Improvements in Roundabouts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Nov., 1894
Improvements in Roundabouts.
I, JOHN DOUBTFIRE, of 7 Fifth Avenue, Pasture Road, Goole, in the County of
York, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in roundabouts, and has reference more
particularly to roundabouts of small size intended for the use of juveniles,
though the said improvements are not necessarily confined to that class of the
apparatus.
The main objects of the invention are to effect improvements in the construction
of the bearings of the machine as to reduce the friction of the working parts and
consequently the power required to operate it.
An apparatus of this class consists briefly of a vertical post revolving in bearings
and carrying at its upper end a large horizontal wheel suitably stayed, from the
circumference of which, the horses, seats, or cars, to receive the riders are hung.
The bearings of the said post consist of a footstep, supporting the whole weight
of the moving parts and the riders, and a collar bearing near the upper end,
carried by suitable struts or stays, and the friction of such bearings, especially
the footstep bearing, when constructed in the ordinary way, is necessarily very
considerable.
The main feature of my improvements consists in applying an arrangement of
ball or roller bearings, or a combined ball and roller bearing to the vertical
post.
The said post may be solid, but I preferably construct it of steel or iron steam
tubing.
Surrounding it towards its upper end is a collar, supported and held by suitable
struts or tie-rods, sufficient space being left between the collar and the shaft for a
set of steel balls. Passing radially through the collar is a set of four or more
screw studs, the upper ends of the aforesaid struts or tics passing over the outer
projecting ends of the studs and being secured thereto by nuts.
A shallow groove
is turned within the collar to form a path or race for the balls.
To insert the said balls one of the said studs is removed and the balls passed in
through the tapped opening in the collar, when all are in place the stud is again
screwed home.
In this case the balls bear directly upon the surface of the vertical post, but I
may affix a hardened steel ring around the tube at this part to receive the pressure
of the balls, and the collar may also have a hardened lining, or be itself formed of
steel and hardened.
For the footstep bearing, I insert and secure in the lower end of the vertical
tube a metal plug, and between the underface of the said tube and the bearing,
I interpose one or more sets of steel balls, one or more shallow circular grooves
being formed in the face of the plug, or the bearing, or in both to receive the said
balls.
I also provide the said plug with a flange between which and the upper edge of
the footstep bearing another set of balls is also interposed.
As modifications of the above described arrangements, I may employ a system
of roller bearings, thus for the upper bearing I may use a set of vertical rollers
rotating on pins fixed within recesses in the collar aforesaid, and embracing the
vertical tube, and a similar arrangement may be used in the footstep bearing in
place of the above mentioned balls under the flange on the plug.

page_text: When rollers are employed, instead of allowing them to rotate on fixed pins, I
may arrange them as a live ring," in the well-known manner, thus avoiding all
rubbing friction.
I preferably provide suitable caps, sheaths, or coverings to prevent the access of
dust, dirt, or wet to the bearings.
A roundabout of this description may be operated by manual, steam, gas or
other power. As a convenient arrangement, a bevel wheel may be keyed on the
vertical post, gearing with a bevel pinion carried in suitable bearings and provided
with a handle for manual operation, or a belt pulley for power; but in place of
such device, I may fit a simple hand wheel, like the steering wheel of a ship to
the vertical post when the apparatus is light and operated only by manual
power.
Dated this 30th day of December 1893.
AMBROSE MYALL,
2, Lancaster Place, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts.
I, JOHN DOUBTFIRE, of 7 Fifth Avenue, Pasture Road, Goole, in the County
of York, Mechanical 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in roundabouts, and bas reference more
particularly to roundabouts of small size intended for the use of juveniles, though
the said improvements are not necessarily confined to that class of the apparatus.
The main objects of the invention are to effect such improvements in the
construction of the bearings of the machine as to reduce the friction of the
working parts and consequently the power required to operate it.
An apparatus of this class consists briefly of a vertical post revolving in bearings
and carrying at its upper end a large horizontal wheel, suitably stayed, from the
circumference of which, the horses, seats, or cars, to receive the riders are hung.
The bearings of the said post consist of a footstep, supporting the whole weight
of the moving parts and the riders, and a collar bearing near the upper end,
carried by suitable struts or stays, and the friction of such bearings, especially the
footstep bearing, when constructed in the ordinary way, is necessarily very
considerable.
The main feature of my improvements consists in applying an arrangement of
ball or roller bearings, or a combined ball and roller bearing to the vertical
post.
In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, which form part of this
Specification, and in which similar letters of reference denote similar parts
throughout;
Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a small roundabout, constructed in
accordance with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan, to an enlarged scale, of the collar bearing to the vertical post.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the same through A, A, in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a plan, to the same scale, of the footstep bearing to the said post, and
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the same through B, B, in Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a plan, and
Fig. 7 a sectional elevation through C, C, in Fig. 6 of a collar bearing of
modified construction, and
Fig. 8 is a plan, and
Fig. 9 a sectional elevation through D, D, in Fig, 8 of a footstep bearing of
modified construction.

page_text: Fig. 11 a sectional elevation through E, E, in Fig. 10 of a hand wheel for
rotating the roundabout.
F is a vertical post, formed preferably of steel or iron steam tubing, as shewn,
but it may be of solid construction, if so desired.
The said post revolves in a collar bearing at H, carried by suitable struts or
stays J, having their lower ends affixed to a foundation plate K. A large
horizontal wheel L is fixed to the upper part of the post F and provided with
suitable stays M, while, from the circumference of the said wheel, the horses, seats
or cars (not shown in the drawing) to receive the riders, are hung by means of
rods N.
The lower end of the post F is seated and revolves in a footstep bearing P on
the plate K, the said footstep bearing having to support the weight of the whole
of the moving parts of the apparatus and the riders.
In Figs. 2 and 3, representing the collar bearing to an enlarged scale, F is the
tubular post, Q a hardened steel sleeve fixed to the said post, and R a collar or
ring surrounding it, sufficient space being left between the said collar and sleeve Q
for two sets of steel balls S, S. Shallow grooves, as shewn, are provided in the
collar and on the sleeve to form races or paths in which the balls can travel,
and set screws T, T in the collar, when removed, leave openings for the entrance
or removal of the balls when required. Four or more radial screw studs U in
the collar, provided with nuts U', form means for the attachment of the ends of
the stays J.
More than two rows of balls may he employed if desired, or only a single row,
in the latter case the set screws T may be dispensed with, one stud U being
arranged to be removable to answer the same purpose.
The balls S may bear directly upon the surface of the post F, but it is
preferable to employ the hardened steel sleeve Q to avoid the wear on the post
which would result in the former case. A hardened lining may also be applied to
the collar R, or the said collar may be itself formed of steel and hardened.
In the footstep bearing P, Figs. 4 and 5, I insert and secure in the lower end
of the vertical tube F a metal plug V, and between the under surface of the
said plug and the bearing I interpose a ring of steel balls S, a hardened steel
ring W being preferably affixed to the end of the plug V and a similar ring W1
being seated in the footstep to take the pressure, a groove for the balls is formed
in each ring, as shewn, and if desired more than one ring of balls may be
employed.
The plug V is also provided with a flange X, between which and the upper edge
of the footstep another set of balls S is interposed.
Hardened rings W2, Ws are preferably employed in this part also.
As modifications of the above described arrangements, may employ a system
of roller bearings.
Thus for the collar bearing, as shewn in Figs. 6 and 7, I may use a set of
vertical rollers Y between the post F and collar R, the said rollers being arranged,
as shewn, as a "live ring" in the well known manner.
Figs, 8 and 9 shew a similar arrangement of rollers in the footstep, taking the
place of the balls under the flange X previously described.
In place of the live ring" plan, the rollers may rotate on pins fixed within
recesses in the collar R, and footstep, but the said "live ring" is superior, as
avoiding all rubbing friction.
I preferably provide suitable caps, sheaths, or coverings to prevent the access
of dust, dire, or wet to the bearings. Thus in Figs. 3 and 7, Z, Z, are flat sheet
metal rings affixed to the collar R at top and bottom, while in Fig. 5, Z' is a
sheet metal sheath on the footstep, and in Fig. 9, Z is a flat ring on the foot-
step, provided for this purpose. The lower ring in Fig. 7 also serves to prevent
the ring of rollers falling out of place.
A roundabout of this description may be operated by manual, steam, gas, or

page_text: fi
other power. As a convenient arrangement a bevel wheel a, Fig. 1 may be keyed
on the vertical post F gearing with a bevel pinion b, carried in suitable bearings
and provided with a handle for manual operation, or a belt pulley for power;
but in place of such device, I inay fit a simple handwheel d, Figs. 9 and 10,
like the steering wheel of a ship, to the vertical post F when the apparatus is
light and operated only by manual power.
As previously described this invention is more particularly intended for
application to small roundabouts for juvenile use, but it may also be used in
connection with roundabouts of larger or full size.
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 :-
1. In a roundabout of the class described, the application to the vertical post
of ball or roller, or combined ball and roller collar and footstep bearings,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a roundabout of the class described, in combination a vertical post F,
a collar R, balls S, running in grooves in said post and collar, and screw studs and
nuts U, U', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a roundabout of the class described, in combination a vertical post F, a
hardened steel sleeve Q, a collar R, balls § Ś, running in grooves in said sleeve
and collar, set screws T, T, and screw studs and nuts U, U', substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
4. In a roundabout of the class described, in combination a vertical post F, a
collar R, rollers Y and set screws and studs U, U', substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
5. In a roundabout of the class described, in combination a vertical post F, a
plug V, with flange X, a footstep P, hardened steel rings W, W, W³, W³, and
balls S running in grooves in said rings, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
6. In a roundabout of the class described, in combination, a vertical post F, a
plug V with flange X, a footstep P, hardened steel rings W, W', balls S running
in grooves in said rings, and rollers Y, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth. ⚫
7. In a roundabout of the class described, the combination with the bearings
above described of flat rings Z, Z³ and a sheath Z', substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated tha
AMBROSE MYALL,
2, Lancaster Place, Strand, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.