A New or Improved Aerial "Roundabout" for Public Amusement.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 16th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Aerial "Roundabout" for Public Amusement.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON of 20, Lombard Chambers, Bixteth Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a novel or improved species of roundabout or circular,
soaring "aerial flight" apparatus for public amusement.
In one form my said apparatus consists of a tower of suitable height having a
rotatable top to which are attached two or more hinged radial arms so connected
as to be free to move, in relation to the said top, in the vertical plane only.
To the outer ends of the said arms cars of "boat" or other form are attached.
These cars are fitted with wheels & in their normal position rest upon a circular
path around the base of the tower or upon a circular platform above the ground
or base line.
When the said rotatable top is revolved, the cars are carried around on the said
path, but as the speed of rotation is increased the centrifugal force set up causes
the said cars to fly outwards and at the same time to rise from the path and to
continue rising as the speed of rotation is increased.
The cars are attached to the said arms in such manner as to insure their main-
taining a horizontal or nearly horizontal position at all degrees of altitude irres-
pective of the angle of the said arms.
The rising of the said cars as they rotate about the tower may be assisted by
any one or all of the following devices:-
(a). By wire ropes or the like attached to the said arms and passing over
pulleys fixed in or on an extension of the tower or other structure above the
revolving top.
(b). By extending the said hinged arms inwards into the revolving head, attach-
ing counter-weights thereto and/or by connecting them by means of coupling
rods to a common swivel device attached to and operated by an air or hydraulic
eylinder contained within the tower; or
(c). By attaching aeroplanes to the cars in the form of wings, sails, awnings, or
other suitable shape.
My said improved roundabout may be constructed upon a large scale and the
said revolving top of the tower to which the arms are attached may be made in
the form of an observation plateau having a pavilion or other structure thereon
and the whole fabric caused to revolve; or the said hinged arms may be attached
to an annular ring surrounding the tower at any suitable altitude and a balcony
formed thereon for observation purposes.
In a modified form of my said improved roundabout the annular ring surround-
ing the tower, to which the arms are attached, is designed to be raised and lowered
and the said arms are supported or carried by fixed guys of wire rope or its
equivalent attached to same at the centre of their length or at other point, and
to the upper part or rotatable head of the tower.
The said annular ring in this case constitutes the counter weight for balancing

page_text: the cars and the said cars are raised and lowered by lowering or raising the said
annular ring.
In another modification of my said improved roundabout the said radial arms
are attached rigidly to the said annular ring and the latter is raised or lowered
slowly as it revolves carrying the cars with it. The weight of the said ring with
its arms, cars etc. may be balanced by counter-weights attached to wire ropes
passing over pulleys contained in the revolving head or by other suitable or
known means.
The power for actuating the revolving or rotatable top and/or annular ring and
for raising and lowering the radial arms may be communicated direct by known
mechanical devices or electricity or other agent may be employed as a medium
of communication.
An undulating motion may be given to the said cars as they are carried around,
by raising and lowering the said arms which inay be accomplished by the air or
hydraulic cylinder aforesaid or by other means.
I may construct a pavilion around the base of the main tower of my said
improved roundabout and form the circular path for the cars on the roof thereof,
or the said path may be made in the form of a balcony surrounding the said
pavilion.
Dated this 15th day of November 1898
A New or Improved Aerial "Roundabout" for Public Amusement.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON of 20, Lombard Chambers, Bixteth Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
My invention relates to a novel or improved species of "roundabout
39 or circu-
lar soaring "Aerial Flight" apparatus for public amusement and consists of a
tower of suitable height having a rotatable top to which are attached or con-
nected two or more hinged radial arms to the outer ends of which cars of boat
or other form are attached.
The cars are fitted with wheels and in their normal positions rest upon a cir-
cular path formed around the base of the tower, or upon a circular platform above
the ground or base line.
By the rotating of the said top the cars are carried around on the said path and
as the speed of rotation is increased the said cars rise by the action of the centri-
fugal force set up or they are or may be lifted by mechanical means.
While being carried around in the air an undulating or
66
switchback" motion
is or may be imparted to the said cars by raising & lowering the said arms.
The said arms are constructed upon the " parallel-motion" principle and are
attached to the tower and to the cars in such manner as to insure the latter main-
taining a horizontal or nearly horizontal position at all degrees of altitude irres-
pective of the angles of the said arms in regard thereto.
The rising of the cars is or may be assisted by attaching thereto aeroplanes in
the form of awnings, wings, sails or other suitable shape.
Instead of cars, imitation dragons, horses, birds etc. designed to carry one or
more persons may be attached to the said arms.
My said improved roundabout may be constructed upon a large scale and the

page_text: said revolving top of the tower may be made in the form of an observation plateau
having a pavilion or other structure or structures thereon.
Fig. 1 upon the sheet of drawings hereunto appended represents the essential
features of my said apparatus in which A is the tower surrounded by the circular
path B, and surmounted by the rotatable top C which rests upon the stationary
part of the tower at the point L.
To the lower part of the rotatable head are attached the arms D and cars E
which are raised by means of chains or ropes F passing over pullies or wheels G
to suitable winding gear within the tower or elsewhere.
The rotatable top together with the arms and cars is actuated by suitable
mechanism located within the tower.
The weight of the arms & cars is or may be wholly or partially balanced by
extending the said arms beyond the points H into the rotatable head and attach-
ing counterweights thereto or connecting the same by means of rods, chains or
their equivalent to a. common swivel attached to and operated by an air or
hydraulic cylinder located within the tower.
Fig. II. represents a modification of my said apparatus in which the radial
arms are attached to a compound annular ring J formed of two parts; an inner
or non-rotatable part arranged to slide up & down upon the fixed part of the
tower and an outer or rotatable part designed to be carried by and revolve upon
the said inner part. The arms are attached to the said outer ring and are sus-
pended from the rotatable top by fixed rods or guys K.
In this form the ring J is made of such weight as to balance the cars and the
latter are raised and lowered by lowering or raising the said ring which may be
accomplished by any suitable and known means; the power for such purpose and
for rotating the head being communicated thereto by mechanical or electrical
transmission.
The mechanical features of my said apparatus coming within the scope of
ordinary engineering practice and the detail of construction being capable of
considerable variation, it is unnecessary to shew in detail the construction of the
various parts.
In the aforesaid figures the tower is represented as having pavilions around its
base & upon the revolving plateau and the cars as being fitted with aeroplanes
in the form of awnings.
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:-
1. A new or improved aerial roundabout or circular soaring "aerial flight"
apparatus consisting of a tower having a rotatable top to which cars or their
equivalent are attached or connected by means of parallel-motion radial arms
arranged to rise and fall in the vertical plane and constructed and arranged to
elevate such cars to any desired altitude and to maintain the same in a horizontal
or approximately horizontal position irrespective of the angle of such arms in
relation thereto substantially as herein described and illustrated.
2. In roundabouts the method of raising the cars and maintaining the same
in a horizontal position while being carried around and imparting thereto an
undulating motion substantially as herein described.
3. The improved roundabout with rotatable elevated observation plateau sub-
stantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 15th day of August 1899.