Apparatus for the Mechanical Imitation of the Action of the Legs and Bodies of Trotting, Cantering, and Galloping Animals.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for the Mechanical Imitation of the Action of the Legs
and Bodies of Trotting, Cantering, and Galloping Animals.
I GEORGE AUGUSTUS POOLE of 21 Welbeck Street Mansfield Road Nottingham
Artist, 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 :-
The body of the animal is represented by a hollow shell having the legs jointed
to it at K L M N (see accompanying drawings) from which points the legs are
extended some distance into the body, in the form of lever bars O P Q R which
are geared to the wheel G in such a manner as to move freely up and down with
the cranks H and J on the wheel G which wheel is fixed near the centre of the
body; and the crank H on the "near" side has both the "near" legs coupled with
it by O P.
The crank on the "off" side having the "off" side legs coupled to it by QR so
that their free ends may rise and fall with the crank in like manner, as the cranks
are raised and lowered by the revolution of the wheel. When the free ends of the
levers are carried downwards, the knees are raised and vice-versa, imparting a
natural action to the knees, to which the lower parts of the legs are jointed
at 5, 6, 7, 8; they are also directly connected with the body by rigid guy-rods or
chains U, V and X, Y, or, S, T and W Z above and below the joints (or both sets
of guys may be used to attach them to the body).
When the knees are lowered the distance between them and T, Z is increased
but the guys hold S, W, preventing them going as far from T, Z, as the
points 5, 6, 7, 8 go, thus drawing the feet under the body, whilst when the
knees are raised the distance between the points S, T, and W, Z is reduced, but
the guys hold S, T and W, Z at the same distance apart as indeed they do U, V
and X, Y thus throwing the feet upward and outward as when an animal,.
steps out.
The tension and thrust between points X, Y and W, Z being an indirect one,
the force may be transmitted by bell crank levers 9, 10, or by having the tie-rods
bent so that they may agree with the angular conformity of the part of the leg in
which they are enclosed, or if chains are used, by pulley-wheels.
To imitate cantering or galloping action the wheel G is turned by direct
connection with the device which supports and moves the body, the cranks H
and J being attached to G at 1 and 2 for cantering and at 3 for galloping, the
wheel F being absent the wheel G is attached by a crauk of the same radius as
cranks A and C, at 3.
For trotting the cranks must be diametrically opposed as H, J, the wheel F must
revolve twice during each revolution of G which it engages so that each time the
body is at the lowest point of its orbit the "near" and "off" legs alternately reach
their highest and lowest points, being carried up and down by their levers O, P,
Q, R which are coupled to the cranks on G by running bearings 11, 12, 13, 14.
For roundabouts revolving in horizontal planes (Fig. 1) the motive power may
be obtained from the crank A from which the body is suspended by the rod B
which is acted upon by another similar crank at C and there being several animals
abreast each having its cranks on these shafts at a different angle dead centring is
revented.

page_text: The cranks A (Fig. 1 and 2) carry the supporters of the body (Fig. 1 B,
Fig. 2 B B) round in their orbit thus moving the centre of the internal driving
wheel round point E where it is attached by its crank to the upright fixture D
which is fastened to the floor of the machine or carriage bearing the animals 4, 4.
For advertising devices, toys and the like, the animal may run in a four-wheeled
carriage, the standard D-being omitted, the motive power for the animal's legs
being obtained by gearing the axle of the front wheels to the internal driving
wheel by belting; or as may be most expedient, the carriage to carry its own
motor.
The animal is entirely supported by the shafts which are hinged to the axle of.
the front wheels and extend almost as far back through the carriage as the rear
wheels and are attached by running-bearings to a crank which engages the axle
of the rear wheels by multiplying gear causing the shafts to rise and fall
several times for each revolution of the rear wheels.
EL
For switchback or gravity railways the animals are supported by upright
standards (Fig. 2, B B,) carried by cranks on the axles of the truck (which may
have three or four animals abreast on each of its axles, (each on a crank at a
different angle as above described,) and each having its own upright fixture D.
For rocking-horses the body may be supported by rods from the rockers; the
internal wheels are omitted, the levers O P Q and R being attached by their free
ends to rods which hold their ends within a given radins of the stand upon which
the rockers rest; the rods hinged to the levers working the forelegs, to be hinged
to the stand under the body at a distance of half the length of the animal's body
from the rods which work the hind legs.
The rockers to be shaped so as to limit their own movements, preventing any
strain upon the apparatus for manipulating the legs.
When the forequarters rise the fore legs will rise more rapidly, and the hind
legs will be depressed more than the hind quarters; and vice-versa; giving the
effect of a bounding gallop.
In any of the foregoing instances the legs may be made rigid at the knees for
the sake of simplicity and economy, or additional joints be made to work.
All these motions being obtained by modifications of the same mechanism are
integral parts of the same device.
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:
To imitate the action of the body and legs of quadrupeds when trotting,
cantering or galloping as the case may be, by means of a simple internal apparatus
consisting of.
1. Continuation of the upper parts of the legs (which are hollow) through a part
of the length of the hollow shell of the body; in the form of lever bars which are
engaged by cranks fixed on each side of a driving wheel placed near the centre of
the body, to which cranks they are attached by running bearings, these cranks
may be placed-
(a.) Level with each other on the wheel (for galloping).
(b.) Each some distance in an opposite direction from the point on the wheel
which is highest when the animal's body is at its lowest point (for
cantering).
(c.) Or diametrically opposed to each other which will cause an alternating
rise and fall of the "near" and "off" side legs each semi-revolution
described by the wheel :-(for trotting).
2. The body to be moved up and down by cranks which support it.
3. For trotting a second wheel which will revolve twice. as often as the one
Before 'described; having a crank at its side of the same radius as the cranks
which support the body, to be geared to the first wheel, and caused to revolve by,-

page_text: 4. A fixed standard fastened to the floor of the machine, or truck upon which
the animal is mounted, its top engaging the crank of the above wheel, so that
when the body of the animal is carried round in an orbit similar to that described
by the cranks supporting it; the centre of the smaller wheel is carried round
its crank by which the standard holds that point of its circumference stationary
thus turning the internal wheel which actuates the legs.
5. To make the joints of the animal's legs movable, and work them by means
of rigid guy-rods or chains which may be hinged to the lower parts of the legs.
at points above or below (or both above and below) the knee joints, these ties
pass through the hollow parts of the upper limbs to the body to which they are.
hinged so that when the upper parts of the legs are moved the lower limbs are
moved in a similar direction but in a greater degree.
The tension or thrust required to move the lower hind legs being an indirect it
requires for its transmission bell crank levers, or the ties may be bent round the
angle of the legs, or chain ties may be worked over pulley-wheels at the angles.
6. To use these devices for the improvement of roundabouts, switchback or
gravity roundabouts or railways advertising devices, rocking-horses toys and
the like.
Deted this Thintoonth day of October 1896
GEORGE AUGUSTUS POOLE.