Improvements in Roundabouts or Merry-go-rounds.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 25th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts or Merry-go-rounds.
I THOMAS WALKER, of Oldbury Works in the Borough of Tewkesbury in the
County of Gloucester Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
It has for its object improvements in my invention No. 10732 dated 24th June
1891 and may be used in conjunction with the aforesaid invention or as an inde-
pendent improvement in roundabouts or merry-go-rounds in which model horses or
other animals or boats seats or other vehicles are used the same being suspended
from cranks on crank shafts which are carried radially in bearings on a circular
horizontal frame capable of being revolved around a central vertical axis and in
which each radial crankshaft has three or other number of cranks upon it and a
seperate horse or vehicle suspended from each crank the horses or vehicles also
being free to swing outwards away from the central vertical axis as they revolve
around it.
Each horse or vehicle is suspended from the crank on radial crank shaft by a
seperate rod at the upper end of the said rod being provided a suitable bearing
for attachment to crank with a joint working at right angles to it which allows the
bottom ends of rods and also horses or vehicles to move to or from the central
vertical axis as the roundabout revolves. To ensure the steady working of rods
carrying horses or vehicles a ball is provided for each rod which is allowed to roll
freely between hollow guides fixed in the framework of a revolving platform,
through the ball there is a hole through which the ball passes in its upward and
downward movement caused by the rotation of the crank the shape of the ball and
hollow guide also allowing the rod to work freely in its angular movement also
caused by the rotation of the crank. I now purpose in this invention to tie the
three or other number of rods carrying horses or vehicles together so that when
the action of centrifugal force takes place the whole number of horses or vehicles
on each seperate crankshaft shall move to or from the central vertical axis together
and thus prevent any danger of collision from two or more horses or vehicles
coming in contact with each other when one may be loaded heavier than
the other.
To effect this improvement I shall provide a horizontal tie rod having in it
suitable holes for each seperate horse rod so that the vertical rods will work freely
in its up or down or angular movement caused by the rotation of the crank shaft
this horizontal tie rod being made long enough to embrace the whole number of
vertical rods on each seperate crank shaft and placed at the bottom ends of vertical
rods being supported by pins or fingures fixed into circular rollers which will roll
freely in the hollow guides fastened to the framework of the revolving platform
these same hollow guides also carrying the balls which support the bottom ends of
vertical rods. It is obvious that this same horizontal tie bar will in itself be a
guide for the vertical rods so that the balls may be dispensed with and this rod be
used independently. The horizontal tie bar may be worked above the framework
of revolving platform or below it.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1892.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts or Merry-go-rounds.
I, THOMAS WALKER of Oldbury Works, Tewkesbury in the County of
Gloucester, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention has reference to improvements in roundabouts or merry-go-rounds
in which model horses or other animals, or boats, seats or other vehicles are used,
the same being suspended from cranks of crank shafts which are carried radially
in bearings on a circular horizontal frame capable of being revolved around a
central vertical axis and in which each radial crankshaft has three or other number
of cranks, and a separate horse or vehicle suspended from each crank, the horses or
vehicles also being free to swing outwards away from the central vertical axis as
they travel around it.
Each horse or vehicle is suspended from a crank of such a radial crank shaft by
a separate rod there being provided at the upper end of each such rod a suitable
bearing for effecting attachment to the crank with a joint working at right angles
to the shaft and which arrangement allows the bottom ends of the rods and also
the horses or vehicles to move towards or from the central vertical axis as the
roundabout revolves. In such a roundabout or merry-go-round according to a
former Patent granted to me No. 10732 dated 24 June 1891 in order to ensure the
steady working of the rods carrying the horses or vehicles a ball is provided for
each rod, which is allowed to roll freely between hollow guides fixed in the
framework of a revolving platform, through the ball there is a hole through which
the rod passes and in which it works in its upward and downward movement caused
by the rotation of its crank, the shape of the ball and hollow guides being such as
also to allow the rod to work freely during its angular movement also caused by
the rotation of the crank. Now according to my present invention the three or
other number of rods carrying the horses or vehicles suspended to each crank shaft
are tied or connected together so that under the action of centrifugal force the
whole of such horses or vehicles on each separate crank-shaft shall move towards
and from the central vertical axis, and thus prevent any danger of collision from
two or more horses or vehicles coming in contact with each other as night otherwise
happen should one be carrying a heavier load than another.
To this end 1 provide in conjunction with each radial crank shaft and its set of
horse rods a horizontal tie rod having in it-suitable holes for each separate horse
rod so that each hanging rod will work freely in the hole provided for it, and be free
whilst moving up and down to assume the various angles due to the rotation of its
actuating shaft, this horizontal tie rod being made long enough to accommodate
the whole of the rods depending from the corresponding crankshaft and located
near the bottom ends of the said rods, and there supported by pins or fingers that
enter into circular rollers able to roll freely in the hollow guides fastened to the
framework of the revolving platform the same hollow guides also carrying the balls
which support the bottom ends of the depending rods. The balls on the depending
rods have a different action to the rollers on the tie rod; the balls are rolled
sideways by the angular motion of the rod as well as rotated by the radial motion,
whereas the rollers only rotate. The walls of the holes in the tie bar through 4
which the depending rods pass are rounded to allow for the angular movements
of the rod. It is obvious that such a horizontal tie bar will form a guide for the
depending rods so that the balls may be dispensed with and this rod be used
independently.
Such horizontal tie bars may be above the framework of the revolving platform &
or below it.

page_text: Referring to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 shows such an arrangement as above referred to, partly in elevation and
partly in section; and
Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are respectively a plan, an underside view, a longitudinal
section and a transverse section of one of the tie rods or bars.
a is the crank shaft; bb are cranks; c c c bearings with joints adapted to allow
the depending rods to swing towards and from its central vertical axis (not
shown) about which the horses travel; d d d are the depending rods; e is the tie
rod, e ele are holes therethrough for the rods to pass through; fff pins secured
to the tie rod; 999 rollers, one on each pin, and which travel in the hollow
guides h h. iii balls for supporting the bottom ends of the rods, but which may
be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In a roundabout or merry-go-round the combination with rods depending
from a crank shaft of a horizontal tie bar with holes through which said rods work,
rollers and guides or rails therefor, the arrangement being such as to keep the rods
and horses or vehicles carried thereby at a suitable distance apart when travelling
round the central vertical axis of the machine.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts shown and described for the
purpose specified.
Dated this 25th day of January 1893.
THOMAS WALKER.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.