High performance three-wheeled skates

Abstract

The three-wheeled skates system employs a conventional boot as used in in-line skates to which is attached a frame from toe to heel supporting a single wheel at the toe and a spaced pair of wheels sharing a common axle at the heel, the wheels being of the same type used in in-line skates. A mechanical braking system uses a handgrip lever controlling a brake actuator lever by Bowden-type sheath and cables. The brake actuator lever rotates about an axle, which applies the pressure of attached brakes for speed control. The rear axle is confined in generally frustroconical elastomeric elements and held within receiving bores within the heel portion of the frame, allowing the boot to lean inward relative to the wheels during a turn. The cant of the boot is adjustable from a cruising angle to a speed angle by settings of the front wheel on the toe frame.

1 . A three-wheeled skate system, comprising: 
 a pair of boots, each of the boots having a sole defining a toe and a heel;    an elongated frame extending along each of the soles, each of the frames having a toe plate and a heel plate attached to the toe and the heel, respectively, of the corresponding boot, each of the frames having spaced side members extending the length thereof and forming a respective toe portion and a heel portion, the toe portions extending downward from, and forward of, each of the toes of the boots, respectively;    a front wheel axle assembly mounted on the toe portion of each of the frames, respectively, each of the axle assemblies having a front wheel mounted for rotation thereon between the spaced side members of the boots;    a rear wheel axle assembly mounted on the heel portion of each of the frames, respectively, each of the rear wheel assemblies having a pair of rear wheels mounted for rotation thereon outside the spaced side members of the frame;    a brake unit attached to each of the frames, respectively, each of the brake units having a pair of brake shoes mounted for selective frictional engagement with each of the rear wheels, respectively; and    a brake control system connected to each of the brake units, respectively, each of the brake control systems having: 
 a handgrip;  
 a lever pivotally attached to the handgrip, the lever pivoting between a brake release position and a brake engaged position; and  
 a pair of Bowden cables extending between the lever and the brake unit, the cables acting to selectively engage the brake shoes with the rear wheels in order to control rotation of the wheels in response to pivoting the lever relative to the handgrip.  
   
   
   
       2 . The three-wheeled skate system according to  claim 1 , wherein the toe portion of each of said frames has first and second pairs of axle-receiving bores defined therein, the second pair of axle-receiving bores being located above and to the rear of the first pair of axle receiving bores, said front axle assemblies being selectively mounted in the first pair of axle-receiving bores for cruising style of skating, and being selectively mounted in the second pair of axle-receiving bores for speed skating, forward cant of said boots being increased when the front axle assemblies are mounted in the second pair of axle-receiving bores.  
   
   
       3 . The three-wheeled skate system according to  claim 1 , further including a belt adapted for being worn about a user's waist, the belt having: 
 a buckle mounted on one end of the belt for adjusting to the waist size of the user;    a holster mounted on the belt for holding said handgrip when not in use; and    a cable guide mounted on the belt for keeping said Bowden cables close to the user's body in order to avoid snagging said cables on limbs and structures during skating.    
   
   
       4 . The three-wheeled skate system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said rear axle assemblies is mounted through and between said frame side members, respectively, each of said rear axle assemblies further comprising: 
 a rear axle, said pair of rear wheels being mounted on the rear axle on the outside of said frame side members;    elastomeric mounting outer washers disposed on the rear axle between each of said rear wheels and each said frame side member;    elastomeric mountings disposed on the rear axle between each of said elastomeric mounting outer washers and each said frame side member;    elastomeric mounting inner washers disposed on the rear axle between said frame side members; and    a rear axle central spacer disposed on said rear axle between each of said elastomeric mounting inner washers;    wherein the elastomeric mountings permit said frames and said boots to lean into a curve while said rear wheels remain on a skating surface, thereby providing a user with improved balance and traction during execution of a curve.    
   
   
       5 . The three-wheeled skate system according to  claim 4 , wherein the heel portion of each of the side members of said frames have rear axle bores defined therein, said elastomeric mountings being generally frustoconical in shape and being held within the rear axle bores.  
   
   
       6 . The three-wheeled skate system according to  claim 1 , wherein said brake unit further comprises: 
 a lever axle mounted for rotation between the side members of said frame, said brake shoes being mounted on opposite ends of the lever axle;    a brake shoe lever fixed to, and extending normal from, the lever axle for rotation therewith, one of said pair of Bowden cables being attached to the brake shoe lever;    a spring anchor bar extending between the side members of said frame; and    a brake spring having a first end attached to the spring anchor bar and a second end attached to the brake shoe lever, the brake spring biasing said brake shoes away from contact with said rear wheels when the brake unit lever is in the brake release position.    
   
   
       7 . A three-wheeled skate, comprising: 
 a boot having a sole defining a toe and a heel;    an elongated frame extending along said sole and having a toe plate and a heel plate attached to said toe and said heel, respectively;    said elongated frame having spaced side members extending the length thereof and forming a respective toe portion and a heel portion;    said toe portions extending downward from and forward of said toe of said boot;    a front wheel axle assembly and a front wheel;    said toe portion supporting said front wheel axle assembly supporting said front wheel mounted for rotation between said spaced side members at a point downward from and forward of said toe of said boot;    a rear wheel axle assembly and a pair of rear wheels;    said heel portion respectively supporting said rear wheel axle assembly supporting said pair of rear wheels mounted for rotation on respective outer sides of said spaced side members of said frame;    a brake unit attached to said frame having a pair of brake shoes mounted for selective frictional engagement with said pair of rear wheels; and,    a brake control system comprising a lever and a grip device acting on a Bowden cable, said cable extending to said brake unit and acting to selectively engage said brake shoes with said rear wheels so as to control rotation of said wheels in response to rotating said lever relative to said grip device.    
   
   
       8 . The three-wheeled skate according to  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 first and second pairs of axle receiving bores located in said toe portions of said front frames, respectively, each said second pair of axle receiving bores being located above and to the rear of respective said first pair of axle receiving bores, said front axle assembly being selectively mounted in said first pair of axle receiving bores for cruising style of skating and in said second pair of axle receiving bores, thereby increasing the forward cant of said respective boots for speed skating.    
   
   
       9 . The three-wheeled skate according to  claim 7 , wherein said rear axle assembly is mounted through and between said frame side members, said rear axle assembly further comprising: 
 a rear axle for mounting said pair of rear wheels on the outside of each of said frame side members;    elastomeric mounting outer washers on said rear axle between each of said rear wheels and said frame side members;    elastomeric mountings on said rear axle between each of said elastomeric mounting outer washers and the outside of each of said frame side members;    elastomeric mounting inner washers on said rear axle adjacent to the inside of each of said frame side members; and,    a rear axle central spacer on said rear axle between each of said elastomeric mounting inner washers between the inside of each of said frame side members;    wherein said elastomeric mountings allow said frame and said boot to lean into a curve while said rear wheels remain on a skating surface providing a user with improved balance and traction during execution of a curve.    
   
   
       10 . The three-wheeled skate according to  claim 9 , wherein said elastomeric mountings are generally frustoconical in shape and are held within conforming receiving bores in said heel portion of said frame side members.  
   
   
       11 . The three-wheeled skate according to  claim 7 , wherein said  2  brake unit further comprises: 
 a brake-actuating lever connected to one of said pair of Bowden cables;    an actuating lever axle connected to and allowing rotation of said brake actuating lever;    a brake shoe connector for fixedly connecting said pair of brake shoes to each other to respond to rotation of said actuating lever axle; and,    a brake release spring attached between said brake actuating lever and a spring anchor bar extending between said heel portion of said frame side members;    whereupon when said Bowden cable is released, said brake release spring is extended, rotating said brake-actuating lever and said brake shoes away from engagement with said rear wheels allowing them to rotate freely.    
   
   
       12 . The three-wheeled skate according to  claim 11 , wherein said actuating lever axle and said brake shoe connector are one in the same.  
   
   
       13 . The three-wheeled skate according to  claim 7 , further comprising a sheath connection mounted through said sole of said boot for receiving said cable to connect to said brake unit.