The Application to Roundabouts" of an Improved Method of Moving the Horses and Riders in a Transverse Direction whilst they are Rotating.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1886.
Complete Left, 16th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 19th Apr., 1887.
66
The Application to Roundabouts" of an Improved Method of
Moving the Horses and Riders in a Transverse Direction whilst
they are Rotating.
We THOMAS Woon, Draughtsman & Engineer, 35, Todmorden Road, Burnley,
Lancashire, JONAS Lowcock, Engine Tenter, 16 Hull Street, Burnley, Lancashire,
and JAMES BROXUP, Watch Maker & Jeweller, 24, Parliament Street, Burnley, Lanca-
shire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
"
The application (to "Dobby-Horses" and Coaches, "Merry-go-Rounds," or the
like) of a larger or smaller number of shafts with two spiral grooves or slots cut oe
recessed out along the body part of each shaft, with "Guide or Tail-Pieces fitted in
such manner as to slide easily in the grooves the boat or tail-piece is connected to a
"Boss" encircling the shaft so as to travel with the "boat" backwards and forwards
along the shaft, from end to end of the grooves or slots, the travelling "Boss" having
lugs or ears cast on to the underside of ditto for the end of one or more suspension-
rods to fix to, the horse or horses being attached to the bottom end of suspension rods
(so as to be clear of the surface of ground, the same as those of the present ordinary
Dobby-Horses").
;;
"
The invention or application of the above named spiral grooved shafts to "Dobby-
Horses" relates to the manner of changing the relative positions of the Horses or Cars
and the diverting of their course whilst rotating from the outer to the middle and from
the middle to the inner or more circles and "vice versa," it also relates to the giving
to each rider a more equal ride round the courses or circles, and particularly to the
before specified changes and diversions being accomplished (without the use of any
Tracks or pathways, and crossings whatever) by means of the revolving shafts with
spiral grooves as previously described.
*
Each of the spiral grooved shafts to work in pedestals or fill-bows, fixed on the top
or underside of the arms, spokes or disc, so as to radiate from the main centre of the
Dobby-Horse Machine, at right angles to the horses, rotating along with the arms,
spokes or disc at the same time that they (the shafts) are revolving round, each upon
its own axis, by means of a small bevel-wheel (fixed on each shaft at that end of ditto

page_text: nearest to the main centre) geared or working into a larger crown bevel wheel fixed
to a flange cast on the main central pillar or chimney flue, the crown wheel to remain
in a stationary position, and by so doing it causes the smaller wheels and the shafts
to revolve, and the boat or tail pieces to traverse backwards and forwards in the
grooves & the relative positions of the horses and their riders to change and to deviate
in their courses from one circle to another with the greatest ease, safety and accuracy
and altogether in a manner most astonishing and mysterious to the eyes of the
spectators and to the delight of the riders.
All other parts or portions necessary to the full completion and setting in motion
of a complete "Dobby-Horse" Machine (and not described or alluded to herein) are
intended to be the same as those in use at the present time, for "Dobby-Horses"
without any Patents attached, viz. such portions as the smoke-stack pipe and the bosses
for the spokes or arms and for the stay rods at the top end of smoke stack pipe, the
upright shaft bevel wheels at the bottom of ditto, lantern wheels at the top of upright
shaft, and the engine and boiler &c.
Datal thin 17th day of T1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
The Application to "Roundabouts" of an Improved Method of
Moving the "Horses" and Riders in a Transverse Direction
whilst they are Rotating.
We THOMAS WOOD Draughtsman and Engineer, 35 Todmorden Road, JONAS
Lowcock, Engine Tenter, 16 Hull Street and JAMES BROXUP, Watch Maker &
Jeweller, 24 Parliament Street all of Burnley in the County of Lancaster do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for THE APPLICATION TO 畫 ROUNDABOUTS' OF AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF MOVING THE 'HORSES AND RIDERS IN A TRANSVERSE DIRECTION
WHILST THEY ARE ROTATING 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 our invention is to provide novelty and attraction to the patrons of
'roundabouts' by causing the 'horses and riders to move in transverse directions
whilst they are rotating and to change their positions relatively by a variety of
movements alike pleasing to both the riders and spectators.
In carrying out our said invention we effect our object in the following way, we
take say any set of 'roundabouts' with no other motion of the 'horses' but the ordinary
rotatory one, in complete working order, the component parts of which we term old
and to the principle of which we make no claim, but in addition to which we
apply a number of mechanical articles, by whose agency we accomplish our improved
method of moving the horses and riders in a transverse direction whilst they are
rotating, without the necessity for or the use of tracks, or pathways and crossings.
The application to 'roundabouts' of the said number of mechanical articles we call
new, a description of which we now proceed to give along with the manner in which
they perform:-
Take as many wrought iron shafts as are required for the total number of horses'
there are in the set of roundabouts to be operated upon, say one shaft about 2 ins
diameter to each single 'horse' or to each pair of horses as required, the shafts to
have turned necks on ditto, supported in pedestals bored out to receive the same, the
latter to be fitted and bolted to the rotating disc, arms or spokes of the said 'round-
abouts, in positions radiating from the main centre of the machine towards the
periphery of the rotating disc or the ends of the arins or spokes & at equal distances
apart.
One bevel pinion wheel of suitable diameter bored and fitted loose on to each shaft
& fixed so as to gear into a larger crown bevel wheel whose diameter is made to suit
the number of pinion wheels working in ditto, the boss of crown wheel to be bored
out, fitted and fixed so as to remain stationary on the main centre of roundabouts*
in gear with the pinion wheels.
The rotatory motion of the disc, arms or spokes actuates the pinion bevel wheels,
causing them to traverse round the rim of the stationary crown wheel, thereby com-
pelling each shaft to revolve upon its own axis, whilst rotating with the disc &c.

page_text: A portion of the length at the outer end of each shaft to have a double or what is
commonly termed a right and left hand spiral thread cut on the body part of each
shaft, sufficiently long to give the required length of transverse traverse of the
'horses' &c.
A small steel boat' made a proper shape to fit the spiral threads of each shaft,
so as to traverse freely in ditto to and from along the entire length of threads, a
metal 'boss' to be turned, bored, fitted and fixed fast on to the said shafts, viz.-one
boss at each end or extremity of the spiral threads, each 'boss' to be formed with
a Vee point in such manner as to lead the said 'boat' out of the right hand thread
into the left hand ditto, and vice versa ' each boat' to be enclosed in a metal bush
of suitable length with lugs or cars cast on for the connections from the horses
to couple to, either singly or in pairs, the said 'bush' to be bored out and made to
encircle the shaft, the boat' to he attached to the 'bush' by means of a projecting pin
forming a part of the boat' this said pin to be fitted into a hole drilled in the 'bush'
so as to cause the bush to be dragged along with the 'boat' in its travels to and
from in the threads of the screw, the said boat' and bush being actuated by the
revolving motion of the shafts and their spiral threads.
Each of the said 'bushes' to be prepared also for and fitted with turned wrot-
iron centres for 2 small, turned and bored carrier pulleys to revolve upon, and iron
rails for the said carrier pulleys to roll upon, to be fitted and bolted to the said disc,
arms or spokes of the roundabouts' so as to relieve the 'boat' and 'bush from
having to sustain the whole weight of the horses' and riders whilst traversing
transversely to and from.
Each bevel pinion wheel bored out to fit loose on the shaft, each shaft to have a
fast collar on for the inside face of each pinion wheel boss to butt against, a short spiral
spring to encircle each shaft, one end of ditto to be fixed close up to the outside
face of each pinion wheel boss, this portion of each shaft to have an ordinary thread
screwed on and fitted with a pair of lock nuts screwed against the other end of
spiral spring until they force the spring and pinion wheel against the said fast.
collar on the shaft with just the requisite amount of pressure as to compel the shaft
to revolve and no more, so that any extra resistance to the revolving of the
shafts that might arise through the boats' sticking fast in the spiral threads or
from some other cause, would allow the bevel pinion wheels to slip round on the
shafts, and the shaft so acted upon would have ceased to revolve though still in the act
of rotating with the disc &c., thereby preventing accidents through breakages from
taking place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we now beg expressly to state that
we do not claim the whole modus operandi' of the said number of mechanical articles
herein described as new to 'roundabouts and we now declare that what we do claim is,
The application to 'roundabouts of the said articles (herein described as new) for
improving the method of moving the 'horses' and riders in a transverse direction
whilst they are rotating, substantially as is herein described.
Dated this 10th day of Mal 100