Swings.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 20th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Swings.
I, WILLIAM RILEY WILCOX, of Denver, in the County of Arapahoe, and State
of Colorado, United States of America, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in swings, and the object sought is to
provide a device of this class, which, while being simple in construction and
economical in cost, shall be easily operated as well as reliable, durable and
practicable in use. To these ends the improvement consists of the features,
arrangements and combinations hereinafter described and claimed, all of which
will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which is
illustrated an embodiment thereof. In this drawing,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the swing.
Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same.
Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts or elements of the
mechanism in the several views, let the numeral 5 designate the suspension ropes
attached at their upper extremity to a suitable stationary support +. I employ the
term ropes in this Specification in a broad, comprehensive sense to designate
suitable suspension means, whether ropes, cords, chains, rods or their equivalent.
There are four of these ropes, two on each side connected with a lever by means
of links 7 which pass through apertures formed in the lever. These links are thus
loosely or movably connected with the lever at one extremity and with the
suspension ropes at the opposite extremity, the latter attachment being made in any
suitable manner.
The two arms of the levers 6 are connected at their lower
extremities by a rod 8 shown in Fig. 3. The seat 9 is provided with an arm 10 at
each side, each arm being pivoted on, or otherwise movably attached, at its upper
extremity to one of the levers 6 at a point located between the points of attachment
of the links 7 of the suspension ropes. The principle upon which the swing
operates will be understood from the following explanation, which for the present,
will have special reference to the construction shown in Fig. 1.
A person seated in the swing grasps the rod 8 and pulls thereon; this slackens
the rear suspension ropes or removes the weight therefrom, and throws the same
upon the forward ropes on each side. The seat then moves forward to bring the
center of gravity in line with the forward ropes. When the seat has reached its
forward limit of movement, the occupant pushes on handle 8. This action slackens
the forward suspension ropes and throws the weight upon the rear ropes, and the
seat moves backward to bring the center of gravity in line with the rear ropes, one
on each side. As the seat moves forward or backward, the momentum causes it in
each case to move somewhat farther than the line mentioned; hence by a series of
successive and alternating pushes and pulls the seat is oscillated by a gradually
and regularly accelerated motion until the arc of oscillation is as great as desired.
The modified form of construction shown in Figs. 2 & 3 consists of a double
swing formed by giving each lever 6 two depending arms 68, and so constructing
the seat that two or more persons may sit on each side, back to back.
In this case
the seat is somewhat wider than in the single swing, and may be composed of three
parts, namely; a central part 9a and two outer wings 9, hinged to the main part.
These wings may be so hinged that one may be turned down and the other up as
shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and locked in this position when it is desired to
use the seat as a single swing.
In using this style of swing, the persons sitting facing in opposite directions,

page_text: grasp the rods in front of them, and while those on one side pull or use their
strength to draw the rods 8 toward them, those on the other side push or employ
their strength to force the rod away from them; hence the simultaneous exertions
of the persons on opposite sides of the swing are harmoniously combined or unified
in producing the desired oscillation, on the principle heretofore explained with
reference to the single swing, or the construction shown in Fig. 1.
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. In a swing, the combination with a seat, of the levers and a hand piece
connecting the levers, arms connecting the levers with the seat, the suspension
ropes connected with the levers at points in front and rear of said arms, and a
support above, to which said ropes are attached, substantially as described.
2. In a swing, the combination with the seat, of the downwardly extending
levers, the arms connecting the levers with the seat, a support above and a suitable
suspension means attached to the levers at points in front and rear of the seat
arms, substantially as described.
3. In a double swing, the combination with a seat, of levers having two pairs
of oppositely-disposed, downwardly extending arms, side arms connecting the seat
with the levers, a support above, and means for connecting the levers with said
support, said means being attached to the levers at points in front and rear of the
seat arms, substantially as described.
D
101
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.