IMPROVEMENTS IN ROUNDABOUTS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Meeds, William Meeds the Younger and Thomas
Blinkhorn all of Boston in the County of Lincoln for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROUNDABOUTS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Meeds, William
Meeds the Younger, and Thomas Blinkhorn at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents on the 9th February 1883.
WILLIAM MEEDS, WILLIAM MEEDS the Younger and THOMAS BLINKHORN all of
Boston in the County of Lincoln. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROUNDABOUTS"
This invention has for its object improvements in roundabouts and consists in
having upon them horses to which all the movements natural to galloping and
jumping are given.
We propose to do this as follows:-The roundabout is provided with platforms
hinged at the rear to the revolving frame. Each platform supports a horse by
means of two vertical rods one of which is fixed to the body of the horse between
the fore legs whilst the other is pivotted to the body between the hind legs. The
lower end of the front rod is attached to a crank or eccentric on a wheel at the
front of the platform which runs on the circular tramway of the roundabout whilst
the lower end of the rear rod is pivotted to the platform.
The legs of the horse are pivotted to the body and are caused to move in a
natural manner. To effect this one end of a rod is pivotted to the fore legs at
about the knees and the other end to the rear of the platform whilst the hind
legs are similarly actuated by a rod one end of which is pivotted to them and the
other end to the rear vertical rod. When the roundabout is set in motion each
horse goes round in a circle and the wheel on the tramway turning round causes
the bodies to be rocked up and down by the crank whilst the legs being confined
by the pivotted rods are alternately drawn under the body and extended just as in
a galloping horse.
The jumping motion is given by inclines on the circular tramway. The wheel-
in ascending one of these raises the front of the horse which drops again as the
wheel descends the other side of the incline.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Meeds, William Meeds the Younger, and Thomas
Blinkhorn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th August 1883.
WILLIAM MEEDS, WILLIAM MEEDS the Younger and THOMAS BLINKHORN all of
Boston in the County of Lincoln "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROUNDABOUTS "
This Invention has for its object improvements in roundabouts and consists in
having upon them horses to which all the movements natural to galloping and
jumping are given.
We propose to do this as follows:-The roundabout is provided with platforms
hinged at the rear to the revolving frame. Each platform supports a horse by
means of two. vertical rods one of which is fixed to the body of the horse between
the fore legs whilst the other is pivoted to the body between the hind legs, The
lower end of the front rod is attached to a crank or eccentric on a wheel at the
front of the platform which runs on the circular tramway of the roundabout whilst
the lower end of the rear rod is pivoted to the platform.
The legs of the horse are pivoted to the body and are caused to move in a
natural manner. To effect this one end of a rod is pivotted to the fore legs at
about the knees and the other end to the rear of the-platform whilst the hind legs
are similarly actuated by a rod one end of which is pivoted to them and the other
end to the rear vertical rod. When the roundabout is set in motion each horse
goes round in a circle and the wheel on the tramway turning round causes the
bodies to be rocked up and down by the crank whilst the legs being confined by
the pivoted rods are alternately drawn under the body and extended just as in a
galloping horse.
The jumping motion is given by inclines on the circular tramway. The wheel
in ascending one of these raises the front of the horse which drops again as the
wheel descends the other side of the incline
Having thus stated the nature of our said invention we will proceed to describe
the construction more in detail.
As in other roundabouts there is a circular revolving frame or platform say from
thirty to sixty feet in diameter. It is carried upon wheels which run upon guide
tracks and control it in a circular course.
Guide rollers may also be provided around the inner edge of the platform.
The whole is driven by a steam engine which it is convenient to place in an
opening at the centre of the frame. The revolving frame carries a number of
hinged platforms such as the annexed drawing represents.
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 is a plan. In Figure 2 a part of the
upper surface of the platform is removed in order to expose the supporting wheel
beneath.
a is part of the main circular revolving frame or platform. a¹. a. are the wheels
on which it is carried and a. a. are guide rollers. 6 is the hinged platform. Two
of these platforms are indicated in Figure 2.
b'. b. are the pivots by which the platform b is connected with the revolving
frame or platform a; the platform b is able to rise and fall by turning about these
pivots.
c is a wheel by which the platform is supported, it runs upon a cireular guide
track in the course of which obstacles are provided as is herein after more
fully described. The axle of the wheel c is carried in bearings fixed to the platform
on either side and it is cranked at c¹. c¹ or to avoid the necessity for a cranked axis
the bearings may be placed nearer together beneath the platform in which case the

page_text: axis carries a disc at either side beyond the bearing and a crank pin is set in the
face of each disc.
Each platform carries two horses side by side. A connecting rod d passes
upwards from the crank or crank pin and the body of the horse e is rigidly fixed
upon it at the upper end. The cranks are set diametrically opposite so that the
weight is balanced about the axis. The body of the horse is also supported by a
link which is jointed to the body and also to the platform b. The lower joint of
the link fmay be so arranged as to be capable of adjustment up or down. It will
thus be seen that as the platform 6 is moved round along with the revolving frame
or platform a. the body of the horse receives from the crank, connecting rod and
link, a to and fro and up and down movement relatively to the platform. The
motion as a whole which is imparted to the rider in the saddle is complex and
closely resembles that experienced in riding a real horse.
At the same time that the body of the horse is thus moved the legs receive
motion also as in galloping. For this purpose the fore legs g, are jointed to the
body at g, and sockets are formed in them to receive the ends of the bar h, which
is shown also in Figure 3. The bar h is connected by a rod i, with the platform b
by a joint at 6. Hence when the body of the horse moves forward relatively to
the frame a, the fore legs are drawn down and when the body of the horse recedes
the fore legs rise. The hind legs k are also jointed to the body at k¹, and between
them they carry a bar l, similar to h; from the bar l, a rod m, passes to the link f
and is pin jointed to it. Hence the hind legs will be raised as the body of the
horse advances relatively to the platform and will be drawn down as the body
recedes. Several holes are formed in the link f, and to either of these the rod m
may be shifted; in this way the movement of the hind legs may be varied more or
less at will.
o is the
For the purpose of imparting jumping movement, we provide inclines which at
pleasure can be raised in the track or by the side of the rail upon which the
wheels c run.
Then the wheels in passing along run up the incline. The ascent is .
made more or less gradual and descent on the other side is comparatively abrupt.
Figure 4 indicates the arrangements in respect to one of these inclines.
surface of the rail or track on which the wheels a¹ and c run. p is a bearing plate
along side of the rail or track o, it is capable of rising and falling turning about
the centre p¹. The bearing plate is raised when required by a cam q beneath it
which can be set and locked in any desired position or the plate p may be raised
in any other convenient manner. The wheels c when they come to the incline
leave the permanent track run up the incline and descend upon the other side.
The form given to the edge of the plate p will determine the motion given to the
platform b, about its pivots b', and in this motion the horses and their riders
partake. More or less jumping movement may be given by setting the bearing
plate p to project more or less above the level of the permanent guide track say
from a few inches up to two feet.
A roundabout of large size will have two or even three circuits of hinged
platforms and will have the appearance of a procession with the horses four or
more abreast. The innermost circuit of platforms or that nearest the centre may
carry horses of smaller size or ponies for children.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention and the manner of
performing the same we would have it understood that we do not claim generally
roundabouts in which the seats are formed as hobby horses, nor do we claim
generally imparting to such horses movements other than that which they receive
directly from the main circular revolving frame But we claim :-
First. The combination of parts o c'd and f, whereby motion is imparted to the
body e of the horse substantially as described."
Second. Jointing the legs of the horse to the body and imparting thereto natural.
movements, substantially as described.
Third. Imparting to the hobby horses jumping movements by carrying them

page_text: upon platforms b, hinged at one end to the main revolving frame or platform a,
and having wheels passing over inclines or obstacles substantially as described.
Fourth. Our improved roundabout substantially as described.
.
In witness whereof we the said William Meeds, William Meeds the Younger
and Thomas Blinkhorn have hereunto set our hands and seals this thirty first
day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty
three.
WILLIAM MEEDS
(L.S.)
WILLIAM MEEDS JUNER (LS.)
T. BLINKHORN
(L.S.)