Improved Swing.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 4th June, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Swing.
I, THOMAS BOWEN, of 917 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A
Inventor, 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 relates to certain improvements in swings. These swings are
generally set up at places of popular resort and rented to persons to use for a
certain period of time; but great difficulty is sometimes experienced by the
proprietor in inducing or compelling persons renting to give up the swing when
their time has expired, by reason of the fact that the proprietor, having no control
over the swing, cannot stop the same when in full motion without great danger to
himself.
In view of these facts the object of this invention is to provide means whereby
the swing is placed under the full control of the attendant, whether it be idle or in
motion, and by which the swing can he started, kept in motion, or stopped by an
attendant independent of the occupant and with great ease and rapidity, and which
is sure and reliable in action and simple, cheap, and durable in construction. These
objects are accomplished by, and my invention consists in certain novel features of
construction and in combinations of parts, more particularly and fully pointed out
hereinafter.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a swing provided with the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a detail elevation of the upper portion of the swing-frame and the
sliding frame therein.
Fig. 3 is a detail elevation showing a presser-bar of the foot-rest.
Fig. 4 is a detail showing a modification, whereby the sliding frame is dispensed
with.
Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are details.
In the drawings the reference letter a indicates the frame or support for the
swing having the main supporting cross-beam b, from which the swing is suspended,
and to which the upper ends of the two main hangers or rods c c are pivoted by
means of the brackets d and pivot-bolts e. The seat or body of the swing
is carried by and rigidly secured to the lower portions of said hangers, and is
provided with a back g and rest-arms and the foot-rest i, pivoted or hinged to the
body of the seat to allow vertical swing of its outer portion. The free end of this
foot-rest is upheld by the links jį, pivoted at their lower ends to the foot-rest and
extending diagonally upward and pivoted to the swing-frame in rear of the pivotal
points of the main rods or hangers of the swing. Hence it will be readily seen
without further explanation that downward pressure on the foot-rest will tend to
throw the entire swing rearwardly and upwardly, by reason of the arrangement and
location of the foot-rest and links, and that as the swing works back and forth the
links jj raise and lower the free ends of the foot-rest.
A pair of curved pressure-bars k k are at their lower ends hinged to opposite
sides of the free end of the foot-rest, as shown at 1, and from thence extend
upwardly and rearwardly across the outer sides of the main hangers, to which they
are loosely confined by means of open straps m, in each of which two rollers n n are
journalled, and between each pair of rollers n one of said bars k works. Said
straps m are also provided with double springs o o, bearing upon opposite edges of
said bars k, allowing the bars to freely and noiselessly work back and forth. These
springs at their centres are made thin with a central hole to receive the pivots of
the rollers and act as washers for said rollers to take up space between the strap
D

page_text: and roller. The rear and free ends of said rods or bars k are provided with the
clevises p, to which the operating-ropes or flexible connections qq are secured.
These connections are located on opposite sides of the swing and extend forwardly
from the rear ends of the pressure-bars of the foot-rest to the pulleys rr, secured
to the main hangers of the swing, preferably at the points of junction between said
hangers and the arm-rests of the swing-body. From these pulleys the operating-
connections extend up the other sides of the main hangers through the double
sheave-blocks ss, secured to the brackets d, to and through the main cross-beam of
the swing-frame, and then in the construction shewn in Fig. 4 the operating-
connections extend laterally from pulleys t t, mounted in said cross-beam, along said
beam, and then downwardly over pulley u to and secured to the upper end of a
vertically-movable connection v, at its lower end secured to one arm of bell-crank
lever w, mounted at the lower end of one of the swing-frame uprights and having
its opposite arm connected by connection a¹ with an operating-lever between its
pivotal point and handle, said lever being pivoted to the framework c¹ at a point of
most convenient location for the attendant. This operating-lever can be provided
with a guide or stop yoke di to limit its swing.
The double sheave-blocks s are secured to the supporting-brackets of the swing,
substantially in the line with the pivotal points of the swing-hangers to allow the
operating-connections to work freely through the same and to hold said connections
always at the centre of the swing-hangers. Each sheave-block s consists of strap d¹
and the two pulleys e¹.
In Figs. 1 and 2 a construction for a large, heavy, or double swing is shown.
In this construction the swing-frame is extended upwardly and provided with a
pair of vertical posts f¹ f', provided on their adjoining edges with the vertical
tracks or ways g. A vertical slide-frame or cross-head extends and reciprocates
vertically between these posts and at its ends is provided with pulleys ', confined
and adapted to run on said ways. Instead of employing pulleys t and u the
operating-connections extend up from the sheave-blocks s and are rigidly secured
to the lower side of the slide-frame. On the cross-beam of the swing-frame
above the slide-frame a bell-crank lever k¹ is mounted and has one arm connected
with the top of the slide-frame by connection ', working over pulley m' in cross-
beam ', so that when the lever is rocked said slide-frame is reciprocated. The
other arm of said bell-crank lever is connected to the said connection v by flexible
connection m', passing over pulley n¹. The connection vis provided with a swivel o',
by which the tension can be regulated.
The operating-connections at the lower portions of the main hangers of the
swing are inclosed by and pass loosely through the hand-pieces p¹, secured to
said hangers, and which prevent the hands of the occupant interfering with said
connections.
It should be observed that the slide-frame is allowed sufficient movement to
operate the pressure-bars to depress the foot-rest the required amount.
From the foregoing description it is clearly evident that when the operating-
lever is thrown to its limit of movement toward the swing the operating-connections
are loose and all parts of the attachment are at rest and the swing can be operated
independent of the attachment; but when the operating-lever is drawn in the
opposite direction the operating-connections are drawn taut, thereby applying
longitudinal pressure to the ends of the curved pressure-bars, tending to force down
the foot-rest, and hence throw the swing rearwardly, as if a person in the swing
were pressing on the foot-rest, and if the lever is held in this position the swing will
be stopped and held stationary by the attendant of the occupant of the swing.
The swing can be started by drawing back the lever and then reciprocating the
same so that pressure will be applied to the foot-rest as the swing is starting to
swing backward. By reason of these facts this attachment can be termed an
"independent swing brake and starter." In starting and propelling or operating
the swing this attachment intermittingly applies downward pressure upon the foot-
rest exactly as a person in a swing does by intermittingly throwing his weight
""

page_text: Torward upon the root-rest. When the connections are operated to stop the swing,
the ropes qq lock the bars k k, and hence lock or hold the foot-rest rigid and
prevent its vertical swing, thereby holding the swing stationary at almost any point.
This attachment can be operated by a motor or other means than the direct power
of an attendant.
It is evident that various changes might be made in the form and arrange-
ments of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my
invention. Hence I do not wish to confine myself to the exact construction herein
set forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination, with a swing, of holding and operating mechanism, sub-
stantially as described, independent of the swing, and flexible connections between
said mechanism and the swing, arranged so that the swing can operate independent
of said connections and mechanism and the mechanism can be operated to stop the
swing and start the same, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, with a swing, of a lever at the attendant's stand, and flexible
connections from the lever to the swing, arranged so that the swing can operate
independent of the lever and the lever can be operated to start and to hold the
swing, substantially as described.
3. The combination, with a swing and the pivoted foot-rest therefor, having
supporting-links, of the operating-mechanism at the attendant's stand, and con-
nections from said mechanism to the foot-rest, provided with means so that said
mechanism can exert pressure on the foot-rest to start the swing or can hold the
rest rigid and stop the swing.
4. The combination, with a swing having a hinged foot-rest and links connected
with the same, of operating means and connections from said foot-rest to said means
to lock said rest and thereby stop the swing or to exert pressure on the rest to start
the swing.
5. The combination of the swing, a hinged foot-rest therefor, the swing-links
supporting the outer end of said rest, pressure-bars for said rest, operating means,
and connections from said means to said bars, for the purpose set forth.
6. The combination of the swing, a foot-rest hinged thereto, the swing-links
connected to said rest, pressure and holding-bars hinged to said rest, and flexible
connections secured to said bars to operate the same, said connections extending to
operating means located at the attendant's position, for the purpose set forth.
7. The combination of the main bangers of a swing, a seat carried thereby, a foot-
rest hinged thereto, swing-links pivoted at their upper ends in rear of said hangers
and at their lower ends secured to said rest, pressure-bars secured to said rest,
operating means independent of the swing, and flexible connections from said bars
to the operating means, substantially as described.
8. The combination of the swing, a foot-rest hinged thereto, curved pressure-
rods hinged to and extending rearwardly from said rest, pulleys and springs
secured to the swing-body, between which said rods loosely pass and by which they
are held in position, and the flexible operating-connections secured to the ends of
said bars and by which they are operated to press down on the foot-rest, substantially
as described.
9. The combination of a swing, a foot-rest hinged thereto and having its free end
upheld by swinging links, with an operating-lever located independent of the swing
at the attendant's position, and flexible connections from said lever to the rest to
hold the rest and to exert downward pressure on the same when the lever is operated
and allow the swing free independent movement when the lever is at rest, as set
forth.
10. The combination of the swing-supporting frame, the swing suspended in said
frame, a foot-rest hinged to the swing and provided with rearwardly-extending

page_text: pressure-bars loosely confined to the swing-body, flexible operating connections
secured to the ends of said bars and extending up the swing-hangers to said frame,
a vertically-sliding frame to which said connections are secured, and a rocking-
lever connected with said sliding frame and with independent operating means to
operate the same, substantially as described.
11. A supporting-frame having a cross bar, a swing having a hinged foot-rest,
with swinging links therefor, supporting brackets secured to the cross-beam and to
which the swing-hangers are pivoted, double sheave-blocks located on said brackets,
the flexible operating-connections connected with said foot-rest and extending up
the swing-hangers through said sheave-blocks, and operating means to which said
connections are connected, substantially as described.
12. The combination of the swing-body, the hinged foot-rest therefor, having
the swing-links, and the rearwardly-extending bars loosely confined to said body,
the flexible operating-connections secured to said bars, extending up the swing-
hangers, and hand-guards on the hangers through which the said connections pass,
substantially as described.
13. The combination, with a swing and a frame from which it is suspended, of
operating and holding mechanism at the attendant's stand, and flexible connections
from said mechanism extending therefrom to the frame and down the suspending
links to the body of the swing, and pulleys over which the said connections pass,
for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 11th day of April 1892.
W. H. MUNNS,
Applicant's Agent.