U.S. patent application number 10/611820 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-08 for two-wheeled inline glider skates with handbrake.
Invention is credited to Smyler, Robert.
Application Number | 20040004330 10/611820 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46204892 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040004330 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Smyler, Robert |
January 8, 2004 |
Two-wheeled inline glider skates with handbrake
Abstract
A two-wheel high-speed glider inline roller skate having a boot
having toe and heel pads to which a downward opening channel-shaped
wheel support is attached centrally along the length of the boot.
The channel structure has a front portion with sidewalls extending
downward and forward of the boot toe to receive a front wheel
between the sidewalls, the wheel mounted on an axle mounted to the
channel structure by bearings. The channel structure has rear
portion which receives a rear wheel between its sides, the wheel
being rotated on a rear axle and mounted to the channel structure
by bearings. The rear wheel is located below the rear portion of
the heel mounting plate. The rear portion has attachment bores
spaced above the rear axle for attachment of an optional hand brake
system acting on the rear wheel at its rear periphery.
Inventors: |
Smyler, Robert; (Battle
Creek, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Richard C. Litman
LITMAN LAW OFFICES, LTD.
P.O. Box 15035
Arlington
VA
22215
US
|
Family ID: |
46204892 |
Appl. No.: |
10/611820 |
Filed: |
July 2, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60392966 |
Jul 2, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
280/11.212 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63C 2017/1472 20130101;
A63C 17/1418 20130101; A63C 17/06 20130101; A63C 2203/42
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/11.212 |
International
Class: |
A63C 017/14 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A two-wheeled inline gliding skate comprising: a boot having a
sole having a toe and a heel thereon; a toe pad mounted on said
sole at said toe; a heel pad mounted on said heel; a channel-shaped
frame extending centrally, lengthwise of said boot sole and having
an upper wall and opposed sidewalls, said frame having a heel pad
attachment plate and a toe pad attachment plate located on said
frame upper wall attached to said toe pad and said heel pad,
respectively; said opposing walls of said frame forming a toe
portion extending forward and downward from said toe pad; said
opposing walls of said frame forming a heel portion extending
rearward and downward from said heel pad; a front wheel and a rear
wheel; a front axle supporting said front wheel for rotation; said
front axle being supported by said toe portion of said frame
between said opposing sidewalls; said front axle of said front
wheel being spaced substantially downward from and forward of the
toe of said boot; a rear axle supporting said rear wheel for
rotation; said rear axle being supported by said heel portion of
said frame between said opposing sidewalls; and said rear axle of
said rear wheel being spaced substantially downward from and
directly below the rear of said heel of said boot.
2. The in-line skate of claim 1, further comprising an upper toe
piece mounted between said sidewalls of said toe portion and
extending upwards from a point proximate the periphery of said
front wheel to the front intersection of said toe pad and said toe
portion of said boot sole.
3. The in-line skate of claim 1, said channel-shaped frame having a
centrally located, inverted arch stiffener mounted to and extending
between said channel sidewalls, said stiffener being attached at
each end thereof to said upper wall of said channel frame.
4. The in-line skate of claim 1, further comprising a brake system
mounted on said frame heel portion comprising in combination: a
hand grip brake control assembly having a hand grip and a hand
lever connected by a brake control body, said hand lever being
rotatable relative to said hand grip; a heel-mounted brake assembly
having connecting frame members extending rearwardly from said
frame heel portion and comprising a brake pad; and an actuator
cable and sheath extending from said hand grip brake control
assembly to said heel-mounted brake assembly for actuation of said
brake pad; whereby, upon squeezing said had lever toward said hand
grip, said actuator cable causes said brake pad to bear against
said rear wheel, thereby causing braking action for said skate.
5. The in-line skate of claim 4, said heel mounted brake assembly
comprising; removable, horizontally disposed connecting frames
having respective front mounting ends and rear brake support ends;
an inverted "V"-shaped upper brake frame brace extending upward and
rearward at a first angle from and bridging said respective
connecting frame rear brake support ends and having an upper "V"
portion; an inverted "U"-shaped lower brake frame brace extending
upward and rearward at a second angle from and bridging said
respective connecting frame rear brake support ends and having an
upper cross portion; said first angle being greater relative to
said connecting frames than said second angle as measured from the
rear horizontal; said upper brake frame brace having a length
greater than said lower frame brace such that said upper "V"
portion of said upper brace is located above said upper cross
portion of said lower frame brace and spaced therefrom; a rotatable
pivot bar having a pivot journal at each end thereof, said pivot
bar being mounted above and parallel to said cross portion of said
lower frame brace by said pivot journals; an elongated brake pivot
plate having an upper portion, a central portion, and an upper
portion, said central portion being perpendicularly mounted on said
pivot bar; said upper portion of said brake pivot plate having an
upper end and defining a throughbore proximate its upper end for
receiving and engaging said actuator cable; and said lower portion
of said brake pivot plate having a lower end and defining a
throughbore proximate its lower end for mounting said brake pad
thereto so as to face forward; whereby, upon operation of said hand
lever of said hand grip brake control, said upper portion of said
brake pivot plate is pulled back causing said lower portion of said
brake pivot plate to pivot forward, forcing said brake pad against
the rear periphery of said rear wheel, thereby controlling the
rotation of said rear wheel to control the speed or stop said
in-line skate.
6. The in-line skate of claim 5, wherein said upper brake frame
brace is mounted to said brake supports at a 45 degree angle and
said lower brake frame brace is mounted to said brake supports at a
30 degree angle from the horizontal.
7. The in-line skate of claim 5, wherein said upper frame brace has
an apex portion, said apex portion including the "V" of said upper
frame brace, said apex portion having a cable sheath connector and
stop attached thereto at said "V" and extending upward in line with
said apex portion.
8. The in-line skate of claim 7, wherein said upper frame brace
apex portion is bent forward at an angle past the vertical, and
said cable sheath connector and stop is in the form of a machine
nut having an outer wall and a central bore, said connector being
attached at its outer wall to said "V" of said apex portion of said
upper frame brace such that said central bore is normal to said
apex portion.
9. The in-line skate of claim 7, said brake pad having a rearwardly
extending stud having stud nut, said stud extending through said
thoughbore in said lower pivot plate and removably secured thereto
by said stud nut.
10. The in-line skate of claim 5, said pivot plate lower portion
being rearwardly curved, said central portion being planar, and
said upper portion being upwardly and rearwardly curved.
11. The in-line skate of claim 4, wherein said grip handle of said
hand brake control assembly being connected at one end to said
brake control body, said hand lever being connected to said brake
control body by a pivot connection, said hand lever extending along
said grip handle so as to allow said hand lever to rotate inward
toward said grip handle, hand lever having a cable connector
proximate said pivot connector, said cable being connected to said
hand lever cable connector, said brake control body having a cable
sheath connector and stop, and said sheath being connected at its
upper end to said brake control body at said cable sheath connector
and stop, whereby, upon squeezing said hand lever toward said grip
handle, said actuator cable is pulled through said sheath for
actuation of said brake pad.
12. The inline skate of claim 7, wherein said brake actuator cable
and sheath has a sheath ferrule located at its lower end acting as
a sheath stop, a sheath connector ferrule receptor, the lower end
of said sheath ferrule extending into said sheath connector ferrule
receptor, a sheath connector actuator cable guide, the lower end of
said ferrule being connected with said sheath connector actuator
cable guide through which the lower portion of said actuator cable
is free to travel, said actuator cable extending through said bore
in said elongated brake pivot plate upper portion and said actuator
cable having an adjustment fastener attached, said actuator cable
being attached to said adjustment fastener so as to adjust its
length relative to said heel mounted brake assembly.
13. The in-line skate of claim 4, wherein said channel-shaped frame
rear portion has aligned threaded bores therethrough and said brake
connecting frames have mounting screws which attach said brake
connecting frames with said frame rear portion.
14. The in-line skate of claim 9, said brake assembly further
comprising an expanding return spring extending between said sheath
connector and said brake pad stud for retracting said brake pad
from said rear periphery of said rear wheel when said hand grip
brake control is released, allowing said rear wheel to travel
freely.
15. The in-line skate of claim 1, said front wheel and said rear
wheel are each between about 80 millimeters and about 90
millimeters in diameter, said front and rear wheels being mounted
for rotation on said respective axles by bearings.
16. A four-wheeled inline gliding skate comprising: a boot having a
sole having a toe and a heel thereon; a toe pad mounted on said
sole at said toe; a heel pad mounted on said heel; a channel-shaped
frame extending centrally, lengthwise of said boot sole and having
an upper wall and opposed sidewalls, said frame having a heel pad
attachment plate and a toe pad attachment plate located on said
frame upper wall attached to said toe pad and said heel pad,
respectively; said opposing walls of said frame forming a toe
portion extending forward and downward from said toe pad forming a
front wheel support; said opposing walls of said frame forming a
heel portion extending rearward and downward from said heel pad
forming a rear wheel support; said opposing walls of said frame
forming intermediate wheel supports; a front wheel, a rear wheel,
and two intermediate wheels; a front axle supporting said front
wheel for rotation; said front axle being supported by said toe
portion of said frame between said opposing sidewalls; said front
axle of said front wheel being spaced substantially downward from
and forward of the toe of said boot; a rear axle supporting said
rear wheel for rotation; said rear axle being supported by said
heel portion of said frame between said opposing sidewalls; said
intermediate wheel supports having respective intermediate axles
supporting said intermediate wheels for rotation; and said rear
axle of said rear wheel being spaced substantially downward from
and directly below the rear of said heel of said boot.
17. The in-line skate of claim 16, further comprising an upper toe
piece mounted between said sidewalls of said toe portion and
extending upwards from a point proximate the periphery of said
front wheel to the front intersection of said toe pad and said toe
portion of said boot sole.
18. The in-line skate of claim 16, further comprising a brake
system mounted on said frame heel portion comprising in
combination: a hand grip brake control assembly having a hand grip
and a hand lever connected by a brake control body, said hand lever
being rotatable relative to said hand grip; a heel-mounted brake
assembly having connecting frame members extending rearwardly from
said frame heel portion and comprising a brake pad; and an actuator
cable and sheath extending from said hand grip brake control
assembly to said heel-mounted brake assembly for actuation of said
brake pad; whereby, upon squeezing said had lever toward said hand
grip, said actuator cable causes said brake pad to bear against
said rear wheel, thereby causing braking action for said skate.
19. The in-line skate of claim 16, said heel mounted brake assembly
comprising; removable, horizontally disposed connecting frames
having respective front mounting ends and rear brake support ends;
an inverted "V"-shaped upper brake frame brace extending upward and
rearward at a first angle from and bridging said respective
connecting frame rear brake support ends and having an upper "V"
portion; an inverted "U"-shaped lower brake frame brace extending
upward and rearward at a second angle from and bridging said
respective connecting frame rear brake support ends and having an
upper cross portion; said first angle being greater relative to
said connecting frames than said second angle as measured from the
rear horizontal; said upper brake frame brace having a length
greater than said lower frame brace such that said upper "V"
portion of said upper brace is located above said upper cross
portion of said lower frame brace and spaced therefrom; a rotatable
pivot bar having a pivot journal at each end thereof, said pivot
bar being mounted above and parallel to said cross portion of said
lower frame brace by said pivot journals; an elongated brake pivot
plate having an upper portion, a central portion, and an upper
portion, said central portion being perpendicularly mounted on said
pivot bar; said upper portion of said brake pivot plate having an
upper end and defining a throughbore proximate its upper end for
receiving and engaging said actuator cable; and said lower portion
of said brake pivot plate having a lower end and defining a
throughbore proximate its lower end for mounting said brake pad
thereto so as to face forward; whereby, upon operation of said hand
lever of said hand grip brake control, said upper portion of said
brake pivot plate is pulled back causing said lower portion of said
brake pivot plate to pivot forward, forcing said brake pad against
the rear periphery of said rear wheel, thereby controlling the
rotation of said rear wheel to control the speed or stop said
in-line skate.
20. The in-line skate of claim 15, wherein said channel-shaped
frame rear portion has aligned threaded bores therethrough and said
brake connecting frames have mounting screws which attach said
brake connecting frames with said frame rear portion.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Serial No. 60/392,966, filed Jul. 2, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to inline roller skates. More
particularly, the present invention relates to high-performance
two-wheeled inline skates which may optionally have a hand-operated
braking system operating on a rear wheel, thereof.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] The use of inline skates has become widespread. There are
drawbacks to the standard four-wheel inline skates due to limited
size of wheels and friction when attempting to obtain high-speed
performance. Known two-wheel inline skates have the rear wheel
extending substantially back of the user's heel, limiting
maneuverability. Also, the standard type of rubber stop brakes,
which require the tilting of a skate forward or backward for
braking against the surface where skating is inadequate since the
brake on only one skate can practically be used at one time, and
constant brake pressure is difficult to apply. When braking from
high speed, braking on both skates is desirable, both to gain
braking power available from both skates and to avoid torque
developed by braking with only one skate which tends to twist the
skater around. Braking on both skates with similar controlled
braking pressure would be highly desired when applying to
two-wheeled skates.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 2,868,554, issued Jan. 13, 1959, to Ring
describes a two-wheel inline roller skate having relatively small
wheels, the rear wheel extending substantially to the rear of the
user's heel. No brakes are provided in the '554 patent to aid in
stopping.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,409, issued May 18, 1993 describes an
inline skate system operated by a Bowden cable and hand lever which
presses a brake shoe against the skating surface, thus avoiding
tilting the skate back to apply braking pressure.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,075, issued Jul. 24, 1990, to Gates,
describes a combination skate-ski assembly which provides
relatively large wheels mounted substantially forward and to the
rear of the user's toe and heel, respectively, and provides for
Bowden type cables operated by hand levers and operating on
bicycle-type brake actuators. The '075 assembly would necessarily
be wide and therefore clumsy to maneuver, particularly at high
speeds.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,491, issued Dec. 17, 1996, to Chronic,
Jr. describes an inline roller skate having a remote brake which
includes a brake assembly that engages and frictionally engages and
retards a rear wheel of the skate and a Bowden cable assembly that
extends from the brake assembly and terminates in a hand-held
actuating lever assembly.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,924, issued Aug. 9, 1994, describes a
retractable brake pad mechanism for inline skates. One embodiment
includes a handle assembly for activating the brake, the pad of
which engages the skating surface.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,781, issued Nov. 17, 1981, describes a
roller skate braking system with a hand brake, cable and brake
pad.
[0012] None of the above inventions and patents, taken either
singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention
as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention is a two-wheel high speed glider
inline roller skate. The skate has a boot having a toe and a heel
portion to which a downward opening channel-shaped wheel support is
attached centrally along the length of the boot. The channel has
front toe and rear heel mounting plates corresponding to mounting
pads riveted to the sole of the boot at its toe and heel,
respectively. The channel has a centrally located arched stiffener
mounted to and extended between the channel sides and attached to
the upper side of the channel for stiffening the channel structure.
The channel structure has a toe portion with sidewalls extending
downward and forward of the boot toe to receive a front wheel
between sidewalls, the wheel being rotated on an axle and mounted
to the channel structure by bearings. The axle is spaced
substantially below and forward of the boot toe such that the front
wheel is located forward of the toe. An upper toe piece extends
between the sidewalls of the front portion along the top thereof
and extends up to the front intersection of the toe pad and the toe
portion of the sole which provides added stiffening and toe control
when skating.
[0014] The channel-shaped wheel support slopes downward from toe to
heel and a rear portion thereof then extends downward at a slightly
rearward angle from vertical from about the center of the heel
mounting plate about 11/2 inches from the extreme end of the heel.
The rear portion receives a rear wheel between its sidewalls, the
wheel being rotated on a rear axle and mounted to the channel
structure by bearings. The rear axle is preferably located directly
below the rear of the plate, positioning the rear wheel
substantially directly below the boot heel.
[0015] The channel-shaped wheel support has aligned threaded bores
through opposite sides of its rear portion, spaced above the rear
axle for attachment of an optional brake system acting on the rear
wheel at its rear periphery.
[0016] The brake system has opposed brake connecting frames
attached at their front mounting end by mounting screws to be
received by the threaded bores of the channel-shaped wheel support.
The brake connecting frames extend horizontally rearward to a brake
support end. An upper brake frame brace is substantially inverted
"V"-shaped and extends upward from the support end of the brake
supports and attached thereto at its open ends as by welding at
about a 45-degree angle. A lower brake frame brace is substantially
inverted "U"-shaped and extends upward from the support end of the
brake supports and attached thereto at its open end as by welding
at about a 30-degree angle.
[0017] The lower brake frame brace is attached to the brake
supports below the upper brake frame brace and extends about
one-half the length of the upper frame brace such that its cross
portion is substantially directly below the apex of the "V" portion
of the upper brake frame brace. The cross portion of the lower
brake frame brace supports a rotating pivot bar. A brake pivot
plate is centrally attached to the pivot bar so as to pivot back
and forth and support a brake shoe at its lower end. The upper end
of the pivot plate is operated by a Bowden type cable and sheath
operated by a hand lever operated by the user. The lower end of the
sheath is supported by a cable shield connector and stop mounted on
the apex of the upper frame brace. The upper portion of the brake
pivot plate receives the lower cable end and extends downward
between the legs of the upper frame brace to the rotating pivot
bar.
[0018] Upon pulling the hand lever, the cable is pulled through the
shield, thus pulling the upper portion of the brake pivot plate
back. As the upper portion of the brake pivot plate is pulled back,
the brake shoe mounted on the lower portion of the brake pivot
plate is forced forward against the periphery of the rear wheel,
thus effecting a braking action. Release of pressure on the hand
lever allows a spring, mounted between the brake shoe and the cable
shield connector and stop, to retract, pulling the brake shoe away
from the rear wheel. The brake system may also be applied to a
four-wheel inline skate which is specially designed to receive the
brake mounting.
[0019] Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to
provide a high-performance inline roller skate.
[0020] It is another object of the invention to provide a roller
skate as above which safely obtains high speeds and is
maneuverable.
[0021] It is a further object of the invention to provide a roller
skate as above which operates with minimum friction.
[0022] Still another object of the invention is to provide an
embodiment of the roller skate as above which has only two inline
wheels.
[0023] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a roller
skate as above which has an attachment for installation of a
brake.
[0024] Still another object of the invention is to provide a roller
skate as above having a hand-operated brake system.
[0025] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a roller
skate as above wherein the hand-operated brake system includes a
brake shoe which may be applied to the rear periphery of the rear
wheel to slow or stop the roller skate.
[0026] It is an object of the invention to provide improved
elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes
described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in
accomplishing its intended purposes.
[0027] These and other objects of the present invention will become
readily apparent upon further review of the following specification
and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a two-wheel inline glider
skate according to the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a bottom plan View of the skate of FIG. 1.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the skate of FIG. 1 with
a handbrake installed.
[0031] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the handbrake of FIG. 3.
[0032] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a specially designed
four-wheel inline skate with the handbrake of FIG. 3.
[0033] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features
consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0034] The present invention is a two-wheel high speed glider
inline roller skate having a channel-like support for a front wheel
located downward and forward of the skate toe and a rear wheel
located directly below the skate heel. A hand-operated brake is
attached to the rear of the skate support having a brake shoe
operating against the rear periphery of the rear wheel. The brake
is operated by a hand lever operating on a Bowden type sheath and
cable which pulls a pivot plate, forcing the brake shoe against the
wheel. A spring returns the brake to the open position once
pressure is relieved on the hand lever.
[0035] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there are shown a side elevation
view and a bottom plan view of the two-wheel inline glider skate of
the present invention. Two-wheel inline glider skate 10 includes a
boot 12 of common construction having a sole having a boot heel pad
14 riveted to the heel portion of the sole and a toe pad 22 riveted
to a toe portion 16 extending over toe pad 22. Skate 10 has a
generally channel-shaped, downward opening frame 18 having sides 36
and an upper wall 33 attached centrally along the length of boot 12
by means of frame heel attachment plate 20 at boot heel pad 14 and
frame toe attachment plate 23 at boot toe pad 22 the attachments
being made by nuts and bolts 40 and 38, respectively. The channel
structure has a front portion 24 with sidewalls 36 and extending
downward and forward of the boot toe to receive front mounted wheel
28 between sidewalls 36 rotating on an axle 30. To reduce friction,
the wheel 28 may be mounted on bearings of common construction (not
shown) around axle 30.
[0036] An upper toe piece 25 extends between the sides 36 of toe
portion 24 along the top thereof, extending up from a point near
the periphery of wheel 28 to the front intersection of the toe pad
22 and the toe portion of sole 16, acting as a stiffener and
providing added toe control to the frame toe portion 24 and wheel
28. The channel-shaped frame 18 has a centrally located inverted
arch stiffener 34 mounted to and extending between the channel
sidewalls 36 and attached at each end to upper wall 33 of channel
frame 18.
[0037] The sidewalls 36 of channel-shaped frame 18 angle downward
from toe to heel and a rear portion 26 thereof extends downward at
a slightly rearward angle from vertical at a point from about the
center of boot heel mounting attachment plate 20 about 11/2 inches
from the extreme end of the heel. The rear frame heel portion 26
receives the rear mounted wheel 28 between its sidewalls 36 the
wheel 28 being mounted for rotation on rear axle 30 by means of
bearings(not shown). The rear axle is preferably spaced directly
below the rear end of attachment plate 20 such that the rear wheel
is directly below the heel of the boot. The channel-shaped wheel
support has aligned threaded bores 27 through opposite sides of its
rear portion, spaced above the rear axle 30 for attachment of an
optional heel brake assembly 42 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) acting on the
rear periphery of the rear mounted wheel 28.
[0038] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there are shown a side elevation
view of the inventive two-wheel inline glider skate with a brake
system attached, and an exploded view of the brake system. The
brake system includes heel brake assembly 42 and hand grip brake
control assembly 44 connected by a Bowden type brake activating
cable and sheath 58. Hand grip brake control assembly 44 resembles
a hand grip and brake lever assembly of a bicycle handlebar and
includes grip handle 46 having handle clip 47 attached thereto for
clipping the assembly 44 to a skater's waist belt. Hand held brake
control body 48 is connected at one end of grip handle 46 and is
tightened around a common central tube (not shown) by body
tightening bolt 50. Hand lever 52 is connected with body 48 by
pivot connection 53 so as to allow hand lever 52 to be squeezed
inward toward handle 46 when applying the brake. The activating
cable grip end of cable and sheath 58 is attached to the hand lever
52 near its connection with body 48 at hand lever connection 54 and
enters the sheath at hand held brake body cable sheath connector
and stop 56.
[0039] The cable and sheath 58 extends to a lower end where sheath
protector 60 encases the lower portion of sheath 58 for protection.
A sheath ferrule 62 is located at the lower end of the sheath 58. A
sheath connector ferrule receptor 64 receives the lower end of
ferrule 62 where it is connected with sheath connector actuator
cable guide 66 through which the lower portion of actuator cable 68
may travel. The actuator cable has an adjustment fastener 70
attached near its lower end to adjust its length relative to the
heel mounted brake assembly 42.
[0040] The heel mounted brake assembly 42 includes opposing brake
connecting frames 72 attached at their front mounting end by
mounting screws 74 which attach at brake frame attachment threaded
bores 27 (see FIG. 1) in frame 18. The brake connecting frames 72
extend horizontally rearward to a brake support end where upper
brake frame brace 76 and lower brake frame brace 78 are attached
therebetween as by welding, thus bridging the gap between brake
connecting frames 72. Upper brake frame brace 76 is substantially
inverted "V"-shaped and extends upward from the support ends of the
brake supports, extending upward rearwardly at about a 45-degree
angle, its open ends being attached to the brake supports. A lower
brake frame brace 78 is inverted flattened "U"-shaped and extends
upward rearwardly from the support end of brake supports 72 at
about a 30-degree angle, its open ends being attached to the brake
supports.
[0041] The lower brake frame brace 78 is attached to the brake
supports 72 below the upper brake frame brace 76 and extends about
one-half the length of the upper frame brace 76 such that its cross
portion is substantially directly below the "V" portion of the
upper brake frame brace 76. The cross portion of the lower frame
brace 78 supports a rotating pivot bar 94 by means of pivot bar
journals 96 located at either end of the cross portion of lower
frame brace 78 and extend upwardly and rearwardly therefrom so that
pivot bar 94 is spaced from the lower frame brace cross portion. An
elongated brake pivot plate 81 includes a rearwardly curved lower
portion 82, a planar central portion 84 and an upwardly curved
upper portion 85 interconnected as by welding and is
perpendicularly mounted at its central portion 84 to pivot bar 94
as by welding so as to freely pivot back and forth therewith.
[0042] The lower end of lower curved portion 82 of the pivot plate
81 contains a bore 83 near its extreme end for mounting a brake pad
86 thereto by means of brake pad stud 88 extending rearwardly from
brake pad 86. Brake pad stud 88 is inserted through bore 83 and
secured by a stud nut 90. Brake pad 86 is generally block-shaped,
having a braking surface opposite the mounting surface of brake pad
stud 88 and having upper and lower surfaces tapering inward from
the braking surface to the mounting surface.
[0043] The upper end portion 85 of the pivot plate 81 has a
throughbore 92 near its extreme end for receiving the lower end of
cable 68, the adjustment fastener 70 being secured to cable 68 so
as to maintain the end of cable 68 forward of pivot plate 81 and
being adjustable along the lower end of cable 68. The upper portion
of upper brake frame brace 76 including the apex of the "V" portion
is preferably bent forward at an angle past the vertical. Cable
sheath connector and stop 80 is attached to the upper "V" end of
upper brake frame brace 76 as by welding and extends upward and
forward in line with the bent portion thereof. Cable sheath
connector and stop 80 is in the general shape of a machine nut and
engages ferrule 62, connector ferrule receptor 64 and receives the
lower end of sheath 58, thus acting as a receiver and stop for the
lower end of sheath 58, allowing cable 68 to move inward and
outward relative thereto. A return spring 98 has an upper hook end
100 and a lower hook end 102. The upper hook end 100 is attached
between cable sheath connector and stop 80 and sheath connector
ferrule receptor 64. The lower hook end 102 is attached around stud
88 and held between brake pad 86 and nut 90, or, alternatively, is
welded to the exposed end of stud 88.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a four-wheel version of
the inventive inline skate with the heel mounted brake assembly of
FIGS. 3 and 4 attached to a four-wheel generally channel-shaped
support frame 118 having a toe portion 124 and a heel portion 126
bearing front and rear wheels 28. Frame 118 includes intermediate
wheel supports 128 bearing intermediate wheels 28.
[0045] In operation, a skater carries the hand brake assembly on a
waist belt using handle clip 47. When the skater wishes to reduce
speed or stop, he grasps hand brake assembly 44 and squeezes lever
52 toward handle 46. This action pulls actuator cable 68 through
sheath 58 which pulls actuator cable adjustment fastener 70 against
the upper pivot plate portion 85. This causes pivot plate 81 to
pivot on pivot bar 96, thus causing lower pivot plate portion 82 to
rotate forward, applying brake pad 86 against the rear periphery of
the turning rear wheel 28 while expanding return spring 98. The
degree of braking is determined by the squeezing force applied to
lever 52. Upon easing or release of squeezing force applied to
lever 52 by the skater, return spring 98 reduces braking friction
of brake pad 86 against the rear wheel 28 or pulls brake pad 86
away from wheel 12 to a free-skating position.
[0046] The wheels 28 are preferably plastic and are available in a
range of sizes. The preferred wheels are about 90 millimeters in
diameters and the sized used may vary from about 80 millimeters in
diameter to about 90 millimeters in diameter. It has been
demonstrated that a 90-millimeter wheel provides the best overall
performance in speed and control.
[0047] In the two-wheel version it is desirable to position the
rear wheel vertically below the heel of the boot while the front
wheel is extended forward of the toe. This configuration reduces
weight on the front wheel which enhances overall speed and control
of the skate and increases weight on the rear wheel allowing more
effective push-off for faster takeoffs and acceleration while
increasing maneuverability. This configuration also allows the
brake system to be more compactly attached. The configuration of
the brake pivot plate results in a more compact brake assembly.
[0048] The boot is preferably plastic while the frame and
attachment plates are made of metal. The brake assemblies are made
of plastic, rubber, and steel as appropriate.
[0049] It is to be understood that the present invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and
all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
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