In-line skate frame with H-block

Abstract

An in-line wheeled skate has a frame for attachment to the underside of a shoe which has a longitudinal axis in the direction of travel of the skate. Two wheels are rotatably mounted in line at opposite ends of the frame to leave an extended space between the wheels. An H-block mounted on the frame in the space between the two wheels has a downwardly facing surface having a central region which is arcuate to form a sliding surface for sliding maneuvers, and a pair of end portions extending from the central region towards the respective wheels, each end portion having a downwardly directed end stop projection.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An in-line wheeled skate apparatus, comprising: 
 a frame for attachment to the underside of a shoe, the frame having a longitudinal axis in the direction of travel of the skate;    two wheels rotatably mounted in line at spaced longitudinal positions on the frame to leave an extended space between the wheels; and    an H-block mounted on the frame in the space between the two wheels, the H-block being elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the frame and having opposite ends and a downwardly facing surface, the downwardly facing surface having a central region which is arcuate to form a sliding surface for sliding maneuvers, and a pair of end portions extending in opposite directions from the central region, each end portion having a downwardly directed end stop projection.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the H-block device is formed as an integral, one piece unit.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the frame has opposite front and rear ends, a first one of the wheels being mounted at the front end of the frame and a second one of the wheels being mounted at the rear end of the frame, with no additional wheels being mounted between the first and second wheels.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the frame has a front end, a rear end, an upper wall and a pair of downwardly directed, spaced parallel side walls, the side walls having at least four spaced pairs of aligned mounting holes for wheel axles, one pair of mounting holes being located adjacent each end of the frame and the other two pairs of mounting holes being spaced at approximately equal spacings from the end mounting holes, the two wheels being rotatably mounted between the respective opposite end pairs of mounting holes, and fasteners extending through the other two pairs of mounting holes to secure the end portions of the H-block device to the frame.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a pair of spaced, parallel elongate plates having opposite outer and inner faces and lower edges, and the two wheels are rotatably mounted between the plates at opposite ends of the frame, each plate having an upwardly indented cut out in its lower edge at the central region, and the H-block device being mounted between the plates in the central region, and having projections on each side extending out into the indented cutouts, the projections having outer faces lying flush with the outer faces of the respective plates.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the central region of the H-block device is located between the cut-outs in the plates and the opposite end portions of the block extend in opposite directions from the central region towards the respective wheels.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the lower faces of the end portions have flat areas substantially flush with the lower edges of the respective plates, the respective end stop projections projecting downwardly from the flat areas of the block end portions.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each end stop projection is of substantially wedge-like shape.  
     
     
         9 . A H-block grinding device for mounting on the frame of an in-line skate, the device comprising: 
 a generally elongate block having a central portion and oppositely directed end portions, the block having an upper face, a lower face, and opposite side faces, the central portion of the block having a width between the opposite side faces which is greater than the width between the opposite side faces of each end portion to form outwardly projecting wings for seating in indents in opposite side walls of an in-line skate frame;    the lower face of the block at the central portion having at least one, downwardly directed, first arcuate grinding face; and    at least one end stop projection projecting downwardly from the end face in each end portion of the block for forming a stop when a skater is performing grinding maneuvers on the grinding faces.    
     
     
         10 . The device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the block is formed integrally in one piece.  
     
     
         11 . The device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the block is formed from three separate elements, comprising a central element and two end elements.  
     
     
         12 . The device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the upper face of the block includes a central, upwardly projecting mounting portion for attachment in an in-line skate frame using a standard H-block frame mounting device.  
     
     
         13 . The device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein each end portion of the block has a transverse opening in each side face for alignment with frame wheel axle mounting holes for receiving a fastener device to secure the respective end portion to the frame.  
     
     
         14 . The device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the end stop projections are of substantially wedge-like shape.  
     
     
         15 . The device as claimed in  claim 9 , including at least one angled, arcuate grinding face on each side of the downwardly directed arcuate grinding face extending at an angle from the first grinding face outwardly to the side face of the respective wings.