentially, of a plate having at its rear end rearwardly-projecting lugs and at its front end an excision affording inwardly-projecting prongs, said plate being formed into U-shape at its rear end to afford an elastic clamping member, and bent at its forward end as described, whereby said plate is adapted to be secured to the skate in the manner as, and for the purpose set forth.
In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.
AUG. It. RIEGER.
Attest:
MICHAEL J. STARK, A. G. PETERSON.