Improvements in the Mounting and Carrying of Cars for Public Amusement on Tracks, Suspended in the Air, or Revolving Round a Tower, and in the Arrangement of such Tracks, Suspen- sion Devices, and Towers.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1857
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1898
ivation
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Mounting and Carrying of Cars for Public
Amusement on Tracks, Suspended in the Air, or Revolving
Round a Tower, and in the Arrangement of such Tracks, Suspen-
sion Devices, and Towers.
I, WILLIAM JAMES WALDRON, 18, Limerston Street, Chelsea, in the County of
London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
-
The object of this invention is to provide an exhilarating and sensational form
of public amuseanent.
A tower of any approved design and material may be built:-near the top of
which it may be reduced at a right angle to one half its diameter or thereabouts,
and carried up a few feet when its construction may be expanded at a right angle to
its original diameter or such diameter as may be thought desirable. This may be
carried any further approved height on top of which an observation platform may
be erected.
Round the reduced portion of the tower may be constructed a circular carriage
on wheels (of the same diameter or thereabouts as the main portion of the tower)
which run upon a circular track laid upon the floor composed by the angle which
reduces the tower to the lesser diameter. This carriage is induced to rotate by
any well known power which may be applied from any position, and in any well
The following are the manners by which I suspend and construct
known manner.
my cars.
1. From the circular carriage rediate fixed arms or pairs of arms which may be
separate, or joined at their outer extremities by a circular band, and which may
be supported from above or below, or may not be supported. Depending from the
outer ends of these arms may be suspended cars of any approved design, the
juncture with the arms being effected by a hinge acting as a swivel. In the case
of the pairs of arms they may support rails and the car may be supported from a
small fourwheeled carriage body (the juncture being also effected as a swivel)
which may be run out from the main tower, on such rails to the outer ends of the
arms with the passengers.
2. From the main tower may be constructed a strong light circular track strutted
out any approved distance carrying a pair of rails any approved gauge and section
the level of which track being some distance below the level of the circular carriage
track before mentioned.
From the circular carriage revolving round the tower may extend strong fixed
steel axles which support at their outer ends two flange wheels which run upon
the light outer circular track and convey the passengers in cars suspended as a
swivel from their periphery. The wheels may be slightly bent, or other well
known means may be provided to ensure an easy passage round the track and to
prevent friction.
ground.
This system may as well be effected upon tracks laid upon the

page_text: 3. In the third method of placing my cars for the transport of the passengers I
utilize the light outer track described, but which for the purpose of this car has
only a single rail track. From the circular carriage revolving round the tower
may extend strong fixed steel axles which support at their outer ends a large flange
wheel which may run upon the track. From this wheel may be suspended out
some distance, and built from, a wheel or box the diameter of which is much
smaller than the flange wheel. From this wheel or box radiate arms suitably
supported, the extremities of which are fashioned like a square between which are
suspended upon a swivel axle the cars. These arms rotate conjointly with and at
the same rate as the flange wheel.
Suitable platforms are arranged
for the
convenience of loading and
unloading, and the cars may be constructed in any shape or design.
Power may in some instances be applied from the cars direct and the
observation platform may be connected with the circular carriage and may revolve
also, or the circular carriage may be constructed to form the top half of the tower.
Lifts are provided to carry the passengers up to the track level or the observation
platform level.
Dated this Eleventh day of December 1897.
WILLIAM JAMES WALDRON,
Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Mounting and Carrying of Cars for Public
Amusement on Tracks, Suspended in the Air, or Revolving
Round a Tower, and in the Arrangement of such Tracks, Suspen-
sion Devices, and Towers.
I, WILLIAM JAMES WALDRON, of 18, Limerston Street, West Brompton, in the
County of London, Civil 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:
1
The object of this invention is to provide the apparatus hereinafter fully
described and illustrated for the amusement of the public resorting to and patroniz-
ing such apparatus.
The invention consists principally in a tower having a carriage body supporting
cars encircling and moving round near the top of such tower on a stationary plat-
form formed by the construction of the tower. The invention further consists of
a tower having a circular band supporting special cars travelling round in an outer
band such outer band being elevated to the top of the tower and lowered.
The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the
same as will be fully described and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification. For the convenience of illustration and to render the drawings less
complicated only two carriages supporting cars are shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5 but
it is to be understood that as many carriages supporting cars as desired or as the
circumference of the tower and other circumstances will permit may be attached
and used.
The circular tracks round the Figs. 1 and 2 are also only shown either side
in section for the same reason.
Figs. 123 and 5 are side elevations of upper parts of towers showing the various
methods of construction suspension of cars and modes of working while Fig. 4 is a
plan view of Fig. 3.

page_text: The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is a tower A built to any suitable design of any
suitable material to any approved height. B 19 a circular hollow
carriage mounted upon flange wheels C which run upon the circular track D
laid upon the angle formed by the reduction in diameter of the tower while E
are the strong axles which radiate from the circular carriage B either as fixtures or
working loose in bearings and which are attached to a large pair of flange wheels F
which may work either independent or with the axle. These wheels F support
between them upon swivel axles the cars G and travel upon the circular track H
which is laid upon the circular addition I built out from the main tower A.
Suitable power is employed in any well known manner to induce the circular
carriage B to travel round and the cars G to rotate.
In Fig. 2 the apparatus is a tower A built to any suitable design of any suitable
material to any approved height. B is a circular hollow carriage mounted upon
flange wheels C, which run upon the circular track D laid upon the angle formed
by the reduction in diameter of the tower A while E are the strong axles which
radiate from the circular carriage B either as fixtures or working loose in bearings
and which are attached to a large flange wheel F from which project on the
inner side (or outer side if desired) strong arms G which support and carry the
cars H which swivel thereon. The flange wheels F travelling round the track I
laid upon the circular addition J built out from the main tower A. Suitable power
is employed in any well known manner to induce the circular carriage B to travel
round which also induces the flange wheels F to travel round and the cars H to
rotate.
Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a side elevation and plan and similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures. A is a tower built to any
approved design of any suitable material to any agreed height. B is a circular
hollow carriage mounted upon flange wheels C which run upon the circular
track D laid upon the angle formed by the reduction in diameter of the tower A
while E are the strong axles that radiate from the circular carriage B either as
fixtures or working loose in bearings supporting at their outer extremities large
wheels which support between them upon swivel axles the cars G. Should it be
desired, or supports at the outer extremities of the axles be found necessary over-
hanging supports H may be attached from the carriage B. In the plan Fig. 4 only
the reduced portion of the tower A can be seen and the overhanging supports H are
not shown.
Suitable power is employed and fitted to induce the carriage 13 to revolve and to
induce rotation of the wheels F the latter power being applied either direct or
from the carriage B.
In Figure 5A is a tower built to any approved design of any suitable material
to any agreed height. B is a circular hollow carriage mounted upon flange
wheels C which run upon the circular track D laid upon the angle formed by the
reduction in diameter of the tower A while E are strong axles which radiate from
the carriage B and support at their outer extremities on swivel bearings the cars F.
Suitable means are employed to induce the carriage B to revolve thereby causing
the cars F to describe a circle. In this figure also is shown the elevating apparatus
before mentioned in which A is the main tower. G are perpendicular guiding
supports erected round the tower A. His a strong band encircling the tower and
guiding supports and connected with other bands I which help to support the main
band H and guide it evenly up and down the tower and guiding supports. J is an
inner band encircling and moving round inside the band H and from which
radiate strong fixed axles K supporting and suspending at their outer extremities
the pair of large wheels L which support between them the cars M which swivel
upon the axles and always retain perpendicularity.
The axle K is given a support by the flange wheels N which travel round upon
the track laid upon the bottom portion of the strong band H. Suitable power is
employed to raise and lower the band H with all the attendant parts attached
thereto to the top of the tower and guiding supports. This may be effected by

page_text: either hydraulic power cable haulage or counterbalances applied in any approved
and well known manner. Suitable power is also employed to induce the inner
band to revolve and the large wheels L to rotate and the various movements may
be applied together or separately. The large wheels may be if so desired supported
by overhanging girders supporting the outer extremity of the axle shown in Fig. 3
and lettered H.
In the illustrations accompanying this specification and their description the
carriage body is shown hollow with the tower continuing at a reduced diameter
through the carriage body and after clearing the carriage body expanding
again to its original diameter or any larger or smaller diameter, and it may support
observation platforms band stands, refreshment rooms or a lighthouse.
The revolving carriage and the whole top of the tower may be constructed in one,
and attached to a centre pivot which may be worked in bearings fixed in the main
portion of the tower, the power for revolving the whole being applied to the pivot.
In either the case of Figures 1, 2 and 3 and in the case where only the top portion
of Fig. 5 is used the tower may be built only a few feet high and the structure in
this case would be used and known as a roundabout, and suitable stagings could be
erected from the ground for the purpose of loading and unloading the passengers
into and from the cars.
In the case where the revolving circular carriage is attached to a pivot, flat roller
wheels skids or other devices could be used instead of the flange wheels described.
Suitable stagings for loading and unloading the passengers will be erected in
the most convenient form and lifts will be provided to carry the passengers to and
fiom such landing stages where required.
Either of the apparatuses herein described wherever desired may be built in
convenient parts which may be easily and quickly put together and taken apart so
as to render the whole portable and the power required for working the apparatus
may be supplied from a traction engine such engine being employed as a means
of locomotion in removing the apparatus from place to place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what
I claim is:―
1. The use of a tower carriage body, cars, and attendant parts fully described and
illustrated in Fig. 1 as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination of movements, parts, and design fully described and
illustrated in Fig. 1 as and for the purposes of public amusement.
3. The use of a tower, carriage body, cars, and attendant parts fully described
and illustrated in Fig. 2 as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The combination of movements, parts and design fully described and illus-
trated in Fig. 2 substantially as and for the purposes of public amusement.
5. A tower, carriage body cars and attendant parts with the use thereof, fully
described and illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 as and for the purposes set forth.
6. The combination of movements parts and design fully described and illus-
trated in Figs. 3 and 4 substantially as and for the purposes of public amusement.
7. A tower with carriage body, cars and attendant parts shown in top portion
of Fig. 5 with the use thereof substantially as and for the purposes described
and set forth.
8. The combination of movements parts and design fully described and illustrated
in the top portion of Fig. 5 as and for the purposes of public amusement.
9. The use of a tower guiding supports, bands axles, cars, and all attendant parts
fully described in the foregoing specification and illustrated in the lower portion
of Fig. 5 substantially as and for the purposes and uses set forth.
10. The combination of the four movements, up, down, revolving and rotating
in the manner shown in the lower portion of Fig. 5 as and for the use fully described
and set forth in the foregoing specification.
11. The combination of movements parts and design fully described and illus-

page_text: trated in the lower portion of Fig. 5 as and for the purposes of public
amusement.
12. The use of either of the towers carriage bodies, axles, cars tracks and parts
herein described in the form of a roundabout substantially as set forth.
13. The combination of the towers movements carriage bodies, axles, cars, tracks,
and parts herein described substantially for public amusement.
14. Either of the towers attendant parts and accessories herein described and
illustrated built in a portable manner adapted for transport the haulage power
employed being utilized for the working of the various apparatus.
15. The use of a tower constructed in either of the manners described and
illustrated in Fig. 1, 2, 3 and the top portion of Fig. 5 the carriage body B in either
case supporting the top of the tower which travels round with the carriage body.
The said carriage body being fixed to a centre pivot working in suitable bearings
in the supporting tower A substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this Tenth day of September 1898.
WILLIAM JAMES WALDRON,
Applicant.