Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 12th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 2nd Dec. 1887
RESERV
We, WILLIAM REYNOLDS, Junior, of Coton, in the County of Cambridge, Engineer,
and CHARLES THOMAS KING, of Little Swaffham, in the County of Cambridge,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
"
The object of this invention is to combine a small locomotive capable of travelling
in a circle with roundabouts or merry-go-rounds, of any suitable construction,
whereby the riders will have the choice of riding either on the horses, boats or. other
objects of the roundabout, or on the circular railway as they may desire, while the
locomotive will at the same time serve to actuate the roundabout itself.
For this purpose we employ a roundabout in which the horses, boats or other
objects are caused to rotate, and in the centre space between the horses or boats we
arrange a small locomotive provided with one or more carriages and preferably
mounted on a truck, carrying a circular track, but it may be made to travel on a
circular track placed on the ground if desired.
The locomotive is also caused to actuate the roundabout preferably by connecting
its frame to one of the swifts carrying the horses or boats; but this might also be
effected through the central pillar or support, in which case the locomotive may if
desired be caused to travel in the opposite direction to the roundabout by employing
suitable intermediate gearing.
The invention may also be applied to "platform" roundabouts by providing a
suitable connection between the locomotive and the platform carrying the horses,
boats or other objects.
As the locomotive will have to travel in a circle of comparatively small radius the
outer wheels may be caused to rotate at a greater speed than the inner wheels, or
the latter may be made of smaller diameter than the former, so as to compensate for
the different distances such wheels have to travel over; or if desired the locomotive
and carriages may be made to travel on a single rail track.
Dated this 10th day of December 1886
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Merry-go-rounds or Roundabouts.
We, WILLIAM REYNOLDS, Junior, of Coton, in the County of Cambridge, Engineer,
and CHARLES THOMAS KING, of Little Swaffham, in the County of Cambridge,
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 :-
The object of this invention is to combine a small locomotive capable of travelling
in a circle with roundabouts or merry-go-rounds, of any suitable construction,
whereby the riders will have the choice of riding either on the horses, boats or other
objects of the roundabout, or on the circular railway as they may desire, while the
locomotive will at the same time serve to actuate the roundabout itself.
For this purpose we employ a roundabout in which the horses, boats or other
objects are caused to rotate, and in the centre space between the horses or boats we
arrange a small locomotive provided with one or more carriages and preferably
mounted on a truck, carrying a circular track, but it may be made to travel on a
circular track placed on the ground if desired.
The locomotive is also caused to actuate the roundabout preferably by connecting
its frame to one of the swifts carrying the horses or boats; but this might also be
effected through the central pillar or support, in which case the locomotive may if
desired be caused to travel in the opposite direction to the roundabout by employing
suitable intermediate gearing.
The invention may also be applied to "platform" roundabouts by providing a
suitable connection between the locomotive and the platform carrying the horses, boats
or other objects.
As the locomotive will have to travel in a circle of comparatively small radius the
outer wheels may be caused to rotate at a greater speed than the inner wheels, or
the latter may be made of smaller diameter than the former, so as to compensate for
the different distances such wheels have to travel over; or if desired the locomotive
and carriages may be made to travel on a single rail track.
A suitable manner of carrying our invention into effect is illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section, and
Fig. 2 a plan view.
Fig. 1 shows the invention as applied to a roundabout in which the horses have
galloping movements imparted to them from above in the manner described in our
previous Patent No. 15383 dated 15th December 1885, but it will be readily
understood that it is also applicable to other forms of roundabouts, such as those in
which the horses are not caused to gallop, but only rotate round a central support, or
in which the horses are carried round on a revolving platform.
In the drawings A represents a locomotive to which one, two or more carriages is
or are connected, and in which seats are provided, the locomotive being of ordinary

page_text: construction and serving to propel the train along a circular track B, suitably supported
round the central pillar of the apparatus, preferably upon trucks D, and if necessary
by struts or jacks D¹, as shown, but some may if desired be arranged on any other
suitable structure or upon the ground.
The funnel A¹ of the locomotive is extended inwards and communicates with a
chamber E surrounding pillar C, round which it can turn, such pillar being hollow
and having openings C₁ through it, whereby the smoke from the locomotive can pass
from chamber E into and up through pillar C, and out at top of same, so that the
pillar thus forms an up-take for the locomotive.
As the locomotive travels along track B it carries the chamber E with it, and the
latter is provided with a toothed wheel F gearing with pinion G carried by the
stationary frame H, and the axis of which has at its upper end a second pinion I
gearing with an internal toothed wheel J forming part of the frame K to which the
swifts L carrying the horses M suspended from their outer ends are secured. The
horses are thus made to travel round outside the train, in this instance in an opposite
direction to the latter, but by varying the gearing it may be caused to revolve in the
same direction thereto, and its speed may also be regulated by varying the proportions
of the toothed wheels.
The train is preferably made up so that the end carriage touches or almost touches
the front of the engine, to which it will be connected, so that the train is really
endless.
Arms are preferably arranged to project radially at intervals all round chamber E
and these are connected to one or other of the carriages so that the train will not
be able to leave the track, and will also assist in driving.
The driving axle of the locomotive may be provided with a toothed wheel or wheels
to engage a circular rack or racks Q running parallel with the track
As the speed at which the locomotive is driven will probably be higher than it is
advisable to impart to the train through the locomotive wheels, we prefer to mount
the latter so that they can revolve loose on their axles, and to provide the driving
axle with a toothed pinion to gear with an intermediate wheel which engages a circular
rack Qrunning parallel to the track.
Instead of causing the funnel A¹ to drive the roundabout through the chamber E
and gearing above described, it will be readily understood that the locomotive may be
connected by a pillar or rod directly to one of the swifts L from which the horses are
suspended.
The arrangement above described may be used either when the horses are required
only to rotate round a central support, or when they are to have galloping or other
movements imparted to them in addition to such rotary movement, in which latter
case any suitable means may be employed to produce the galloping or other
movements, but we prefer, however, to employ the means described in our previous
patent above referred to, and in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings we have shown
our present invention as applied to such an arrangement. Each horse M of the
same set is carried by a separate rod, all of which rods are connected with two crank
shafts N and O, the latter being supported by the swifts so that it can revolve in
bearings, and having at its inner end a pinion gearing with a toothed wheel P carried
by the stationary frame H, so that as the swifts revolve the crank shaft O will be actuated
and thus impart galloping or other movements to the horses, in the manner described
in our previous patent above referred to.
In the case where the horses are carried on a revolving platform the locomotive
may
be caused to actuate such platform either by directly connecting it to the latter,
or by any suitable arrangement of gearing so as to cause the platform to rotate either
in the same or in the opposite direction to the train.
The whole of the parts are preferably constructed and arranged, with a view to
enable them to be readily mounted together and disconnected, and to occupy a
minimum amount of space when dismounted, in order to facilitate their transport.
The drawing shows the whole of the track as mounted on a platform made up of
three parts or sections X, Y, Z, each mounted on a separate truck, so that same may

page_text: be readily detached and be in a condition for transport. The centre part carries the
centre pillar C, and this is shown as being telescopic so as to enable it to be closed up
for convenience of transport, but we lay no claim to such arrangement, as the
pillar may be made detachable or hinged so as to fold down on the platform.
Instead of generating steam to actuate the locomotive in the locomotive itself, steam
from a stationary boiler may be supplied thereto by any suitable means, in which case
if desired such boiler may also form the central support C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination of a locomotive caused to travel on a circular track, with a
roundabout or merry-go-round connected thereto in such a manner as to be actuated
thereby and to rotate either in the same or in the opposite direction to the locomotive,
all substantially as specified.
2. The arrangement described for actuating the merry-go-round_or_ roundabout
consisting in funnel A¹ connected to chamber E, and toothed wheels F, G and J, all
operating substantially as specified.
3. Connecting the funnel A¹ to chamber E capable of revolving round the central
pillar C, which is made hollow and communicates with such chamber E, as and for
the purpose specified.
4. Mounting the track B upon a platform formed in sections each carried by a
truck, which serves both for supporting the track when the train is travelling thereon,
and also for the transport of the sections of the platform from place to place,
substantially as specified.