Importance

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Abstract

A braking system preferably for an in-line skate includes a brake pad mounted to a forward end of a skate frame and an elevated front wheel attached to the skate frame by two pivot arms. The pivot arms are biased forward which is in a clockwise direction with respect to their pivot point. When skating normally, the pivot arms bias the wheel against the brake pad, but the wheel is elevated from the skating surface and thus the brake is not engaged. When skating in a rearward direction, or desiring a push start, the skater rotates the toe portion of the skate downward and raises the heel. The front wheel will engage the skating surface and the reaction force on the wheel due to friction between it and the skating surface which will urge the wheel forward and increase the contact pressure between it and the brake pad. When skating forward, if the skater rotates his or her foot so that the front wheel engages the skating surface, the frictional force between the surface and the wheel causes a rearward force on the wheel away from the brake pad, thus ensuring that the skater will not trip due to sudden braking of the front wheel.

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First Claim