Improvements in Roundabouts.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1895-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts.
I, ARNOLD GOODWIN, of 56 Sumner Street, Southwark, in the County of
London, 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 :-
In the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me dated 28 November 1894,
No. 23104, I have described a construction of roundabout comprising a circular
track, a central pivot or pintle, and one or more cycles that are adapted to be
propelled by the rider or riders, are arranged to run in a circular direction upon
the said track, and are directly connected by one or more radius rods or cross bars
to the said pivot or pintle so as to be capable of turning about the same as a centre.
Now my present invention has reference to improvements in roundabouts of the
kind referred to, whereby the same are better adapted to withstand the strains to
which they are subjected when ridden and driven by several adults at a time, and
whereby the motion thereof can be regulated, and, when necessary, arrested.
In order that the nature of my present improvements may be readily understood
I will proceed to explain the same by the aid of the accompanying drawings
wherein
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan, showing so much of my improved
roundabout as is necessary to understand the construction thereof.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the central portion of the roundabout provided with a brake.
Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevations showing two forms of bicycles adapted for use
in my roundabout.
Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation, showing, to a larger scale than Figs. 1 to 5
inclusive, the central portion of the roundabout together with a governor and
brake whereby the speed of the roundabout can be controlled both automatically
and by band.
Fig. 7 is a similar view to Fig. 6 but showing a modified construction of brake.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the radius rods 1 are formed of metal tubes
secured at their inner ends, as by screwing, to the boss 2ª of a wheel 2 through
the rim 2 of which they pass so as to be partly supported thereby. At their outer
ends the rods are secured at 3" to the circularly bent frames of the bicycles 3, and
at intermediate points are rigidly connected together by tie rods 4 of which one
set is shown, though there may be more, each radius rod 1 being also connected to
the corresponding bicycle frame by an inclined strut 5. The boss 2 of the wheel 2
is mounted to rotate upon a collar 6ª (Fig. 6) secured to the stationary central
pillar or pintle 6 about which the connected rods 1, wheel 2, and bicycles 3 rotate,
and which is secured to a base piece 6 by which it is firmly supported on the cross
stays 6* which rest on the ground.
For the purpose of controlling the roundabout when in use, a brake is combined
with a movable portion thereof in such a way that the motion of the roundabout can
be readily regulated, and, when necessary, arrested. A suitable construction of
brake for this purpose is shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6, and comprises a brake strap 7
fixed at one end to a fixed bracket 8 carried by the pillar 6 and connected at the
other end to one end of a lever 9 pivoted at 9º. The other end of the lever 9 is
connected to the inner end of a rod 9 that extends outward below the circular
track 10 upon which the bicycles run, and is connected at its outer end to a hand
lever 11 pivoted a stationary support 12, that is adapted to be readily and

page_text: effectually secured either directly to the ground, as for example by wooden pegs or
to one of the cross stays 6* of the circular track, which, for this purpose is extended
outward beyond the track. The brake strap 7 is provided on its inner side, or that
next the wheel 2, with friction blocks 7* (Fig. 3) of suitable material, for example
wood, which, when the hand'lever 11 is moved in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1),
are forced against the exterior of the wheel rim 2b with more or less pressure
according to the degree of power applied to the said hand lever. The intermediate
portion of the brake strap 7 is or may be supported by brackets 7b carried by the
collar 6, as shown, or direct by the pillar 6.
In the modified construction of brake apparatus shown in Fig. 7, the brake strap
with friction blocks are replaced by a friction disc 7* that is connected by a cross pin 7°
and rod 7d to the upper slotted end of the lever 9 so that the said disc can be caused
by a hand lever, such as 11 (Fig. 1), to slide vertically upon the hollow pillar 6 for
the purpose of bringing it with more or less pressure against the adjacent lower
side of the wheel 2, or against an annular renewable wearing strip 2° of suitable
material, for example leather, secured thereto. The cross pin 7 is arranged to work in
oppositely arranged vertical slots in the pillar 6, the upper end of the lever 9
extending through another slot 6 arranged at right angles to the others.
For the purpose of bringing the brake apparatus automatically into action upon
the roundabout exceeding a predetermined speed, there may be combined with the
brake apparatus, a centrifugal governor. A suitable construction of governor for
this purpose is shown combined with each of the forms of brake apparatus
represented in Figs. 6 and 7. It comprises a pair of weights 13 suspended from a
hollow rotary shaft 14 by rods 15 that are connected in the usual way by links 16
to a sleeve 17 arranged to slide upon the shaft. This sleeve is connected to the
horizontal portions of a tee piece 18 (Fig. 6) that work in vertical slots 14* in the
shaft 14, the vertical portion of the tee piece being connected by any suitable form
of swivelling joint to a rod 19 that is connected in the arrangement shown in
Fig. 6, to a lever arm 20 formed in one with the lever 9. In the arrangement
shown in Fig. 7, the rod 19 is connected to the rod 7d and thus to the cross pin 7°
to which the brake disc 7* is connected, and to the lever 9. In the swivelling
joint shown in Fig. 6, the upper end of the rod 19 is formed with a pair of claws 19ª
that are secured to the halves of a divided ring fitted in an annular groove formed
between collars 18" on the lower end of the vertical member of the tee piece 18.
The governor shaft 14 is enlarged at its lower end and mounted, as shown, so that
it can rotate upon the upper end of the stationary hollow pillar 6. It is provided
at its lower end with a ring of bevel teeth 14, and is driven from a ring of
teeth 21 on the brake wheel 2, through toothed gearing comprising a spur wheel 22
and bevel wheels 23, 24 and 25. The spur and bevel wheels 22 and 23 are cast in
one piece and carried by a pin 26 fixed in a bracket 27 clumped upon the pillar 6,
whilst the bevel wheels 24 and 25 are fixed upon a spindle 28 mounted in bearings 29
on the said bracket 27. By the construction described, when the roundabout is set
in motion, the governor will be rotated, and upon a predetermined speed being
exceeded the rod 19 will be lifted sufficiently to automatically operate the brake
strap 7 in the case of Fig. 6, and the brake disc 7* in the case of Fig. 7, and so
bring the brake into action to reduce the speed. The lever 9 is free to be operated
by the hand lever 11 (Fig. 1) when it is desired to apply sufficient braking power
to bring the roundabout to rest.
To
Fig. 4 shows a suitable construction of bicycle for a single rider, and Fig. 5 a
construction of tandem bicycle suitable for two riders, the frame 3b in each case
being bent, as in my former construction, to a circular form having a radius
corresponding to that of the track 10 upon which the bicycles are to run.
obviate all liability of the bicycle riders putting their feet between the spokes of
the driving wheels, as when missing the driving pedals 3, I partly surround that
portion of each driving wheel likely to be engaged by the feet, with a wire or other
suitable guard 30 fixed to the frame of the bicycle. 3* (Figs. 1 and 2) are seats
fixed to the radius rods 1, as before, for carrying additional riders.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In a roundabout of the kind herein specified, the combination with the
rotary part thereof of a brake capable of being operated from a point outside the
circular track and whereby the motion of the said rotary part of the roundabout
can be controlled, or arrested, at will, substantially as herein described.
2. The combination with a roundabout of the kind herein referred to, of a
centrifugal governor arranged to be rotated from the rotary part of the roundabout,
and brake apparatus adapted to be brought into action by the said governor, the
arrangement being such that upon the rotary part of the roundabout exceeding a
predetermined speed, the governor will automatically apply the brake to reduce
such speed, substantially as herein described.
3. A roundabout of the kind herein referred to provided with a hand operated
brake constructed, arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to and shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 6, or modified according to Fig. 7
of the drawings annexed.
4. A roundabout of the kind herein referred to provided with a combined
centrifugal governor and hand operated brake constructed arranged and operating
substantially as herein before described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1, 3
and 6, or modified according to Fig. 7, whereby the brake can be applied both
automatically and by hand, substantially as described.
5. My improved construction of roundabout with brake apparatus, substantially
as described and shown, whether or not a governor be employed for automatically
applying the brake upon a predetermined speed being exceeded.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1895.
ARNOLD GOODWIN.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.