Improvements in Apparatus known as “Roller Coasters" for Recreative Purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus known as “Roller Coasters" for
Recreative Purposes.
I, WESLEY ALPHONZO RAHSDELL, of South Berwick, in the County of York and
State of Maine, United States of America, Manager, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
"
My invention relates to recreative apparatus known as "roller coasters con-
sisting of parallel tracks laid with steep gradients and containing a circularly
arranged vertical loop or loops, the car when moving at the lower end of the
steep gradient partaking of a circular movement so that for part of its course it
as inverted notwithstanding which, owing to centrifugal action, the contents of
the can remain securely in place and the cai follows the track As an additional
security however I provide a safety appliance in the form of a second track which
is parallel to, and perpendicular with relation to the circular part of the main
track as well as to the gradients coming to and leaving the cicular track.
To provide for the secure running of the car and ensure means whereby, when
the car 18 changing from one part of the circular track to another portion thereof
having a spiral trend, the cai wheels may not leave the track I mount one of
the axles of the car so that it may turn slightly about both a horizontal and a
vertical pivot this being essential to always keep all the wheels in firm bearing
on the track, and as a further security I provide a third or intermediate rail
substantially parallel to the main rail but more or less out of central relation
thereto (depending on the radius of the curve, it being nearer the outer of the
main rails the sharper the curve) and against this third rail travel wheels carried
by arms connected with the axle carrying parts of the car Both axles are
mounted on or with relation to the car on vertical pivots so that their positions
may be readily changed to adapt the wheels to the curvature of the tracks
The car truck with its frame is provided with additional wheels which may
form a part of the safety device, which wheels normally clear the safety track
and in the event of any lack of centrifugal force immediately take their bearing
on the safety track until gravity of centrifugal force again controls the car when
the wheels of the truck bear on the main track, one wheel of each axle 18 loose
to lessen friction in going about a curve At the point from which the car 18
started, I provide a turntable on which the car passes after it has been raised
and I preferably arrange a stationary guard around a portion of the platform,
and wheels on the car to engage said guard while the platform 18 being turned,
so as to hold the body of the car away from the guard, and thus at the same time
prevent the car from running off the turntable and from being marred by scraping
against the guard The platform may be constructed so that it will be inclined
downward toward the guard when in a position to receive the car, and down-
ward from the guard when in a position to start the car, so that the latter
will roll to its proper place on the platform by gravity, and will similarly leave

page_text: the platform, thus rendering the start very easy, and preventing a movement of
the car in the wrong direction I also provide mechanism for causing the car
in running on and off the turntable, to automatically release and lock the turn-
table relatively to the support on which it revolves, and I also provide a brake
to prevent the car from moving backwards in the case of breakage of the chain
elevator.
The apparatus is constructed of suitable uprights having cross or tie pieces
on which the tracks and the intermediate rail are supported The main track
starts from an elevated position and descends by a steep gradient down to a
point where it takes a circular upward curve, the track being then bent to occupy a
complete circle, and in its circle being carried spirally aside It finally ascends again
and curving around horizontally and declining somewhat it is extended through
the central part of the circular track 'down a suitable incline where it may, if
desired, ascend more or less and again pass through the circular part of the track
when it will again be curved, descending to the passenger-station
From this
passenger-station the track is extended up to the turntable upon which the car
taken from the passenger-station in any suitable manner, as by an inclined
elevator chain, may be placed
• Along that portion of the track on which the elevator chain is arranged, I
provide a rack engaged by a pinion on the car, said pinion being held against
rotation in one direction by a pawl, so that in case the elevator chain should
break, the car will be held against running down the incline of the elevator
The turntable revolves about a vertical axis, as usual, but while the surface
of an ordinary turntable is horizontal. I make the turntable with a drop toward
one edge, so that a car on the turntable will have a tendency to roll toward such
lower edge
The turntable may have one track only, but if desired, two tracks
may be provided, these tracks dipping in opposite directions Around a portion
of the turntable extends a stationary vertical guard, which is adapted to be
engaged by a wheel pivoted about a vertical axis to a bracket or frame on the
car and projecting beyond the end of the car
'
The car when raised by the elevator will run down one of the tracks on the
turntable by gravity toward the guard until the wheel engages said guard This
wheel will keep the body of the car from contact with the guard, while offering
practically no resistance during the revolution of the turntable The turntable
1 then revolved until the track registers with that portion of the main track
on which the car is to be started and in this position the car will be started auto-
matically. The turntable is locked against rotation when no car is on it by a
har which engages a keeper, the bar being connected by an elbow lever with a
horizontal lever arm which is acted on by contact of the car as it runs on to the
turntable to release the locking bar and permit the turntable to be rotated
There are two sets of levers adapted to act on the locking device one for each
track on the turntable The lock bar slides outward, but not enough to project
beyond the turntable, the car being stopped by the guard to thus limit the move-
ment of the levers and lock bar When, however, the wheel leaves the guard
the car runs off the tuintable and in doing so, it effects a further movement of
the levers and of the lock bar which then registers with the keeper, so that the
turntable 18. again locked against rotation Thus a car in running on the turn-
table releases it, and in running off the platform, locks it again and the two
levers are automatically shifted into the proper position to he operated by the
next car
The car in its descent from the turntable to the passenger-station traverses
the circular loop referred to, and during such time the car rides in a vertical
circle, and it completely reverses, but does not leave the track
To make certain that the car shall not under any circumstances leave the track,
I provide a safety appliance which is composed essentially of tracks parallel to
the main tracks which follow entirely about the circularly arranged tracks and
up and down outside the said circularly arranged portion for any desired distance

page_text: the said safety tracks being suitably supported or braced The braces constitute
trusses and connecting the tracks the whole structure forms a self-supporting
circular loop which is very rigid At the ends, the safety tracks are preferably
constructed with curved flaring portions to guide the car at the entrance to the
safety track
Both of the axles of the car are supported in fiames connected to the car by a
vertical coupling pin and provided with aims and a cross bar on the extremities
of which are mounted roliers which constitute part of the safety device above
referred to, the rollers being so located with elation to the safety track that in
case of any accident or condition wherein the centrifugal force should fail to be
fully effective to keep the wheels of the car on its track the rollers will imme-
diately contact with it, and thereafter the wheels would control the direction of
movement of the car until the car again aives at such position with relation
to the cuculaily -a11anged track that gravity or centrifugal action will have full
control over the car
To ensure that the wheels of the car shall always remain upon the track, and
especially while the said wheels are following the spual trend of the cucular
part of the track, 1 mount the front-axle carrying trame on a horizontal pivot
extended from a yoke which 18 coupled by a vertical coupling pin with ears
extended from the car body so that said axle-canying frame is free to tuin
about the horizontally arranged pivot and the yoke so pivoted is also free to
tuin about the vertical coupling pin, thus making a sort of universal or gimbal
Joint. Mounting the front axle in this way insures that the wheels will always
remain on the track, especially when passing the spiral tiend Each of the
axle-canying tiames has an aim attached to them the aims being connected by
a pin and siot, and one of the aims provided with a pan of 1oilers which co-
operate with the opposite sides of the thud or intermediate guiding track o
guide 1ail which is arranged between the track, or more or less to the side of
the centre of the space between said main track, this depending upon the radius
ot the curve in which the track 18 laid, the intermediate track being nearer the
outside track of the curve the less the radius The rollers running cause the
aims to be swung more or less tuining the axle-carrying trames out of parallelism
with relation to the ends of the cai-body or placing them in lines iadial to the
centre of curve of the track One of the wheels of each axle is preferably made
loose to reduce fiction in passing curves
The body of the car will in practice be brought as close to the main rails as
possible, and the car-body may be provided with straps to pass over the knees
of the occupants of the car seats to retain them in then seats should they become
tightened and seek to change then position
Instead of the straps however, I may employ other means which would prevent
the passengers in case they failed to keep then seats and sought to leave them
trom falling from the car when the same is overtuined and while passing the
upper part of the cucular loop of the track. For instance, the cai might be
provided with a canopy top made of strong wie netting
The intermediate rail may at times be arranged substantially at the level of
the main track, but throughout the circular part or loop of the inward track
the said ail is placed inward and it occupies a smaller circle in order that the
rollers may contact with it for said rollers occupy a different level with relation
to the main track when on the circular part of the track than they do when on
the inclined or curved part.

page_text: 66
"
Improvements in Apparatus known as Roller Coasters for
Recreative Purposes.
I, WESLEY ALPHONZO RAMSDELL, Manager, of South Berwick, in the County
of York and State of Maine, United States of America, 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 invention has for its object the production of a novel roller-coaster or rail-
way chiefly for purposes of recreation
My improved roller coaster consists of parallel tracks laid with steep gradients
and containing a circularly arranged vertical loop or loops, the cai when moving
at the lower end of a steep gradient partaking of a circular movement so that
for part of its course the car is inverted, notwithstanding that owing to centri-
fugal action, the contents of the car remain securely in place and the car follows
the track To however provide against the car leaving the track should it be possible
from any unforseen circumstances, I have provided the car with safety appliances,
the said safety appliances being herein shown as a second track, arranged
parallel to and perpendicular with relation to the circular part of the main track
as well as to the gradients coming to and leaving the circulaı track
To provide
for the secure running of the cai and insure means whereby when the cai 18
changing from one part of the circular track onto another portion thereof having
a spiral trend the wheels of the cai may not leave the track, I mount one of the
axles of the car upon the car-body so that it may turn slightly not only about a
horizontal pivot, but also about a vertical pivot, with relation to said car, this
being essential to always keep all the wheels of the car in firm bearing on the
track, and to yet further insure the safety of the car and its maintenance on
the track I provide means whereby the car-axles may substantially at all times
occupy a position radial to the center of the curves of the track, said devices
being, however, shown as a thud or intermediate rail substantially parallel to
the main nails, but more or less out of cential relation thereto, (depending on
the radius of the curve) it being nearer the outer of the main rails the sharper
the curve, and against this thud rail, travel suitable wheels called by aims
connected with the axle-carrying parts of the cal Both axles are mounted on
or with relation to the car on vertical pivots, so that their positions may be
readily changed to adapt the wheels to the curvature of the tracks
The car
truck with its frame, is provided with additional wheels, which form in this
instance a part of the safety device, sand wheels normally clearing the safety-
track, and in case of any lack of centrifugal force which should carry the car
quickly about the inner side of the cucular part of the track these wheels will
immediately take their bearing on the safety-track until gravity or centrifugal
force again controls the car, when immediately the wheels of the truck bear on
the main track. One wheel of each axle is loose to thereby lessen friction in
going about a curve
I have herein shown the track 80 arranged that a portion thereof passes
through the open or central part of the circular track.
The apparatus may be provided with any usual or suitable means by which
to take the car at its lower level and put it into starting position at its highest
level, said means being herein shown as a chain elevator
At the point from which the car is started, I provide a rotary platform or
turntable on which the car passes after it has been raised by the elevator, and
I preferably arrange a stationary guard around a portion of the platform, and

page_text: wheels on the car to engage said guard while the platform is being turned, so
as to hold the body of the car away from the guaid, and thus at the same
time prevent the car from running of the turntable and from being marred by
scraping against the guard 1 generally so construct the platform that it will
be inclined downward toward the guard when in a position to receive the car.
and downward from the guard when in a position to start the car, so that the
latter will roll to its proper place on the platform by gravity, and will similarly
leave the platform, thus rendering the start very easy, and preventing a move-
ment of the car in the wrong duection A further feature of my improvement
consists in a mechanism for causing the cai in running on and off the turn-
table, to automatically release and lock the turntable relatively to the support
on which it revolves
Within the boundary of the track I may arrange a spectator's platform with
suitable steps or an elevator leading up to it from the ground
Lastly, I provide a biake to prevent the car from moving backwards in the
case of breakage of the chain elevatoi
To explain the details of my improved roller coaster, I will now describe the
same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1, in perspective, shows a roller-coaster embodying my invention, the
third tail being omitted for the sake of clearness,
Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus,
Figure 3 18 a plan view of the tuintable at the starting point of the track,
Figure 4 is a plan view of the car resting on the track, looking at it in the
position, Figure 1,
Figure 5 is a side view of the car and parts of the track,
Figure 6 18 a real or left-hand end view of the car, Figure 1,
Figure 718 a front right-hand end view,
Figure 8 is a bottom or plan view, the tracks being shown by dotted lines,
as they would not appear in such view,
Figure 9 is a plan showing one end of the safety track, and
Figure 10 is a sectional elevation on line 10-10 of Figure 9, with the car
shown in dotted lines
In making my improved roller-coaster, I take suitable uprights a and connect
them at top and suitable intervals by tie-pieces a and on said the-pieces, they
being elected at suitable points on the uprights, according to the level desired
for the tracks, I mount the main rails b, 61, and between the main tracks I place
a guide track or thud nail o The main track starts, let it be supposed, from
the right in Figure 1, and descends by a steep incline or gradient, down to about
the point 6x Figure 1, when the said track is given a cucular upward curve, the
track being then bent to occupy a complete cicle, and in its cicle being carried
spirally aside, as represented in Figure 2, it finally ascending again, as repie-
sented at the left in Figure 1, and cuiving around horizontally and declining
somewhat it is extended through the central part of the circulai track down a
suitable incline, where it may, if desired, ascend more or less and again pass
through the circular pait of the track, when it will agam be curved, descending
to the passenger-station d From this passenger-station the track is extended,
say to the right in Figure 1 up to the rotary platform or turntable e, Figures 1
and 3, upon which the car A taken from the passenger-station d in any usual
or suitable manner, as by an inclined elevator chain 9, may be placed
Along that portion of the track on which the elevator chain g is arranged, I
provide a rack R, engaged by a pinion W (Fig 5) on the car, said pinion being
held against rotation in one direction by a pawl P, so that in case the elevator
chain should break, the car will be held against running down the incline of
the elevator
The turntable e revolves about a vertical axis, as usual, but while the surface
of an ordinary turntable is horizontal, I make the turntable e with a drop toward
one edge, so that a car on the turntable will have a tendency to roll toward such

page_text: lower edge. This inclination of the turntable is clearly shown in Figure 1
The turntable may have one track only, but if desired, two tracks 62, may be
provided, these tracks dipping in opposite directions as indicated by the ariows
in Figure 3 Around a portion of the turntable extends a stationary vertical
guard G, which 18 adapted to be engaged by a wheel F pivoted about a vertical
dais to a bracket or hame on the cai (Fig 8), said wheel projecting
beyond the end of the cal
Normally the turntable will be in the position illustrated by Figure 3, with
the higher end of the track 63 registering with that part of the main track on
which the chain elevator g is airanged The car therefore when raised by said
elevator will run down the track by gravity toward the guaid until the
wheel Fengages said guard It will be observed that this wheel will keep the
body of the car from contact with the guard, while offering practically no
resistance during the revolution of the turntable, as the wheel F will then 1oll
on the guard G The turn-table 18 1evolved (in any suitable manner) until the
track be takes the position of the track and registers with that portion of the
main track on which the car 18 to be started It will be seen that in this position
the car will be started automatically, as it will roll off the inclined track b
It may be advantageous to lock the tuintable against 1otation while no cal
16 thereon, and this 1 effect automatically by the movement of the car, by the
mechanism shown in Figure According to this construction, a car running
upon the track will come in contact with a lever L and swing it on its
tulcrum L, thereby actuating an elbow level J fulciumed at J and pivotally
connected with the lever L, the elbow level in tuin operating the lock bai
which slides on the turntable e and is adapted to engage a stationary keeper K
It will be obvious that this movement will move the bar M out of engagement
with the keeper K, thus releasing the turntable so that it may be turned about
its axis el. Adjacent to the track 6' (but at the opposite end thereof) theic 18
another set of levers J L connected with the lock bar in such a manner that
when one lever L projects over or toward one of the tracks 63, 6³, the other lever L
1s in a retracted position The lock bar M slides outward but not enough to
project beyond the tuintable, the cai being stopped by the guard G to thus limit
the movement of the levers LJ and lock bar Al When, however, the wheel F
leaves the guard G, the car runs off the turntable, and in doing so, it effects a
further movement of the levers J L and of the look bar M, which then registers
with the keeper K, so that the turntable is again locked against rotation lt
will therefore be clear that a car in running on the tuintable releases it, and in
unning of the platform, locks it again. Also, the two levels J are auto-
matically shifted into the proper position to be operated by the next car It
will be understood that the details of the starting and locking mechanism may
be varied considerably
The car in its descent from the tuntable to the passenger-station traverses
the enculat loop referred to, it being designated by the letter h, and during
such time the car des in a vertical cucle, and it completely reverses, but does
not leave the track
To make certain that the car shall not under any encumstances leave the
track, I have provided a safety appliance, which is composed, essentially, of
tracks m, parallel to the tracks 6,6, and said tracks m follow entirely about
the encularly-allanged tracks and 6 and up and down outside the said
circulaily-arianged portion for any desued or suitable distance, the said tracks m
being suitably supported or braced by braces m² The braces m¹ constitute
trusses, connecting the tracks and m substantially as represented in the draw-
angs, the whole structure forming a self-supporting encular loop which 18 very
stiff and rigid. At the ends, the tracks m ale preferably constiucted as shown
in Figures 9 and 10, with curved flaning portions m², to properly guide the
car at the entrance to the safety track m This track 18 supported from the
beams q, by means of brackets p.
L

page_text: The forward axle B is mounted in an axle-carrying frame A³, pivotally
mounted with relation to the body of the car A, and the rear axle A³ 18 mounted
in an axle-carrying frame A8 Each of these frames supports a like framework,
as n, (see Figures 6 and 7) which in tuin supports arms n', provided with suit-
able rollers or wheels n, said 1ollers or wheels constituting a part of the safety
device herein before referred to, they being so located with relation to the track m
that in case of any accident or condition wherein the centrifugal force should
fail to be fully effective to keep the wheels A' of the car on the tracks b, and b',
then in such condition the wheels n would immediately (they lving almost in
contact with said track) contact with it, and thereafter the wheels n and tracks m
would control the duection of movement of the car until the car again arives
at such position with relation to the circularlv-a11anged track that gravity or
centrifugal action will have full sway of the car, at which time the wheels
will again bear upon the tracks b and b¹.
As
To insure that the wheels A¹ shall always remain upon the tracks and ',
and especially while the said wheels are following the spiral trend of the cucular
part of the track, I have mounted the front-axle carving fiame A' on a hou-
zontal pivot A, (shown best in Figures 7 and 8) extended from a yoke A³,
which is coupled by a vertical coupling-pin 2 with ears 3 extended from the
cai-body, so that said axle-canying frame A is free to turn about the hon-
zontally-a11anged pivot A+, and the yoke A5, so pivoted, is also free to tuin about
the vertical coupling-pin 2, thus making a sort of universal or gimbal joint
Mounting the front axle in this way insules that the wheels A will always
remain on the tracks b and 61, especially when passing the spial trend.
herein shown, the rear axle-carrying frame As is free to turn about a suitable
like vertical coupling-pin 2 Each of these axle-carving frames A and A8
have attached to them a suitable al m 01 frame, as B and C, the
aim C having a suitable pin 4 (see Figure 8), which enters a slot 5
in the arm B, and the aim C is provided, as herein shown, with two suitable
1olleis 6, which co-operate with the opposite sides of the thud or intermediate
guiding-track or guide-rail o, it being arranged between the tracks and ¹.
but said track o may be aanged more or less to the side of the centre of the
space between said tracks b and 6, that depending upon the radius of the curve
in which the tracks and b¹ are laid, the fiaek o being nearer the outside track
of the curve the less the radius, such aangement being represented at the
extreme right and left in Figure 1
It will be observed that the rollers 6, 6, running on the track o, by following
that track cause the arm's C and B to be swung more or less, they in then
movements turning the axle-carrying frames out of parallelism with relation
to the ends of the car-body or placing them in lines radial to the centre of
curve of the track, and one of the wheels of each axle is preferably made loose
to thereby avoid friction in passing curves
In the manufacture of the car the body will in practice be brought as close
to the main rails b and b as possible, and the car-body would be provided with
straps to pass over the laps of the occupants of the car-seats to thereby
retain them in their seats should they become frightened and seek to change
their position
The straps form a securing means for the occupants of the car, and instead
of the particular securing means herein referred to, I may employ any other
well-known or usual or suitable means which would prevent the passengers in
case they failed to keep then seats and sought to leave them fiom falling from
the car when the same is overturned and while passing the upper part of the
circular loop of the track-as, for instance, the car might have a canopy top
made of strong wie-netting, or any other usual or suitable appliance might be
devised
The rail o may at times be arranged substantially at the level of the tracks b
and 6, between which it is placed but throughout the circular part oi loop h

page_text: of the track the said rail o is so placed interiorly that it occupies a smaller
circle in order that the rollers 6 may contact with it, for it will be noticed,
viewing Figure 5, that said rollers 6 occupy a different level with relation to
the tracks band when on the cncular part of the track than they do when on
the inclined on curved part of the track
Within the round or curved portions of the main track I have arranged a
spectators' stand D (Fig 2) it being a platform supported in any suitable way.
The spectators' platform D may be reached by a suitable stanease and may
contain seats, or tables &c according to the particular use to which it is to be
put, the person's occupying the platform being very considerably amused by
watching the operation of the 1oller-coaster
Having now particularly descubed and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same 18 to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim 18:―
1 In a roller coaster, the provision of a lack such as R along the elevating
incline which leads to the starting point, in combination with a pinion secured
to the car and adapted to roll on said lack, and with means, such as a pawl,
for preventing rotation of said pinion in one direction, substantially as described.
2 In a 1oller coaster, the provision at the starting point of a turntable
carrying an inclined track to cause the cars to run on and off the turntable by
then own weight, substantially as described
3 In a roller coaster having a turntable (as specified under head 2), the
arrangement on said turntable of two inclined tracks dipping in opposite direc-
tions so that one is in the receiving position when the other is in the discharging
or starting position, substantially as described
4 In a roller coaster, the provision of a stationary guard surrounding a
portion of the turntable, substantially as described and for the purpose set
forth
5 In a roller coaster, the provision on the car, of a wheel pivoted about a
vertical axis and adapted to engage the guard which surrounds part of the
turntable, substantially as described
6 In a roller coaster, the aangement of curved flauing ends, such as m³,
on the safety tracks m, substantially as described
7 In a roller coaster, the provision on the turntable, of a mechanism for
temporarily locking it against 1otation, said mechanism being operated by the
cais as they run on and off the turntable, substantially as described
8 In a roller coaster, the particular mechanism for locking and releasing the
turntable, said mechanism consisting of a stationary keeper, a sliding bar
located on the turntable and adapted to engage said keeper, a double lever
mechanism (such as JL) connected with the sliding bai, and projecting into
the path of the cais, so that the cars will operate said lever mechanism, and
a stop or guard for the car, to prevent the full outward movement of the sliding
lock bar until such time that one of its ends registers with the keeper, substan-
tially as described.
AM & WM CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, Londou