Improvements in Merry-go-rounds.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 14th Jan.,
1899
Improvements in Merry-go-rounds.
We, BERNHARD RUCKEMESSER and KARL SCHUFFг, of 3, Heisenstrasse, Hanover,
Germany, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
The object of the present invention is a merry-go-round having a serpentine
movement and which is characterized by sinuous rails undulated vertically and
which form, in a horizontal plane, interwoven circles. Ships or other vehicles pro-
vided with supporting rollers are caused to roll upon these rails.
And in order that our said invention may be properly understood we have here-
unto appended a sheet of drawings which shows, by way of example, one mode of
carrying out the invention.
On the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the merry-go-round.
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the merry-go-round.
The merry-go-round consists of two platforms arranged the one above the other
and having between them the whole of the operating mechanism. Upon the upper
platform two lines of rails a, a, are laid, in the manner shown at Fig. 2 of the
annexed drawings, so as to form two sinuous lines, parallel with each other, or
interwoven circles which cross at the points C. These rails are undulated ver-
tically, that is to say, they are elevated between their crossing points as shown at
Fig. 1.
Ships or other vehicles of any suitable kind, provided with rollers h (see Fig. 1),
are caused to roll upon these rails. Below each of these vehicles a cylindrical axle
9 is secured which is so arranged as to glide, during the motion of the vehicle, in
slots b made in the fixed upper platform and between the two lines of rails. These
slots which meet at the crossings of the lines are made continuous so that the
axles g can move along them without encountering an obstacle. The said axles
hang down in the space between the two platforms and each of them, and at the
same time the vehicle or boat to which it is fixed, is carried along by a plate d
having at its periphery semi-circular recesses f one of which engages the said axle
in order to carry it along in its movement. Each of the plates d is made one with
a cylinder m turning freely upon a fixed axle arranged vertically between the
two platforms, being supported by the lower platform, and placed so as to be at
the centre of one of the circles formed by the two lines of rails a, a.
Movement is communicated to all the plates in the following manner:-Each
(the
of the cylinders m has cast on it a toothed wheel n actuated by a chain e
only one for all the wheels) which chain works around a driver wheel J keyed
to a shaft which is rotated by any suitable motive force.
Each of the plates & turns in an opposite direction to its two neighbours.
The apparatus operates in the following manner:-
The axle of any boat caught by a recess f of one of the plates d is carried along,
round the circle of which the axle of this plate is the centre, until it reaches the

page_text: crossing point C of this circle with its neighbouring circle when it is caught by
the plate corresponding to this latter circle and is carried forward again in the
direction in which this plate is rotating; and so on, the boat being carried from
plate to plate d until it travels right round the apparatus. The arrows Fig. 2
show the directions in which the different plates are revolved by means of the
chain e which latter, as will be seen, passes alternately round the inside and out-
side of the chain wheels n. During its travel each boat follows a sinuous course
whilst it is, at the same time, caused to roll or rock over the vertical undulations
of the rails. In order to ensure and facilitate the introduction of the vertical
axles, when they come out of the slot of one circle of rails, into the slot of the next
circle, at the crossing point of those two circles, each boat is provided, below its
keel, with a piece k which constitutes a guide.
The boats can be so placed as to follow each other in the same direction, or to
cross one another (as represented at Fig. 2) without meeting or coming into
collision with each other.
Each of the plates d is arranged, as shown at Fig. 1, in a horizontal plane which
is different from its immediate neighbours. This is necessary owing to the large
diameter of the plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we consider novel and desire to claim is:--
A merry-go-round having a serpentine movement, characterized by one or a
number of winding paths which cross each other and are constituted by two lines
of rails elevated between their crossing points; by a slot in the form of a slide
made in the platform which supports the paths, and in which can slide a vertical
axle secured to the bottom of each vehicle or boat designed to traverse the paths;
by boats or other vehicles provided with rollers in order that they may roll upon the
rails; by plates with recesses arranged below the aforesaid platform and which
carry forward the said axles and the boats or vehicles to which they are fastened;
by toothed wheels connected with the plates said wheels being all revolved by a
single chain which is put in motion by a driving wheel operated by any suitable
motor. said chain being so arranged that each toothed wheel is caused to revolve
in a direction contrary to that of its two neighbouring wheels; the vehicles being
arranged so as to either follow one another in the same direction or to cross one
another without fear of collision; all substantially as herein before described with
reference to the drawings annexed.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1898
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.