The patent NO 146731, which describes one type of roller skates, shows even a lack of brake device. One patent for a brake device for a roller ski, NO 140655, describes a brake de- vice which may be activated by moving the lower part of the ! eg forwards or backwards. It may also be adapted to be used in roller skates. NO 303717 describes also how a brake on a roller ski may be activated by moving the lower leg part backwards.

Would the solutions described be modified for roller skates, this wouid involve a risk of undesired activation of the braking func- tion, as a consequence of the movement pattern when skating.

Moreover, a construction for conducting the movement of the lower part of the leg to the lower side of the sole of the roller skate would be apprehended as a little bit extensive for being practical. Both that patent and the patent NO 303717 describe a construction for braking directly against the rubber coating/tyre of the rear wheel, which neither results in such uniform and pre- dictable braking as when a brake block is pressed against a disc intended for braking. The patent EP 0 810 010 A2 describes a roller skate having the two rear wheels suspended in a separate frame with one wheel located in front of another wheel. The roller skate is connected through a hinge to this frame. This means that a brake block positioned on the back of the roller

skate may be pressed against the road surface at the same time as the roller skate may have more than one wheel pressed against the underlayer, which is good, but the patent has, acm cordingly, not eliminated the use of braking through a brake b ! ock against the road surface, By means of a roller skate brake in accordance with this inven- tion, described below, safe and uniform braking will always be possible. The life time of the brake blocks described for this in- vention will be nearly forever, compared with those pressed di- rectiy against the road surface. Since it is easier to maintain a great part of the weight on the skate used for braking through this invention, it will also be possible to obtain a better balance, and since the braking will be uniform this will also contribute to a better balance, An improved balance will in its turn give an in- valuable contribution to a reduced number of accidents. Another advantage of this invention is that if a braking would be so strong that it results in an unbalance, the braking will automati- cally cease.

All this is obtained by letting one or more of the rear wheels of the rollor skate to be connected to each other in a frame which is connected to one and the same hinge in the sole of the roller skate, so that when the front part of the roller skate is lifted, at ; east two wheels will continuously be able to have contact with the road surface. At such a movement of the sole with respect to the rear wheel brake blocl<s will be pressed against brake discs of one or more of the wheels having contact with the road sur- face.

How power shall be transmitted to a brake block through the movement described may be carried out in many ways. Fig 1 and 2 show one way. Fig 3 and 4 show another way. Fig 5 and 6 show a third way. The figures 1,3 and 5 show a roller skate having a brake device not activated. Fig 2,4 and 6 show a brake

device activated by lifting the front part of the roller skate-Fig 7, 8 and 9 show three different ways to control brake blocks.

The figures comprise : 1) The shoe of the rosier skate.

2) Hinge around which a frame 4 for the rear wheels may move.

3) Wheel f the roller skate.

4) Frame in which rear wheels 3 are suspended.

5) Part of the frame 4 for possibly guiding a brake block 7.

6) Brake disc on the side of wheel 3 of the roller skate.

7) Brake block.

8) Rod between the sole of the roller skate and the brake block 7.

9) Spring, possibly with damper, which draws the frame 4 to- wards a not braking position.

10) Rod for guiding the rod 8.

11) Screw, possibly spring-loaded, for adjusting the distance between rod 8 and shoe 1.

12) Locking screw for adjusting the position of the brake block 7 in rod 8.

13) Hinge for brake block 7, so that this gets a good contact against the brake disc 6.

14) Axle to wheel 3.

15) Fastener in alternative positions on the brake block 7 for rod or wire 17.

16) Thread or slot in a part of the brake block 7 running in a track around the wheel axle 14.

17) Rod or wire for turning the brake block 7 around the wheel axle 14.

In the example shown by the figures 1 to 4 the rear wheels of the roller skate are arranged in a frame 4, in which one wheel is arranged in front of another in the longitudinal direction of the roller skate. The frame 4 is through a hinge 2 connected to the shoe 1 of the roller skate. This frame 4 with the two wheels may

move around the hinge 2, so that when the front part of the roller skate is lifted from the road surface the wheels connected to this frame 4 will be able to maintain the contact on the road surface, and the distance between the frame 4 and the sole of the roller skate in front of the hinge 2 will increase. The distance between the frame 4 and the sole will be reduced behind the hinge 2 Thanks to the changes in distance described a power transmitting medium, such as for example rod 8, may be ar- ranged between the sole of the roller skate and the frame 4 so that it draws or presses brake blocks 7 against brake discs 6 on one or both rear wheels. In the example shown in fig 5 and 6 only the rearmost wheel 3 is arranged in a frame 4, which through hinge 2 is connected to the roller skate so that wheel 3 may move towards the shoe 1 of the roller skate.

The following describes some way to achieve this. See figures 1, 2, 3 and 4. Two rods 8 are connected through one end each to each other by a hinge. The other end of one of the two rods is through a hinge connected to the front part of said frame 4. The other end is through a hinge connected to the sole of the roller skate. When the roller skate stands with all wheels on the road surface the two rods 8 will make an angle with respect to each other. When the front part of the roller skate is lifted so that the distance between the front part of the frame 4 and the sole of the roller skate is increased, the angle between the two rods 8 will increase, since the outer ends of the two rods are drawn away from each other. In a corresponding way will the angle for rods 8 be reduced when coupled in the same way against the rearmost wheel. The changes of the angle described mean that the rods 8 coupled to the frame 4 will move with respect thereto.

This movement may be used to press brake blocks 7 against brake discs 6, possibly between a part of the frame 4 designed for this and brake disc 6.

Fig 5 and 6 show how rod 8 may be used for pressing brake block 7 against brake disc 6 when only the rearmost wheel 3 is

arranged in frame 4, which through hinge 2 is connected to the rest of the roller skate. By allowing the rod 8 to turn around a hinge connected to the sole of the roller skate and allowing one end of the rod to be connected to the movable frame 4, the other end of the rod will be able to press a brake block against a brake disc on the wheel in front of the rearmost wheel. By brak- ing also against the rearmost wheel this may be carried out as described above for the solution with a plurality of wheels con- nected to the movable frame 4.

Rods 8 may also be coupled so that one rod on each side of a wheel in frame 4 is connected to a hinged rod, and so that the hinge of this rod in its turn is connected to the sole of the roller skate. The movements of the frame 4 with respect to the sole will in this way be able to press rods 8 with brake blocks 7 against brake discs 6 on the sides of the wheei. See fig 7.

Rods 8 may also be designed so that they clamp as tongs around a wheel and press brake blocks 7 against brake discs 6 on each side of the wheel. See fig 8. Rods 8 may also be con- nected so that they may move for obtaining the same pressure on each side of the wheel, Brake block 7 may also be designed so that it has slots or threads 16 engaging in corresponding slots around a wheel axle 14. The design of the slots is so that when the brake block 7 is rotated around the wheel axle the brake block 7 will either move against a brake disc 6 or away therefrom depending upon the direction of the rotation. See fig 9.

A wire 17 may be used instead of said rod. A wire 17 may for example be coupled against the sole in front of hinge 2 so that it pulls the brake block 7 to a braking position when the front part of the roller skate is lifted. The same wire 17 or another wire 17 may be connected into the sole behind the hinge 2, so that it pulls brake block 7 back to a not braking position when the front

part of the roller skate is lowered. An edge on the sole of the roller skate may also be used for transmitting the power or force from the movement between the sole and the frame 4 for moving the brake block 7.

Depending upon the way chosen to use the rods or wires de- scribed it may be necessary to connect brake discs 6 to wheei 3 so that the brake discs 6 may move along the axle 14 of the wheel for by that obtaining the same pressure from the brake blocks 7 on both sides of the wheei 3.

A spring 9 with a suitable strength keeps the frame 4 in a not braking position and prevents unintentional braking which may occur as as consequence of a rough or uneven road surface. The spring 9 may possibly be supplemented by dampers. This may be experienced as an advantage when braking, since it will damp possible variations of the braking action as a conse- quence of an uneven road surface.

Instead of using brake block and brake disc may of course brake belt and brake drum be used, but this is not as efficient. The ad- vantage of using rod having two or more parts is for being able, thanks to the angle made with respect to each other, to increase the power generated by the movement described between the frame 4 and the sole of the roller skate by means of the lever principle. Other mediums which may be used are pneumatic and hydraulic means for transmitting power from the movement be- tween the frame 4 and sole. This may be obtained by letting said movement, when the front part of the roller skate is lifted, re- duce the volume in a container for gas or liquid. The pressure from this container is led onto the brake blocks 7 so that the wheels are braked. Springs may be used for pressing brake blocks 7 back when the liquid or gas pressure decreases.

When the principle described above for braking is to imple- mented for a traditional roller skate having a wheel in each cor-

ner at least one additional wheel, thus a fifth wheel, has to be arranged behind the two rear wheels. These three, or more, rear wheels may together be connected in a frame 4 and through a hinge between these wheels be connected to the sole of the roller skate, so that the front part of the rotter skate may be lifted while these three or more rear wheels will continuously have contact against the underlayer. The wheel axle between the left and right rear wheei may be connected to the wheels so that it rotates with the wheels and be provided with one or more brake discs or brake drums, which may be braked by means of one of the methods described above.

The wheels provided with a brake should have a stronger wear part as a consequence of an increased friction against the un- derlayer when braking. This wear part may possibly consist of an outer layer being easiiy reptaceabie and which may be kept in place by slots and/or by means of a pin or screw against the tyre or wheel.

When it is referred to the sole of the roller skate above in con- nection with for example the description of rod 8 the entire part of the roller skate not moving together with the frame 4 is in- tended. Sole would in this context normally be the same as the frame to which the frame 4 is connected.