Year: 1885

page_text: We, JOHN MCLAREN and HENRY MOLAREN of the Midland Engine Works
Hunslet in the Borough of Leeds, Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows:-
"
What are known as Merry-go-rounds" having rotating platforms carrying
mechanical racehorses or other devices are at present made with the platforms in
several separate rings with so many horses or other devices on each ring and each
ring is driven by suitable gearing at a certain fixed relative speed which cannot be
altered except by "change wheels" put on by hand.
Our Invention has for its object to enable the speeds to be varied at will whilst
the apparatus is at work so that the different sets of horses or devices on the
separate rings can be made to go faster or slower at the will of the driver.
According to our Invention we provide an engine which may be placed in the
centre of the platform and from it we take the power in any suitable way such as
by a shaft to a footstep bracket carrying bevel wheels so arranged that we can
couple direct to the 2 sets of gearing required to drive the rings of the platform.
Two opposite sets of gearing are preferably used but we do not limit ourselves
thereto. If two sets of gearing be used they are both alike so we will explain one
set only.
'
From the bevil wheel we couple up with a "tumbling bar" to the gearing
shaft under the platform on the centre of which shaft is keyed a wheel (for
effecting the driving of part of the platform) in which wheel we arrange a set of
differential gearing with bevil wheels gearing with bevil wheels cast on or
secured to long sleeves mounted on the said shaft and at the other ends of the
sleeves and shaft respectively are fixed toothed wheels for effecting the driving of
the other parts of the platform at different speeds. The sleeves are not keyed on
to the shaft but are at liberty to revolve thereon at any speed.
The wheels may drive the platform by gearing with large circular racks through
idle wheels.
The wheels on the shaft gear into other wheels in proximity to the idle wheels
gearing with the racks of the outer and inner rings of the platform and driven by
the wheels fixed on the outer ends of the sleeves. We cast enlarged bosses on
these wheels so gearing together and these bosses engage in cylinders or bearings
in each of which is a plunger or piston by which pressure can be put on the bossas

page_text: of the said wheels and the said wheels be caused to bear frictionally on the gear
wheels in proximity to them. The wheel which is keyed on the centre of the shaft
drives the rack of say the central ring of the platform and say 10 revolutions per
minute or any other tixed speed but the wheels on the sleeves being driven by the
differential gearing are not likely to drive the rings which they operate at any
fixed speeds but will suit themselves to the load they have to drive i.e. suppose
there is a heavy load on the ring of the platform and a light load on another then
the one will loose speed and the other will gain owing to the action of the
differential gear aforesaid.
•
Our arrangement for altering the speed of the various rings is by means of the
aforesaid arrangements as follows. If the centre ring be required to go fastest we
put pressure (water or other pressure) into the cylinder which operates the gear
wheel in proximity to the gear wheel on the end of the outer sleeve and this locks
the differential gearing by means of the friction clutch constituted or formed on
the gear wheels in such proximity and the whole of the driving pinions then
revolve at one speed being the speed of shaft. When the differential gear is locked
we have the gearing speeded in any suitable way say for example so that the
centre rack will make 11 revolutions to 10 of the outer or inner racks. If the outer
rack be required to go the fastest we let the pressure off the cylinder to which it
was previously admitted and turn it into the cylinder which operates upon the
gear wheel in proximity to the wheel which drives the outer rack and this (by
means of the friction bearing or clutch between the wheels) brings a new speed
into gear to drive the outer rack as required. If the inner rack be required to go
the fastest it is done by turning the pressure into the cylinder which operates the
wheel in proximity to the wheel which drives the rack of the inner ring which
brings the wheel fixed on the shaft into gear so as to effect the required changement
of speeds. It will thus be seen that any one of the rings of the platform can be
made to go faster than the others as desired, we have a spiral spring in between
the halves of the friction clutches or frictional bearings of the wheels on one
another always tending to force them out of gear, so that immediately the pressure
is taken off the pistons, the clutches come out of gear. Pressure may be applied in
any other suitable way instead of by cylinders as described but we prefer steam
pressure and our arrangement for putting pressure on to the various pistons
consists of a circular box or chest from which pipes are taken to each of the
cylinders which put the pressure on the wheels and there is an exhaust pipe. In
this valve chest there is placed a circular valve through which is a small hole which
is brought over any of the pipes and so the pressure is admitted to the corre-
sponding cylinder and at the same time the other pipes are open to the exhaust.
Thus it is impossible to get the pressure on to more than one piston or clutch
.at one time. This valve box is supplied with the operating fluid which may be
water or steam at boiler pressure.

page_text: Improvements in Merry-go-rounds.
We, JOHN M'LAREN and HENRY MCLAREN of the Midland Engine Works
Hunslet in the Borough of Leeds Engineers 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 :-
°
What are known as " Merry-go-rounds" having rotating platforms carrying
mechanical racehorses or other devices are at present made with the platforms in
several separate rings with so many horses or other devices on each ring and each
ring is driven by suitable gearing at a certain fixed relative speed which cannot be
altered except by "change wheels" put on by hand.
°
Our Invention has for its object to enable the speeds to be varied at will
whilst the apparatus is at work so that the speed of the different sets of horses
or devices on the separate rings can be increased or reduced at the will of the
driver.
We will describe our Invention with reference to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 of which is a diagrammatic plan view of a Merry-go-round constructed
according to our Invention-Figure 2 a sectional plan of a portion of the same
shewing the arrangement of the driving mechanism-Figure 3 a section taken
along the line 1-2 in Figure 2 Figure 4 a section taken along the line 3. 4.
Figure 2 and Figure 5 is a sectional view of the valve box & valve for regulating
the flow of motive fluid for varying the speeds as hereinafter described.
According to our Invention we provide an Engine A which may be placed in the
centre of the platform and from it we take the power in any suitable way such as
by a shaft B and bevel wheels B¹ B' so arranged that we can couple direct to the
two sets of gearing required to drive the rings of the platform. Two opposite sets
of gearing are preferably used but we do not limit ourselves thereto If two sets of
gearing be used they are both alike so we will explain one set only which is clearly
shewn in Figures 2. 3 and 4. From the shaft and bevil wheels B we couple up
with a "tumbling bar" (not shown) to the gearing shaft D under the platform
EEE on the centre of which shaft is keyed a wheel F for effecting the driving
through the wheel M¹ of the part E¹ of the platform, in which wheel F we arrange
a set of differential gear G G gearing with bevil wheels H H cast on or secured
to long sleeves I. I mounted on the shaft D. At the other ends of the sleeves I I'
respectively are fixed toothed wheels K K¹ which in conjunction with other
wheels L L on the shaft D and idle wheels-M M' effect the driving of the other
parts E E of the platform at different speeds. The sleeves are not keyed onto
the shaft but are at liberty to revolve thereon at any speed. The wheels L L' gear
into other wheels N N¹ in proximity to the idle wheels M M* which gear with
racks O. O fixed to the underside of the inner and outer parts or rings E E'
respectively of the platform and are driven by the wheels K K³ fixed on the outer
end of the sleeves. We cast enlarged bosses P P P on the wheels N N and L¹
respectively to engage in cylinders or bearings QQQ in each of which is a
plunger or piston R. R¹ R' by which fluid pressure can be put on the bosses P.Pl

page_text: and P' of the wheels N N and L' and the said wheels be caused to bear frictionally
on the gear. wheels M M and K' in proximity to them thereby constituting friction
couplings These coupling devices may be operated by screws or levers or by any
other suitable means instead of fluid pressure if desired.-The wheel F keyed on
the centre of the shaft D drives through the wheel M and the rack O¹ the central
ring E¹ of the platform at say 10 revolutions per minute or any other fixed speed,
but the wheels K and K¹ on. the sleeves being driven by the differential gearing
G G¹H H¹ are not likely to drive the rings which they operate at any fixed speeds
but will suit themselves to the load they have to drive for example suppose there
is a heavy load on one of the rings or parts of the platform and a light load on
another of the parts or rings then the one will lose speed whilst the other will gain
owing to the action of the differential gear aforesaid.
Our arrangement for altering the speed of the various rings is by means of the
aforesaid arrangements as follows-If the centre ring or part E¹ of the platform be
required to go fastest we put pressure (fluid or other pressure) into the cylinder Q*
which operates the gear wheel L¹ in .proximity to the wheel K¹ on the end of the
outer sleeve I and this locks the differential gearing by means of the friction
clutch constituted or formed on the said wheels and the whole of the driving
pinions then revolve at one uniform speed being the speed of shaft D-When the
differential gear is thus locked we have the gearing speeded in any suitable way
say for example so that the centre rack O¹ will make 11 revolutions to 10 of the
outer or inner racks O & O' If the outer rack be required to go the fastest we
let the pressure off the cylinder Q and turn it into the cylinder Q1 which operates
upon the gear wheel N in proximity to the wheel M2 which drives the outer rack O'
and this (by means of the friction bearing or clutch between the wheels) brings
a new speed into gear to drive the said outer rack as required-If the inner rack O
of the inner ring È be required to go the fastest it is done by turning the pressure
into the cylinder Q so as to cause the wheel N to become frictionally engaged with
the wheel M which drives the rack O the wheel L fixed on the shaft D being
brought into gear with the wheel N so as to effect the required change of speeds.
It will thus be seen that any one of the rings or parts of the platform can be made
to go faster than the others as desired-Between the balves of the friction clutches
or frictional bearings of the wheels K, L NM and N' M' we arrange spiral
springs tending to separate the friction surfaces so that immediately the pressure
is taken off the pistons, the friction clutches are forced out of gear. Pressure may
be applied in any other suitable way instead of by Cylinders as described but we
prefer to employ steam pressure and an arrangement for putting pressure onto the
various pistons as illustrated by Figure 5 of our Drawings. It consists of a valve
box or chest S from which pipes TT T2 lead respectively to each of the cylinders
QQ¹Q for putting pressure on the wheels connected therewith there being also
an exhaust pipe U through which the pressure fluid passes from the cylinders
where the pressure is removed. In this valve chest there is fitted to rotate a
circular valveV in which is a hole W which may be brought over the entrance to
any one of the pipes T T₁ T* and so admit pressure to the cylinder with which it
communicates, whilst at the same time the other cylinders will be opened to the
exhaust. Thus it is impossible to get the pressure on to more than one piston or
friction clutch at one time. This valve box is supplied with the operating fluid
which may be water or steam at boiler pressure by the pipe ✗.
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
=
First. In merry-go-rounds having platforms divided into several rotating parts
or rings the combination of differential gear and friction devices or couplings
operating substantially as described whereby the several parts or rings may be
caused to rotate at different speeds as required while the apparatus is in motion
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by our drawings.*

page_text: Second. In Merry-go-rounds having platforms divided into several rotating
parts or rings the combination with differential gear of friction devices operated
by steam or other power, any one of the friction devices being capable of being
operated while the apparatus is in motion for the purpose of varying the speeds
of the several rotating parts of the platform as desired substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by our drawings.
Third. The valve box and valve constructed substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figure 5 of our drawings for directing steam or other
motive fluid to any one of the friction devices as required for the purpose of
varying the speeds of the several rotating parts or rings of a Merry-go-round
while in motion substantially as herein before described.
Fourth. The general construction combination and arrangement of parts con-
stituting apparatus for varying, while in motion, the speeds of several rotating
parts or rings comprising the platform of a Merry-go-round substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by our drawings.