IMPROVE- MENTS IN MECHANICAL SWINGS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HERBERT TIPPER of Station Road, Witton, near Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MECHANICAL SWINGS" to be as follows:-
7
My invention relates to what are commonly known as Swings consisting of a
boat or carriage body suspended by jointed rods to an overhead support or bar,
carried by suitable framing, so that persons in the Swing or boat are swung back-
wards and forwards by expedients commonly known.
The object of my invention is the production of means whereby the boats of such
Swings, are swung backwards and forwards by mechanical means, instead of by
hand as heretofore.
In carrying out my invention, I proceed as follows:-
The boat is supported by rods hooked to bracket eyes attached to the sides near
the ends of the boat-These rods are connected at their upper ends to the side of a
pulley on one side, and to the side of a disc or wheel on the other-This pulley and
wheel carrying the suspending rods are mounted upon an axis, which turn in
suitable bracket or bearing supports, attached to the upper side of shear leg like
framing The shear leg framing is provided with cross and longitudinal stay rests
or supports-The pulley on the swing axis has a chain or cord passing over its
periphery; and extending a short distance below the pulley axis; this short chain
which is fixed at its middle to the pulley, has rods extending downwards to a
double armed bell crank rocking lever; that is, the rocking lever consists of a lever
with equal arms and in the same plane turning upon a fulcrum; and to the ends of
these arms, the rods before described are linked or jointed. Depending from the
underside of this lever is a third arm, to which the end of a connecting rod is
jointed. The other or forward end of the connecting rod is jointed to a crank arm
carried by a horizontal shaft or axis, and at the outer end of this shaft is a second
crank arm, which is worked by an excentric or other mechanical equivalent situated
on the main driving shaft of a steam engine or other motive power, which is
employed for the working of the swing, although power generated from any
convenient source may be employed with like effect, such as manual or horse power.
The shafting and rocking levers are carried by and supported within suitable
bearings.
The swing is worked as follows.
Motion generated from a steam engine or other power is communicated to the
rocking shaft by an excentric connected to the first crank arm, which communicates

page_text: a to and fro motion to the rocking shaft, while the second crank arm also commu-
nicates a to and fro motion to the connecting rod, and thence to the triple armed
bell-crank lever; and so on producing an alternate to and fro motion through the
working rods connected to the short chain passing over the pulley on the axis or
shaft from which the boat is suspended, thereby producing an alternate to and fro
oscillatory movement which is commonly known as swinging the boat.
By my invention, swings constructed as herein before described, are simple in
their construction, efficient in their action, and manual power entirely dispensed
with.
The mechanical arrangement is capable of being thrown into and out of gear, and
the swing may be made to oscillate to a greater or less extent according to varying
requirements.
One, two or more swings may be arranged side by side driven from a common
source; and the swinging mechanism is so arranged that one swing if necessary
may be in operation, while another one is at rest; or on the other hand, two or
more swings may be worked together according to the requirements.

page_text: I, HERBERT TIPPER of Station Road Witton near Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MECHANICAL SWINGS," and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to what are commonly known as swings, consisting of a
boat or carriage body suspended by jointed rods to an overhead support or bar;
carried by suitable framing, so that persons in the swing or boat are .swung
backwards and forwards by expedients commonly known.
The object of my invention is the production of means whereby the boats of
such swings, are swung backwards and forwards by mechanical means, instead
of by hand as heretofore.
In carrying out my invention I proceed as follows.
The boat is supported by rods hooked to bracket eyes attached to the sides near
the ends of the boat. These rods are connected at their upper ends to the side of a
pulley on one side, and to the side of a disc or wheel on the other. This pulley
and wheel carrying the suspending-rods are mounted upon an axis, which turn in
suitable bracket or bearing supports, attached to the upper. side of shear leg like
framing. The shear leg framing is provided with cross and longitudinal stay rests
or supports.
The pulley on the swing axis has a chain or cord passing over its periphery; and
extending a short distance below the pulley axis; this short chain which is fixed
at its middle to the pulley, has rods extending downwards from either end to
a double armed bell-crank rocking lever; that is, the rocking lever consists of a
lever with equal arms and in the same plane turning upon a fulcrum; and to the
ends of these arms, the rods before described are linked or jointed. Depending
from the underside of this lever is a third arm, to which the end of a connecting
rod is jointed. The other or forward end of the connecting rod is jointed to a
crank arm carried by a horizontal shaft or axis, and at the outer end of this shaft.
is a second crank arm, which is worked by an excentric or other mechanical
equivalent situated on the main driving shaft of a steam engine or other motive
power, which is employed for the working of the swing, although power generated
from any convenient source may be employed with like effect, such as manual or
horse power. The shafting and rocking levers are carried by and supported within.
suitable bearings.
The swing is worked as follows.
Motion generated from a steam engine or other power is communicated to the
rocking shaft by an excentric connected to the first crank arm, which communicates
a to and fro motion to the rocking shaft, while the second crank arm also com-
municates a to and fro motion to the connecting rod, and thence to the triple.
armed bell-crank lever, and so on producing an alternate to and fro motion through.
the working rods connected to the short chain passing over the pulley on the axis
or shaft from which the boat is suspended, thereby producing an alternate to and
fro oscillatory movement which is commonly known as swinging the boat..

page_text: By my invention, swings constructed as herein-before described, are simple in
their construction, efficient in their action, and manual power entirely dispensed
with.
The mechanical arrangement is capable of being thrown into and out of gear,
and the swing may be made to oscillate to a greater or less extent according to
varying requirements.
One, two or more swings may be arranged side by side driven from a common
source; and the swinging mechanism is so arranged that one swing if necessary
may be in operation, while another one is at rest; or on the other hand, two or
more swings may be worked together according to the requirements.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawing the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents.in plan, figure 2 in end elevation and figure 3 a side view of
a mechanical swing constructed according to my invention.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
a is a boat or carriage body suspended by rods b from an overhead swing
axis c or rather from a pulley or wheel d mounted upon the said axis or shaft.
The said over-head axis works within suitable bearing brackets e carried by the
sheer leg framing of which said framing supports the brackets or bearings wherein
the swing axis takes. The lower ends of the rods bare hooked to brackets a³
attached to the boat or carriage body a, while the upper ends of these rods are
rigidly affixed or attached to the faces of the drums or pulley wheels d. These
drums or pulley wheels are provided with sheave like channels d' wherein a rope
chain or other flexible connector g takes; and through these ropes or chains,
motion is communicated to the swing axis or shaft. Thus the upper part of the
rope or chain g is rigidly affixed or connected at h to the drum or pulley d while
the lower terminal ends of the said rope or chain is attached respectively to the
two arms is, of a rocking double bell crank lever i; so that the rocking motion
of the lever i, imparts an oscillatory, or a to and fro movement to the boat or
carriage body.
The sheer leg framing f is also provided with cross and longitudinal stay rods or
supports f which bind together and support, and in fact constitute the framing
of the swing.
and
The double armed rocking lever i turns upon a fulcrum or joint centre i³,
which said rocking lever has a depending arm it, and to this said arm, the one end
of a connecting rod jis attached, for giving the necessary rocking movement to the
swing. The other end of this connecting rod is attached to a quadrant slotted
arm, provided with a lifter 1, rocking centre m and catch n. This quadrant
slotted arm is mounted upon a rocking shaft o which receives its motion through
the rod of an excentric p, this excentric rod is connected with a crank arm p²
mounted upon the rocking shaft. The excentric rod is actuated through an
excentric strap, which embraces an excentric plate carried on the main driving
shaft q.
By changing the position of the connecting rod j, or rather the stud ja which
moves within the slot of the quadrant arm, the requisite to and fro motion can be
imparted to the swing, that is, the relative position of the stud j" with respect to
the fulcrum centre m determines the amount of oscillation that shall be given; so
that a person in starting the swing, has only to raise the end of the connecting rod
from the lowest to the highest position, when the swings will start at a slow pace,
and gradually accelerate to a greater one; and when the requisite speed has been
acquired, the connecting rod is held automatically by the catch n taking into or
engaging with one or other of the teeth of the lifting lever l, or when the swing is
in full oscillation, the catch n is simply released and the connecting rod falls to its
lowest position, which allows the boat or boats to come gradually to rest by their
own gravity. Or the lever and catch arrangement may be so arranged that when

page_text: two or more boats are driven from the same source of power, one or other may be
disengaged so as to be free, while the other or others remain in full oscillation.
The pulley or sheave d to which the rope or chain is attached is best seen in an
enlarged view figure 4; thus the rope or cord passes over the upper end of the
drum's periphery, and extending downwards on opposite sides. So that the motion
communicated on either side of the rope g gives an oscillatory motion to the swing
axis.
Figure 5 represents a modification, where a chain is employed instead of a rope.
In this case, a part of the upper periphery of the wheel, has indentations or
depressions wherein the links of the chain lie; so that the movement of the chain
in either one or other direction, partially rotates the wheel, and as it is only
intended that the said wheel should have a semi-rotation, the other ends of the
chain which are attached to the arms of the rocking lever impart the necessary
oscillation to the bolt or carriage of the swing.
Although I have described that the rods b are connected to the faces of pulleys,
yet the same result may be attained by connecting the upper ends of the said rods
to opposite arms, of which the swing axis is the centre. These arms are simply the
equivalent of a pulley mounted upon an axis; thus when arms are employed, both
the upper ends of the rods, and the operating cords or chains are connected or
attached thereto.
It is shown in the end elevation figure 2 that the operating ropes connected with
the rocking arm, cross each other; this is to cause the boats not to swing with each
other, when two or more boats are driven from the same swing shaft or axis; that
is, unless the ropes were crossed, they would move together, which is objectionable.
Although I have described and represented two swings driven from the same
swing axis, yet more than two swings or a single swing may be used with the like,
or the same effect.
The action of the machine is as follows: -
On motion being communicated from the driving axis q which is connected with
a steam engine or other source of power, motion is communicated to the excentric
rod p, and from thence to the crank arm pa mounted on the shaft o, and again from
thence to the quadrant slotted arm or lever k which imparts a to and fro movement
to the connecting rod ; which in its turn rocks the rocker i upon its fulcrum centre,
and by its angular rocking movement, pulls alternately the ropes or cords g, which
give a semi-rotation to the swing axis c through the pulley d, thereby producing an
alternate to and fro oscillatory movement which is commonly known as swinging
the boat.
The application of my invention to other swings such as cot swings or what are
known as baby minders, differs in no essential respect from its application to a swing
hereinbefore described; other than with respect to the means of moving the
rocking lever. This I propose to effect by a simple foot treadle, which is connected
with the depending arm in such a manner that a person has only to press upon
the treadle with the foot, when a rocking motion is imparted to the double armed
rocker i which swings the cot or cradle through the intervention of rods, cords and
pullies.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. Suspending and working the boats of swings and the like by means of
an overhanging axis or shaft which carries a pulley or a series of pullies, to which
the boat suspending or supporting rods are rigidly connected or attached, and over
the periphery of each said pulley or wheel, a rope or chain passes, which said rope
or chain is affixed to the pulley, at the upper part; so that on the pulling of the
rope or chain, either in one or other direction, causes the swing shaft or axis to
partially rotate or rock, thereby giving the requisite oscillation or swing motion
to the boat.

page_text: Secondly. Employing pullies or their equivalents in the form of lever arms, for
giving the requisite movement to swings by fixing the pulling rope or chain to
a part of the pulley or wheel substantially as described and illustrated in figure 4;
also the modification set forth in figure 5.
Thirdly. Imparting the requisite swing motion to overhead swing axes or shafts,
by means of a two armed rocking lever, which is actuated by a connecting rod,
receiving its motion from a second axis, substantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly. The general construction and arrangement of mechanical swings
herein before described and illustrated in the several figures of the Drawings;
consisting essentially of a swing axis, which may suspend, one, two or more boats,
which bouts receive their oscillatory, or to and fro movement, by means of pullies
to which the upper ends of the suspending rods are fixed, and around the said
pullies, ropes or chains are also attached, which ropes or chains receive their pulling
motion from a double armed rocking lever which is worked from a hanging arm on
its underside, receiving its motion from a connecting rod, which is fixed to
a quadrant rocking arm capable of adjustment, with respect to the end of the
connecting rod, in order to give a greater or less oscillation, or to throw the
mechanism entirely out of gear. Motion being communicated to the quadrant
slotted axis by means of a second arm worked, by the rod of an excentric or other-
wise. The parts of the swing being constructed arranged and combined and acting
in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described and illustrated in the
several figures of the Drawings.