Improvements in or relating to Swings, Swing Boats, or the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 3rd July, 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Swings, Swing Boats, or
the like.
I, JOHN DYSON of 27 Stevenson Street, Wavertree in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to swings, swing boats, or the like, and has for its object
certain improvements in such apparatus whereby they are rendered superior to the
apparatus hitherto employed, and are safer and more readily actuated.
In carrying the same into effect, the plan I prefer is to provide uprights of
suitable height, from which the boat or car is hung by rods suspended from a
pivot, the car being also pivotted at the ends of these rods so as to enable it to
oscillate as it swings, and thus assume such a position as it swings, horizontal or
otherwise, that it is impossible for the occupants to fall out. On each side of the
car on the outside thereof I fix a toothed pinion or circular rack, and located near
the top of the uprights slightly below the pivot or centre on which the car is
suspended, I fix a race or guide which describes curves neither of them concentric
with the arc in which the car and its suspension rods swing. One of the main
objects of this race is to cause the car to oscillate on its pivot as it swings to and
fro instead of remaining at right angles to the suspension rods and retain it in such
a position (horizontal or otherwise) that it is impossible for the occupants to
fall out.
This is effected by means of rocking levers, one pivotted to each suspension rod,
and provided at one end with a pin adapted to slide in the race or guide and at the
other with a toothed quadrant which gears in the fixed pinion on the car.
The
result is that as the car swings to and fro the rocking lever will be rocked by
reason of the pin sliding in the stationary race, and the motion of the rocking
levers gearing into the fixed pinions on the car will cause the latter to oscillate on
its pivot and retain it in such a position (horizontally or otherwise) as will prevent
the occupants from falling out. The curves of the race may be such that the car
shall always be retained horizontally, or they may be such that the car shall
be slightly tilted as it swings towards each side. The race is fixed in any suitable
manner and is so braced and stayed from above the centre on which the suspension
rods swing, as to keep it steady and to prevent it moving laterally or endways.
The two curves of the race are provided at the point of junction with a device by
which the sliding pin is guided alternately into each race. This device comprises
a small pivotted guide which alternately oscillates from one side to the other as
the suspension rods swing to and fro, thus closing the entrance to one or other of
the curves alteruately, and guiding the pin alternately into each curve. This
guide is operated by the motion of a pin on one of the rocking levers.
The car may be provided inside with a seat or seats at each end together with
seats in the middle for other occupants, those at the ends being provided for those
of the occupants who swing the car. On the axis on which the car oscillates
I key a disc the said axis being also keyed into the suspension rods the car as
already stated oscillating on the axis. In proximity to the disc at each end,
I provide a lever with a treadle or footplate at end thereof. These levers are
pivotted to the car and so arranged that they can be locked against the disc by
means of a friction clutch or shoe. The treadles are located near the seats at each

page_text: end of the car so that the occupant of either of those seats by standing up, has his
whole weight on these treadles or footplates. The consequence is that when he
stands thereupon, his weight causes the lever to be locked against the disc by
means of the shoe or clutch aforesaid which thus forms a fulcrum for the treadle
lever. Now by standing on one or other of the treadle levers, the leverage thus
exerted is transferred to the car at the point where the lever is pivotted thereto,
this leverage tending to turn the car round on its pivot, and thus exert a force
through the pinions and rocking lever against the race which drives the car and its
suspension rods forward from one side to the other. The occupant of the seat at
the other side of the car is in the meantime sitting down, and his weight
supplements the leverage exerted by the other occupant thus assisting in causing
the car to swing from one side to the other side. When the car has swung from
one side to the other, the occupants of the two seats at each end of the car reverse
their positions, the occupant who previously sat upon the seat, now standing on
the treadle and the occupant who previously stood on the treadle sitting on the
seat. Supposing the car is swung from right to left, the occupant of the seat at
the rear will stand on the treadle or footplate and thus exert a leverage which
drives the car forward, while the occupant at the forward end of the car will sit
on the seat and his weight will supplement the leverage of the other occupant,
causing the car to swing towards the left. When swung in the opposite direction
however, the position of the two occupants are reversed, and thus the weight of one
occupant and the leverage exerted by the other is alternately transferred from end to
end, causing the swing to be actuated without having to use a rope as has hitherto
been the case.
I propose to provide an arrangement for locking one treadle or
footplate while the other is being stood upon so that only one can be used at a
time. This arrangement consists of a friction lever pivotted on the axis on which
the car oscillates. It is mounted in close proximity to the disc so as to be in
frictional contact therewith. This lever actuates in a suitable manner a locking
lever underneath each treadle, which is capable of lifting the shoe of the treadle
lever off the disc, and locking itself together with the treadle against an abutment
or toe-piece in the bottom of the car, so that the treadle cannot be actuated, thus
preventing leverage being applied, should the person accidentally stand on the
treadle at the wrong time. The movement of the car in the opposite direction on
the other hand, causes the locking lever and consequently the footplate or treadle
to be unlocked from the abutment or toe-piece, thus enabling an occupant to
utilise his weight in the driving of the car. It will thus be seen that should an
occupant stand on one or other of the treadles at the wrong time, it will not matter,
as the footplate or treadle lever on one side will be locked against the abutment
while on the other side it will be unlocked, and thus entirely prevent two occupant
at opposite sides exerting leverage one against the other.
The
If desired a brake may be employed for automatically stopping the motion of
the swing at a given time, the mechanism consisting of a toothed pinion which is
caused to rotate one tooth at each stroke of the swing by means of a ratchet
attached to the disc or otherwise, and worked by the oscillation of the car.
face of this toothed pinion is provided with a stud, and when the toothed pinion has
made one complete revolution this stud will press against a lever or rod to which
is coupled a brake shoe located in proximity to the disc keyed on the axis of
oscillation of the car, the brake shoe being preferably mounted on brackets in the
The result is that when this toothed pinion has made one complete revolution,
the brake shoe will be pressed against the disc and the motion of the swing thus
automatically stopped, and the swing cannot be started again until the brake is
taken off.
car.
Dad thin
1
1008
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Swings, Swing Boats, or
the like.
I, JOHN DYSON of 27, Stevenson Street, Wavertree, in the County of Lancaster,
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 :-
This invention relates to swings, swing boats, cradles or other oscillating bodies,
and has for its object certain improvements in such apparatus whereby they are
rendered superior to the apparatus hitherto employed, and are safer and more
readily actuated.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings which shew the invention applied to a swing:
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved swing;
Figure 2 an end elevation thereof;
Figure 3 a diagrammatic view in outline showing the position of the car as it
swings to and fro;
Figure 4 a detail view of the race and pivot;
Figure 5 a detail view of the mechanism for swinging the car;
Figure 6 a detail view of the brake device; and
Figure 7 a detail view of the arrangement for guiding the sliding piu alternately
into each race.
In carrying the same into effect, the plan I prefer is to provide uprights A of
suitable height, from which the boat or car B is hung by rods or stays C suspended
from a pivot D, the car being also pivoted at E at the ends of these rods C so as to
enable it to oscillate as it swings, and thus assume such a position as it swings,
horizontal or otherwise, that it is impossible for the occupants to fall out. On each
side of the car on the outside thereof I fix a toothed pinion or circular rack F and
located near the top of the uprights slightly below the pivot or centre D on which
the car is suspended, I fix a race or guide G which describes curves, neither of them
concentric with the are in which the car B and its suspension rods C swing. One
of the main objects of this race G is to cause the car B to oscillate on its pivot E
as it swings to and fro instead of remaining at right angles to the suspension rods C
and retain it in such a position (horizontal or otherwise) that it is impossible for
the occupants to fall out.
This is effected by means of rocking levers H, one pivotted to each suspension
rod at h, and provided at one end with a pin I adapted to slide in the race or
guide G and at the other with a toothed quadrant J which gears in the fixed
pinion F on the car. The result is that as the car B swings to and fro the rocking
levers H will be rocked by reason of the pin I sliding in the stationary race G and
the motion of the rocking levers H gearing into the fixed pinions on the car
will cause the latter to oscillate on its pivot E and retain it in such a position
(horizontally or otherwise) as will prevent the occupants from falling out. The
curves of the race G may be such that the car shall always be retained horizontally,
or they may be such that the car shall be slightly tilted as it swings towards each
side. The race is fixed in any suitable manner and is so braced and stayed from
above the centre on which the suspension rods C swing, as to keep it steady
and to prevent it moving laterally or endways. The two curves of the race Gare
provided at the point of junction with a device by which the sliding pin I is guided
alternately into each race. This device comprises a small pivotted guide K which
alternately oscillates from one side to the other as the suspension rods swing to
and fro, thus closing the entrance to one or other of the curves alternately, and

page_text: guiding the pin I alternately into each curve.
of a pin L on one of the rocking levers H.
This guide is operated by the motion
The car B may be provided inside with a seat or seats at each end together with
seats in the middle for other occupants, those at the ends being provided for those
of the occupants who swing the car. On the axis E en which the car B oscillates
I key a disc M the said axis E being also keyed or pinned to the suspension rods
the car as already stated oscillating on the axis. In proximity to the disc M
at each end, I provide levers N with a treadle or footplate at end thereof.
These levers are pivotted to the car at () and so arranged that they can
be locked against the disc by means of a friction clutch or shoe P. The
treadles are located near the seats at each end of the car, so that the occupant
of either of these seats, by standing up, has his whole weight on these treadles or
footplates. The consequence is that when he stands thereupon, his weight causes
the levers N to be locked against the disc M by means of the shoe or clutch P
aforesaid, which thus forms a fulcrum for the treadle levers N. Now by standing
on one or other of the treadle levers N, the leverage thus exerted is transferred
to the car at the point O where the lever is pivotted thereto, this leverage
tending to turn the car B round on its pivot E, and thus exert a force through the
pinions F and rocking levers J against the race G which drives the car B and its
suspension rods C forward from one side to the other. The occupant of the
seat at the other side of the car is in the meantime sitting down, and his weight
supplements the leverage exerted by the other occupant, thus assisting in causing
the car to swing from one side to the other side. When the car has swung from
one side to the other, the occupants of the two seats at each end of the car
reverse their positions, the occupant who previously sat upon the seat, now standing
on the treadle and the occupant who previously stood on the treadle sitting on the
seat. Supposing the car is swung from right to left, the occupant of the seat
at the rear will stand on the treadle or footplate and thus exert a leverage
which drives the car forward, while the occupant at the forward end of the car will
sit on the seat and his weight will supplement the leverage of the other occupant,
causing the car to swing towards the left. When swung in the opposite direction
however, the position of the two occupants is reversed, and thus the weight of
one occupant and the leverage exerted by the other is alternately transferred from
end to end, causing the swing to be actuated without having to use a rope as has
hitherto been the case. I propose to provide an arrangement for locking one
treadle or footplate while the other is being stood upon so that only one can be
used at a time. This arrangement consists of a friction lever Q pivotted on the
axis E on which the car oscillates. It is mounted in close proximity to the
disc M so as to be in frictional contact therewith. This lever Q actuates in a
suitable manner locking levers Q'underneath each treadle N, which is capable
of lifting one or other of the treadle levers N and thus remove the shoe P
of the treadle levers N off the disc M, and locking itself together with the treadle
against an abutment or toe-piece R in the bottom of the car, so that the treadle
cannot be actuated, thus preventing leverage being applied, should the person
accidentally stand on the treadle at the wrong time. The movement of the car in
the opposite direction on the other hand, causes the locking lever Q' and conse-
quently the footplate or treadle to be unlocked from the abutment or toe-piece R,
thus enabling an occupant to utilise his weight in the driving of the car. It will
thus be seen that should an occupant stand on one or other of the treadles at the
wrong time, it will not matter, as the footplate or treadle lever on one side will be
locked against the abutment R while on the other side it will be unlocked, and thus
entirely prevent two occupants at opposite sides exerting leverage one against the
other.
If desired a brake may be employed for automatically stopping the motion of
the swing at a given time, the mechanism consisting of a toothed pinion S which
is caused to rotate one tooth at each stroke of the swing by means of a ratchet T
attached to the disc M or otherwise, and worked by the oscillation of the car.

page_text: face of this toothed pinion S is provided with a stud U and when the toothed
n S has made one complete revolution, this stud U will press against a lever
od V to which is coupled a brake shoe W located in proximity to the disc M
d on the axis of oscillation of the car, the brake shoe being preferably mounted
rackets in the car. The result is that when this toothed pinion S has made
complete revolution more or less, the brake shoe W will be pressed against the
M and the notion of the swing thus automatically stopped, and the swing
ot be started again until the brake is taken off. The mode of application of
invention to other articles which are hung or suspended from fixed pivots by
or stays will be obvious. Thus, in the case of cradles, the car and its inside
anism for enabling the occupants of the car to swing it, are dispensel with
a cradle substituted. The cradle is suspended by the rods C and coupled to
races G by the rocking levers H and circular rack F as herein described. By
arrangement the cradle will oscillate on the pivot E as it swings to and fro,.
thus may permanently maintain a horizontal position.
aving now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
nis:-
The improvement in or relating to swings, swing boats, cradles or other
lating attachments of that kind in which a car or other body is hung or
ended from fixed pivots by rods or stays, substantially as herein described and
trated, also the following parts or improvements taken separately :-
(a) The arrangement for enabling the car or other article to oscillate as it
swings and thus assume such a position as it swings that it is impossible for the
occupant or articles to fall out, namely, providing the car or other body on each
side with a fixed piuion and located near the top of the suspension pivot a race
or guide which describes curves neither of them concentric with the arc in
which the car or other body swings, in combination with rocking levers,
one pivotted to each suspension rod and provided at one end with a pin
adapted to slide in the race, and at the other with a toothed quadrant
which gears into the fixed pinion aforesaid on the car, or other body,
whereby in swinging to and fro the rocking levers will be rocked by reason
of the pin sliding in the stationary race, and the rocking of these levers
gearing into the fixed pinions, will cause the car or other body to oscillate
on its pivot and enable it to retain such a position, horizontal or otherwise,
as will prevent the occupants or articles falling out.
(b) The arrangement of races or guides G in combination with means whereby
the sliding pin I is guided alternately into each race, substantially as set
forth.
(c) In combination for the purpose of enabling the occupants of a swing,
swing-boat or the like of the kind set forth in Claim (a) to swing the
car, a disc M keyed on the axis on which the car swings a treadle lever N
pivotted to the car and arranged so that it can be locked against the
disc by means of a friction clutch, whereby when the occupant exerts
force on the treadle lever, the said lever is locked against the disc by
means of the clutch aforesaid, which thus forms a fulcrum for the treadle
lever, and the force exerted by the occupant is transferred to the car at the
point where the lever is pivotted thereto, this leverage tending to turn the
car round on its pivot, and thus exert a force through the pinions and
rocking levers against the race which drives the car forward from one side
to the other.
(d) The mechanism for locking one treadle or foot plate while force is being
applied to the other, and preventing two occupants on opposite sides of
the car exerting a leverage antagonistic to each other, substantially as
described.

page_text: (e) The brake device for automatically stopping the motion of the swing after
it has made a given number of oscillations substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.