Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 2nd Mar., 188
1, FRANK WILLIAM ALLCHIN, of Weston Street, Northampton in the County of
Northampton, engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists in the employment of swing boats, cars, or corresponding
parts by which persons may be carried, each capable of revolving around an axis in a
vertical plane in a manner similar to that of the revolving swing boats commonly seen
at fairs and such like places, as parts of or in combination with roundabouts or merry-
go-rounds, whereby the riders or players may be caused to revolve in a vertical plane
or in vertical planes while they are also being carried around the vertical axis of the
roundabout, each rider or player thus partaking of a movement combined of horizontal
and vertical rotation; and consists, further, in modifying the apparatus so as to cause
the boats, cars, or corresponding parts aforesaid to revolve in inclined planes instead
of in vertical planes.
According to a simple application of this invention such boats, or cars, or corre-
sponding parts as aforesaid, are suspended from horizontal pins or axes which project
from frames or arms mounted upon the outer ends of corresponding radial bars or
spars projecting from the centre of the roundabout. The bars are connected to a boss
or sleeve which is mounted upon a vertical central pillar, or are fixed to a central
vertical spindle, so that, in either case, they may be capable of being rotated together
in a horizontal plane; and the frames or arms are mounted to be capable of rotating
freely on the radial bars. The radial bars may be rotated around their common centre
in any convenient manner in which the corresponding parts of roundabouts are now
driven, such as by means of a pinion, driven by an engine, gearing into a wheel fixed
to the bars, or in other convenient manner; and the frames may be conveniently
rotated by mounting them on the bars by means of sleeves or long bosses capable
of revolving upon the bars, such sleeves or bosses being provided with rollers or
wheels which run upon a fixed circular path, the weight of the outer ends of the
bars and of the load which they carry causing sufficient pressure of the wheels

page_text: on the path to ensure that they will roll thereon as the bars are driven round,
and thus ensure the rotation of the arms; and to ensure the proper bearing of
the rollers on the circular path the bars may be hinged at their inner ends or at
any convenient part of their length; or the rollers may be employed simply to
take the weight of the bars and the load thereon, and toothed wheels may be
fixed to the sleeves of the frames and gear with a fixed toothed ring to produce
the rotation of the frames. The frames or arms may be fixed on the ends of
spindles carried upon radiating spars, and be caused to rotate in any manner in
which spindles similarly employed in roundabouts are caused to rotate, or in any
convenient manner.
The method, however, of causing the horizontal rotation of the parts which carry
the frames and of causing the vertical rotation of the frames may be varied
considerably, as will be obvious.
The revolving frames, aforesaid, are not necessarily carried on the ends of spindles
or corresponding parts, as they may be carried by a length of spindle projecting
on each side suitably supported in bearings, and two or more of such frames may
be arranged side by side upon one line of spindle, one of such frames being on the
outer end of the spindle, if desired; and in such cases, and also in the case where
the frames are fixed on the outer ends of the spindles only, the spindles may be
conveniently carried in supports from a revolving framing or platform and may be
rotated by suitable gearing from the axles of the wheels on which the framing or
platform runs. When a frame is carried in a line of spindle the spindle may be
fixed to each side of the frame and be discontinuous between the sides.
The vertically revolving frames may be formed similarly as wheels, and the
boats, cars, or other parts as aforesaid, be hung from pins or axes projecting from
the arms thereof either on one side or on both sides of the wheels, and such wheel
frames may be formed each with a double set of arms, if preferred, with the
boats, cars, or other parts as aforesaid, hung upon cross pins or axes passing between
the double set of arms. When the frames are consti vcted similarly as wheels their
vertical rotation may be produced by allowing them to roll upon a fixed circular
path.
Vertically revolving frames or arins carrying boats, cars, or corresponding parts as
aforesaid, may be employed in combination with an ordinary roundabout having
horses, boats, or corresponding parts suspended from spars which are capable of being
driven around a common centre, or carried by a revolving platform.
A vertical main frame, carrying a secondary frame capable of revolving in a vertical
plane, and which latter frame has boats, cars, or corresponding parts as aforesaid,
suspended from transverse bars thereof, as in the arrangement of revolving swing
boats, commonly seen at fairs, may be fixed at or about the middle of a roundabout, to
the revolving parts thereof, so as to be revolved on its own vertical axis (which may
correspond to the vertical axis of the roundabout) as the roundabout itself revolves.
The axle of the secondary frame may be driven by gearing from an overhead spindle
rotated in any manner in which corresponding spindles of roundabouts are now
rotated, or in other convenient manner, or may be driven by gearing from one of the
axles of the wheels on which the platform runs.
When it is desired that the boats, cars, or corresponding parts aforesaid shall revolve
in inclined planes, instead of in vertical planes, the arms or frames by which they are
carried are mounted on inclined axes and the boats, cars, or corresponding parts are
suspended therefrom by univeral joints.
Dated in 1nd ML 1000
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton and Walsall,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in or relating to Roundabouts or Merry-go-rounds.
I, FRANK WILLIAM ALLCHIN, of Weston Street, Northampton in the County of
Northampton, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
imanner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon (that is to say):
This invention consists in means whereby boats, cars or corresponding parts capable
of carrying riders, and which are suspended freely, so as to be capable of swinging
backwards and forwards, and which are each capable of revolving around an axis in a
vertical plane (in a manner similar to that of the revolving swing boats commonly
seen at fairs and such like places) or in an inclined plane, are employed as parts of or
in combination with roundabouts or merry-go-rounds, so that the riders or players
may be caused to revolve in a vertical or inclined plane or planes while they are also
carried around the vertical axis of the roundabout, the riders or players thus partaking
of a movement combined of horizontal and of vertical or inclined rotation.
A simple application of this invention is illustrated in side elevation by figure 1, and
in plan by figure 2. Figure 1 is a transverse section through a roundabout with the
invention applied thereto, but one side thereof is omitted, for convenience of illustra-
tion. Figure 2 is a plan of a portion of the roundabout sufficient to show the appli-
cation of the invention thereto. The parts of the machine which revolve around the
central axis A are carried upon a frame a a' formed of a ring of T-iron a and a ring
of channel iron a¹. This frame is mounted upon wheels 6 which run upon a circular
track carried upon a central pedestal B; and the frame is driven round by means of
a pinion c gearing into a lantern wheel formed by fixing a number of vertical bars d
to the inwardly projecting flanges of the channel iron a. The pinion c is mounted
upon the
upper end of a vertical spindle C which is itself driven by the aid of a portable
engine, as is usual with this class of machines, or by other convenient means. The
rings a and a' are joined together at intervals, as shewn by figure 2, by brackets e to
which are hinged or pivotted radiating pairs of spars ff the outer ends of which are
supported by means of tie-rods g g, from a central ring / which is itself supported by
means of struts i from the brackets e before described. The rods gg, ring h, and
struts i are omitted from figure 2, for convenience of illustration. It will thus be seen
that the entire weight of the parts which revolve around the vertical axis of the machine
is carried by the wheels b. No novelty is claimed for this method of carrying the parts
of the apparatus which revolve around the central axis A, nor for the method of
causing them to revolve in such manner. The means by which the frame a a' is
mounted on the wheels bis shewn, in respect of one of the wheels, to an enlarged
scale, by figures 3 and 4, of which figure 3 is a transverse section through one side of
the framing and figure 4 an end elevation of figure 3. A bearing block 7, one on each
side of the wheel b, is bolted together in balves around the wheel axle m, and bolts or

page_text: studs n, fixed to the framing, pass up through the blocks and are fitted at their tops with
nuts and washers, between which and the upper sides of the blocks are placed spiral
springs n² n², as shewn, so that the weight of the framing and the parts which it carries
is brought upon the blocks, and consequently upon the wheels b, through such springs.
Each wheel is formed as a spur or toothed wheel on its inner side, and such part
gears with a toothed ring o formed, preferably, in a piece with the circular path p, as
shown in section by figure 3. The part of each wheel 6 which bears upon the circular
track is formed as a flange, as shewn. Referring again to figures 1 and 2, a spindle q
is mounted in bearings forming distance-pieces which join together a pair of
spars ff, one of such spindles being mounted between the spars of each pair. The
inner end of this spindle 9 is connected with the outer end of the corresponding axle
of a wheel b by means of a rod or bar s having universal joint connections with the
spindle q and wheel axle, respectively. On the outer end of each spindle q is carried
a frame or set of arms D, from which project horizontal pins or axes t, and from each
pin t is suspended, so as to be capable of swinging freely backwards and forwards (in
order that it may constantly hang down properly during the revolution of the frame D
around its own axis) a swing boat or car E, or corresponding part by which a person
or persons may be carried. A front elevation of the set of arms D with the boats
suspended from the pius is shewn by figure 5. Referring now to this figure, in
addition to figures 1 and 2 already described, it may be explained that the set of
arms D is formed of three outer armis a² and three inner or back arms 6', all fixed to a
central hub c¹ and having their outer ends properly distanced apart circumferentially
by means of a tubular or other ring fixed in segments to blocks el forming distance-
pieces between the outer ends of the outer and inner arms. It will now be seen that,
as the framing a a¹ is driven around the central axis of the machine, the sets of arms D
will be carried around with the other parts of the machine which revolve around the
central axis, and that the spindles q will be caused to revolve on their own axes by the
toothed wheels b running in the toothed ring o, and thus the sets of arms will be
revolved in vertical planes, that is around their own axes, and therefore give a corre-
sponding movement to the boats or cars E, or corresponding parts, in addition to
their revolution in a horizontal plane around the central axis A of the inachine. The
chimney E of the engine which drives the machine is shewn, as is usual with round-
abouts, passing up the vertical axis of the machine.
A modification of the means of supporting and driving the parts which revolve
around the central axis A of the machine is shewn by figures 6 and 7 which
correspond, respectively, to figures 1 and 2, but the outer ends of the spars together
with the sets of arms and boats, or cars, or corresponding parts, are omitted as they
are the same as in the previously described modification. In this modification the
weights of the outer ends of the spars, and of the parts which they carry at their outer
ends, are supported upon a ring B¹ fixed around the chimney, by means of a revolving
ring mounted upon rollers f¹ running upon a circular path formed upon the
ring B', and maintained in a proper central position around the chimney by rollers g¹
running around a turned part around the ring B'. The tie-rods g, for supporting the
outer ends of the spars f, have their upper ends fixed to a flange or ears formed out
from the ring C, as shewn. The rings B and C and the parts which they carry
are omitted from figure 7 for convenience. The spindles which give the rotation on
their own axes to the sets of arms which carry the boats, cars, or corresponding parts,
are caused to revolve by means of bevel wheels running around a spur ring carried
upon a plate or frame fixed to the chimney E' or upon a central pedestal ; and the
spur wheels are properly maintained in their position in relation to the spur ring
by means of rollers j¹ mounted loosely upon the axles on which the spur wheels are
fixed and running upon a circular path upon the plate . These axles carry a frame
formed of two angle-iron rings k² k'. This frame is driven by means of a pinion 1,
on a vertical shaft m³, gearing into a lantern wheel n¹ which is fixed by suitable stays
or brackets to the outer ring of the frame. The frame k¹¹ is kept in proper
central position by means of rollers o' interposed between a sleeve fixed around the
chimney E' and the inside of the inner ring k¹.

page_text: In both the modifications above described it will be obvious that the boats, cars, or
corresponding parts, operating substantially as described, may be employed in com-
bination with horses, boats, or corresponding parts, carried, or carried and operated,
in any manner usual with roundabouts, or in analogous manner.
A further modification of this invention is shewn by figure 8. In this figure A²
represents the central axis of a roundabout, and on each side of such axis is mounted,
upon the revolving framing of the machine, a vertical framing B2 B2 B3 which carries
a horizontal axle a³. Near each end of such horizontal axle, and within the bearings b²
by which it is carried, are mounted sets of arms D2 corresponding to the sets of
arms D shewn by figures 1 and 2. Horizontal pins or axes t¹ join together the outer
ends of the corresponding arms of each set, as shewn, and from these pins or axes are
suspended boats or cars E², or corresponding parts for carrying riders. The axlo a³
is driven by chain gearing from an axle 2 on which is mounted a flanged wheel d²
which runs on a circular rail bedded upon a sleeper, one side of such wheel being
formed as a spur pinion which gears into a spur ring formed with or fixed to the
circular rail. The chain passes around a pinion 2 on the axle c² and around a wheel k³
on the axle a³. In this modification of the invention a set of swing boat apparatus,
corresponding to that shewn, may be arranged on each side of the central axis of the
machine, or one of such apparatus may be arranged over the centre of the machine
the vertical axis of the apparatus corresponding with the vertical axis of the round-
about; and in either of these cases a platform which revolves, together with the swing
boat apparatus taken as a whole, around the vertical axis of the machine, may be
carried around the central swing boat apparatus or around the outside of the two sets
of apparatus, as the case may be, and horses, boats or other parts for carrying riders
may be carried upon such platform and be operated in any manner now usual, or in
other convenient manner. If desired, however, several sets of swing boat apparatus
may be arranged upon a revolving platform providing they are arranged a sufficient
distance from the vertical axis of the machine to allow space for their proper arrange-
ment and working.
The roundabouts in connection with which the swing boats, cars, or corresponding
parts aforesaid are used may, of course, be driven in any convenient manner, for
instance, by a central engine (when there is space therefor) or by an engine outside
the roundabout, or by an electro-motor.
The swing boats, cars or corresponding parts, may be made according to either of
the modifications above described, to revolve in inclined planes instead of in vertical
planes, if desired, for which purpose it is simply necessary to incline the axes upon
which the sets of arms are carried. In such cases however it is desirable to form
jointed connections between the boats, cars or corresponding parts, and the pins or
axes from which they are suspended, in order that such boats, cars or corresponding
parts may constantly hang down perpendicularly or approximately so, notwithstanding
the inclination of the axis or axes by which the arms are carried.
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. In, or in connection with, roundabouts sets of arms fixed upon outwardly
projecting ends of radiating spindles which are carried by the revolving framings and
which are themselves caused to revolve on their own axes as they are carried around
the central axes of the roundabouts, said arms carrying pins which project from the
outer ends thereof and from which are suspended boats, cars, or corresponding
parts capable of carrying riders, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.
2. In, or in connection with roundabouts, sets of arms fixed upon the outwardly
projecting ends of radiating spindles which are carried by the revolving framings and
which are themselves caused to revolve on their own axes as they are carried around
the central axes of the roundabouts, by means of toothed wheels gearing into a fixed
circular rack and fixed upon spindles which are connected direct by means of radiating
rods with the inner ends of the spindles carrying the sets of arms, said arms carrying

page_text: pins which project from the outer ends thereof and from which are suspended boats,
cars or corresponding parts capable of carrying riders, substantially as described, for
the purpose set forth.
3. The means, substantially as described with reference to figure 8 of the drawings
herewith, by which swing boats (cars, or corresponding parts) are carried upon the
revolving platforms or framings which run on circular rails or trams laid upon the
ground (or upon suitable sleepers thereon) and are caused to revolve in vertical (or
inclined) planes, whilst revolving around the vertical axes of roundabouts, for the
purpose set forth.
4. In, or in connection with roundabouts, frames mounted upon platforms or
framings which are carried upon wheels running on circular rails or trams laid upon
the ground (or upon suitable sleepers thereon) such frames carrying each a spindle
upon which are mounted arms in the outer ends of which are fixed pins which carry
swing boats (cars or corresponding parts) motion being imparted to said spindles to
cause them to revolve around their own axes (as the platforms or framings of the
roundabouts revolve around their vertical axes) from the rolling movement of wheels
on which the platforms or framings run or of wheels which run in racks laid upon the
ground (or upon suitable sleepers thereon), substantially as described for the purpose
set forth.
1
0
1000