Year: 1888

page_text: I JOHN LEACH of 41 John Street, Blackburn in the County of Lancaster, Blacksmith,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in "round-abouts or merry-go-rounds
wherein are employed wooden horses. donkeys, or other like animals, or boats, canoes,
or sledges which are mounted on a circular framework motion to which is given by
steam or other power, and the object is to impart to such animals, or boats, a galloping,
or up, and down motion, as well as the ordinary rotatory motion, and the invention
consists of a circular platform traversing on a level hed, or rail of metal. The horses
or boats being mounted on wheels which traverse, or run over a corrugated, or
irregular surface which gives the necessary up and down motion.
According to this my said invention I construct a circular platform, which is
mounted on wheels running on a metal bed or rail, motion being given to the platform
by steam engine, or other power. The animals or boats are supported on two or more
upright rods which passing through eyelets, or holes protected with metal, in the
circular platform, terminate at their lower ends in a fork, and in each fork is mounted
a small wheel or runner, which, as the circular platform is rotated, pass over a corrn-
gated surface, and thus an alternate up, and down, motion is given to the rods carrying
the animals, or boats. The carrying rods are coupled together by a link coupling
which has a slot joint so as to allow of free movement.
The bodies of the animals, or boats, are supported on their carrying rods by cranked
levers which pass through swiveled forks on the top of the rods the lower ends of the
cranked levers being secured to the legs of the animals, or the keel of the boat, and
thus all tendency to "jerky" motion is obviated. The underbed or frame on which
the wheels run may be of wood, or metal, and either flat, or, grooved so as to keep the
wheels or runners steady, and to prevent running away.
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Town Hall Buildings, Halifax,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: SUBTLEIM DE MULLIATIVA.
Improvements in Round-abouts or Merry-go-rounds and Means of
Actuating same.
I, JOHN LEAOH of 41 John Street Blackburn in the County of Lancaster, Blacksmith,
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-amerry-go-rounds, and round-abouts, and
to the means of actuating same. According to this invention, figures of horses, or
other animals, boats or carriages, are mounted on cranks, fixed on vertical rods, which
passing through the platform beneath the figures, or carriages, terminate in forks
which carry wheels or runners, which are drawn or run over a corrugated or undulating
surface formed on a platform, and tbus imparting a rocking or undulation motion to
the figures.
Such being the nature and object of this my said invention, the following is a
complete description of same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in
which :-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of part of a merry-go-round shewing the figure of a horse,.
and also a carriage mounted and actuated in accordance with my invention.
"
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 (sheet 2) are details.
According to this.my said invention the chairs 1 are carried on the links 2-2,
the horse 1 on the cranks 4-4 and springs 19 secured by pins.3 to the cranks 4,
carried and free to move, in the boss, or head of the vertical rods 5-5 which rods
pass through long collars 6 secured to the platform 7 by .nuts.or otherwise. The
bottoms ends of the rods .5-5, terminate in forks or clips 8, and carry the wheels
or runners 9 which when actuated by the platform 7 being revolved move over, and
along metal grooves 13 formed on a corrugated or undulating bed or platform 10.
"The platform 7 is revolved by any of the known ramenns employed for turning
go rounds," the upright rods 11 are secured to cross.rods or stays 1.2 (see fig. 3),
and when in motion carry round with them the platform 7 and the vertical rods 5-5
receive a rising and falling motion through the corrugated or undulating rails 13
so that one of the vertical..rods75 (of each pair carryingra figure) is near the bottom
of the curve formed in the corrugated. rails or grooves 13, whilst the other is at or
about the top, and vice versa. Thus when the machine is .in motion. the .rods 5 pass
up and down, through the long collars 6, the models 1, or 1* mounted thereon
swing to and fro on the cranks and arms 2 and 4-and bow spring 19.at the same
time a galloping, jumping or rocking in addition to a circular motion is imparted
to the figures 1-1.
The platform 7 is supported and carried by the wheels 14 mounted on the brackets 15
fixed to the underside of the said platform, and the wheels 14 run on metal rails 16
similar to railway rails, or the rails may be made of wood grooved and lined with
sheet metal for lightness and to facilitate carriage from place to place.

page_text: The vertical rods 5-5 are held together or connected by the links 17 so as to
reduce vibration and the wear and tear of the parts to a minimum, the rods.
being attached to the axles of the wheels 9-9 and bent to the radius of the circle
in which the wheels 9-9 move, the inner rod being shorter than the outer one, or
that farthest from the centre, these rods serve to guide the wheels 9 and also prevent
the rods 5-5 from turning round.
The links 2-2 or cranks 4 are fixed to the figures 1-1 either by simply screwing
them into the woodwork of the figures or carriages as shewn at 18 or they can be
attached to bow springs 19 secured to the figures or carriages by nuts as shewn
at 20, or to the underside of the carriage 11 bolt a spring or bracket 19, this bracket
is mounted on the pins 3 of the crank 4 as shown. When the figures or models
are two or more abreast I prefer that the corrugated grooves 13 should be alternately
up and down, so that when one figure is rising, the one by its side is falling and
vice versa.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The chair carriage 1 mounted upon the link 2 carried by cranks 4, rods 5, wheels
or runners 9, corrugated or undulating rails 13 all in combination and substantially as
illustrated by annexed drawings and herein described.
2. Figures such as 1" (or chair carriage 1) carried on spring such as 19, with
cranks 4, and vertical rods 5 all in combination and operated through the employment
of undulating rails and runners substantially as described and illustrated by annexed
drawings.