Improvements in and relating to Swings.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Swings.
I, WILLIAM KEAST, of The Royal Aquarium, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex, Mining Expert, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to swings and has for its primary object a swing con-
structed on a large scale for holding several persons, although the same principle
of construction and mode of operation can be applied to toy swings.
The car of my improved swing is suspended by tension members in the usual.
manner from the upper end of side posts made of the requisite height and strength,
and properly stiffened to withstand the lateral pull of the car when the latter is in.
motion. In some cases where the swing is built indoors, the car may be suspended
from the roof of the building. In addition to being suspended as above indicated,
the car is arranged to travel between suitable guides formed by a curved track
which guides prevent the car from swinging sideways or turning; the track
moreover is constructed to receive and support the car in case of breakage of the
tension supports. The car may if desired be furnished with wheels to reduce the.
friction between it and the guides.
To start the car and to keep it in motion I provide an endless chain, rope or belt
extending from one end of the track to a point near the middle thereof, and I drive
said chain rope or belt by a suitable motor or by hand through gearing provided
for the purpose. I furnish the car with a pin or peg or with a suitable gripper for
effecting an engagement with the chain, or with the rope or belt as the case may be.
The said pin or peg, or gripper is under the control of the conductor or other
person travelling in the car who manipulates the same in such a manner that at the
termination of each double swing or just as the car is coming to rest he effects an
engagement between the car and the driving chain or rope and thereby causes the:
car to be carried upward a short distance and then he releases the car again and,
allows it to make another oscillation. In this way the amplitude of the car's motion
can be maintained constant or varied as may be desired.
Suitable brake apparatus is provided to allow of the car being lowered gradually
when required and brought to rest at the lowest point of the arc of swing.
I preferably provide two swings side by side but separated by a perforated
partition which will allow the occupants of one car to see those of the other but
will not allow a person's arm to be pushed through.
Dated this 26th day of November 1895.

page_text: and relating to SWINGS.
I, WILLIAM KEAST, of 4 Trewint Street, Earls Field, in the County of
London, formerly of The Royal Aquarium, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex, Mining Expert, 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 swings and has for its primary object a swing constructed
on a large scale for holding several persons, although the same principle of
construction and mode of operation can be applied to small swings.
The car of my improved swing is suspended by tension members in the usual
manner from a cross beam at the upper end of side pillars made of the requisite
height and strength, and properly stayed to withstand the lateral pull of the car
when the latter is in motion. In addition to being suspended as above indicated,
the car is arranged to travel between suitable guides formed by a curved track
which guides prevent the car from swinging sideways or turning; the track
moreover is constructed to receive and support the car in case of breakage of the
tension members. The car may if desired be furnished with wheels to prevent
undue friction arising in the event of the car touching the guides.
To start the car and keep it in motion I provide an endless chain, rope or belt
extending from one end of the track to a point near the middle thereof, and
I drive said chain, rope or belt continuously by a suitable motor or by hand
through gearing provided for the purpose. I furnish the car with a pin or peg or
with a suitable gripper for effecting an engagement with the chain, or with the
rope or belt as the case may be. The said pin or peg or gripper is under the
control of the conductor or other person travelling in the car who manipulates
the same in such a manner that at the termination of each double swing or as often
as required he effects an engagement between the car and the driving chain or rope
and thereby causes the car to be carried upward a short distance and then he
releases the car again and allows it to make another oscillation. In this way the
amplitude of the car's motion can be maintained constant or varied as may be
desired.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate how my invention may
be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice as applied to a case where
two cars swing side by side,
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the swing.
Figure 2 is a front view of the horizontal cross beam and upper end of the
pillars from which the cars are suspended.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the track.
Figure 4 is a side elevation on a larger scale of a car, and
Figure 5 is an underside plan view of the car.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several figures.
A, A are the cars suspended by tension members B, B from a horizontal cross
beam C which is supported at the upper end of side pillars D, D. The said pillars
are arranged in clusters constructed to afford mutual lateral support and stayed by
guide ropes E, E or otherwise. They may be made in comparatively short lengths
for convenience in transport and be bolted together when in use.
F is an elevated curved floor in which are formed two tracks G, G in which the
cars swing. The cars are furnished with rollers g, g at the sides and with other
rollers g, g in the floor. The former prevent side swinging and twisting of the
car in the track without causing undue friction by bearing against the side of the
track when the car deviates laterally from its course, and the latter support the car

page_text: on the floor of the track in case of breakage of the tension members. Normally
all of the rollers are free from contact with the track.
H is a perforated partition which separates the two tracks while allowing the
occupants of one car seeing those of the other.
Jis the chain for starting the car and for maintaining the amplitude of the
oscillations. One chain is provided for each car. Each chain extends from one
end of the track to about the middle thereof and is arranged beneath the centre
line of the track and passes over suitable guide pulleys j, j and over a sprocket
wheel on a shaft K which is driven by any suitable motor or by hand. The
connection between the car and the chain is made by a catch L pivoted on an
arm M carried by the car and projecting through a slot in the track. The catch
will turn in one direction about its pivot and so allow the car to swing upward but
will not allow the car to swing down while it remains in gear with the chain. To
allow the car to swing down the catch must be raised out of gear with the chain
by lifting the arm M. M' is a handle for raising and lowering the said arm M as.
required. The chain is kept in continuous movement and the car is started by
lowering its catch L into engagement with the chain. As soon as the desired
elevation is reached the catch L is raised and the car then descends and continues.
to swing to and fro. The amplitude of the oscillations can be maintained by
allowing the catch L to drop into engagement with the chain after each double
swing, or as often as required whereupon the car will be carried up by the chain to
a higher level. The raising and lowering of the catch is effected by an attendant
in the car.
In some instances a rope or belt and a suitable gripper are substituted for the
chain and catch.
To bring the car to rest when required and to permit of lowering it gradually
I provide a brake consisting of side shoes N, N arranged to press against the
sides of the track. The arms of the brake shoes are connected to levers 0, 0¹
Figure 5 pivoted to the car at 02, 03 and coupled together by a pin and slot
connection at O. P is a spring which operates to draw the brake shoes inward.
Qis a rod connected to the levers 0, 0¹ and controlled by a brake lever R Figure 4.
in the car by which the brake is applied.
Preferably the loading and unloading of the cars will be done at the lowest point
so as to avoid having to mount many steps.
When the swing is indoors the cars may be suspended from the roof of the
building instead of from side pillars as above described.
It is obvious of course that a single swing can be built in accordance with my
invention and that more than two swings may be arranged in one frame.
The cars may be open or closed and may have any appropriate or desired shape.
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 :-
1. A swing comprising a suspended car, a track for guiding the car, and a moving
chain or the like for starting the car and for maintaining the amplitude of its
oscillations, substantially as described.
2. The means for connecting and disconnecting the car to and from the chain,
substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
3. The brake apparatus substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.
4. A swing constructed substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings, and operating as specified.
Dated this 26th day of August 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.