Improvements in Roundabouts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts.
We WILLIAM STORER, 58 Milton Street, Nottingham, Engineer, and
WILLIAM HERBERT FACON, Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire, Solicitor, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:―
We employ a circular railway consisting of four lines of rails supported on
cross sleepers or other suitable foundation, on the extreme outer and inner rails
run the wheels of carriages or frames supporting horses, cars, boats and other
objects.
On the two intermediate rails the wheels of a carriage supporting an electro-
motor or dynamo run, attached by a suitable connecting rod or rods and carries
round with it a flat ring of iron or steel supported and carried by suitable guide
wheels placed between the two inner lines of rails.
The carriages carrying the horses, cars, boats, and other objects are attached
to this ring by suitable connecting rods to allow the horses, cars, boats, and other
objects to rise and fall to imitate rolling, galloping, leaping and other movements
according to the shape of rises placed upon the inner and outer rails.
The electric motor or dynamo to be electrically connected to and driven by a
similar fixed motor or dynamo driven by a steam or other engine placed in any
suitable position.
Dated this 29th day of March 1893.
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts.
We, WILLIAM STORER, 58 Milton Street, Nottingham, Engineer, and
WILLIAM HERBERT FACON, Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire, Solicitor, 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:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a plan of one of our improved roundabouts.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view showing portion of four lines of rails supporting
two carriages.
Figure 3 a transverse sectional view of the same showing the end of one
carriage.
Figure 4 shows an inside view of portion of the lines of rails laid out flat with the
wheels of one carriage on the central rails.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are inside views of portions of the inner and outer rails laid
out flat, each severally referred to hereafter.
We employ a circular railway consisting of four lines of rails 1, 2, 3 and 4,
supported on cross sleepers 5, or other suitable foundation, on the extreme outer
and inner rails 1 and 2 run the wheels of carriages or frames 6 supporting, horses,
cars, boats, or other objects, not shown in the drawings.
The plan Figure 1 is shown set out to receive twenty carriages nineteen of them
having wheels 7 which turn loose on axles 8 secured to the underside of the frame
shown at Figure 3.
Figure 1 shows a plan of one of our improved roundabouts.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view showing portion of four lines of rails supporting
two carriages.
Figure 3 a transverse sectional view of the same showing the end of one
carriage.
Figure 4 shows an inside view of portion of the lines of rails laid out flat with the
wheels of one carriage on the central rails.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are inside views of portions of the inner and outer rails laid
out flat, each severally referred to hereafter.
We employ a circular railway consisting of four lines of rails 1, 2, 3 and 4,
supported on cross sleepers 5, or other suitable foundation, on the extreme outer
and inner rails 1 and 2 run the wheels of carriages or frames 6 supporting, horses,
cars, boats, or other objects, not shown in the drawings.
The plan Figure 1 is shown set out to receive twenty carriages nineteen of them
having wheels 7 which turn loose on axles 8 secured to the underside of the frame
shown at Figure 3.

page_text: On the two intermediate rails 3 and 4 the wheels 9 and 10 of the twentieth
carriage 11 run, these wheels are shrunk or keyed on to their axles which revolve
in bearings secured to the underside of the frame.
The carriage 11 is provided with a case 12 enclosing an electro-motor or dynamo,
which may be placed on or under the floor of the carriage which is attached by a
- connecting rod 13 to a flat ring 14 of iron or steel which it carries round with it,
similar rods 13 connect the ring to the other nineteen carriages 6.
The ring 14 is attached to and supported by ten axles 15 on each of which two
wheels 16 turn, these wheels run on the inner line of rails 3 and 4.
The outer and inner lines of rails 1 and 2 where they are not level form the
shapes shown at Figures 5, 6 and 7.
As shown at Figure 5 the rail 2 for about one twentieth of the circle rises
gradually to a height of one foot five inches, or other height as may be decided
upon to suit circumstances, above the lowest level, then runs horizontally the same
distance and falls in a like space again to the lowest level, the horizontal run of the
outer rail 1 being two feet above the lowest level for a like length of the circle.
Other portions of the circle have the rails 1 and 2 formed the shapes shown at
Figures 6 and 7 each of the three arrangements will cause the nineteen carriages 6
to rise from the level rails rock sideways, and fall again to the level rails one after
the other as they are pushed or drawn round the circle by the ring 14.
The electric connection may be made in the usual way, either by brushes carried
by the carriage 11 pressing upon two insulated circular strips of copper 17, 18 as
shown at Figures 2 and 3 or by insulated copper wires 19, 20 as shown at Figure 1.
Or the electric connection may be made by rollers carried by the carriage
revolving in contact with the copper strips or wires connected by other wires 21 to
a fixed motor or dynamo driven by a steam or other engine placed in any suitable
position.
The motor or dynamo of the carriage 11 may be connected by suitable toothed
gearing to either or both axles of the carriage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The construction and employment in electrically driven roundabouts of a
combination of two tracks of rails, the track formed by the outermost and inner-
most lines of rails being formed the shapes required upon which wheels run
revolving on axles secured to the framing of carriages 6, connected to a flat
ring 14, operated by a carriage 11 provided with an electro-motor or dynamo
substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
2. The construction and employment in electrically driven roundabouts of the
combination of two tracks of rails independent of each other, the intermediate track
of rails being for the wheels of a carriage 11 provided with an electro-motor or
dynamo to run upon, and for the wheels of axles 15 supporting a flat ring 14 to run
upon, the said ring being connected to the carriage of the electro motor or dynamo,
and to other carriages provided with fixed axles carrying wheels which run upon
the outermost lines of rails, substantially as described for the purposes specified and
illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this Canand dow of & voust 1002
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Agent.