US2826774A - Combined blade-guard and cleaner for ice skates - Google Patents

Description

March" 1 8,1958 R; N, SKRAINKA 2,826,774

COMBINED BLADE-GUARD AND CLEANER FOR ICE SKATES Filed July 11, 1955 v INVENTOR. RALPH NICHOLAS SKRAINKA FIG-:4 1 WW ATTORNEY ilitfi COMBINED BLADE-GUARD AND CLEANER FOR ICE SKATES This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in ice-skaters accessories and, more particularly, to a combined blade-guard and cleaner.

Ice-skaters, in order to keep the blades of their skates sharp and clean, ordinarily employ some form of bladeguards. Such devices are usually made of wood, leather, or synthetic resins and have a slot-like depression into which the blade snugly fits. For cleaning purposes, however, the average skater relies upon a rag or even a pocket handkerchief with which to wipe oif the mud, grime, and slush which accumulates on the skate-blades during use. The principal difficulty lies in the fact that it is essential to clean the skates reasonably well immediately after leaving the ice when the skate-guard is being applied because it dulls the blades to walk any appreciable distance away from the ice without skate-guards, and yet if skate guards are applied before cleaning the dirt and grime will become lodged in the runner-slot of the guard having a abrasive effect which will be equally damaging to the skate-blade. Rags and cloths, however, are unhandy to carry, frequently forgotten, and usually dirty. Furthermore, it is rather difficult for a skater to use a rag or cloth upon skates which are still on his or her own feet because very few persons are sufficiently ambidextrous and supple-limbed to reach all parts of the skates no matter what successive positions and postures are assumed. Finally, a cloth or rag is only effective in caring for ice skates when the latter are off the feet and are being thoroughly cleaned, dried, and polished in conjunction with suitable cleaning liquids and other additional instrumentalities.

It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a combined blade-guard and cleaner which is compact and convenient to carry, handle, and use.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the type stated which is highly efiicient in getting into the crevices and irregularities of shape in a skate-blade and can be effectively used by the skater to clean the skates while the latter are on the skaters own feet.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l is a perspective View of a combined skateguard and cleaner constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the combined skate-guard and cleaner shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of combined skate-guard and cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate practical embodi- States Patent 2,826,774 H Patented Mar. 18,1958

merits of the present invention, A designates a combined blade-guard and cleaner comprising an elongated body memberl provided in its upper longitudinal face with a relatively deep narrow slot 2 sized and shaped to house the skate-blade and being formed preferably of wood or other suitable material which will protectively house the blade without scratching or abrading it. At its forward end, the body member 1 is enlarged and curved upwardly to form an arcuate fore-end 3, which is, in turn, provided along its forwardly presented face with a slot 4 for snugly receiving a bristle-base 5 molded from synthetic resin or other suitable material and pref erably secured in place by small drive pins 6. Set into the outer face of the bristle-base 5 are relatively long, outwardly projecting, stiff bristles 7 forming a somewhat arcuate brush element b. Attached at its ends to the rear end of the body element, and extending arcuately over the slot 2, is aresilient securement member 8 which may be stretched over the rear end of the skate-blade in a conventional manner to hold the latter securely within the slot 2.

While actively skating, the skater can carry the combined blade-guard and cleaner A in a pocket or it can be laid aside in any conveniently remembered storage place directly adjacent to the ice. When the skater desires to discontinue skating and leave the ice, the bodymember 1 may be grasped near the rear end and used in the manner of a long-handled whisk-broom to remove grime, slush, and similar foreign matter from the blades and under sides of the skates. Thereupon, the cleaned skate-blade can be slipped into the slot 2 and conventionally secured therein by means of the securement member. In this position, the bristles 7 will not interfere with walking and similar uses to which the blade-guards must conventionally be suitable.

If desired, it is possible to provide a modified form of blade-guard and cleaner A, as shown in Figure 4, which is substantially identical with the previously described blade-guard and cleaner A, except that the foreend 10 is somewhat enlarged and provided with a flat top surface 11 which is tufted with bristles 12. The blade-guard and cleaner A is used in the same manner as the blade-guard and cleaner A, as previously described.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the combined blade-guard and cleaner may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

I 1. A combination guard and cleaner for ice-skate blades which comprises a straight elongated handleforming member having a channel extending longitudinally thereof sized for snugly accommodating a skate blade, said member terminating at one end in an enlarged portion having a somewhat arcuate end face and a plurality of bristles set into such face and extending outwardly therefrom at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the handle-forming member.

2. A combination guard and cleaner for ice-skate blades which comprises a straight elongated handleforming member having a channel extending longitudinally thereof sized for snugly accommodating a skate blade, said member terminating at one end in an enlarged portion having a somewhat circular end face and a plurality of bristles set into such face and extending outwardly therefrom perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle-forming member.

3. A combination guard and cleaner for ice-skate blades which comprises a straight elongated handleforming member having a channel extending longitudinally thereof sized for snugly accommodating a skate blade, said member terminating at one end in an enlarged portion having a somewhat circular end face and a plurality of bristles set into such end face and projecting radially outwardly therefrom.

4. A combination guard and cleaner for ice-skate blades which comprises a straight elongated handleforming member having a channel extending longitudinally thereof sized for snugly accommodating. a skate blade, said member terminating at one end in an enlarged portion having a somewhat arcuate end face, and a plurality of bristles set into such face and extending forwardly and outwardly therefrom at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the handle-forming member, said member also being provided with means adapted to hold an ice-skate blade securely within said channel.

5. A combination guard and cleaner for ice-skate blades which comprises a straight elongated handleforming member having a channel extending longitudinally thereof sized for snugly accommodating a skate blade, said member terminating at one end in an enlarged.

portion having a somewhat arcuate fore end provided with a forwardly presented slot, 3. brush base mounted Within said slot and provided with a plurality of bristles extending forwardly and outwardly therefrom and at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the handle-forming memher, and means on said handle-forming member for holding an ice-skate blade securely within said channel.

6. A combination guard and cleaner for ice-skate blades which comprises a straight elongated handleforming member having a channel extending longitudinally thereof sized for snugly accommodating a skate blade, said member terminating at one end in an enlarged portion having a somewhat arcuate fore end provided with a iiat top surface, a plurality of bristles set into said fiat top surface and extending outwardly substantially at right angles therefrom, and means on said handleforming member for holding an ice-skate blade securely within said channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 114,558 North May 2, 1939 1,788,433 Johnson Jan. 13, 1931 2,230,671 Skeese Feb. 4, 1941

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