Improvements in and relating to Amusement Wheels and Water Chutes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Amusement Wheels and Water
Chutes.
I, HERBERT HORTON PATTEE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing
at 503 B street north east, in the City of Washington and District of Columbia,
United States of America, Actor, 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 specification.
This invention relates to an improved amusement round-about, comprising
essentially an upright or vertical wheel, and in combination therewith a chute-
shooting arrangement.
The object of the invention is to provide a simple, novel and effective com-
bination of mechanical parts which will permit a coasting or shooting car to be
suddenly precipitated along the arc of the circumference of a large rotary wheel
in like manner as if it were being thrust down a chute or inclined way. The
passengers upon an amusement roundabout of this kind, which is propelled
obviously with great celerity, will enjoy all the exhilaration of motion incident
to the rapid shooting of a car down a chute, and combined therewith many other
novel and enjoyable sensations incident to the peculiar movement of the car upon
the wheel's periphery, the rotation of the wheel, the splashing of a water course
arranged in conjunction with the wheel and adapted to be struck by the moving
car, and other characteristics too numerous to mention.
The invention therefore consists essentially in the construction, arrangement and
combination of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved wheel and shooting car.
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the same, showing
the water tank within which the lowest portion of the wheel's periphery moves.
Figure 3 is likewise a partial sectional side elevation of the wheel showing a
body of water carried by the rim thereof, and showing likewise a car which is in
position to slide down the incline of the peripheral are.
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of my improved wheel, show-
ing the car at the lowest portion of the periphery of the wheel at the point where
it passes through the water which is arranged to be carried within said periphery.
in like manner as is suggested in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the wheel's periphery, showing
the car in partial end elevation.
Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the car or boat.
Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the same.
Figure 8 is a sectional elevational view of a modified form of my improved
combined wheel and shooting boat.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the.
different figures of the drawing.
In carrying my invention into practical effect I provide a large rotary wheel.
It is only necessary that the wheel should be stoutly braced and constructed on

page_text: correct principles, in order that it may have sufficient strength for the purpose
for which it is intended. A designates the wheel. In the example shown in the
drawings this wheel has the shaft a, which is journaled in bearings in the side
frames D, D. Wheel A. has the rim B and the spokes A¹ Al. It must be clearly
understood, however, that the wheel illustrated is simply presented by way of
example, and that in actual practice I reserve the liberty of building it in any
way that will afford a rotary structure of the necessary strength, the spokes, cross
beams, the rim, the shafting and the side-supporting frames, together with the
other necessary mechanical parts, being all related and arranged in such a way
as to combine cheapness, strength and efficiency, and make the wheel what is
needed for the purpose specified.
The rim B is trough-shaped, as shown in Figure 5, the trough being of any
suitable form or curvature and of any desired size. In the form of wheel shown
in Figures 3, 4 and 5, the lowermost portion of the trough-shaped rim contains a
quantity of water. As the wheel rotates it is obvious that this water will remain
in the same position relatively to the wheel, occupying at all times its lowest
level, and that different portions of the rim will therefore successively contain
the body of water referred to. In the form of the invention shown in Figure 2
the receptacle J, stationary and independent of the wheel A, is provided for con-
taining a body of water, and through this receptacle rotates the rim of the wheel,
so that the same result is attained as in Figures 3, 4 and 5, namely, that of pro-
viding one portion of the wheel's periphery with a comparatively stationary body
of fluid or liquid.
Furthermore, it is to be particularly observed that the periphery of the wheel
is provided at certain points with tunnels C, C, which tunnels permit the passage
through them of a body moving along the trough-shaped rim of the wheel. The
tunnels are simply elongated and closed compartments on the inner face of the
rim B of the wheel, and they may obviously be of greater or less_length.
The greater the length, the darker will be the interior of said tunnels. I find it
convenient to place at least two of these tunnels upon the periphery of the wheel,
and three or four, or even more may be employed to advantage. When the
wheel in its rotation brings a tunnel to the lowermost position, it is manifest that
the water will enter and pass through the said tunnel.
Also
E designates a boat, car or other suitable vehicle, which is adapted to move
by gravity within the trough-shaped rim. One way of permitting and encourag
ing such movement is to provide tracks, as b, b, within said rim, which are engaged
by lateral wheels or rollers ec arranged on the side of the boat or car. I do not,
however, wish to be restricted to this particular means of permitting and guiding
the movement of the car or boat within the rim, but reserve the liberty of
modifying such means and providing others if desired to accomplish the same
result. The car E is equipped with a front dasher F and with a series of
seats EEE, the seats being arranged therein in any suitable manner.
the car is provided with means for locking it to any point on the wheel's rim B.
One example of such locking means is illustrated in Figures 5 and 7, where it is
shown as consisting of devices arranged on the underside of the car, comprising the
central medial rod G to which are pivoted the levers ggg which are fulcrumed
on the underside of the car by means of pivot pins gg. The outer ends of these
levers on either side of the car are connected by the side rails H H. In the car E
is a lever I having the catch that engages a notched segment I', said lever I
engaging at its lower end one end of the medial rod G, so that the conductor of the
car may by proper manipulation of the lever I actuate the leverage just described
and thereby thrust the lateral rails H H outward from the car into contact with
the tracks bb, as shown in Figure 5, or into contact with the sides of the trough
or some other part of the rim B, in such manner as to securely and effectually
lock the car E at any desired point and hold the same in this locked position as
long as may be desired. Of course it is to be distinctly understood that I am, not
restricted to my specific form of locking mechanism, but may provide any locking,

page_text: clamping or securing devices which will achieve the object in view, to wit, that
of temporarily connecting the car to a point on the wheel's rim, where it' may be
held until the time arrives to release it.
The wheel A is designed to be rotated by means of some suitable engine or
power mechanism which will apply its power either to the shaft a or to the rim B,
or to some other part of the wheel, for the puropse of rotating it slowly or fast,
as may be desired. In the practical carrying out of my invention I propose to
provide a motor for the wheel which can be readily controlled by the conductor,
in such a way that the wheel will be given, intermittent partial rotations, said
partial rotations being of the length sufficient to lift the car E from the position
shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 3, or perhaps higher. Suppose,
for instance, that the wheel has been partially rotated as just described and the
car E lifted to the position shown in Figure 3, it being clamped to the rim of the
wheel during this partial rotation. If now the wheel is stopped with the car E
in the position of Figure 3 and the conductor releases the clamping device, the
car E will be caused to shoot by gravity down the rim of the wheel in the direction
shown by the arrow until it strikes the water with great force and with a terrific
splashing, thereby causing much excitement and consternation among the
occupants of the car, as well as amusement to them and to the onlookers when it
is understood and perceived that such apparent violence of movement and splashing
about of the water is attended with absolutely no danger. In this movement the
car will pass through the water, and its momentum will be sufficient to carry
it a short distance up the opposite incline of the wheel rim, and when it reaches
the limit of its movement the conductor will cause the clamping device to operate
to hold the car fast to the rim at this extreme point. The conductor can then
signal to the engineer and cause the wheel to be given another partial rotation,
which will carry the car again to the high point where it is indicated in Figure 3,
and by a second release of the clamping device the car may be shot downward a
second time under the action of gravity. Thus by successive partial rotations of
the wheel the car may be allowed to shoot several successive times down the
incline of the wheel rim. At certain of such times the car will shoot through one
or the other of the tunnels c, thus adding to the excitement and amusement of the
operation of the mechanism.
Thus far I have described the wheel as having but one trough or track in the
rim. It must be understood, however, that if desired said rim may have duplicate
or triplicate troughs, or there may be any other number arranged parallel to each
other, or otherwise, if desired. Furthermore, I can, if desired, have more than
one rim, or have a continuous rim, a portion of which is eccentric to the axis of
the wheel.
In Figure 8 I have shown one modification of my invention, consisting of a
continuous track passing two or three times around the axis of the wheel and
being eccentric to said axis for a certain distance. The operation of this form of
the invention is substantially the same as that of the other form, excepting that
the car may travel over a longer distance and several cars may be used if desired..
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:
1. An amusement wheel, consisting of a tunnel-provided track-shaped rim, a
gravity-shooting car therein, and a clamping device for locking the car to the rim.
2. An amusement wheel, consisting of a track-shaped rim, in combination with
a gravity-movable car or boat in said rim, and an artificial pond or lake sub-
merging the lowest part of the rim.
3. An amusement wheel, consisting of a combined concentric and eccentric rim,
which provides a continuous track passing two or more times around the axis of
the wheel, in combination with a gravity-shooting car movable on said track.
4. The combination of a rotary wheel having its rim provided with a track or

page_text: .
way, a shooting car on said rim, locking means for securing the car to the rim,
and an artificial body of water submerging the lowest part of the rim.
5. The combination of a rotary wheel having its rim provided with a tunnel
and adapted to provide a track, a gravity-shooting car on said track, and means
for temporarily securing the car to any desired point of the rim.
6. The combination of a rotary wheel having a track-shaped rim provided with
one or more tunnels, a gravity-shooting car in said rim, means for clamping the
car to the rim at any desired point, and a body of water which submerges the
lowest part of the track and through which the car splashes when it shoots.
Dated this Twante fifth day of May 1807
JENSEN & SONS,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
JENSEN & SONS,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.