Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 17th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 28th Jan., 1887.
I, JOSEPH OLLER, of 247, Rue St. Honoré, Paris, France, Director of Nautical
Arena do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to circuses, hippodromes or the like, and has for its object
to construct the same in such a manner that they may be used either for equestrian
or aquatic performances, for exhibiting wild animals, or for similar purposes.
To attain this object I employ a floor adapted to be moved vertically in a pit by
any mechanical means, such for instance as a hydraulic ram racks or the like.
When the arena is to be used for say equestrian performances the floor is preferably
in its raised position and covered with a carpet or other elastic covering. When I
wish the arena to be in the form of a basin for aquatic exhibitions, I lower the floor
into the said pit which is filled with water; the floor being immersed to a depth
suitable to the feats which are to be performed in the water. If on the contrary I
wish to have an exhibition of animals, for example, in the arena I empty the pit of
water, the floor, when lowered two or three metres, forming the bottom of a pit of the
same depth, in which I can without danger to the spectators exhibit wild animals at
liberty.
-
In order to make my invention understood, I will suppose a circular hall having in
the centre a large pit of the same form and say 24 metres in diameter. In the centre
of this pit is placed a hydraulic cylinder and a piston similar to those used for a lift.
The head of the piston carries a metallic plate, of substantially the same diameter as
the pit, covered with wood and constituting the floor. The piston is moved ver-
tically under the action of a hydraulic pump, lifting at the same time the floor,
which is guided in its course by a number of projections arranged on its circumference
and sliding in guides of U-iron fixed upon columns embedded in the bottom of
the pit.
When the arena is to be used for ordinary equestrian or other exercises, the floor
is caused to rise by means of the piston some centimetres above the position which
it is to occupy, so as allow the projections on the circumference of the floor to escape
from their guides. A slight horizontal angular displacement is then imparted to the
floor by means of a toothed sector and pinion, when it is again lowered a few

page_text: centimetres in order that the projections at the periphery of the floor shall rest upon
a number of bearers fixed at a suitable height upon the said columns. The floor is
thus supported at its circumference.
The said bearers do not interfere with the ascending motion of the floor, slots or
recesses being provided in the circumference of the latter to allow it to pass, when in
the position which it occupies before the angular displacement described.
For relieving the centre of the floor and not uselessly straining the joint of the
piston, a number of columns are provided around the piston, which columns can be
displaced by means of a toothed sector and a pinion so as to serve as supports for
the piston when it occupies its highest position. The floor plate then forms an
absolutely rigid and solid platform which when covered with a thick carpet or the like
is adapted for any performances of a circus.
When I wish to lower the floor to the bottom of the pit to form a basin, I first
raise the floor a few centimetres, I then cause its angular displacement in the
contrary direction to that before described; I likewise turn in the inverse direction
the central columns and I empty the cylinder. The floor then descends like a lift.
The central columns during the descent enter holes formed around the central piston.
I shall not describe the accessory details common to all lifts as I may modify these
according to various applications.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Circuses, Hippodromes, or the like.
I, JOSEPH OLLER, of 247, Rue St. Honoré, Paris, France, Director of Nautical
Arena, 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 circuses hippodromes or the like, and has for its object to
construct the same in such a manner that they may be used either for equestrian or
aquatic performances, for exhibiting wild animals and for similar purposes.
To attain this object I employ a floor adapted to be moved vertically in a pit by any
mechanical means, such for instance as a hydraulic ram, racks or the like.
When the arena is to be used for say equestrian performances the floor is perferably
in its raised position a carpet or other elastic covering. When I wish the arena to be
in the form of a basin for equatic exhibitions, I lower the floor into the said pit which
is filled with water; the floor being immersed to a depth suitable to the feats which
are to be performed in the water.
If I wish to have an exhibition of animals, for example, in the arena I empty the
pit of water, the floor when lowered two or three metres, forming the bottom of a
pit of the same depth, in which I can, without danger to the spectators exhibit wild
animals at liberty.
In order to make my invention understood, I have illustrated in tranverse section
in the accompanying drawing as much of a circus or hippodrome as is necessary to
show the application of my improvements thereto.
According to my said invention a large pit of say circular form and 24 metres in
diameter is formed in the centre of a hall.
In the centre of this pit is placed a hydraulic cylinder A and a piston B similar
to those used for a lift.
The head of the piston carries a metallic plate C covered with wood and constituting
the floor. The piston B is moved vertically under the action of a hydraulic pump,
lifting at the same time the floor, which is guided in its course by a number of pro-
jections arranged on its circumference and sliding in guides of U-iron fixed upon
columus D D embedded or fixed in the bottom of the pit.
When the floor C is to be used for ordinary equestrian or other exercises it is
caused to rise by means of the piston B some centimetres above the position which it
is to occupy, so as to allow the projections on the periphery of the floor C to escape
from their guides.
A slight horizontal angular displacement is then imparted to the floor, by means of
a toothed sector and pinion when it is again lowered a few centimetres in order that
the projections at the periphery of the floor shall rest upon a number of bearers a a
fixed at a suitable height upon the said columns D D. The floor is thus supported
at its circumference.
The said bearers do not interfere with the ascending motion of the floor, slots or
recesses being provided in the circumference of the latter to allow it to pass said

page_text: bearers when in the position which it occupies before the angular displacement
described.
For relieving the centre of the floor and not uselessly straining the joint of the
piston, a number of columns E E are provided around the piston which columns can
be displaced angularly by means of a toothed sector and a pinion so as to serve as
supports for the piston when it occupies its highest position. The floor plate then
forms an absolutely rigid and solid platform, which, when covered with a thick carpet
or the like is adapted for any performances of a circus. G indicates the pinion acting
upon the toothed sector for the angular displacement of the columns E E.
When I wish to lower the floor to the bottom of the pit to form a basin I first
raise the floor C a few centimetres and then cause its angular displacement in the
contrary direction to that before described I likewise return the central columns E E
to their original position and I empty the cylinder A. The floor C then descends
into the pit like a lift cage.
The central columns E E descend with the floor and enter holes F F formed
around the central piston.
I shall not describe the accessory details common to all lifts as I may modify these
according to various applications.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
In a circus, hippodrome or the like a floor or platform adapted to be lowered
vertically into a pit by any suitable mechanical means, for enabling the said pit to be
used for aquatic performances or for other purposes.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.