US1992291A - Ice skate walker - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 26, 1935. P, G, COLE 1,992,291

ICE SKATE WALKER Filed April 50, 1934 INVENTOR Patented Feb. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE My present invention relates to an ice skate Y walker and constitutes an improvement over the device covered by United States Letters Patent No. 1,880,340, granted to me October 4, 1932.

As set forth in my aforementioned patent the device is intended for use in walking from a club house or hotel on ice skates to a skating pond located some distance away to-prevent subjecting the skate blades to the dulling `action which would result from repeated .contact with the ground and for relieving the skater from ankle strain during such walking. More specifically, the objects of my present invention are to provide a device of the character set forth which will be i of smaller size than those heretofore provided so as to be convenientlyportable within. the

skaters skate shoes when not in use; which willv provide a more efficient and effective holding engagement upon a skate blade; which will be of lighter weight and have compressible, anti-slip ping means thereon to facilitate walking on skates, and to generally improve the device in its constructional details.

The invention will .be better understood from the detailed description which follows, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which shows apreferred embodiment of my invention, and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of my skate walker applied to an ice skate.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my ice skate Walker.

Figs. 3 and 4 are end elevations taken from the right .and left ends,` respectively, of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are sections taken substantially along the planes of the lines V5 5 and 6 6. of Fig. 2. j

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the ice skate walker clamped to an ice skate blade. Referring to the drawing, my ice skate walker may be said to comprise a sole or. tread portion A which is formed on its upper side adjacent each end with upstanding lugs Band C anking the longitudinal center line of the tread portion, with the lugs B on one side of said center line in somewhat spaced relation thereto, and the lugs C on the opposite side of said center line in more close relation thereto than the lugs B, and with the lugs onthe samesidelof said center line in longitudinal alignment.

Supported and carried by the lugs B is a clamping member or bar D, the ends of which are turned back to provide substantially U-shaped portions d, the bight portion 2d at the toe end of the tread portion being seated and movable in a recess b improved formed in the end of the lug B at said toe end, and the bight portion 3d at the heel end of said clamping member having a` slot 4d therein throughwhich extends a'pin 2b which is secured in the outer end of the lug B at said heel end of the tread member. The recess b and the pin and slot connection 2b andld at the opposite ends of the clamping member serve to support said clamping member and guide it in its lateral movements toward and from the lugs C. Normally said clamping member is held in engagement with the inner face of the lugs B Aby a pair of leaf springs 3b, one end of which is secured .to

`said clamping member and the other end of which bears against the outer faces of the lugs B. `For moving theclamping member D inwardly toward the lugs C for clamping engagement with a skate bladeE, the tread portion on its upper` side approximately midway between the heel and toe portions thereof is provided with upstanding lug F upon which ispivotallyv mounted a camV G having an operating handle g. Thepivotal connection'for the cam G is provided by a rivet 2g having an enlarged shank 3g, the head of which engages over the top face cf the cam and the opposite endv of which bears upon'the upper side of the tread portion, while the endof the rivet shank is peened over or upset against a bearing surface on the underside of the tread portion. Preferably the lugA F is formed to provide a substantial bearing surface for `the face of the cam, as will be apparent from an inspection of the drawing. The pivotal mounting for the cam G is such that when the operating handle g is in its full line position, as shown at Fig. 2, the cam is inoperative; and as said handle is moved around its pivot in a clockwise direction the cam engages the clamping member D and moves it inwardly toward the lugs C, the limit of said `movementbeing reached when the operating handle is moved through an arc of approximately 180. To promote the gripping and holding actionV of the clamping member upon the skate bladeE, the lugs C areeach provided with a Ufshaped jaw or clip'I-Iwhich is pivotally mounted upon said lug by a pinih which extends through the arms of the clips and longitudinally through the lugs.

Normally the bight of the U-shaped clips or the engaging faces thereof are caused to assume aY position .inclined to the upper face of they tread portion and extending upwardly and outwardly from the center line thereof by being acted upon by a bullet nose pawl J which is urged inwardly by a spring 5i, the said spring-pressed pawl being mounted in a cup-shaped member K which is num or `an aluminum alloy, so as weight to a minimum, and thatit may also have cesses in addition to driving Vthe 2 force-fitted or otherwise held within a recess c in the lug. For further insuring the holding of the device upon racing skate blades, which are usually provided with a longitudinallyextending rib disposed in substantial parallel relation to the skating edge on either face of said blade, I provide the blade-engaging faces of the clamping member and the clips with complemental grooves 4b and 2c, respectively. To avoid the entire clamping member engaging the skate blade when in clampingrelation thereto, said clamping member may have the portion thereof 5d which is intermediate the clamping ends thereof, bent inwardly, as best shown in Fig. 2. Y

It will be obvious that the skate walker can be made of any suitable material, preferably alumito reduce its its net weight further reduced by being formed of av width of material to provide a tread outline which maybe reinforced by one or more transversely-extending connecting ribs such as 2c. To promote ease in walking on skates with the aid of my skate walkenI nd it preferable to give to said sole or tread member a slightly curved or arched contour in a longitudinal direction, as

best shown in 1Eig. Land to further ease said walking and prevent slipping in walking upon ice, I prefer to provide the underside of said tread portion with spaced, compressible, anti-slipping means or calks L. These calks may be made of any preferred form and material, such, for example, of a rubberV composition in semi-spherical forrnprovided with a metallic pin Z, the head of which is vulcanized into said rubber, which calks may be mounted in shallow recesses central pin openings therein formed in the unc derside of'saidv tread portion. In practice it may be advisable to cement said Vcalks within said repins Z into the pin openings provided therefor.

In practice, the skate walker as disclosed, may be VVused on'either a right or left shoe, or, if desired, it may be made with the cam-operating means on opposite sides so as to be more readily adapted for right and left shoes. In the application of my skate'walker to a skate blade it is merely necessary to position the blade of the skate beclamping position.

tween the clamping member and the jaws or clips onrthe lugs C and move the operating handle g through an are of approximately 180 to move the clamping Ymember into clamping position. The removal of the device from the skate canrbe readily accomplished by merely moving the'handle in the opposite direction, whereupon the springs 3b Vwill function to move the clamping member out of In the clamping operation it will be appreciated that the clamping faces'` oi the clips H are moved from their normally outwardlyinclined position into either substantially parallel or Vsomewhat inclined or clamping relation with the iceskate blade, and when in said position the springs y contribute in clamping the device "upon the skate blade. Y

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that I have provided a simple, ofncient and novel form of ice skate walker, and while I have shown and described but a single embodiment of device'I do not wish to be limited Vto the precise details of construction disclosed 3a having Y therein since modifications thereof may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

, 1. A skate walker or the like, comprising a sole or tread portion having on its upper side movable clamping means and an abutment between which the blade of an ice skate can be clamped, and resilient means normally urging the skate blade engaging face of the abutment towardtheclamping means.

2. A skate walker or the like, comprising'a sole or tread portion having on its upper side movable clamping means and an abutment between which the blade vof an ice skate can be clamped, said abutment having a pivotally mounted springpressed skate blade engaging face.

3.' A skate walker or the like, comprising'a sole or tread portion having on its upper side cam operable clamping means and an abutment between which the blade of an ice skate can be clamped, said abutment having a spring-pressed skate blade engaging face! .Y Y

4v. A skate walker or the like, comprising a sole or tread portion having on its upper side movable clamping means and an abutment between which the blade of an ice skate can be clamped, said clamping means having portions thereof disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the face of the blade to be engaged thereby and movable lateraliy .relatively to the abutment, and said abutment having a skate blade engaging face which is normally'disposed at an angle to the face of the blade to'be engaged thereby and adapted YYtorbe moved into facial engagement with said blade as the blade is moved thereagainst by the clamping means.

5. A skate walker or the like comprising a sole or tread portion having on its upper side an abutment adjacent Ythe .eel Vand the toe Vportions thereof on one side of the longitudinal center line thereof and in proximity thereto, and clamping means on the other side or' said center line inV proximity thereto, an'dbetween which abutments and clamping means an ice skate blade can beV clamped, said' clamping means havingporticns thereof disposed in a plane substantially parallel to the face of the blade to be vengaged thereby and l movable laterally relatively to the abutments, and

said abutments having skate blade engaging faces which are normally disposed atan angle'to the face of the blade to be engaged thereby and adapted to be moved into facial engagement with said blade as the blade is moved thereagainst by the 4clamping means. v Y

6. A skate walker or the like, comprising a sole or thread portion having on its upper Vside adjacent each end two upstanding lugs flanking the longitudinal center line of the tread portion with the lugs on the same sides of said center line being in longitudinal alignment, ya movable clamping member supported'and guided by the lugs on one side Yof said center line and normally held away from said center line by resilient means and manually operable means for moving said clamping member laterally toward the lugs on the opposite sideV of said center line to clamp an ice'skate blade between said lastmentioned lugs and said clamping member. l

PHILIP GILLETT CLE.

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