Improvements in Roundabouts or Analogous Devices for Purposes of Amusement.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts or Analogous Devices for Purposes
of Amusement.
We, JAMES LEWIS of 110 Kingston Brow, Hyde, in the County of Chester,
House Furnisher, and FREDERICK SAVAGE of St. Nicholas Works, King's Lynn,
in the County of Norfolk, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:--
This invention relates principally to roundabouts in which the vehicles for the
riders are caused to run upon a circular track and is more especially intended for
use with roundabouts in which the vehicles represent boats as the arrangement
according to this invention gives movements resembling the pitching and rolling
movements of boats upon the sea but the vehicles may represent any other
desired object.
According to this invention each boat or other vehicle is mounted on a platform.
or frame which is caused to rock fore and aft for which purpose the said platform or
frame may be centered to turn upon a shaft which may be situated in a line radial
from the centre of the machine and carried by a framing or under carriage
running upon wheels on the track. On this platform or frame the vehicle is
mounted by bearings the centres of which are in a plane at right angles with the
axis upon which the said platform or frame is mounted that is in a line fore and aft
and on these bearings the vehicle has its sideway or rolling motion. The combined
movements may be imparted to the vehicle from a cross shaft carried by the under
frame or carriage which shaft is rotated by any suitable gearing or by being one of
the axles of the running wheels. This cross shaft carries cranks or crank discs to
which are connected rods which at their other ends are connected at either side'to
the vehicle the said cranks or crank discs being arranged relatively to each other
so that they rise and fall alternately to give the requisite sideway movement the
pitching motion being given at the same time by the rising movement of the
cranks.
As the carriages are driven round on the track the cranks are operated owing to
their being mounted on an axle on the running wheel or it may be by the radial
shaft on which the platform or frame is mounted being on the running axle and
being geared to the shaft carrying the cranks.
The pitching movement may be given by driving the vehicles over an undulatory
track in which case the bearings for giving the rolling motion may be carried
by the under carriage and the platform or frame between it and the vehicle be
omitted.
Although we have described the invention as applied to roundabouts in which
the vehicles run upon a circular track the arrangement may be similarly applied to
vehicles moving in other than a circular path for instance along an ordinary
roadway.
1001
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts or Analogous Devices for Purposes
of Amusement.
We JAMES LEWIS of 110 Kingston Brow Hyde in the County of Chester
House Furnisher and FREDERICK SAVAGE of St. Nicholas Works Kings Lynn
in the County of Norfolk 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 principally to roundabouts in which the vehicles for the
riders are caused to run upon a circular track and is more especially intended for
use with roundabouts in which the vehicles represent boats as the arrangement
according to this invention enables movements resembling the pitching and rolling
movements of boats upon the sea to be obtained but the vehicles may represent any
other desired object.
According to this invention each boat or other vehicle is mounted on a platform
or frame which is caused to rock fore and aft for which purpose the said platform
or frame may be centered to turn upon a shaft which may be situated in a line
radial from the centre of the machine and be carried by a framing or under carriage
running upon wheels on the track. On the said platform or upper frame the boat
or vehicle is mounted by bearings the centres of which are in a plane at or about
right angles to the axis upon which the said platform or frame is mounted, that is
in a line fore and aft of the boat or vehicle and on these bearings the boat or vehicle
has its sideway or rolling motion. The combined movements may be imparted to
the vehicle from a cross shaft carried by the under frame or carriage which shaft
is rotated by any suitable gearing or by being one of the axles of the running
wheels. This cross shaft carries cranks or crank discs to which are connected rods
which at their other ends are connected at either side to the vehicle the said rods
being connected to their respective cranks or crank discs relatively to each other so
that they rise and fall alternately to give the requisite sideway movement whilst
the pitching motion is given at the same time by the rising movement of the cranks
or crank discs. When employing crank discs the relative place of attachment of
the respective rods to their discs will enable either or both of the said motions to
be obtained as desired.
As the carriages are driven round on the track the cranks or crank discs are
operated owing to their being mounted on an axle of the running wheels or it may
be by the radial shaft on which the platform or frame is mounted being on the
running axle and being geared to the shaft carrying the cranks or crank discs.
And in order that our said invention may be fully understood we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section
Figure 2 an end elevation and
Figure 3 a cross section of an arrangement according to this invention.
Figure 4 is a plan of the main frame shewing the axle and cross shaft gearing.
The framing or under carriage A is supported by bearings B B on the axle on
which is fixed the sprocket wheel D over which passes the chain D² passing over a
sprocket wheel E² secured to the cross shaft E which may be placed at any suitable
part of the framing A either before or behind the main axle C. On the ends of
this cross shaft E are fixed crank discs F provided with a number of holes in either
of which the crank pins can be secured. To these crank pins are connected one
end of connecting rods H H the connection being made preferably by universal
joints J as shewn. Above the framing A is carried a frame or platform K which
is supported on springs L carried by the rocking bearings M M. To this frame are

page_text: secured brackets N at the upper part of which the boat is supported by
bearings O, O, whose centre line is at right angles with the main axle C thus per-
mitting the boat to have two motions viz., a pitching motion on the rocking
bearings M and shaft C and a rolling motion on the bearings O in the brackets N.
By varying the relative positions of the crank pins and consequently of the
lower ends of the connecting rods H various motions can be given to the boat. By
placing the crank pins in the same line so that they rise and fall at the same time a
pitching motion is obtained whilst by placing them diametrically opposite so that
one rises as the other descends a rolling motion is obtained. By placing them at
any intermediate relative position combined pitching and rolling motions are obtained,
more or less of each as may be desired.
D³ is a clutch by which the sprocket wheel D can be caused to rotate with the
axle C or remain stationary as desired. d is an adjustable wheel for tightening the
chain and taking up the slack occasioned by wear.
Instead of the chain gearing any other suitable arrangement of gearing may be
employed.
The pitching movement may be given by driving the vehicles over an undulating
track in which case the bearings for giving the rolling motion may be carried
by the under carriage and the platform or frame between it and the vehicle be
omitted.
It will be understood that any desired number of devices such as are described
can be connected in the ordinary way to a central support around which they are
caused to travel by any suitable motor.
Although we have described the invention as applied to roundabouts in which
the vehicles run upon a circular track the arrangement may be similarly applied
to vehicles moving in other than a circular path for instance along an ordinary
roadway.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
First. In roundabouts or analogous devices the combination of a framing such
as A provided with a crank or crank disc or cranks or crank discs connected by a
rod or rods to a boat or vehicle mounted so that it is rocked by the rotation of
the crank or crank disc or cranks or crank discs substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Second. In roundabouts or analogous devices the combination of a framing
such as A. upon a shaft on which is mounted a frame such as K upon which is
mounted by transverse rocking bearings a boat or vehicle with means for giving
a combined rocking or rolling and pitching and tossing motion substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Third. In roundabouts or analogous devices the combination with the subject
matter of the second claiming clause of crank discs with crank pins which can
be set in various positions to obtain various movements substantially as herein-
before explained.
Fourth. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the roundabout
or analogous device substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 12th day of Febru 1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agents.