Variable geometry roller skates

Claim 2

A variable geometry roller skate comprising: a frame; front and rear pairs of wheels carried by said frame and longitudinally spaced from one another for rotation about longitudinally spaced, transversely extending, generally parallel front and rear axes, respectively, in a first configuration enabling the roller skate for movement in a longitudinal direction; and means connecting said frame and said front and rear pairs of wheels for enabling displacement of said wheels from said first configuration to a second configuration without disassembly of said wheels relative to said frame, each wheel in said second configuration being rotatable about a discrete, transversely extending axis spaced longitudinally of the axis of each other wheel of said front and rear pairs of wheels, enabling the roller skate for movement in said longitudinal direction, said connecting means enabling the wheels of said front and rear pairs of wheels to lie in substantial longitudinal alignment with one another in said second configuration, whereby all wheels of said pairs thereof lie substantially in-line with one another in said second configuration.

Claim 3

A roller skate according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means includes, in said first configuration of said wheels, generally longitudinally extending, transversely spaced, side elements and generally transversely extending, longitudinally spaced, end elements pivoted to one another to form a generally parallelogram linkage, and means interconnecting said frame and one of said elements for pivoting said linkage from a generally orthogonal rectilinear configuration establishing said first configuration to a non-orthogonal rectilinear configuration establishing said second configuration.

Claim 4

A roller skate according to claim 2 wherein one of said end elements is rotatable about a generally vertical axis normal to said longitudinal and transverse directions, and drive means cooperable between said frame and said one end element for rotating said one end element about said vertical axis to pivot said linkage and displace said wheels from said first configuration toward said second configuration.

Claim 5

A roller skate according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means enables displacement of said wheels from said second configuration to said first configuration.

Claim 6

A roller skate according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means includes means for positively displacing said wheels from said first configuration toward said second configuration.

Claim 7

A roller skate according to claim 1 including a latch cooperable between said frame and said connecting means for releasably locking said wheels in at least one of said configurations.

Claim 8

A roller skate according to claim 6 including a brake pad carried by said latch.

Claim 9

A roller skate according to claim 1 including a latch cooperable between said frame and said connecting means for releasably locking said wheels in each of said first and second configurations.

Claim 10

A variable geometry roller skate comprising: a frame; front and rear pairs of wheels; means connecting said front and rear pairs of wheels and said frame establishing first and second configurations of said wheels, said pairs of front and rear wheels in said first configuration being longitudinally spaced from one another for rotation about longitudinally spaced, transversely extending front and rear axes, respectively, enabling the roller skate for movement in a longitudinal direction, each wheel of said front and rear pairs of wheels in said second configuration being rotatable about a discrete transversely extending axis spaced longitudinally of the axis of each other wheel of said front and rear pairs of wheels and lying in substantial longitudinal alignment with each other wheel of said front and rear pairs of wheels whereby all wheels of said pairs thereof lie substantially in-line with one another in said second configuration, enabling the roller skate for movement in said longitudinal direction; said connecting means enabling displacement of said wheels from one of said first and second configurations to another of said first and second configurations without disassembly of said wheels relative to said frame.

Claim 11

A variable geometry roller skate comprising: a frame; front and rear pairs of wheels; means connecting said front and rear pairs of wheels and said frame establishing first and second configurations of said wheels, said pairs of front and rear wheels in said first configuration being longitudinally spaced from one another for rotation about longitudinally spaced, transversely extending front and rear axes, respectively, enabling the roller skate for movement in a longitudinal direction, each wheel of said front and rear pairs of wheels in said second configuration being rotatable about a discrete transversely extending axis spaced longitudinally of the axis of each other wheel of said front and rear pairs of wheels and lying in substantial longitudinal alignment with each other wheel of said front and rear pairs of wheels whereby all wheels of said pairs thereof lie substantially in-line with one another in said second configuration, enabling the roller skate for movement in said longitudinal direction; said connecting means enabling displacement of said wheels from one of said first and second configurations to another of said first and second configurations without disassembly of said wheels relative to said frame.

Claim 12

A roller skate according to claim 9 wherein said connecting means includes in said first configuration of said wheels, generally longitudinally extending, transversely spaced, side elements and generally transversely extending, longitudinally spaced end elements pivoted to one another to form a generally parallelogram linkage, and means interconnecting said frame and one of said elements for pivoting said linkage from a generally orthogonal rectilinear configuration establishing said first configuration to a non-orthogonal rectilinear configuration establishing said second configuration.

Claim 13

A roller skate according to claim 9 including a latch cooperable between said frame and said connecting means for releasably locking said wheels in at least one of said configurations.

Claim 14

A roller skate according to claim 11 including a brake pad carried by said latch.

Claim 15

A roller skate according to claim 9 including a latch cooperable between said frame and said connecting means for releasably locking said wheels in each of said first and second configurations.

Claim 16

A variable geometry roller skate comprising: a frame; a pair of wheels and at least a third wheel carried by said frame, said pair of wheels and said third wheel being longitudinally spaced from one another for rotation about longitudinally spaced, transversely extending axes, respectively, in a first configuration of said wheels, enabling the roller skate for movement in a longitudinal direction; means connecting said frame and said pair of wheels for enabling displacement of said pair of wheels from a first orientation in said first configuration of said wheels to a second orientation in a second configuration of said wheels wherein each wheel of said pair of wheels and said third wheel is rotatable about a discrete transversely extending axis spaced longitudinally of the axis of each other wheel thereof, enabling the roller skate for movement in said longitudinal direction in said second configuration; said connecting means enabling the wheels of said pair of wheels without disassembly of said pair of wheels relative to said frame to lie in substantial longitudinal alignment with one another and with said third wheel in said second configuration whereby all wheels of said pair of wheels and said third wheel lie substantially in-line with one another in said second configuration.

Claim 17

A variable geometry roller skate comprising: a frame; a pair of wheels and at least a third wheel carried by said frame, said pair of wheels and said third wheel being longitudinally spaced from one another for rotation about longitudinally spaced, transversely extending axes, respectively, in a first configuration of said wheels, enabling the roller skate for movement in a longitudinal direction; means connecting said frame and said pair of wheels for enabling displacement of said pair of wheels from a first orientation in said first configuration of said wheels to a second orientation in a second configuration of said wheels wherein each wheel of said pair of wheels and said third wheel is rotatable about a discrete transversely extending axis spaced longitudinally of the axis of each other wheel thereof, enabling the roller skate for movement in said longitudinal direction in said second configuration; said connecting means enabling the wheels of said pair of wheels without disassembly of said pair of wheels relative to said frame to lie in substantial longitudinal alignment with one another and with said third wheel in said second configuration whereby all wheels of said pair of wheels and said third wheel lie substantially in-line with one another in said second configuration.