Patent GB-1260373-A (GB)
Title: Amusement device
Inventor: SIMMONS CLARENCE CHESTER
IPC: A63G19/02
Filed: 1969-04-03
Abstract: 1,260,373. Amusement device. C. C. SIMMONS. 3 April, 1969, No. 17578/69. Heading A6M. A spring mounted device adapted to be ridden and caused to progress along a floor in a series of leaps generally comparable to the leaping action of a galloping horse is illustrated in Fig. 3. The device comprises an articulated chassis 1 comprising a back assembly 2 including rigidly associated rear leg members 3, 3 and a rigid neck supporting portion 4. A front leg assembly 5 is pivotally connected at 6 to the base component 7 of the back assembly and includes front leg members 8, 8. The back assembly base component comprises a horizontal pair of flat metal bars 7, 7, the sides being held parallel by welded bottom plates 7', 7'. The rear legs 3, 3 extend diagonally upwards in a straight portion 11 and merge into a curved portion 11' entering the space between the members 7, 7. As viewed; from the rear or the front of the device, the leg members extend vertically upward to about the hock region arid then converge towards  the planes of the sides of the member 7, 7 (Fig. 12). The leg portions are preferably reinforced by braces comprising a metal bar having one end welded to the rear outer face of one of the members 7 and the other welded to the leg and continuing in a horizontal bar to the other leg and upward to the other plate 7 (Fig. 13 not shown). The front legs are similarly formed, having upwardly diagonally extending runs 16, 16 which terminate in parallel laterally spaced runs 17, 17 having the ends thereof welded to plates 18, 18, spaced from the sides of the members 7, 7 by collars 18', 18' and having holes axially aligned therethrough in which the pivot bolt 6 is received. The legs preferably are reinforced by brace members 19, 19. Lateral stability is provided by mirror image brace members 20, 20 (Fig. 12). Each front leg member carries a footrest element 22 having a vertical flange 23 secured to the leg element. The lower end of each of the front and rear leg forming tubes carry plates 27 having an axial bore engaged be a threaded bolt 27' into a nut secured in the lower end of the tube by which the upper smaller end convolution of a conical coil spring 28 is detachably secured to the under side of the plate. The lower end of the spring terminates in a final convolution which is preferably covered by a length of close fitting tubing of rubber or like material 29'. The strength of the springs is such that under the loads imposed thereon incident to riding the device the spring is not more than partially compressed. The back assembly also includes a seat member 31 having a supporting lug portion 32 depending from its rear end engaging the tubes 3, 3. At its forward end the member 31 is provided with converging side edges 33, 33 to which the ends of a horizontal U-shaped bracket 34 are secured. The side portions of the bracket 34 are provided with holes 39, 39 which are engaged by the upper ends of a pair of tension coil springs 40, 40 constantly tending to move the front leg assembly in a clockwise direction about its pivotal mounting 6. The device is operated by the rider shifting his weight to the footrest causing the body and back assembly to move about the pivot 6 with the rear leg and seat portion moving forwardly beneath him. The rider then in effect jumps upwardly allowing the recoil of the now compressed front foot spring to cause the entire device to leap clear of the floor. He then applies a lifting force to the handles 46 which causes the body and back assembly to swing in a clockwise direction about the pivot 6 and thus brings the seat downwardly and forwardly. The rider then imposes his weight on the seat and pulls on the handles to cause the rear spring means to be compressed and then moves forwardly adding his momentum to the descending foot portion and the cycle may be repeated. Embodiments including only one fore leg and one rear leg or 2 fore legs and one rear leg are also described.