Evening star., 1950-05-31
ECono Juge Loop SWING Lofty Jig Circus Crowds

Ever see a sell propelled loop
swing?"
Motorists driving along the
Marlboro pike through Hillside,
Md. any evening during the last
few weeks have, although chances
are they didn't know it.
What they saw was huge wind
mill-like contraption with a mid
dle-aged man calmly strolling-or
maybe dancing a jig-within cir
cular open cage at the tip of one
of the furiously whirling blades.
That was a self-propelled loop
swing, according to its inventor
and operator-the only one in the
world.
1--WE got a patent pending on
it," proudly explained 56-year- -old
C. C. Beckett. onetime carnival
juggler and now a maintenance
worker at Constitution Hall.
Attached to the same iron
framework in a lot beside Holes
Motor Service, at 6258 Marlboro
pike. is an equally weird looking
thingamajig which is as yet un-
named.
Balancing Act.
It's another balancing act,
though, in which Mr.. Beckett
straps his feet to the end of
metal arm and sets it awhirling
by shifting his body back and
forth. Motorists eyes bug out
when they see him hanging up
side down so feet above the
ground.
Both gadgets are strict
ly Beckett-and-gravity powered.
Both carry about 100 pounds Of
weight at the opposite end of the
50-foot arm to balance the 168-
pound inventor.
Exclaimed one incredulous pas
serby:
you can't tell me! You've
got a motor in there somewhere"
Mr.. Beckett assured him he
didn't. His only equipment is a
lot of concentration and deter
mination," an acute sense of bal
ance and a pair of repe-soled
shoes.
Mr.. Beckett. a fast-talking man
with crinkles around his eyes.
drives out nearly every afternoon
after work to practice. When he
gets expert enough, he aims to
land a spot in a carnival or circus.
Nothing Like 1t.
There's absolutely nothing like
it," he says enthusiastically. Il
went down to the circus the other
night to see what's new, and they
had the same old stuff. What the
public wants is something new,
different"
Ever since he was a kid in his
native Hannibal, Mo, Mr.. Beckett
has been dabbling in things new.
He's taken out eight patents on
things ranging from kitchen gad-
gets to an automatic golf tee for
driving ranges.
His latest is a circular ("my
mind runs in circles'D toy he calls
"whirl-a-ball." But Mr.. BecSett's
patent attorney dug back in the
records. found out it was put out
48 years ago."
Il always have bunch of BRAIN
storms working" Mr.. Beckett said.
For his loop swing, he started
several years ago and had to work
up to it" after starting out by
swinging ladder back and forth.
He had a smaller version set up
about a year ago. but his present
one has been up for less than a
$4,000 Investment.
It's cost him about $4,000 so far.
metal, the $40 monthly
rent for his site and welding. The
whole contraption weighs about a
ton.
A veteran of World War I, Mr.
Beckett has done juggling and
"barrel-jumping" for carnival
and was dancing instructor for
several years. He's been in Wash
ington since 1888, living at 145I
North Carolina avenue NE. Before
taking job at Constitution Hall,
he was a guard for the Public
Buildings Administration.
He was not only inside his loop
swing. but also ouside. He's got
some other ideas, too, such as
riding a small bicycle around in
side one of the wire circles, or
teaching a few dogs to trot inside
them.
But Mr.. Beckett has one press
ing problem. After all, there are
two circles, and agile as he is. he
can't be in both at the same time.
So he's looking for a partner.
Il had one last year." he said,
"but he got cold feet"