Year: 1888

page_text: We, FRANK BARRATT and EDWARD WILLIAM BARRATT both of 3 Underwood Row,
City Road, in the County of Middlesex, Confectioners 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:-
Our invention relates to an improved apparatus for public recreation.
Roundabouts or merry-go-rounds as hitherto usually constructed consist in circular
or other suitably shaped platforms which are provided with seats or cars or with models
or representations of boats, or ships or of horses or other animals, and to which rotary
motion is imparted by means of suitable gearing.
In our improved apparatus provision is made for imparting gyratory motion or
angular oscillation to the platform, that is to say, the said platform is mounted upon
an inclined shaft and supported by a universal joint and the said shaft is connected
with mechanism whereby it may be moved so that the end thereof to which the plat-
form is attached will describe a circle and the platform will thus be moved in such
a manner that each seat or the like thereon will be alternately raised and lowered
moving in an elliptic or approximately elliptic path and will at the same time be
moved alternately towards and away from the centre of the apparatus.
In the accompanying drawings we have shown how our said invention can be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side elevation and
Figure 2 a rear elevation showing one form of my improved apparatus.
Figure 3 is a plan, and
Figure 4 an underside view, showing the circular platform of the apparatus removed.
from the gearing.
Figure 5 is a plan of the gearing the circular platform being removed.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the platform, B is the frame which supports the same and which rests upon a
bed plate foundation C.
The platform A is surrounded with a railing a and is provided with seats band with
a central enclosure c, having an entrance gate c¹. Gates a are also provided in the
railing a to admit of access to the platform A. d, d are flagstaffs having thereon

page_text: flags d¹. Some of the flagstaffs d are provided with lanterns e, intended for any
suitable description of light. On the underside of the platform A is provided a circular
casting having a bevelled edge f₁ adapted to turn upon a corresponding path or
way 9 provided upon the upper part of the frame B. The platform A is moreover
connected to the frame B by means of an universal joint h. is a shaft firmly fixed
to the platform A, perpendicular to the same, and adapted to bear or rest against a
pinj carried in brackets firmly attached to or forming part of a toothed wheel k
so as to retain the said platform A at a suitable angle. The toothed wheel k is
carried upon a vertical shaft upon which it is free to rotate. The shaft is firmly
fixed in a suitable standard m. The toothed wheel is rotated by means of a
pinion n keyed or otherwise secured upon a shaft o carried in suitable bearings
in standards p' and having thereon a fast pulley o¹ and loose pulley o°. The frame
and standards m,
pare secured to the bed plate or base plate by means of bolts q
or otherwise. Motive power is applied to the pulley o' by suitable belt gearing from
any convenient source of motive power.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows that is to say
11
All or any of the seats 6 upon the platform being filled with people, motive power
is applied to the pulley o¹, and rotary motion is imparted through the shaft o and
pinion n to the toothed wheel k. The lower end of the shaft i is carried around by the
said toothed wheel k and the platform A without rotating upon its axis turns con-
tinuously upon or about the universal joint the bevelled edge f¹ on the casting f
rolling upon the path or way y. In this manner a gyratory motion or angular oscilla-
tion is imparted to the platform A.
Although we have herein before described a convenient and advantageous method of
carrying our said invention into practice it is obvious that we can somewhat modify
the construction of our apparatus without departing from the nature of our said inven-
tion. For instance we can impart the gyratory motion to the platform by means of
cams or other suitable devices, and we can employ other suitable gearing or means for
imparting the necessary rotary motion to the perpendicular shaft. We can moreover
form the platform of any convenient shape or form and arrange the seats in any suitable
manner upon the same in order to meet various requirements. Or in place of the
said seats we can provide upon the said platform models or representations of carriages
boats or ships or of horses or other animals.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we wish it understood
that we claim :
First. The combination of a circular or other platform and suitable means for
imparting thereto a gyratory motion or angular oscillation, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Second. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing and operating
as above set forth.
FRANK BARRATT.
EDWARD WILLIAM BARRATT.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London
Agents for the Applicants.