Odometer mounted between roller skate wheels

• US 4,454,411 A
• Filed: 09/07/1982
• Issued: 06/12/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert E. Day, William H. Hale
• Original Assignee: Robert E. Day, William H. Hale
• Inventors: Hale, William H., Day, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Application Number:
  US06/415,169
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 235/95 R, 235/96, 235/103, 235/91 M, 235/133 A
• US Class Current: 235/95.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A63C 17/26 with special auxiliary arrangements, e.g. illuminating, marking, or push-off devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/008 for skates

Abstract

A roller skate has an odometer supported on a bracket located in the space between the rear wheels of the rear truck, the bracket being affixed on the truck by a U shaped shackle and shackle nuts. The odometer may be electronic, with digital display in a magnifying window and actuated by a magnet on a rear wheel. It may also be mechanical, actuated by a friction wheel rotated by a skate wheel and movable into and out of contact by a set screw or lever and spring arrangement. The odometer can be read by raising the heel after skating.

Claims

1. In combination with a roller skate of the type having front and rear wheel assemblies, the rear assembly comprising an inverted T shaped truck, the stem of said truck having an upper portion depending downwardly from the sole plate of the skate and having a lower portion connected to an integral laterally extending axle with a pair of roller skate wheels, each on an opposite end thereof, said stem and axle having an outer face;

an odometer attachment for displaying the distance traveled by said skate;

said attachment being located within the space between said roller skate wheels and including a clamp body having an inner face shaped and dimensioned to tightly fit against the corresponding outer face of said stem and axle of said rear truck and having a pair of shackle holes extending therethrough;

a U shaped shackle, having a pair of threaded legs connected by a curved bight, said bight extending around the stem of said rear truck and said threaded legs each extending through one of said pair of shackle holes in said body;

a pair of threaded nuts, each threaded on one of said threaded legs of said shackle for tightening said clamp body against the stem and axle of said rear truck;

an odometer, mounted on said clamp body, to project in rear of the space between the roller skate wheels of said rear truck, said odometer having a window facing rearwardly; and

means on one of said rear skate wheels for actuating said odometer to count the turns of said one wheel.

2. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein:

said odometer is mechanical and includes a shaft extending laterally therefrom and a rubber tired wheel fast on the end of said shaft and in contact with the circumferential surface of said one rear roller skate wheel, the odometer shaft being in parallelism with the axle of said wheel.

3. A combination as specified in claim 2 wherein:

said odometer is movably mounted on said clamp body to permit said rubber tired wheel to move toward and away from the surface of said skate wheel; and

set screw means connects said odometer to said clamp body to move said odometer and said rubber tired wheel into and out of contact with said roller skate wheel.

4. A combination as specified in claim 2 wherein:

said odometer is pivotally mounted on said clamp body to permit said rubber wheel to move toward and away from the surface of said skate wheel;

a spring connects said clamp body to said odometer to bias the said wheel into contact position with said rear wheel; and

a manually operable lever is slidable in said clamp body to move said odometer and rubber tired wheel out of contact against the pull of said spring.

5. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein:

said odometer is electronic with a digital display and includes a magnetic sensing means for picking up successive rotations of said roller skate wheel; and

said means for actuating said odometer is a permanent magnet, mounted near the periphery of said one roller skate wheel in position to be sensed by the magnetic sensing means of said odometer with each successive revolution of said skate wheel to actuate said digital display.

6. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein:

said clamp body includes a rearward face having a pair of pin holes therein and said odometer includes a pair of pins, each fitted in one of said holes, for mounting said odometer on said rearward face of said clamp body.

7. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein:

the inner face of said clamp body includes a central, elongated, generally vertically extending groove in the upper portion for fitting around said stem;

and a generally horizontally extending recess in the lower portion for receiving and tightly fitting against the axle of the rear truck.

said lower portion terminating in a pair of integral hooks separated by an arcuate recess.