Improvements in Roundabouts or Merry-go-rounds.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts or Merry-go-rounds.
I THOMAS WALKER of Oldbury Works, in the Borough of Tewkesbury in
the County of Gloucester Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
It has for its object improvements in roundabouts or merry-go-rounds in which
model horses or other animals or boats canoes seats or other vehicles are used the
same being suspended from cranks or crank shaft which are carried radially in
bearings on a circular horizontal frame capable of being revolved around a central
vertical axis and in which each radial crank shaft has three or other number of
cranks upon it and a separate horse or vehicle suspended from each crank the
horses or vehicles being also free to swing outwards away from the central vertical
axis as they travel around it.
The three or other number of horses or vehicles in each set are suspended by
separate rods from cranks on one radial crank shaft at the upper end of the
rods is provided a bearing for attachment to crank with a joint working at right
angles to it which allows the bottom end of rods and also the horses or vehicles
to move outward away from the central vertical axis as the roundabout revolves
and to ensure the safe and steady working of the rods at the bottom ends in their
upward or downward movement caused by the radial motion of the cranks
there is provided a ball for each rod which is allowed to roll free between two
hollow guides as the rods move outward or inward to or from the central vertical
axis. Through the centre of this ball is a hole of sufficient size to allow the rods to
work freely up or down in their movement caused by the rotation of the cranks.
The hollow guides being the same radius as the outside of the ball allows the ball
to move sideways to suit the angular motion of the rods caused by the rotation of
the cranks.
These balls and hollow guides are secured to a circular horizontal platform
placed at the lower ends of the rods and suspended from the circular horizontal
frame which is at the top ends of the rods and made to rotate with it. The guides
may be fixed on the bottom side of this circular platform or on the top side but
preferably below.
The accompanying drawings will enable this invention to be more fully understood
of which the following is a description.
Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation of the circular horizontal frame with one set
of horses rods cranks and crankshaft also of the circular horizontal platform at
lower end of rods with balls and guides for same.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of cranks crank shaft with supporting beam horse and
rod with crank bearing and joint at top and circular platform with ball and guides
at bottom.
Fig. 3 is a plan of a section of circular horizontal platform showing the set of
balls and hollow guides for same secured to the underside of platform.
a is the crankshaft which is rotated by suitable mechanism as it revolves around
the central vertical axis b, b, b, are the cranks formed in the crank shaft a for

page_text: giving the up and down or galloping motion to the horses g, g, g, c, c, c, c, are the
bearings for the rotating crank shaft fixed upon the circular horizontal frame
d, d, d, d, are beams to support the bearings c, C, C, C, e, e, e, are the crank bearing
and joint pins at top end of rods which allows the bottom end of rods to
swing to or from the central vertical axis f,ff, are the rods suspending the
horses, g, which are secured to same by a cotter passing through the rod
underneath the horse are the balls and iii are the guides which hold the
bottom of the rods steady as they are moved up and down by the rotation of the
cranks b, b, b, and crankshaft.a. j. is the circular horizontal platform suspended
from the circular horizontal fraine which support the balls h, h, h, and the
guides i ii.
Dated thie 23rd day of June-1801
Dated this 23rd day of Juno -1201
THOMAS WALKER.
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts or Merry-go-rounds.
I, THOMAS WALKER of Oldbury Works, in the Borough of Tewkesbury in the
County of Gloucester, 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 :-
It has for its object improvements in roundabouts or merry go rounds in which
model horses or other animals or boats canoes seats or other vehicles are used the
same being suspended from cranks on crank shafts which are carried radially in
bearings on a circular horizontal frame capable of being revolved around a central
vertical axis and in which each radial crank shaft has three: or other number of
cranks upon it and a separate horse or vehicle suspended from each crank the
horses or vehicles also being free to swing outwards away from the central vertical
axis as they travel around it.
The three or other number of horses or vehicles in each set are suspended by
separate rods from cranks on one radial crank shaft at the upper end of the rods
is provided a bearing for attachment to crank with a joint working at right angles
to it which allows the bottom end of rods and also the horses or vehicles to move
outward away from the central vertical axis as the roundabout revolves and, to
ensure the safe and steady working of the rods at the bottom ends in their
upward or downward movement caused by the radial motion. of the cranks
there is provided a ball for each rod. which is allowed to roll: free between two
hollow guides as the rods move outward or inward to or from the central vertical
axis. Through the centre of this ball is a hole of sufficient size to allow the rods.
to work freely up or down in their movement caused by the rotation of the
cranks the hollow guides being the same radius as the outside of the ball allows
the ball to move sideways to suit the angular motion of the rods caused by the
⚫ rotation of the cranks.
These balls and hollow guides are secured to a circular horizontal platform
placed at the lower ends of the rods and suspended from the circular horizontal
frame which is at the top ends of the rods and made to rotate with it. The
guides may be fixed on the bottom side of this circular platform or on the top.side
but preferably below.
The drawings left with the Provisional Specification will enable this.invention
to be more fully understood of which the following is a description.
Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation of the circular. horizontal frame with one
set of horses rods cranks and crankshaft also of the circular horizontal platform at
lower end of rods with balls and guides for same.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of cranks crankshaft with supporting beam horse-and
rod with crank-bearing and joint at top and circular platform with ball and guides
at bottom.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a plan of a section of circular horizontal platform showing the
set of balls and hollow guides for same secured to the underside of platform.
a is the crankshaft which is rotated by suitable mechanism as it revolves around
the central vertical axis. b. b. b. are the cranks formed in the crankshaft a for
giving the up and down or galloping motion to the horses g. 9. g. C. C. C. c. are
the bearings for the rotating crank shaft fixed upon the circular horizontal frame.
dddd are beans to support the bearings c. c. c. c. e. e. c are the crank bearing
and joint pins at top end of rods which allows the bottom end of rods to swing to
or from the central vertical axis. f. f. f. are the rods suspending the horses 9. g. g.
which are secured to same by a cotter passing through the rod underneath the
horse., hhh are the balls and iii are the guides which hold the bottom of the
rods steady as they are moved up and down by the rotation of the cranks b. b. b.
and crankshaft a. j is the circular horizontal platform suspended from the
circular horizontal frame which supports the balls hhh and the guides i ii.
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 I am
aware of the Specification of Letters Patent No. 1116 of 1891 granted to
Frederick Savage and I wish it to be understood that I make no claim to anything
described and claimed therein but what I claim is
1. The employment of a metal or other ball through which the rod carrying
the horses or vehicle passes and works up and down and which ball also
allows for the circular motion of the rod imparted by the radial motion of
the crank.
2. The use of the hollow guides along which the ball rolls or glides
horizontally.
:
3. The combination of the ball and guides the whole arranged and operating
substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and represented in the drawings
before mentioned or any mere modification thereof the combination allowing
simultaneously for three separate motions viz. The up and down motion of the
rod the circular motion of the same both motions imparted by the rotation of the
crank and the horizontal motion of the rod caused by centrifugal force generated
by the revolving of the roundabouts or merry-go-rounds.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Walker have hereto set my hand and
seal this Fourteenth day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and ninety-two.
THOMAS WALKER.