Frame for a skate, method for the manufacture thereof, skating shoe and skate

Abstract

A support assembly for attachment to a skating shoe includes a frame having two fastening brackets with openings through which connection members extending away from the sole plate of the skating shoe can extend and either a skate blade or at least three freely rotatable wheels attached to the frame. When the support assembly includes at least three wheels, they are attached to the frame such that each group of at least two wheels has an underlying tangent which extends outside each remaining wheel.

I claim: . .1. An elongated frame for attachment to a skating shoe that includes a sole plate and two longitudinally spaced apart connection members extending away from the sole plate, said elongated frame having first and second spaced-apart fastening brackets with openings through which said two connection members can respectively extend, one of said openings comprising a slot which extends transversely of said elongated frame to enable adjustable transverse attachment of said frame to said skating shoe..!.. .2. An elongated frame according to claim 1, wherein said frame includes means for the attachment thereto of at least three freely rotatable wheels that constitute at least two groups of successive wheels, said wheels being attached to said frame such that they are aligned in a principal plane and an underlying tangent line to one group of wheels extends below all other wheels..!.. .3. An elongated frame according to claim 2, wherein said means includes a pair of aligned slots which extend longitudinally of said frame..!.. .4. An elongated frame according to claim 3, wherein one pair of said aligned slots are generally Z-shaped..!.. .5. A support assembly for attachment to a skating shoe that has a sole plate and two longitudinally spaced-apart connection members extending outwardly from said sole plate, said support assembly including an elongated frame having first and second spaced-apart fastening brackets with openings through which said two connection members can respectively extend, one of said openings comprising a slot which extends transversely of said elongated frame to enable adjustable transverse attachment of said frame to said skating shoe, and at least three wheel assemblies with freely rotatable wheels attached to said frame so that said wheels are aligned in a principal plane and so that an underlying tangent line of a group of two successive wheels extends below all other wheels..!.. .6. A support assembly according to claim 5, wherein said frame includes pairs of aligned slots for the attachment of said wheel assemblies..!.. .7. A support assembly according to claim 6, wherein one pair of said aligned slots is generally Z-shaped..!.. .8. A support assembly according to claim 5, wherein said frame has a front end and a rear end and wherein the wheel of the wheel assembly attached to said frame nearest said rear end is larger in diameter than the wheels of either of the other wheel assemblies..!.. .9. An elongated frame for attachment to a skating boot which includes a sole plate, two longitudinally spaced-apart connection members extending away from the sole plate, and an eccentric positioning ring having ribs which is positionable along one of said connection members, said elongated frame having first and second spaced-apart fastening brackets with openings through which said two connection members can respectively extend one of said openings comprising a slot which is surrounded with ribs that extend in a direction generally transverse to said slot and which can co-act with the ribs of said positioning ring, said positioning ring enabling adjustable positioning of said frame to said skating shoe..!.. .10. An elongated frame according to claim 9, wherein said frame includes means for the attachment thereto of at least three freely rotatable wheels that constitute at least two groups of successive wheels, said wheels being attached to said frame such that they are aligned in a principal plane and an underlying tangent line to one group of wheels extends below all other wheels..!.. .11. An elongated frame according to claim 10, wherein said means includes a pair of aligned slots which extend longitudinally of said frame..!.. .12. An elongated frame according to claim 11, wherein one pair of said aligned slots are 
     
        generally Z-shaped..!..Iadd.13.  An elongated frame for attachment to a skating shoe that includes a sole plate and two longitudinally spaced apart connection members extending away from the sole plate, said elongated frame having first and second spaced apart fastening brackets with openings through which said two connection members can respectively extend, one of said openings comprising a slot which extends transversely of said elongated frame to enable adjustable transverse attachment of said frame to said skating shoe, said frame including means for the attachment thereto of at least three freely rotatable wheels that constitute at least two groups of successive wheels, said wheels being attached to said frame such that they are aligned in a principal plane and an underlying tangent line to one group of wheels extends below all other wheels, said means for attachment including a pair of aligned slots which extend longitudinally of said frame. .Iaddend..Iadd.14. An elongated frame according to claim 13, wherein one pair of said aligned slots are generally Z-shaped. 
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.15.  A support assembly for attachment to a skating shoe that has a sole plate and two longitudinally spaced apart connection members extending outwardly from said sole plate, said support assembly including an elongated frame having first and second spaced apart fastening brackets with openings through which said two connection members can respectively extend, one of said openings comprising a slot which extends transversely of said elongated frame to enable adjustable transverse attachment of said frame to said skating shoe, and at least three wheel assemblies with freely rotatable wheels attached to said frame so that said wheels are aligned in a principal plane and so that an underlying tangent line of a group of two successive wheels extends below all other wheels, said frame including pairs of aligned slots for attachment of said wheel assemblies. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. A support assembly according to claim 14, wherein one pair of said aligned slots is generally Z-shaped. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. A support assembly for attachment to a skating shoe that has a sole plate and two longitudinally spaced apart connection members extending outwardly from said sole plate, said support assembly including an elongated frame having first and second spaced apart fastening brackets with openings through which said two connection members can respectively extend, one of said openings comprising a slot which extends transversely of said elongated frame to enable adjustable transverse attachment of said frame to said skating shoe, and at least three wheel assemblies with freely rotatable wheels attached to said frame so that said wheels are aligned in a principal plane and so that an underlying tangent line of a group of two successive wheels extends below all other wheels, said frame having a front end and a rear end and wherein the wheel of the wheel assembly attached to said frame nearest said rear end is larger in diameter than the wheels of either of the other wheel assemblies. .Iaddend..Iadd.18. An elongated frame for attachment to a skating boot which includes a sole plate, two longitudinally spaced apart connection members extending away from the sole plate, and an eccentric positioning ring having ribs which is positionable along one of said connection members, said elongated frame having first and second spaced apart fastening brackets with openings through which said two connection members can respectively extend, one of said openings comprising a slot which is surrounded with ribs that extend in a direction generally transverse to said slot and which can co-act with the ribs of said positioning ring, said positioning ring enabling adjustable positioning of said frame to said skating shoe, said frame and said fastening brackets 
     
     
        comprising a one-piece integral construction. .Iaddend..Iadd.19.  An elongated frame according to claim 18, wherein said frame includes means for the attachment thereto of at least three freely rotatable wheels that constitute at least two groups of successive wheels, said wheels being attached to said frame such that they are aligned in a principal plane and an underlying tangent line to one group of wheels extends below all other wheels. .Iaddend..Iadd.20. An elongated frame according to claim 19, wherein said means for attachment includes a pair of aligned slots which extend longitudinally of said frame. .Iaddend..Iadd.21. An elongated frame according to claim 20, wherein one pair of said aligned slots are generally Z-shaped. .Iaddend..Iadd.22. An elongated frame for attachment to a skating shoe that includes a sole plate and two longitudinally spaced apart connection members extending away from the sole plate, said frame comprising an integral extruded body having portions thereof selectively removed to define a pair of sidewalls, said frame including first and second spaced apart fastening brackets each of which includes an upper wall having an opening formed therethrough for receiving one of said connecting members, each upper wall having opposite sides, said opposite sides being connected to said sidewalls by side legs, said frame and said fastening brackets comprising a one-piece integral construction, one of said upper walls having an undersurface, said undersurface having longitudinally extending ribs disposed at fixed pitch distances formed thereon adjacent the opening formed therethrough. .Iaddend..Iadd.23. A frame as defined in claim 22, wherein each upper wall defines an upwardly facing substantially planar surface, said surfaces on said pair of fastening brackets being disposed in planes offset from one another. .Iaddend..Iadd.24. A frame as defined in claim 22, wherein at least one of said sidewalls has an outwardly facing surface having longitudinally extending ribs disposed at a fixed pitch distance formed thereon. .Iaddend..Iadd.25. A frame as defined in claim 24, wherein said one sidewall has an opening formed therethrough adjacent said ribs. 
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.26.  An elongated frame for attachment to a skating shoe comprising an integral extruded profiled bar including a pair of spaced sidewalls for connection to carrier means such as a plurality of wheels or an ice skate blade, a first transverse wall connected to said sidewalls, a second transverse wall spaced from said first transverse wall in a direction away from said sidewalls, said second transverse wall being connected to said sidewalls, portions of said second transverse wall being selectively removed to define a first upper wall of a first fastening bracket for coupling with the toe of a skating shoe, portions of said sidewalls being selectively removed above said first sidewall to define first side legs connecting said upper wall to said sidewalls, said frame and said first fastening bracket comprising a one-piece integral construction, said profiled bar sidewalls having formed thereon more than two longitudinally extending ribs at fixed pitch distances, portions of said bar being removed to define at least one zone provided with ribs at fixed pitch distances extending longitudinally of said frame. .Iaddend..Iadd.27. A frame as defined in claim 26, including a third transverse wall connected to said sidewalls, said third transverse wall being spaced from said second transverse wall in a direction away from said sidewalls, portions of said third transverse wall being selectively removed to define a second upper wall of a second fastening bracket for coupling with the heel of a skating shoe, portions of said sidewalls being selectively removed above said first sidewall to define second side legs connecting said second upper wall to said sidewalls, said frame and said second fastening bracket comprising a one-piece integral construction. 
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.28.  An elongated frame for attachment to a skating shoe comprising an integral extruded profiled bar including a pair of spaced sidewalls for connection to carrier means such as a plurality of wheels or an ice skate blade, said bar having a front end and a rear end, said bar including spaced sidewalls having inwardly facing side surfaces and outwardly facing side surfaces, a first transverse wall connected to said sidewalls, a second transverse wall spaced from said first transverse wall in a direction away from said sidewalls, said second transverse wall being connected to said sidewalls, portions of said second transverse wall being selectively removed to define a first upper wall of a first fastening bracket for coupling with the toe of a skating shoe, portions of said sidewalls being selectively removed above said first transverse wall to define first, side legs connecting said upper wall to said sidewalls, said outwardly facing side surfaces each including portions which lie in a plane and are disposed substantially from said front end to said rear end of the frame, and a third transverse wall connected to said sidewalls, said third transverse wall being spaced from said second transverse wall in a direction away from said sidewalls, portions of said third transverse wall being selectively removed to define a second upper wall of a second fastening bracket for coupling with the heel of a skating shoe, portions of said sidewalls being selectively removed above said first transverse wall to define second side legs connecting said second upper wall to said sidewalls, said frame and second fastening bracket comprising a one-piece monolithic construction. .Iaddend.