New Swing Illusion Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
New Swing Illusion Apparatus.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of
Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by William Henry Bartlett of Atlantic
City, Atlantic County State of New Jersey United States of America, Merchant
and Isaac Risley of Pleasantville, Atlantic County aforesaid, Mechanical Engineer)
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus in the nature of a swing
of such character that the occupants of the swing while moving slowly or even
while perfectly stationary, will be subject to the illusion that they are swinging to
an extreme height, or even that the swing is turning completely over, and this
object is attained in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the
accompanying drawing in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating this invention;
Figure 2 is a side view on a small scale illustrating certain external mechanism
not illustrated in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a sectional view illustrating a braking device which may be employed
in connection with the apparatus;
Figure 4 is a view partly in section, and partly in elevation, illustrating a
modified form of the device; and
Figure 5 is a side view illustrating another modification.
In the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, A represents a box which is
furnished and decorated on the interior to represent a room in a building, and
midway of this box is a transverse shaft B adapted at its opposite ends to bearings
at the upper ends of vertical frames D which are suitably supported upon the
outside of the box, the latter being so mounted upon the said transverse shaft as to
turn freely thereon.
Within the box the shaft B is formed with a crank or bent upwardly to a point
near the top of the box A and from this elevated portion of the shaft the cage or
or basket F of the swing is suspended so as to swing freely on the shaft.
To one side of the box A is secured a sprocket wheel b over which passes an
endless chain d (see Figure 2) which also passes over a sprocket wheel secured to
a shaft which turns in bearings on an upright frame G in the rear of one of the
frames D. The said shaft has also secured to it a pulley g having a crank pin i
which is connected by a rod i¹ to a lever h centered to the frame G.
The pulley g is connected by means of a crossed belt k to a pulley ¹ centered to
the frame D. Two means are thus provided for swinging or turning the box A
upon the shaft B, the first of these means being the pulley g with its crank pin,
connecting rod and operating lever, and the second being the pulley k¹ which is
provided with a crank handle or other means by which it can be readily turned,
and either or both of these means may be employed for the purpose of swinging or
of turning the box A as desired.
On that side of the box A opposite the one which carries the sprocket wheel b is
a grooved drum m (see Figures 3 and 4) to which is adapted a friction band m¹
secured at one end to a block m³ projecting from one of the frames D and connected
at the opposite end to a cord n which passes over suitable pulleys and thence
through the shaft B which is preferably made hollow for the purpose, the inner end
דנס....D

page_text: of the cord descending within easy reach of the attendant in charge who is inside
the box.
Another cord p likewise within reach of the attendant extends out through the
opposite end of the shaft B and serves to signal by any suitable signal to the
attendant who is outside of the box.
In the opposite sides of the box are windows s and on the outside of the box
throughout the space containing these windows is a hood or screen I of which the
innerside is visible through the windows and is painted or otherwise made to imitate
clap boards, shingles, bricks or other representations of the walls of an adjacent
building or the like. The apparatus as thus constructed is intended to be erected
within a suitable building so that it is entirely shielded from the view of observers
on the outside, access to the interior of the box from a front room or apartment in
said building being had by means of a suitable bridge t which, during the passage
of persons into or from the room or apartment within the box, can be locked to the
latter by means of a suitable bolt t', the latter being withdrawn before attempting
to swing the box.
Supposing that the persons have entered the room or apartment within the
box A and have taken their seats within the cage or basket F of the swing, and
that the door through which they entered has been closed, the attendant within
the room or apartment starts the swing moving slowly and then takes his place
upon the same, at the same time signalling to the attendant outside, who thereupon
commences to swing the box first slowly and through short spaces, and then faster
and through gradually increasing portions of the arc of a circle until finally if
desired he causes it to turn completely over once or several times and then
gradually reduces the extent of swing until he finally brings it again to a condition
of rest.
The occupants of the swing have nothing to indicate that it is the surrounding
room or apartment that is moving instead of the swing, and consequently they are
completely subjected to the illusion that the excessive movements and final overturn
are those of the swing itself, thus causing mystification and bewilderment.
Of course it will be understood that all of the articles of furniture or decoration
contained within the box A are securely fastened in position so that they are not
likely to be displaced by the movement of the box.
The braking apparatus on the outside of the box provides the attendant on the
inside of the same with means for checking the speed of movement of the box and
of bringing the same to rest as quickly as possible when desired.
In case it is not desirable to provide for the complete overturn of the box A the
shaft B may be in the upper part of said box, and the latter may be provided above
with a box J as shown in Figure 4, for containing a suitable counterbalance in
which case the surrounding structure can be considerably reduced in height.
The object of bending the shaft B upwardly within the box is to increase the
length of the swing supports, but if desired the swing can be hung to a pivot shaft
passing directly across the centre of the box.
Figure 5 illustrates a modified form of operating device which can also be used
in some cases. This device comprises an upper disc P secured to the end of the
shaft B which in this case carries the box A, said disc having a crank pin w
entering the slotted upper end of a lever P₁ which is centered to the fixed frame
outside of the box and is also slotted at the lower end for the reception of a crank
pin w' on an operating disc p' so that by swinging or turning the disc p³ swinging
or turning movement in the reverse direction will be imparted to the disc P and to
the parts connected therewith.
The cage F should be provided with a high wire screen or casing in order to
prevent the occupants of the same from jumping from the swing when excited, and
the room or apartment represented by the interior of the box A may be lighted by
gas burners or electric lamps, the gas pipes or electric light wires being run through
the central pivot shaft B.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. An illusion apparatus consisting of a swing, contained within a box or casing
which can be caused to turn either partly or completely around its axis, so that
while the occupants of the enclosed swing are moving but slightly, or are even at
rest, they are, by the movements of the said enclosing box or casing, subjected to
the illusion that they are swinging to extreme heights or are being completely
overturned substantially as herein before described.
2nd. In an illusion apparatus of the character set forth in Claim 1, the com-
bination of the swing and the enclosing box with gearing on the outside of the box
for swinging or turning the same.
3rd. In an illusion apparatus of the character set forth in Claim 1, the com-
bination of the swing and the enclosing box with braking mechanism on the outside
of the box for arresting the movement of the same, and an operating cord or the
like for the said braking mechanism extending to the inside of the box.
4th. In an illusion apparatus of the character set forth in Claim 1, the com-
bination of the swing and the enclosing box, with a bridge leading from an outer
room to said box, and means for locking and unlocking said bridge.
Dated this 16th day of November 1893.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.