Combined roller and blade skate

Claim 1

A skate for use on synthetic skating surface in a manner similar to an ice-skate, said skate comprising a boot having a rigid sole affixed thereto and a train having upper heel and toe plates rigidly secured to said sole, said train extending along the central longitudinal axis of the sole, said train including a rear and a front wheel-retaining means formed below said heel plate and said toe plate, respectively, a rear and a front roller wheel rotatably mounted in said rear and front wheel-retaining means, respectively, each roller wheel having a transverse flat and hard circumferential surface with sharp circumferential edges, said front roller wheel located just slightly ahead of the center of gravity of a skater using the skate, said train further including a blade-retaining means extending below said toe plate and forwardly of said front wheel-retaining means, a skate blade rigidly and detachably secured to said blade-retaining means, both roller wheels and said skate blade being aligned along the said central longitudinal axis of the sole, said blade being thinner than the width of the circumferential surface of said roller wheels, said blade having a lower edge which is slightly convexly curved upwardly and forwardly, said blade having a rear bottom tip which is spaced above a straight line tangential to the skating surface-engaging zone of both roller wheels, said blade having a front bottom tip which is spaced a substantial vertical distance below said toe plate, said lower edge becoming progressively more upwardly inclined with respect to said straight line from said rear to said front bottom tip of said blade.