s with automatic and jointed horses or other
Year: 1899

page_text: We, RAOUL ADRIEN GRIMOIN SANSON and ARMAND JOSEPH ALLARD, both of
15, Avenue de la Motte Piquet, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to improvements in roundabouts with automatic and
jointed horses or other animals. Our improvement comprises, contrary to what
is the case with those hitherto used at fairs and other public entertainments,
not wooden hoises which are more or less movable as a whole but wooden horses
which are actually jointed in such a manner as to give the illusion of real hoi ses
which are either trotting or galloping.
Our improved roundabout consists essentially of a flooring connected by
means of vertical uprights with a horizontal shaft mounted in gear-wheels which
are displaced along racks The platform is provided with foot-boards giving
access thereto as is the case with roundabouts of the ordinary kind.
Upon the horizontal shaft are rigidly fixed at intervals bevel pinions. The
number of these bevel pinions will of course depend upon the width of the
roundabout and upon the number of horses which it is desied to arrange side
by side in the same low.
01.
We will now consider the method of transmitting movement to each horse,
as a whole, the desciption of one being of course applicable to the others
The pinion on the horizontal shaft gears with a second pinion which is
rigidly fixed to the lower extremity of a vertical shaft arranged in a tube
which should be of great strength as it supports the entire weight of the horse.
In order the better to assist in the illusion, this tube may be hidden by the
tail of the animal. The vertical shaft terminates at its upper portion in a second
pinion This second pinion gears with a pinion rigidly fixed upon a short
houzontal shaft and terminating in another pinion gearing with a bevel wheel
upon a transverse shaft to which is keved.a toothed wheel gearing with a
second toothed wheel on a second transverse shaft. It will be seen that owing
to this method of transmission the two toothed wheels 1otate in opposite
directions, seeing that they are driven directly.
The bevel wheel on the first transverse shaft is provided with a connecting
rod which is attached to a long, leg-operating lever provided with a slide or
slot in which travels a pin, rigidly fixed to the body of the animal Parallel
with the lever is arranged a second or short leg operating lever pivoted to the
body of the animal These two levers form the upper portion of one of the
hind legs of the horse. they are pivoted to levers, which are pivoted at their
lower portion of the shoe. Owing to the movement of rotation of the bevel
wheel, the connecting rod obliges the upper extremity of the long lever to
move along the double groove. As a result of this displacement, there are
imparted to the various levers, movements which exactly correspond with
those of the hind legs of a trotting horse. As regards the fore part of the

page_text: The
animal, the toothed wheel on the second transverse shaft is likewise connected
by means of a rod to a lever similar to the long lever above referred to.
connecting rod forces the upper portion of this lever to slide in suitable
grooves in such a manner as to impart to the forelegs of the horse the natural
movements of the fore legs of a trotting horse.
It will of course be understood that the system of parts which has just been
described is duplicated, but the positions of the connecting rods are arranged
at an angle of 180° from those of the first named corresponding parts
In order to compel the upper portions of the long levers to circulate in the
two portions of each of the grooves these latter are provided at their extremities
with appropriate springs These springs may be replaced, if desired, by suit-
able cams arranged at the points of junction of the two grooves, and consti-
tuting, so to speak, reversing points. These cams are provided with ratchets
preventing them from turning in a direction contrary to that of the desired
movement.
The tube which supports the horse, is connected at its lower portion with
a slightly inclined tube terminating at its front portion in a roller moving
along a sinuous path.
When the roundabout has been started, the toothed wheels move along the
supporting racks and each horse participates in the motion of the apparatns as
a whole; the various movements which have been described above, are pro-
duced owing to the transmission gearing by means of the pinions. At the same
time, as a result of the action of the roller which is displaced along the sinuous
path the body of each horse as a whole performs an undulating movement
which, in combination with the movements of the legs, produces an admirable
representation of a trotting horse.
For the purpose of fans and other public entertainments, we employ the
arrangement which has been described, that is to say, a movable platform,
but this is not the sole application of our invention and we may, for example,
utilize it for the race-horse in race or
petits cheraur games.
In the case of race games of this kind, the motor sets the horses in motion
without transmitting any movement to the flooring, which is independent, and
when once the horses have been started their operating mechanism may be
disengaged from the motor by means of a loose-pulley, leaving the horses free
to stop of their own accord and at hazard. Consequently any one of the horses
may stop nearest to the winning post, as is the case in the race games in
question. It will be understood that with this arrangement the players will
have, in addition to the attractions of the game itself, the additional attraction
of being able to mount the horses which they have selected.
"
As above stated, the weight of each horse is carried by a tube, it will of
course be understood that this tube may be of any appropriate section, or it
may be replaced by U-shaped or other tubes or parts.
In the same manner, the transmission of movement to the horse takes place
by means of a rod which terminates in two pinions. We reserve the right
to replace this rod by a suitable driving chain such as a Galle or Vaucanson
chain.
By means of a simple modification of the guiding grooves, our improved
mechanism may be applied to figures of animals other than horses.
Dated this 11th day of February 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co..
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: We, RAOUL ADRIEN GRIMOIN SANSON and ARMAND JOSEPH ALLARD, both of
15, Avenue de la Motte Piquet, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers,
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:-
This invention relates to improvements in roundabouts having automatic
and jointed horses or other animals.
In contradistinction to the wooden horses hitherto used at fairs and other
public entertainments, which horses are more or less movable as a whole, our
invention comprises wooden horses in which the limbs are jointed in such a
manner as to give the illusion of real horses which are either trotting or
galloping.
In order that our invention may be readily and clearly understood, we have
represented the same in the accompanying diawings in which
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a wooden horse constructed in accordance
with our invention.
Figure 2 represents the mechanism employed for actuating the limbs of
the horses.
Figure 3 is a cross-section representing the arrangement of the roundabout
as a whole, and
Figure 4 is a plan view of the mechanism provided within each figure.
Our improved roundabout consists essentially of a flooring a Figures 2 and 3
connected by means of vertical uprights with horizontal shafts upon which
are mounted gear-wheels d engaging with racks The platform a is provided
with foot-hboards f giving access to the said platform as in 1oundabouts of the
ordinary kind.
•
Upon the horizontal shafts care rigidly fixed at intervals bevel pinions g
the number of which will of course depend upon the width of the roundabout
and upon the number of horses which it is desired to arrange side by side
in the same row. In the example illustrated in the drawing it has been
assumed that the roundabout consists of various rows each containing four
horses.
We will now consider the method of transmitting movement to each horse,
as a whole; the description of one being of course applicable to the others.
The pinion g on the horizontal shaft c gears with a second pinion which
is igidly fixed to the lower extremity of a vertical shaft arranged in a tube j
which should be made very strong and rigid as it is designed to support the
entire weight of the horse. In order to better assist in the illusion, this
tube may be hidden by the tail of the animal. The vertical shaft iter-
minates at its upper portion in a second pinion k, which gears with a pinion /
rigidly fixed upon one end of a short horizontal shaft m the opposite end of
which is provided with another pinion » gearing with a bevel wheel o upon a
transverse shaft to which is keyed a toothed wheel p gearing with a wheel 12
It will be seen that owing to this method of transmission the two toothed
wheels and 12 being in direct gear will rotate in opposite directions.
The bevel wheel o is provided with a connecting rod q which is attached
to a long, leg-operating lever r having a slide or slots in which a pin t rigidly
fixed to the body of the animal is adapted to travel. Parallel with the lever r
is arranged a second or short leg-operating lever u pivoted at r to the body

page_text: As a
of the animal. These two levers u and r form the upper portion of one of
the hind legs of the horse, they are pivoted at r, y and to levers 1, 2 which
in turn are pivoted at their lower ends to the hoof or shoe 3 Owing to the
movement of rotation of the bevel wheel o, the connecting rod 9 compels the
upper extremity of the long lever to move along a double groove 4.
result of this displacement, there are imparted to the various levers u, r, 1
and 2 movements which exactly correspond with those of the hind legs of, a
trotting horse
As regards the fore pait of the animal, the toothed wheel 12
is likewise connected. by means of a rod 5 to a lever 6 similar to the long
lever r The connecting rod 5 compels the upper portion of this lever to slide
in suitable grooves 7; in such a manner as to impart to the fore legs of the
horse the natural movements of a trotting horse.
It will of course be understood that the arrangement of parts which has
just been described is duplicated, but the positions of the second set of rods
and 5 are arranged at an angle of 180° from the first named corresponding
parts
In order to compel the upper portions of the long levers r and 6 to circulate
in the two portions of each of the grooves 4 and 7, these latter are provided
at their extremities with appropriate springs 8 These springs may be replaced,
if desired, by suitable cams arranged at the points of junction of the two
grooves, and constituting, so to speak, reversing points. These cams are pro-
vided with ratchets for preventing them from turning in a direction contrary
to that of the desired movement.
The tube which supports the horse, is connected at its lower portion with
a slightly inclined tube or frame terminating at its front portion in a
roller 10 moving along a sinuous path 11.
When the roundabout has been started, the toothed wheels d move along
the supporting racks e and each horse participates in the motion of the apparatus
as a whole the various movements which have been described above, are pro-
duced by the transmission gearing qhkl and n. At the same time, as a result
of the action of the roller 10 which is displaced along the sinuous path 11,
the body of each horse as a whole performs an undulating movement which,
in combination with the movements of the legs, produces an admirable repre-
sentation of a trotting horse.
For the purpose of fairs and other public entertainments, we employ the
arrangement which has been described, that is to say a movable platform, but
this is not the sole application of our invention and we may, for example,
utilise it for the race-horses in race or petits chevaur games.
In the case of race games of this kind, the motor sets the horses in motion
without transmitting any movement to the flooring which is fixed and provided
with grooves in which the tubes for supporting the horses travels When
once the horses have been started their operating mechanism may be disengaged
from the motor by means of a loose pullev, leaving the horses free to stop of
their own accord and at hazard. Consequently any one of the horses may stop
nearest to the winning post, as is the case in the race games in question
will be understood that with this arrangement the players will have, in addition
to the attractions of the game itself, the additional attraction of being able to
mount the houses which they have selected
It
As above stated, the weight of each horse is carried by a tube 2. it will
of course be understood that this tube may be of any appropriate section, or it
may be made U-shaped or other suitable form.
In the same manner the transmission of movement to the horse takes place
by means of a rod which terminates in two pinions. We may if desired
replace this rod by a suitable diving chain such as a Galle or Vaucanson
chain
By means of a simple modification of the, guiding grooves, our improved
mechanism may be applied to figures of animals other than horses.

page_text: 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 hereindescribed improvements in roundabouts provided with automatic
and jointed horses specially characterised by a series of radial axes arranged
beneath the flooring of the roundabout and mounted in gear wheels moving
along circular toothed racks, each of the said radial axes carrying a number
of bevel pinions equal to the number of hoises which it is desired to arrange
in each row, these bevel pinions transmitting to each horse the movement of
rotation of the wheels travelling upon the rack, as above specified.
2 The arrangement, within the body of each animal, of -four wheels rotating
in pairs in opposite directions, to which movement is imparted by bevel pinions
ngidly fixed upon the lower shaft, each of these wheels being directly attached
to a connecting rod pivoted upon levers constituting one of the legs of the
horse, the extremities of one of these leveis being capable of displacement in
suitable grooves, thus imparting to the system of levers the necessary movements
for reproducing those of the legs of a trotting hoise.
3. The utilisation of tubes- or other metal parts of suitable section and
rigidity having their point of support upon the lower axes and entirely sup-
porting the weight of the horses, each of these tubes or the like being connected
with a lower tube provided at its front portion with a roller capable of displace-
ment along a sinuous path aanged parallel with the lower toothed racks.
4 The utilisation of driving gear for the lower shafts provided with means
for rapidly throwing them out of gear, enabling the movement of the horses
to he rendered independent at a given moment, for the purpose of converting
the roundabout into a race or petits chevaur" game. the platform being
fixed in this case, and the rods or tubes supporting the horses travelling in
grooves formed in this fixed platform or flooring.
Dated this 11th day of November 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W C.,
Agents for the Applicants.