An Improved Means or Method of Driving or Propelling the Carriages of Switchbacks, Toboggans, Merry-go-rounds, and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 25th June, 1889-Accepted, 31st Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Means or Method of Driving or Propelling the
Carriages of Switchbacks, Toboggans, Merry-go-rounds, and
the like.
I, GEORGE TOLSON, of Prospect House, Dewsbury, in the County of York Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in an improved means or method of driving or propelling,
switchbacks, toboggans, merry-go-rounds, and the like, usually found at fairs, feasts,
and pleasure grounds.
According to my invention I drive or propel the vehicle or other moving toy from
the underside, and not from above, as is sometimes done.
In carrying out this invention I employ a suitable form of belt, rope, or cable
to which the undersides of the bodies to be moved are connected by suitable
appliances.
This belt, cord, or cable is passed around one or more drums, and driven thereby,
suitable guide pulleys being employed to guide the said belt when passing along
angles and curves, but instead of driving by means of a drum I may drive by means of
clip grooved pulleys, one or more of which are brought tightly into contact with the
periphery of the rope by means of cams, eccentrics, or equivalent devices. These
grooved pulleys are driven by vertical shafts, and the outside edges of the pulleys are
so arranged that there is a space left between the edges of the adjoining pulleys for
the purpose of allowing the appliance which is connected to the belt or rope and the
carriage to pass freely between, so that the adjoining edges of the pulleys are no
impediments to the free traversing of the appliances connected between the driver and
the driven. In all cases suitable guide pulleys are employed for guiding the driving
belt past angles and curves.
Dated this 1st day of October 1000
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax. Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Means or Method of Driving or Propelling the
Carriages of Switchbacks, Toboggans, Merry-go-rounds, and
the like.
I, GEORGE TOLSON, of Prospect House, Dewsbury, in the County of York, Engineer,
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:-
My invention consists in an improved means or method of driving or propelling
switchbacks, toboggans, merry-go-rounds, and the like usually found at fairs, feasts,
and pleasure grounds.
According to my invention, I drive or propel the vehicle or other moving toy from
the underside, and not from above, as is sometimes done.
In carrying out this invention, I employ a suitable form of belt, rope, or cable
to which the undersides of the bodies to be moved are connected by suitable
appliances.
This belt, cord, or cable is passed around or between one or more drums and driven
thereby, suitable guide pulleys being employed to guide the said belt when passing
along angles and curves; or instead of driving by means of drums, 1 may drive or propell
the cars by a clip grooved pulley or pulleys, or a drum, upon the periphery of which
the rope, or belt, or chain, is made to bear tightly.

page_text: Buten being the nature and object of my invention, I will now proceed to describe
the same more fully and for that purpose make reference to the accompanying sheets
of drawings illustrative thereof.
Figs. 1 and 2 are side and end elevations respectively of one method of and
arrangement for driving or propelling the carriages or cars of Switchbacks, Toboggans,
merry-go-rounds, and the like; and Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views of a modified
arrangement to that shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
In Figs. 5 and 6 I shew a different method of and arrangement for driving the cars
of Switchbacks and the like.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents a drum around which is coiled a portion
of an endless stationary rope, chain or other suitable cable B, the said rope being
conducted under pulleys C to and from the said drum. The rope B is placed about
midway between the rails or lines upon which the cars travel, and a short distance
below the said 'rails; the rope, after leaving the pulleys C, extends around the circular
or serpentine path or course described by the rails, and its extremities are secured
together; but where the cars travel over a straight or zigzag course or path, not
continuous, the ends of the rope are secured to suitable supports at each end of the
said path. The drum A is supported in bearings on the plate D which forms the bed
plate of the engine or other motive power employed. The engine or motor (not
shewn) may be of any known type or construction mounted on wheels capable of
running on the rails of the switchback or round-about, and has the cars coupled
thereto in the usual way. Rotary motion is conveyed from the fly wheel or main
shaft of the engine to the drum A by means of strap or gearing, and as the rope B is
stationary, it will be understood that as the drum rotates it will take up the rope on
one side and pay it out equally on the other side, by which means the said drum draws
or pulls itself, and consequently the engine and cars, around or along the lines or
rails; the speed at which they are propelled being determined by the speed at which
the drum A is driven.
In Figs. 3 and 4 a modification of the above arrangement for driving or propelling
the cars, is shewn, which consists of a grooved pulley E driven by bevil wheels F
from the vertical shaft G receiving its rotary motion by a second pair of bevils H
from shaft I, the latter being either the main driving shaft of the engine, or an
auxiliary shaft driven therefrom.
The stationary chain or rope B passes under small grooved pulleys C and over the
grooved pulley E upon which it is made to bind tightly by the said pulleys C, so that
as the pulley E is rotated, the friction of the chain or rope thereon causes it by means
of the chain, to draw or pull itself, and consequently the engine and cars, around or
along the lines or rails. The pulley E may be provided with studs or teeth to prevent
slipping of the chain. The pulleys C in Figs. 1 to 4 and the pulley E in Fig. 3 are
supported in brackets (bolted to the underside of the bed plate D.
Instead of employing a stationary rope or chain and an engine travelling with the
cars as already described, the engine may be stationary or fixed upon the ground, and
by means of a belt drive the pulley J (see Fig. 5, side elevation and Fig. 6 plan of
same) which is keyed or otherwise fastened onto a shaft K, the motion being com-
municated therefrom to the spur wheels M and N by bevil wheels L, L. On the top
of the two spur wheels are pulleys or discs O and P between which passes the chain
or cable B connected to bars Q attached to the underside of each car.
discs O, P, are placed near to each other so as to grip the chain, which, as the said
discs revolve, is thereby drawn along and drives or propells the carriages or cars
along the lines or rails R. The shaft K may be continued to the opposite side of the
switchback or round-about and give motion to a second pair of discs in a similar
manner to that already described.
The
As the stud S which fastens the cable to the connecting rod Q will have to pass
between the cable driving pulleys or discs O and P, it will he necessary for one of
the said discs to revolve in yielding bearings, and this I effect by means of spiral
springs T which allow the stud or journal of the disc P to move laterally in the
slotted plates U.

page_text: The stationary rope, chain or cable, is kept in position about midway between the
rails by suitable guide pulleys or bowls placed at short distances apart and at suitable
angles according to the circular or serpentine form of the switchback, toboggan or
merry-go-round; and a like arrangement of pulleys or bowls is also employed when
travelling or driven ropes or chains are used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Firstly. The employment of an endless stationary or travelling rope, chain, or
cable, for driving or propelling the cars of switchbacks, toboggans, merry-go-rounds
and the like, as described and shewn in Figures 1 to 6.
Secondly. The means or method herein shewn and described for driving or pro-
pelling the cars of switchbacks, toboggans, merry-go-rounds and the like.
Dated this 24th day of June 1889.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.