Improvements in Children's Swings and See-saws.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1894.
Complete Specification Left, 11th June, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Children's Swings and See-saws.
FRANCIS ASHBY WALLIS, 27 Wote Street, Basingstoke, Hants, Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Revolving swings known as merry-go-rounds, and the like have long been known.
My invention is to provide a somewhat similar, but minature apparatus for the use
of children either in, or out of doors. This provides a pleasure swing and seesaw,
in which, beside the usual vertical motion of a seesaw, a revolving motion is
combined. For this purpose I provide a suitable base, or stand across which is
placed a beam, or from the centre of which arms radiate, to which are attached
seats. At the centre of the beam, or radiating arms I provide a universal joint, or
joints, attaching them to the base, thus, when the swing is rotated each seat has
imparted to it a rise and fall motion together with the revolving motion, having
somewhat the same effect as of a merry-go-round. Instead of the universal joint
the centre of the swing may be pivotted on a single pin which I provide with
adjustment so that it may be set at varying angles or again I provide a fixed
vertical pin in the base working in a slot in the beam, or arms, or inversely by a
pin fixed to the beam, or arms and working in a slot in the base so that the beam,
or arms may rise and fall at the same time as rotated. In this latter case as also
with the universal joint it allows for the apparatus to be used as a seesaw in the
ordinary way. This apparatus is intended to be used by children who whilst
sitting in the seats can impart the various motions by their feet on the ground, or
floor. When the apparatus is made with a universal joint, or pin working in a slot
I prefer to attach a wheel to each arm to regulate its distance from the ground.
and at the same time not to retard the revolving motion.
Dated this 14th day of September 1894.
FRANCIS ASHBY WALLIS.
Improvements in Children's Swings and See-saws.
FRANCIS ASHBY WALLIS 27 Wote Street Basingstoke 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 :--
Revolving swings known as "merry-go-rounds" and the like have long been
known. My invention is to provide a somewhat similar but minature apparatus
for the use of children either in or out of doors the motion being imparted by the
children's feet. This provides a pleasure swing and see-saw in which beside the
usual vertical motion of a see-saw a revolving motion is combined. For this
purpose I provide a suitable base or stand, across which is placed a beam or from
the centre of which arms radiate to which are attached seats. These seats can be
either fixed to the beam or arms or they may be fitted with attachments by means
of which the position of the seats nearer to or further from the revolving centre
Lin Q.7 1

page_text: may be regulated in order to adjust the balance when the children or others using
the apparatus are of different weights. The seats may be of any form but
preferably with a rail or other projection to hold to by the hand. In the
accompanying drawings I have shown an upright attached to the seat this affords
a hand hold and may be fitted as a flag sail or other ornamental device. There is
also an adjustment to regulate the height of the pivoted centre thus increasing or
lessening the height of the rise and fall motion. At the centre of the beam or
radiating arms I provide a universal joint or joints attaching them to the base thus
when the swing is rotated each seat has imparted to it a rise and fall motion
together with the revolving motion having somewhat the same effect as of a
merry-go-round." Instead of the universal joint the centre of the swing may be
pivoted on a single pin which I provide with adjustment so that it may be set at
varying angles or again I provide a fixed vertical pin in the base working in a slot
in the beam or arms so that the beam or arms may rise and fall at the same time
as being rotated. In this latter case as also with the universal joint it allows for
the apparatus to be used as a see-saw in the ordinary way. This apparatus is
intended to be used by children who whilst sitting in the seats can impart the
various motions by their feet on the ground or floor. When the apparatus is
made with a universal joint or pin working in a slot I prefer to attach a wheel to
each arm to regulate its distance from the ground at its lowest point and at the
same time not to retard the revolving motion. A spring may be attached between
the wheel and the beam or arm so as to bring the former more lightly in contact
with the ground..
These improvements are more particularly described by reference to the
accompanying drawings Sheets Nos. 1 and No. 2.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus provided with a universal joint and
Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the line X. Y. and Fig. 3. a plan. A. is the
base B. is the beam or radiating arms C. is an upright having a circular hole in its
upper end or made of a piece of tube as shown in this drawing the height of which
is regulated by the clip D. E is a pin with a shoulder free to revolve in and on
the top of the upright C. F is a pin placed horizontally through E. G is a clip
joint attached to the beamn or radiating arms B having holes through which the
horizontal pin F. passes. Thus C. E. F. and G form a universal joint. The clip joint G
can be shifted to any point on the beam to adjust the balance. The beam or
radiating arms may be of any section but in the drawings Figs. 1. 2 and 3. I show
it with two pipes attached together at the ends as this affords a ready means of
firmly attaching the seats and the centre clip joint. H. H. are seats attached by
clips and thumb nuts I. I. and which can be set to any position on the beam or
arms J. J. are uprights fitting in sockets on the seats to afford hand hold.
K. K. are brackets attached to the end of the beam or arms carrying spindles o
which the wheels L L revolve.
Fig. 4. is a side elevation of the apparatus provided with a pivot only. Mis
the base N is the beam or arms 0.0. the seats adjustable on the beam or arms by
clips and thumb nuts P. P. Qis a pivot provided with collar the upper end
passing through the clip R. attached to the beam N. this being adjustable by thumb
nuts to any point on the beam. S is a plate provided with slots T T working on a
corresponding face on the base M provided with studs and nuts U. U. for holding
it in the requisite position. S is provided with a boss V through which the pivot
passes and its height is regulated by a set screw W.
Fig. 5 is a part side elevation of the apparatus working with a fixed pin and a
slot in the beam. Fig. 6 is a part plan of same.
A is the base .B' is the beam.
Cis the seat adjustable on the beam by the thumb nut D¹ sliding in the slot E'.
F¹ is the bracket carrying the spindle on which the wheel G' revolves. His the
pivot with a collar and II the tapered slot in the beam where it revolves round H¹.
Fig. 7 is a part side elevation of another form of the apparatus and Fig. 8 a
part plan of same. In this J is the base K' the beam L' a frame for seat M¹ the
bracket with spindle on which the wheel N¹ revolves O³ is a vertical pin and P' a

page_text: universal joint connecting O' and K' K' is a wide beam on which the position of
the seat frame and hand hold can be adjusted by holes.
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 what I
claim is :-
1. An apparatus in which the up and down motion of a see-saw together with a
revolving motion can be imparted by the feet of persons using the apparatus,
substantially as described.
2. The attachment to a see-saw of a universal joint so that both an up and
down and rotary motion may be imparted by the feet of persons using the see-saw,
substantially as described.
3. A see-saw having a vertical slotted hole in the beam and working on a vertical
pivot so that both an up and down and rotary motion can be imparted by the feet
of the persons using the see-saw substantially as described.
4. A revolving swing having arms and an adjustment for working it at any
angle the rotary motion being imparted by the feet of the persons using the swing
substantially as described.
5. In a combined see-saw and rotary swing the attachment of wheels to the arms
substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of June 1895.