US3414280A - Roller skate having laminated wheels - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 3, 1968 KAZUO OHASHI ROLLER SKATE HAVING LAMINATED WHEELS Filed Sept. '7, 1966 FIG. 1

Inven+or K Azuo HASHI \gx 4 M Ahvnaws United States Patent 3,414,280 ROLLER SKATE HAVING LAMINATED WHEELS Kazuo Ohashi, -6-10 Koishikawa, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed Sept. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 577,767

Claims priority, application Japan, Jan. 24, 1966,

41/ 5,686 1 Claim. (Cl. 28011.19)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improvement in a roller skate comprising rollers mounted in pairs with the annular surfaces thereof curving outward from the outer ends of their common axis, each roller consisting of a plurality of l'arninations extending transversely with respect to said axis, the hardness of said laminations increasing from the larger end to the smaller end of each roller.

The present invention relates to a roller skate. An object of the invention is to provide a speedy roller skate with a minimum area of contact between the rollers and the ground. Another object of this invention is to provide a roller skate so designed as to be able to negotiate curves easily, with the outer edges of the rollers being rounded. Still another object of this invention is to provide a roller skate in which the roller material has a steadily decreasing hardness from the inside toward the outside, so that any slipping when negotiating curves may be prevented.

The details of the invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is aside elevation of a roller skate according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the skate shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of this invention as seen from the same direction as in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail view showing one roller; and

FIG. 5 shows a conventional roller skate.

The roller 1 fitted to a roller skate according this invention is made of an appropriate composition of rubber and other materials, and comprises a plurality of layers 2 having different hardnesses from inside to outside, the outer surface of each half of said roller being curved inward from the outer ends of its axis of rotation so that is approximately hemispherical in shape.

The rollers comprise a plurality of parallel plates bonded together with the hardness of the layers decreasing from the innermost layer toward the outermost layer 2'. In

FIG. 1, 3'is a bearing in the roller 1 and 4 is a shaft which carries the roller.

3,414,280 Patented Dec. 3, 1968 A pair of these rollers 1 are rotatably mounted on the projecting arms 5' of the mounting plate 5 to form the front wheel and rear wheel. The mounting plate 5, with rollers attached thereto, to the shoes 6.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, it is possible to mount a pair of rollers 1 on the shoes 6 in close proximity to each other. Also it is possible to mount a pair of rollers 1 with their inside surfaces in contact with each other.

The are-a of contact between roller and ground in both the front wheel and the rear wheel is exceedingly narrow. Moreover, the distance x between the two rollers can be decreased. Thus, the friction between the ground surface 8 and a rotating roller is reduced and accordingly the speed of the new roller skate can be higher than that of .a conventional skate. Moreover, in negotiating a curve the semi-spherical surface of the roller can be exploited. The chain line 8' of FIG. 2 shows the sliding course followed by the roller in negotiating a curve. Thereby, any slipping in the direction normal to direction of travel can be prevented and as the result the curve can be taken smoothly, because the roller 1 has its hardness gradually diminishing toward the outer layer 2'.

In the case of the conventional rubber skate, as shown in FIG. 5, the roller 10 is cylindrical [Will]. a wide area of contact with the ground and a large distance y between two rollers; it may have good stability, but it is inconvenient for developing a high speed or taking a curve smoothly.

I claim:

1. In a roller skate, a pair of annular rollers axially spaced along a common axis, each roller being symmetrical 'about said axis and having a part spherical annular surface curving gradually inward from a larger end toward a smaller end, the larger ends of said rollers being positioned facing each other, and each roller being formed from at least three individual laminations extending transversely with respect to said axis, the hardness of said laminations increasing successively from the smaller end to the larger end of each roller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 307,826 11/1884 Worcester 28011.28 2,064,690 12/1936 Schavone 28011.28 2,166,767 7/1939 Petermann 280--.-11.22

FOREIGN PATENTS 229,745 2/ 1925 Great Britain.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, Assistant Examiner.

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