Improvements in and relating to Bascule Elevators for Public Amusement or Observation Purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1899
Improvements in and relating to Bascule Elevators for Public
Amusement or Observation Purposes.
I, FREDERICK DRESSER, of 20, Bixteth Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved bascule or cantilever elevator for public
amusement or observation purposes, and consists of a long double lattice girder or
boom, wide at the middle and tapering towards the ends, having trunnions or other
suitable form of axis at or about the centre of its length. This boom is mounted
in bearings upon suitable standards of a height sufficient to allow of its oscillating
in either direction to an angle of from 20° to 30° to the vertical, or the said
standards may be of a height sufficient to allow of the said boom coming to and
passing the vertical line.
At each end of the boom and between the two sides thereof, cars of hexagonal,
round, or other form are suspended, attached to the ends of the said boom by
suitable trunnions or other form of swivel joint, the points of suspension being
placed well above the centres of gravity of the said cars to insure their maintaining
à horizontal position while the boom moves through an are of a circle.
The floors of the said cars are circular, are carried upon suitable rollers and are
caused to revolve slowly while the cars are ascending or descending, or when at
their highest points only, the necessary power being communicated by electric
motors or other suitable or simple means.
The said boom is operated by means of wire ropes attached at suitable points
and passing around winding drums fixed upon the supporting framing. These
drums are operated by a steam engine or other means.
I do not confine myself precisely to the detail of form and construction as herein
set forth. I may cause the whole car to revolve within a suitable circular cup or
ring instead of attaching the supports to the sides of the cars direct.
Tad this 19th dox Tanuary 1808
Improvements in and relating to Bascule Elevators for Public
Amusement or Observation Purposes.
I, FREDERICK DRESSER, of 20, Bixteth Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
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see saw
"
My invention relates to an improved bascule or cantilever elevator or
for public amusement, or observation purposes, and consists of a long boom,
formed of two lattice girders of steel, or other material, wide at the middle and
tapering to the ends thereof, the said girders being braced together in such manner
as to form one rigid boom or cantilever.
This boom is mounted by means of trunnions or an axial shaft upon suitable
standards of a height sufficient to allow of its oscillating to any desired or pre-
determined angle, or the standards may be of a height sufficient to allow of the said
boom coming to and/or passing the vertical line. When at rest in the vertical
position, the said boom and its standards, if suitably. designed and proportioned
may be made to resemble a tower when viewed from a position at or near right
angles to the plane of its movement.
At each end of the said boom, and between the two sides thereof, cars of
hexagonal, round or other form are suspended, being attached to the ends of the
girders by trunnions or other suitable form of swivel joint.
The said cars are suspended at points above their centres of gravity, but to insure
their maintaining at all times a perfectly horizontal position they are connected
by rods, chains or the like, to fixed points near the axis of the boom, such rods or
chains constituting what is technically termed a parallel motion."
The said cars are in two parts (A) outer or stationary parts-which are fixed
in regard to the supporting girders and (B) inner or rotatable parts; which are
caused to revolve slowly while the cars are ascending or descending and/or when
at their highest points.
The inner or revolving part may be in the form of a shallow cup or flat disc
or circular floor, placed within a complete outer car, or a complete circular car may
be placed within an outer supporting ring or cup, and the said revolving portion
may be carried by rollers upon the ring or upon a circular path within the outer
or stationary part or in other suitable or known manner. I prefer to construct the
outer part in cup form and place a complete rotatable car within the same.
The said rotatable part or car may be actuated in various ways and the power
necessary therefor may be transmitted thereto from a source of motive power by
means of shafts, chains, or ropes, carried up the standards and along the boom to
each end but I prefer to employ electricity as being the most suitable agent for
the purpose.
The boom or cantilever is actuated by means of wire ropes, chains or their
equivalent, attached to the girders direct, or passing around wheels or segments
of wheels attached to the sides of the girders. Said wire ropes or chains being
attached to or passing around winding drums or wheels, fixed upon the supporting
framing, or in other suitable position.
The said winding drums or wheels may be actuated by steam or gas engine, or
other prime mover or by electric motor.
Figs. 1 and 2 upon Sheet I of the drawings, hereunto appended, represent my said
improved bascule elevator in its " see saw and "tower" forms, in which A is the
boom, supported by the standards B. CC are the cars designed to rotate within
outer cups D) D. The boom is operated by the ropes or chains E, passing around
the wheels or drums F. The motive power machinery may be located within or upon
the roof of a pavilion formed around the bases of the standards as shewn.
The cars are maintained in the horizontal position by means of rods, wire
ropes or chains, R in Fig. 1, which are attached to the cars and to fixed points
upon the standards at suitable distances from and in the vertical plane of the
axial centres.
In Fig. 2 the "parallel motion" consists of wire ropes or chains passing around
wheels, attached to the sides of the outer parts of the cars and other
wheels of equal diameter fixed upon the central shaft or axis, supporting the

page_text: boom, which axis is in this case a fixture and the boom is designed to move around
the same; or said wheels may be fixed upon the outer ends of the car trunnions
and upon the insides of the main standards.
The devices above described are not set forth as novel but to the best of my
knowledge and belief the application and adaptation to the purpose herein specified
is new.
Figs. 3 and 4 upon Sheet II are sectional elevation and plan respectively of the
said car, in which K is the outer or stationary part and L the inner or rotatable
part. The outer part or cup consists of a framework of steel or other suitable
material and may be of the form and construction indicated or of other equally
suitable design. The inner or rotatable part, which may be constructed of wood or
metal or both, is carried upon a series of rollers P running upon a circular path G.
These rollers are mounted upon shafts H attached to and radiating from an annular
ring W. One or more of these rollers and shafts are connected by suitable gearing
to an electro motor M fixed upon an extension of the ring W, by turning these
rollers the inner part of the car is caused to rotate.
The said rotatable part of the car is maintained in the central position in relation
to the outer part by means of a pivot J fitting into a socket piece T.
Electric current is led to the motor by means of a circular contact ring U fixed
upon the socket piece T and a brush or slipper V attached to the ring W and
electrically connected to the motor M. The said motor is stopped and started
by means of a switch located within the revolving car.
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 bascule elevators or see saws "for public amusement or observation
purposes, the combination with an oscillatable or rotatable boom or cantilever of a
car or cars having outer or stationary parts and inner or rotatable parts substantially
as herein described and illustrated.
"
"
2. In bascule elevators or see saws as above, the movement of the boom or
cantilever through a space equal to half a circle or 180°, or a complete circle
or 360° and the method of bringing the same to rest in the vertical position for the
purpose of raising the cars to the highest point possible in regard to such boom
or cantilever and for the purpose of causing such boom or cantilever, when in the
vertical position-together with its supporting standards-to resemble a tower,
substantially as herein described and illustrated.
6
3. In bascule elevators or see saws as above, the method of maintaining the
cars in the horizontal position, at all times, during the movement of the boom, or
cantilever, by means of rods, chains, wire ropes, or their equivalent, attached to the
said cars at points suitably distant from, and in the plane of their centres of
suspension, and connected to the supporting standards or framing at points equally
distant from, and in the plane of the axis of the cantilever; or by passing such
chains, ropes, or the like, around suitable wheels or segments of wheels, attached
to the stationary parts of the cars, and to the axis of the boom, or cantilever, or to
the standards or framework supporting same, substantially as herein described
and illustrated.
Did this 10th day of October 1898