Improved Apparatus or Means for Healthy Recreation.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus or Means for Healthy Recreation.
I WILLIAM BOOTH HUNT of Derby Road Belper in the County of Derby Draper
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention is designed to provide a means for healthy exercise and amusement.
tending to strengthen the muscles and may be arranged for either indoor or outdoor
use and consists of a car or cars mounted on wheels and running upon rails, the said
cars to be internally fitted and arranged to produce similar advantages to those obtained
by boating, swimming, or saddle riding.
Along each side of the track or tracks which may be circular, straight or of any
desired formation, I fix posts and rails or posts and ropes, or simply posts, or any
other suitable equivalent and the car is propelled by the person or persons, who sit only
one abreast in the same, pulling themselves and the car along the track by seizing and
pulling against the said ropes or hand rails or other equivalents.
When a similar exercise to rowing is required the cars are provided with low seats
and footboards or their equivalents. When a swimming motion is required I may
construct the car so as to provide inclined bed or beds whereon the operator or
operators may recline and thus propel themselves at the same time imitating to some
extent the action of swimming. When a similar exercise to riding is required I may
provide a saddle back seat or seats to the car with stirrups or other suitable rests for
the feet. I give the undulating motion to the car by placing the wheels of the same
eccentrically on their axles. The said wheels are fixed to the axles in the usual
manner unless an oscillating motion is required.
Dated this 26th day of March 1889.
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus or Means for Healthy Recreation.
I, WILLIAM BOOTH HUNT of Derby Road, Belper, in the County of Derby,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
My Invention is designed to provide a means for healthy exercise and amusement
tending to develope and strengthen the chest and muscles and may be arranged for
either outdoor or indoor use and consists of a car or cars mounted on wheels and
running upon rails or otherwise.
These cars may be internally fitted to accomodate any number of persons of either
sex and with conveniently fixed and arranged seats.
Along each side of the track, which may be circular straight or of any desired
formation, I fix posts and rails, posts and ropes, or any suitable equivalents thereto
and the cars are propelled by persons sitting in them and pulling themselves and the
cars along the track by seizing and pulling against the hand rails or their equivalents
in a manner resembling rowing swimming or saddle-back riding.
"
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I may construct my rowing cars with seats and footboards so that a person
reaching forward and pulling against the hand rails or their equivalents may to a great
extent imitate the action of rowing. My "swimming cars may be constructed with
sloping beds so that a person may recline thereon face downwards and propel himself
by pulling against the hand rails or their equivalents and so to some extent imitate
the action of the arms in swimming. I may construct my "saddle riding cars" with

page_text: saddle shaped seats and suitable foot rests or stirrups the rider or operator sitting
astride the seat as if riding.
Referring to the accompanying drawings and to the figures and letters of reference
marked thereon
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my "Riding Car."
Figure 2 a side elevation of my "Swimming Car."
"
Figure 3 a side elevation of my Rowing or boating car."
Figure 4 is a cross section through a track provided with a triple set of rails and
also shews a section through a car of each kind A being a section through the riding
car on line a, a. B is a section through the swimming car on line b, b. O is a section
through the boating car on line c, c.
The rails D which may be of semi circular or other suitable section are screwed
or spiked down to bearers E. A handrail F is provided on each side of each set of
rails.
Referring to Figure 1 a suitable saddle backed seat G is provided for the operators
who propel the car by pulling against the hand rail F.
In Figure 2 a suitable bed or incline H is provided for the operator said bed or
incline being provided with cushions if necessary, the operator lies thereon pulling
against the handrails and to a great extent deriving the same exercise therefrom as
he would from swimming. Suitable stops T are provided for the feet, and I may
provide a stop J for use when the operator is lying on bis back or sitting (see
Figure 4.)
Referring to Figure 4 the operators sit upon the seat K and rest their feet against
the footboards L, the seats being provided with back rests if desired.
The track may be made level or have a slight gradient to a certain point and after-
wards to run up a short incline to prevent over running, this would be found to require
less exertion than if the track were level.
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 1
claim is
The improved means and apparatus for healthy exercise substantially as herein
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings whereby specially constructed
cars may be propelled on rails or otherwise by the riders pulling against hand rails or
their equivalents.
Dated this 26th day of August 1880
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.