A Revolving Seesaw with Rotating and other Cars for Public Amusement.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 19th Dec, 1898-Accepted, 4th Feb., 1899
A Revolving Seesaw with Rotating and other Cars for Public
Amusement.
I, WILLIAM JAMES WALDRON, of 18, Limerston Street, West Brompton,
London, S.W., Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:
The object of this invention is to provide a novel means for public amusement.
A circular pyramidical or other carriage may be constructed and mounted on
flange wheels which may run upon a circular track laid upon the ground. From
the top of this carriage may be balanced on a swivel axle in suitable bearings a
strong girder work lever built of any suitable material. At the ends of this lever
may be hung upon swivel axles cars for passengers, which cars may be constructed
as boats, animals, saloon cars, or wheels, from the periphery of which, cars would
hang on swivel axles and which wheels would be induced to rotate by power applied
in any well known manner. The lever supporting the cars may be raised and
lowered by either of the three following systems.
1. By affixing a toothed wheel to the centre of the lever, and gearing by means
of other toothed wheels affixed to the pyramidical carriage, which may be driven
by power placed inside the pyramidical carriage.
2. By affixing at its outer extremities ropes or cables which may come down on
to winches fixed at the bottom of the circular carriage to lower and raise cach
respective end.
3. By a semi-circular toothed track fixed to the bottom side of the lever, and
working in conjunction with a toothed wheel affixed to the pyramidical carriage,
and driven by steam, electric, or hydraulic power from the pyramidical carriage.
The fulcrum or pyramidical structure may be built as a firm fixture, and an outer
light framework attached to the axle bearings supporting the lever, from which
framework the motive power could be applied to induce the up and down and
circular motions. Or the circular motion in this instance may be applied by con-
structing the bearings for the lever with a strong pivot attached running right
down the centre of the fixed fulcrum and working in suitable bearings, and from
which pivot power could be applied, such power being placed inside the fulcrum
support.
The seesaw can be constructed to have two levers working supported by bearings
one above the other and working across each other at right angles.
In the case of big wheels supporting cars, being used at the ends of the levers,
such wheels may be induced to rotate by means of toothed wheels and cycle chains,
connected with the main power inside the pyramidical carriage or support.
On the ends of the levers may be fixed rods at right angles to swivel several cars
on, or the seesaw may be built & adapted for working by hand power.
Dated this Twenty-first day of March 1898.
WILLIAM JAMES WALDRON,
Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Revolving Seesaw with Rotating and other Cars for Public
Amusement.
I, WILLIAM JAMES WALDRON, of 18, Limerston Street, West Brompton,
in the County of London, S.W., Civil 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 for its object to safely provide an exhilarating and pleasur-
able form of public amusement pastime or diversion at exhibitions seaside resorts
and other like places.
The invention consists of what may be generally termed a revolving seesaw
designed to carry passengers to a considerable altitude and to then give them a
circular view of the surrounding country. The invention also consists of certain
parts details and combinations of the same and the application thereof as will be
fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification in which,
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a revolving seesaw having a fixed fulcrum set in
concrete foundations.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a revolving seesaw the fulcrum of which is mounted
upon flange wheels.
Fig. 3, is a side elevation of a revolving seesaw having a fixed fulcrum with
an outer framework attached to the lever carriage.
Fig. 4, is a plan view of a revolving seesaw having two levers mounted one above
the other and working at right angles.
Fig. 5, is a side view of one end of the lever showing the arrangement of cars
mounted between the periphery of a pair of big wheels.
In Fig. 1, A is the fulcrum support. B are suitable platforms erected for general
convenience and observation. is the revolving circular carriage mounted upon
the flange wheels D which run upon the track E laid upon the top of the fulcrum.
The revolving carriage C supports in suitable bearings upon a strong axle F the
lever which in turn supports at its extremities on strong axles in swivel bear-
ings the cars H. The lever G has attached to its centre upon its under side a semi-
circular toothed track I which works in conjunction with the toothed wheels J,
the power for elevating either end of the lever being supplied either by steam
electricity hydraulic or any other suitable means from the engine house K. The
engine house is mounted upon another circular carriage running upon a circular
track upon the top platform B, and the two circular revolving carriages are joined
together by a suitable framework and a strong centre pivot, and the same power
used for elevating the lever could be utilized to induce the circular motion by the
circular carriages such application may be made by a fixed inner toothed
track encircling the lower circular carriage, and working in the said
toothed track in a similar manner to the working of a crane, or any other suitable
system of transmission of the power may be employed to induce the necessary
motions.
In Fig. 2, A is the fulcrum mounted upon flange wheels B which travel round
upon the circular track, C, while D is the lever working upon the axle E which
supports at its outer extremities the cars F, an endless cable rope G is attached

page_text: to either end of the lever D and takes a wind round the 3 drums H the power for
elevating either end being applied to the centre drum in either direction. This
machine is most suitable for working by hand power.
In Fig. 3, A is the fixed fulcrum while B is a circular carriage mounted upon
flange wheels running upon a circular track, C, which supports on the strong axle D
the lever E which in turn supports at its outer extremities the cars F on strong
axles in swivel bearings. G is an outer framework attached to the circular
carriage B, and having a circular band H on which is mounted roller wheels I
which travel round on a steel band on the fulcrum. Power can be applied in either
of the ways described in Figures 1, and 2.
In my invention I can also arrange two levers working across each other at right
angles in bearings placed one above the other and Fig. 4, is a plan view showing
this arrangement. In this drawing A is the fulcrum B is the circular carriage C
are the bearings one above the other for the levers, and D are the levers supporting
on strong axles in swivel bearings at their outer extremities the cars E.
I may also arrange rotating cars as shown in Fig. 5, which represents one end
of a lever showing the arrangement of the wheels and cars. A is the lever, B are
a pair of big wheels mounted upon the axle, C, and D are the cars swiveling
between the wheels on strong axles and which always retain their perpendicularity.
Power for rotating the wheels may be applied from a small electric motor (attached
to the lever) to the cog wheel E and transmitted by means of the chain F direct
to the cog wheel G affixed to the main axle. A wire can be carried along the lever
from the fulcrum to supply the electricity to the motor or motion may be induced
in any other well known manner.
Suitable means are provided to save any concussion when the levers reach their
highest point and in the case where the fulcrum travels round as in Fig. 2, pads I
are affixed to the lever which touch on the band J, and in the case where the
fulcrum is a fixture roller wheels mounted upon easy springs may take the place
of pads.
These revolving seesaws can be built of steel iron timber or any other suitable
material but constructed so that the lever and fulcrum shall be capable of with-
standing and safely bearing any stress or strain to which they may be subjected.
If found necessary or desirable rods may be affixed at the extremities of the levers
to swivel several instead of one car upon.
Suitable stagings are erected wherever necessary to facilitate loading and unload-
ing the cars and strong brakes will be fitted to the main lever axle and machinery
so as to minimise any fear of accident.
Either of the structures herein described may be built in suitable parts so as to
be easily and quickly put together and taken apart so as to make the whole a
portable structure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
1 claim is
1. A seesaw the lever of which shall take a circular course through the air.
2. A revolving seesaw as illustrated in Fig. 1 in the accompanying drawings
and fully described in this specification as and for the purposes set forth.
3. A revolving seesaw as illustrated in either Figures 2 or 3 and described fully
in this specification suitable for working by hand or power as and for the purposes
set forth.
4. A revolving seesaw having two levers working at right angles as shown in
Fig. 4, and fully described as and for the purposes set forth.
5. A revolving seesaw having cars suspended between the periphery of two big
wheels at either end of the lever such wheels being given a rotary movement as
described and illustrated in Fig. 5 as and for the purposes set forth.
6. The use of any individual part illustrated in the accompanying drawings
and described as and for the purposes of a revolving seesaw,

page_text: 7. The combination of any of the parts herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings as and for the purposes of a revolving seesaw.
8. A revolving seesaw built in either of the manners described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings constructed in a portable manner.
Dated this Nineteenth day of December 1898.
WILLIAM JAMES WALDRON,
Applicant.