Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 6th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th Nov., 1894-4ccepted, 19th Jan., 1895
I, MILTON THOMAS WESTON of Keuton, Hardin County, Ohio, United States
of America, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in carrousels or merry-go-rounds and it
has for its object to substitute, for the shafts and gearing ordinarily employed,
mechanism of an exceedingly simple character whereby the weight of the apparatus
is reduced and the ease with which it may be manipulated increased.
The carrousel rotates around a central mast or upright which at its upper end
supports a conical cap on a pin rising from the top of the mast. This cap is formed
with a marginal base flange and at its top with a pin adapted to engage with the
centre of the tent or awning and support the latter over the machine. To give the
mast the necessary stability it is bolted or otherwise secured to a base consisting of
a number of horizontal beams which are braced to the mast, so as to be detachable.
At a suitable height the mast supports a grooved drum around which pass cables
or driving bands from the carriages. This drum is constructed in two sections, an
inner one secured to the mast and an outer one. capable of revolving around the
inner one, the two sections being connected either by tongues on one entering
grooves in the other, or otherwise. The outer section has a series of peripheral
grooves and the two may be locked together by a rod guided on the mast and
passing up through an opening in the inner section of the drum and provided at its
upper end with a head projecting at right angles to the rod which head when the
two sections are to be locked together may be dropped between lugs on the upper
face of the inner and outer sections of the drum. When the head disengaged,
the outer section is free to turn upon the inner one. Any other suitable locking
device may, however, be employed.
A series of arms corresponding in number to the number of grooves in the drum
is connected together by means of a ring or a hub held to turn loosely around the
mast and of greater diameter than the diameter of the drum. Friction rollers are
connected with the lower portion of the ring or hub, and the said friction rollers
travel upon a ring or track secured upon the mast below the drum. The arms are
supported in a horizontal position and at the same time are free to turn by rods or
links connected respectively with their outer and inner ends and the flange portions
of the cap, and both of the rods are provided with turu-buckies or like devices
whereby the arms may be raised or lowered as occasion may demand.
Instead of holding the outer section of the drum to the inner section by means of
tongues and grooves, as heretofore stated, the two sections may be held in proper
relation by means of the ring or track held securely to the mast or in fixed hori
zontal position by brackets. Each arm has rigidly secured to it, and preferably
pendent therefrom, a carriage to seat one or more persons. Each carriage carries

page_text: a crank shaft provided with as many sets of pedal cranks as there are seats in the
carriage, one set of pedal cranks standing at a right angle to the other set, and
each crank shaft, preferably at its inner end is provided with a grooved pulley and
near the carriage a frame or bracket is mounted upon each arm adjustable through
the medium of a set-screw or its equivalent and each bracket carries at each side
an idler pulley. An endless cable is passed over each pulley of each carriage shaft,
up over the idlers on the arm to which the carriage is connected and each cable is
carried in direction of the mast in engagement with guide pulleys located near the
inner ends of the arms and around one of the grooves in the outer section of the
drum.
Thus the cables may be tightened, whenever occasion may demand, through
the medium of the adjusting screws, and when the crank shafts of the carriages are
operated upon, the cables, by frictional contact with the drum both sections of the
drum being stationary, will revolve the entire pivoted upper structure of the
machine around the mast and when the revolution of the upper structure is to be
stopped, it is accomplished by carrying the lock-lever out of engagement with the
outer drum section and thereby permitting that section to turn freely around the
mast.
Dated this 6th day of February 1891
M. T. WESTON,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
I, MILTON THOMAS WESTON of Kenton, in the County of Hardin and State of
Ohio, United States of America Inventor, 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 carrousels or merry-go-rounds, and it
has for its object to so construct the machine that shafts and gearing may be
dispensed with in driving the same and to provide a driving mechanism of
exceedingly simple character and which will render the machine exceedingly light
and consequently readily manipulated. A further object of the invention is to
provide a novel means whereby the machine may be stopped whenever occasion
may demand.
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of the improved machine and Figure 2 is a
horizontal section taken practically on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
In carrying out the invention a mast 10 of any desired material and of any
approved shape is employed as a centre. The mast is preferably made polygonal
in cross-section and is tapered longitudinally, being narrowest at its upper end.
The mast is provided at its upper end with a pin 11 adapted to support a cap 12
which is usually of a conical shape and is provided with a marginal base Hange 13
and a pin 14 at its top, the pin being adapted to engage with the centre of a tent
or awning to assist in supporting the same over the machine. The mast at its foot
has secured to it a number of horizontal beams 15 which are further connected
with the mast through the medium of braces 16 suitably applied, the braces and
the base beams being made detachable from the mast. At a predetermined point

page_text: in the length of the mast, a drum 17 is connected therewith. The drum is con-
structed in two sections, an inner section a which is rigidly secured to the mast and
surrounds the same and an outer section a' capable of revolving upon the inner
section, the two sections being connected by tongues formed in one entering the
grooves formed in the other or by any equivalent mechanism. The outer section a¹
is provided with a series of peripheral grooves 18, as shewn best in Figure 1, an
the two sections are locked together when occasion may demand, thus renlering
both of them stationary, through the medium of a lock lever 19 of any approved
construction. The form of lock lever shewn in the drawings consists of a straight
handle having guided movement upon the mast, the said handle being passed up
through a suitable opening made in the inner section a of the drum and at its upper
end the handle is provided with a head 20 located at a right angle to the handle
which head when the two sections are to be rigidly connected may be dropped
between lugs 21 and 22, shewn in Figure 2, formed respectively upon the upper
face of the inner and outer sections of the drum. When the bead is carried out of
engagement with the lugs the outer section will be free to turn upon the inner one;
but any other form of lock lever than that shewn and above described may be used.
A series of arms 23 corresponding in number to the number of grooves 18 in the
drum is connected together by means of a ring 24 or hub of any description, held
to turn loosely around the mast and of greater diameter than the diameter of the
drum. Friction rollers 25 are connected with the lower portion of the ring or hub
which travel upon a ring or track 25º secured upon the mast below the drum. The
arms 23 are supported in a horizontal position and at the same time are free to
turn by rods or links connected respectively with their outer and inner ends and
the flange portions of the cap 12, the outer rods being designated as 26 and the
inner ones as 27 and both of the rods are provided with turn buckles 28 or like
devices, whereby the arms may be raised or lowered, as occasion may demand.
Instead of holding the outer section of the drum to the inner section by means of
tongues and grooves, as heretofore stated, the two sections may be held in proper
relation by means of the ring or track 25*, which in Figure 1 is shewn as held
securely to the mast or in fixed horizontal position by brackets 29. Each arm has
rigidly secured to it and preferably pendent therefrom, a carriage A of any
approved construction which may be made to seat one or more persons. The seats
may be made in the form of saddles 30, as shewn in the drawings, or they may have
a different shape. Each carriage carries a crank shaft 31 provided with as many
sets of pedal cranks 32 as there are seats in the carriage, one set of pedal cranks
standing at a right-angle to the other set, and each crank shaft preferably at its
inner end is provided with a grooved pulley 33 and near the carriage a frame or
bracket 34 is mounted upon each arm adjustable through the medium of a set
screw 35 or its equivalent and each bracket carries at each side an idler pulley 36.
An endless cable 37 is passed over each pulley 33 of each carriage shaft up over
the idlers 36 on the arm to which the carriage is connected and each cable is
carried in direction of the mast in engagement with guide pulleys 39 located near
the inner ends of the arms and around one of the grooves 18 in the outer section of
the drum. Thus it will be observed that the cables may be tightened whenever
occasion may demand, through the medium of the adjusting screws 35 and that
when the crank shafts of the carriages are operated upon, the cables by frictional
contact with the drum, both sections of the drum being stationary, will revolve the
entire pivoted upper structure of the machine around the mast and when the
revolution of the upper structure is to be stopped it is accomplished by carrying
the lock lever out of engagement with the outer drum section and thereby
permitting that section to turn freely around the mast.
Such a construction as has been herein described is not only simple, durable, and
economic, but it is exceedingly light, as all shafts and gearing are dispensed with,
with the exception of the crank shafts in the carriages, and consequently the
friction of working is reduced to a minimum, although the machine is revolved by
frictional driving devices.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a carrousel or like machine, the combination, with a mast and a grooved
drum secured to the mast, of arnis pivotally supported by the mast and adapted to
revolve around the drum, carriages supported by the arms, drive shafts located in
the carriages, and a belt connection between the carriage shafts and the drum, each
belt travelling in a groove of the drum, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
2. In a carrousel or like machine, the combination with mast, a drum secured
upon the mast and provided with peripheral grooves, and a cap pivoted upon the
mast, of connected arms held to travel around the mast adjacent to the drum,
supporting devices connecting the arms with the pivoted cap, and friction rollers
carried by the arms and adapted to travel upon the periphery of the drum,
carriages suspended from the arms, drive shafts located in the carriages, cables
connecting the carriages with the drum, each cable being passed over a groove of
the drum, and a take-up mechanism over which the cables also pass, substantially
as shewn and described.
3. In a carrousel or merry-go-round, the combination, with a mast, a cap pivoted
thereon, and a drum constructed in two sections, an inner sectiou secured to the
mast and an outer section peripherally grooved and capable of turning upon the
inner section, and a locking device capable of connecting the two drum sections in
a rigid manner, of connected arms held to revolve around the mast adjacent to the
drum, friction rollers carried by the arms and engaging with a fixed guide upon
the mast, supporting devices connecting the arms with the pivoted cap, carriages
supported by the arms, drive shafts located in the carriages, and cables connecting
the carriage shafts with the drum, each cable passing over a different groove in the
drum, and guide pulleys over which the cables likewise pass, as and for the purpose
specified.
4. In a carrousel or merry-go-round, the combination, with a mast, a cap pivoted
thereon, and a drum constructed in two sections, an inner section secured to the
mast and an outer peripherally grooved section capable of turning upon the inner
section, and a locking device capable of connecting the two drum sections in a
rigid manner, of connected arms held to revolve around the mast adjacent to the
drum, friction rollers carried by the arms and engaging with a fixed guide upon
the mast, supporting devices connecting the arms with the pivoted cap, carriages
supported by the arms, a pulley located upon each carriage shaft, adjustable guide
pulleys located upon the arms, and cables passed over the pulleys on the carriage
shafts over the guide pulleys and around the drum, each cable being located in a
different groove in the drum, as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 6th day of November 19014
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.