IMPROVEMENTS IN ROUNDABOUTS OR MERRY GO ROUNDS
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 5th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 13th Sept., 18
I, JAMES WELBURN Haxby Near York Travelling Showman do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ROUNDABOUTS OR MERRY GO ROUNDS
to be as follows:-
:-
I construct a machine similar in appearance to an ordinary Roundabout, but in
place of the usual horses for persons to ride upon I employ small carriages or trucks
for them to be seated in or upon, these carriages or trucks I cause to move upon an
uneven track or Railway, so that as they are drawn round by the usual appliance of
steam power, the said trucks with its occupants are raised up and down similar to
being jolted over an uneven road, and to further interest or amuse the persons riding,
1 arrange one or more of the uneven portions of the track over which the said
carriages are drawn, by a hinged movement so as to be altered at will, and thus cause
the said carriages or trucks to rise or fall at different places at will. Now to enable
the persons to get into the carriages I cause them all to be stopped at the bottom of
the inclines, and then to start them I employ spring draw bars of different lengths,
so that only one half or portion of the said carriages are started at first, the latter
part or portion follow after those first started have reached the top of the inclines.
The carriages employed for the riders are not coupled together, so that they travel
at different speeds in going round and spring buffers prevent unpleasant jars or
knocks should they come into contact.
I also arrange for the safety of the persons looking on or pressing round the
machine, a rail or guard quite round the outside of track on which the said carriages
run, this guard I cause to be elevated at will or dropped down to allow persons to pass
over it.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts or Merry Go Rounds.
I JAMES WELBURN of Haxby Near York Yorkshire Travelling Showman do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The machine or apparatus according to my Invention is constructed similar in
appearance to an ordinary roundabout, and I employ in connection therewith cars
carriages or other convenient forms of vehicles in which the passengers are to be
seated and provide a circular or other shaped continuous track of rails (upon which
said cars or carriages are caused to travel) arranged at suitable distances apart, with
undulations taking the form of small hills or hillocks and presenting in appearance an
uneven or undulating continuous track, motion being transmitted to said cars or
carriages by steam or other equivalent power as hereinafter fully described, thus
enabling said cars or carriages to be drawn over the undulating continuous track of
rails aforesaid.
In order that my Invention may be the better understood I have appended the
accompanying two sheets of drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 an
elevational view of a machine and track constructed in accordance with my Invention.
Figure 3 is an elevation of a portion of the undulating track hereinafter described,
and Figures 4 and 5 represent plan and elevational views respectively of part of
the undulating continuous track and guard rail employed in conjunction therewith.
In illustration of the mode of carrying out my Invention, A represents the
undulating continuous track of rails over which the cars or carriages B are caused to
travel, motion being transmitted to said cars or carriages B, by the engine E-
disposed in the centre of the track-actuating by means of the ordinary gearing the
revolving top or framework F. Said top or framework revolves round the chimney of
the engine as a centre, and is further supported or retained in the desired position as
shown in Figure 2 by suspended supports (depending downwards from and moving
in conjunction with the revolving top or framework Faforesaid, the lower ends of
said vertical supports C being furnished with preferably two wheels bearing upon an
inner or independent rail D, Figure 1, provided for such purpose, said supports (
being retained firmly in position by compensating stay rods securing same to the
top as shown in dotted lines Figure 2; or, said revolving top or framework may
be supported by other equivalent means.
The cars or carriages B are connected separately and independently of each other
to the revolving top aforesaid by means of spring draw-bars or couplings H, said
connections compensating for the varying distance between the top F and the
undulating track A during the travel of the cars or carriages over said track; and,
I may, when desired, further connect said cars or carriages B to the revolving top or
framework F by means of the back or stopping chains H³.

page_text: I provide also in accordance with my Invention an arrangement for producing
additional hills or hillocks as may be required without in any way interfering with
the undulating track A, as shown at Figure 3, consisting of a hinged segment or
member N worked by the lever O, by means of which portions of the track may be
elevated at will to form additional or supplementary hills or hillocks which the cars or
carriages are caused to ascend and descend during their travel over the undulating
track aforesaid.
With a view to enable the passengers to enter or leave the cars or carriages, I
cause the latter to stop between the hollows formed by the hills or hillocks, by which
arrangement ready entrance to and exit from the cars or carriages is effected.
also provide at the entrances to and exits from the track, a guard rail J, rope,
chain or equivalent (supported by suitable uprights) shown more particularly at
Figures 4 and 5, for the safety of onlookers who may be near the track during the
time the cars or carriages are in motion, the raising and lowering of said guard
rail J-to enable the passengers to enter and leave the track-being offected by means
of the handle or lever K secured to the uprights (which latter are hinged at L) said
uprights moving coincidently with the handle or lever K.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First: The construction of merry go rounds or roundabouts wherein the cars or
carriages are impelled or drawn over the undulating continuous track by steam or
other motive power, substantially as herein set forth.
Second: In the construction of a merry go round or roundabout the employment
of hills or billocks forming a continuous undulating track over which the cars or
carriages containing the passengers are caused to travel substantially as herein
described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Third: The arrangement of the track referred to in the preceding claim with
hinged segments or members to form additional undulations over which the cars or
carriages are caused to travel substantially as herein described.
Fourth-The use of spring draw bars or couplings for connecting the cars or
carriages to the revolving top or frame work substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1888.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: I, JAMES WELBURN Haxby Near York Travelling Showman do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ROUNDABOUTS OR MERRY GO ROUNDS
to be as follows:-
1 construct a machine similar in appearance to an ordinary Roundabout, but in
place of the usual horses for persons to ride upon I employ small carriages or trucks
for them to be seated in or upon, these carriages or trucks I cause to move upon an
uneven track or Railway, so that as they are drawn round by the usual appliance of
steam power, the said trucks with its occupants are raised up and down similar to
being jolted over an uneven road, and to further interest or amuse the persons riding,
I arrange one or more of the uneven portions of the track over which the said
carriages are drawn, by a hinged movement so as to be altered at will, and thus cause
the said carriages or trucks to rise or fall at different places at will. Now to enable
the persons to get into the carriages I cause them all to be stopped at the bottom of
the inclines, and then to start them I employ spring draw bars of different lengths,
so that only one half or portion of the said carriages are started at first, the latter
part or portion follow after those first started have reached the top of the inclines.
The carriages employed for the riders are not coupled together, so that they travel
at different speeds in going round and spring buffers prevent unpleasant jars or
knocks should they come into contact.
I also arrange for the safety of the persons looking on or pressing round the
machine, a rail or guard quite round the outside of track on which the said carriages
run, this guard I cause to be elevated at will or dropped down to allow persons to pass
over it.

page_text: I JAMES WELBURN of Haxby Near York Yorkshire Travelling Showman do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The machine or apparatus according to my Invention is constructed similar in
appearance to an ordinary roundabout, and I employ in connection therewith cars
carriages or other convenient forms of vehicles in which the passengers are to be
seated and provide a circular or other shaped continuous track of rails (upon which
said cars or carriages are caused to travel) arranged at suitable distances apart, with
undulations taking the form of small hills or hillocks and presenting in appearance an
■Deven or undulating continuous track, motion being transmitted to said cars or
carriages by steam or other equivalent power as hereinafter fully described, thus
enabling said cars or carriages to be drawn over the undulating continuous track of
rails aforesaid.
In order that my Invention may be the better understood I have appended the
accompanying two sheets of drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 an
elevationl view of a machine and track constructed in accordance with my Invention.
Figure 3 is an elevation of a portion of the undulating track hereinafter described,
and Figures 4 and 5 represent plan and elevational views respectively of part of
the undulating continuous track and guard rail employed in conjunction therewith.
In illustration of the mode of carrying out my Invention, A represents the
undulating continuous track of rails over which the cars or carriages B are caused to
travel, motion being transmitted to said cars or carriages B, by the engine E-
disposed in the centre of the track-actuating by means of the ordinary gearing the
revolving top or framework F. Said top or framework revolves round the chimney of
the engine as a centre, and is further supported or retained in the desired position as
shown in Figure 2 by suspended supports C depending downwards from and moving
in conjunction with the revolving top or framework Faforesaid, the lower ends of
said vertical supports C being furnished with preferably two wheels bearing upon an
inner or independent rail D, Figure 1, provided for such purpose, said supports C
being retained firmly in position by compensating stay rods securing same to the
top as shown in dotted lines Figure 2; or, said revolving top or framework may
be supported by other equivalent means.
The cars or carriages B are connected separately and independently of each other
to the revolving top aforesaid by means of spring draw-bars or couplings H, said
connections compensating for the varying distance between the top F and the
undulating track A during the travel of the cars or carriages over said track; and,
I may, when desired, further connect said cars or carriages B to the revolving top or
framework F by means of the back or stopping chains H³.

page_text: I provide also in accordance with my Invention an arrangement for producing
additional hills or hillocks as may be required without in any way interfering with
the undulating track A, as shown at Figure 3, consisting of a hinged segment or
member N worked by the lever O, by means of which portions of the track may be
elevated at will to form additional or supplementary hills or hillocks which the cars or
carriages are caused to ascend and descend during their travel over the undulating
track aforesaid.
With a view to enable the passengers to enter or leave the cars or carriages, I
cause the latter to stop between the hollows formed by the hills or hillocks, by which
arrangement ready entrance to and exit from the cars or carriages is effected.
I also provide at the entrances to and exits from the track, a guard rail J, rope,
chain or equivalent (supported by suitable uprights) shown more particularly at
Figures 4 and 5, for the safety of onlookers who may be near the track during the
time the cars or carriages are in motion, the raising and lowering of said guard
rail J-to enable the passengers to enter and leave the track-being effected by means
of the handle or lever K secured to the uprights (which latter are hinged at L) said
uprights moving coincidently with the handle or lever K.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 wish it to be understood
that I make no claim to the employment of an undulating track over which the cars or
carriages are caused to travel per se but I declare that what I claim is :-
First-The special construction of merry go rounds or roundabouts wherein the
cars or carriages are impelled or drawn over the undulating continuous track by steam
or other motive power, substantially as herein set forth.
Second In the construction of a merry go round or roundabout the employment
of hills or-hillooks forming a continuous undulating track over which the cars or
earriages containing the passengers are caused to travel substantially as herein
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third Second: In the construction of a merry go round or roundabout the arrange-
ment of the track referred to in the preceding claim with hinged segments or members
to form additional undulations over which the cars or carriages are caused to travel
substantially as herein described.
Fourth Third:-The use of spring draw bars or couplings for connecting the
cars or carriages to the revolving top or framework substantially as herein set forth.
DL: 2-1 daw of To 1828
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.
JAMES STEVENSON,
Gray's Inn Chambers,
20, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.