Plastic skate sole plate with adjustable toe-stop mount

Claim 2

A roller skate structure comprising a relatively soft sole plate, a toe stop projecting from the sole plate, a toe stop mounting pin rigidly connected to the toe stop, and a relatively hard bushing rigidly embedded in the sole plate and adapted to receive the toe stop mounting pin, the bushing including relatively small diameter end portions and a relatively large diameter mid-portion intermediate the end portion adapted to immobilize the bushing from movement within the sole plate, a set screw threadably engaging the bushing mid-portion and engaging the mounting pin to immoblize the mounting pin in the bushing, the sole plate being counterbored to prevent contact between the set screw and the adjacent sole plate material and thereby prohibit transmission of force from the set screw directly to the sole plate.

Claim 3

A structure according to claim 1 wherein at least the bushing mid-portion is aggressively surfaced to inhibit rotational movement and further inhibit axial movement of the bushing relative to the sole plate.

Claim 4

A structure according to claim 1 wherein said bushing is provided with female threads, said mounting pin is provided with male threads mating with the bushing threads, and at least one flat surface extending over a plurality of mounting pin thread turns and oriented for engagement by the set screw throughout a range of positions, the set screw being provided with a planar end adapted to engage the mounting pin flat surface and exert an immobilizing force thereon.

Claim 5

A structure according to claim 1 wherein the total thickness of the bushing mid-portion is at least one-half the diameter of the mounting pin to inhibit the set screw from being forced out of the bushing, to inhibit sole plate cracking, and to inhibit motion of the bushing within the sole plate.

Claim 6

For use with a roller skate having a relatively soft plastic sole plate and a toe stop, toe stop mounting means being affixed to the toe stop, a relatively hard cylindrical bushing adapted for embedment in the sole plate for connecting the toe stop mounting means to the sole plate, the bushing including relatively small diameter end portions, a relatively large diameter mid-portion, and truncated conical annular step portions interconnecting the small diameter end portions and the large diameter mid-portion, at least one annular step portion being of radial extent sufficient to engage material forming the sole plate and transmit to saId sole plate forces imparted to the toe stop and toe stop mounting means in a direction which tend to move the bushing in a direction parallel to the axis of the bushing, the bushing further including an aggressive surface on at least the mid-portion for transmitting to the sole plate forces imparted to the toe stop and toe stop mounting means which act in a direction tending to move the bushing in a direction parallel to the axis of the bushing and forces tending to rotate the bushing in the sole plate material.

Claim 7

For use with a roller skate having a relatively soft plastic sole plate and a toe stop, toe stop mounting means being affixed to the toe stop, a relatively hard cylindrical bushing adapted for embedment in the sole plate for connecting the toe stop mounting means to the sole plate, the bushing including relatively small diameter end portions, a relatively large diameter mid-portion, and truncated conical annular step portions interconnecting the small diameter end portions and the large diameter mid-portion, at least one annular step portion being of radial extent sufficient to engage material forming the sole plate and transmit to saId sole plate forces imparted to the toe stop and toe stop mounting means in a direction which tend to move the bushing in a direction parallel to the axis of the bushing, the bushing further including an aggressive surface on at least the mid-portion for transmitting to the sole plate forces imparted to the toe stop and toe stop mounting means which act in a direction tending to move the bushing in a direction parallel to the axis of the bushing and forces tending to rotate the bushing in the sole plate material.