Patent GB-190416979-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Revolving Towers for Recreation.
Inventor: FRIEDE SAMUEL MEYER
Filed: 1904-08-03
Granted: 1904-11-17
Abstract: 16,979. Friede, S. M. Aug. 7, A.D. 1903, [date applied for under Patents Act, A.D. 1901]. Roundabouts. - An amusement apparatus is formed of a tower which rotates with a platform, and is provided with cars which move up and down the tower, the cars being so connected that one pair moves up together, while another similar pair is moving down, and consequently the mechanism which moves the cars has only to overcome frictional &c. resistances. The cars are given the appearance of an airship, and mirrors arranged in tLe rear and sides of the cars are adapted to hide the supporting-structure from passengers, so as to produce the effect of floating freely in the air. The tower 1, Fig. 1, is preferably constructed of steel framework, and is mounted on a rotating platform 2. The cars, three of which 4, 6, 7 are shown in Fig. 1, are connected together, so as to counterbalance each other, by cables 8, 9, 10, 11, Fig. 3, each connected to two cars and passing around suitable guide-pulleys and sheaves 13 mounted on a stud 15 supported in bearings in the framework of the tower. Each car is also connected to a pair of driving-cables 19, 22, 25, 29 wound around a drum 18, the cables passing over suitable guiding- pulleys, as shown in Fig. 3, and being so connected that one pair of cars is raised while the other is lowered. The drum 18 is mounted on the platform 2, and is driven by an electric or other motor 34, which drives a worm 32 and worm-wheel 33 on the drum shaft. The motor is provided with a reversing-switch, or reversing-gear if not electric, for reversing the direction of driving when one pair of cars has reached the top of -the tower. The preferred form of car, shown in Fig. 7, consists of a cage 36, which, for safety, is enclosed by glass or wire netting and is only accessible through doors 37, Fig. 1. The seats 38 face outwards, and mirrors 39, 40 cut off the view of any part of the tower from the passengers. The car is guided upon the tower by angle-iron guides 41, against which travel bearing-wheels 42, and, to prevent the car from swaying outwards by wind pressure &c., safety wheels 43 are hooked behind the flanges of the guides 41. Arranged above the car is a cigar-shaped body 44, from which the car appears to be suspended as from the balloon of an air ship, and propeller blades 45 are mounted at the ends and sides of the body 44, the propellers being driven from the bearing-wheels 42 through a driving-band and suitable gearing. The platform 2 is pivoted upon a vertical pin 50, Fig. 10, the base 53 being embraced by a central casting 54 of the platform, which rests upon antifriction rollers 55. These rollers travel on a foundation plate 56, to which the pin 50 is attached, and which is secured to a concrete base 57 by bolts 58. The platform is rotated by means of bearing- wheels 60, Fig. 9, journalled on the underside of the platform. The wheels 60 are driven by worm gearing 61 and a belted connection 62 leading to a suitable motor mounted on the platform, which motor may be the one by which the cars are moved up and down. The wheels 60 move over a circular track 59 arranged on the concrete base. Attached to the underside of the platform is a circular rail 63, which is a'apted to prevent the tower from tilting and comes in contact with rollers 64, mounted in bearings anchored at 65 to the concrete base, when the platform is raised at any side.