IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCKING HORSES, SEE-SAWS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS VIBRATING OR OSCILLATING CONTRIVANCES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Owen, of Bedford Row, in the County of
Middlesex, Dentist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCKING
HORSES, SEE-SAWS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS VIBRATING OR OSCILLATING
CONTRIVANCES."
Sealed the 24th July 1860, and dated the 31st January 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Owen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st
January 1860.
I, GEORGE OWEN, of Bedford Row, in the County of Middlesex, Dentist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROCKING HORSES, SEE-SAWS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS VIBRATING OR OSCILLATING
CONTRIVANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in rocking horses, see-saws, and other
analogous vibrating or oscillating contrivances, consists in the substitution
for rockers as heretofore used in the construction of rocking horses, see-saws,
and other analogous oscillating contrivances for the recreation and exercise of
children and invalids, of an upright bar or lever made of iron, wood, or other
suitable material, to the top of which the seat or seats or the horse body is
securely fixed in any convenient manner. The bottom of this upright bar or
5 lever is hinged or otherwise fixed to the floor, or to a base board, or to an iron
work forming a base in such a manner that the bar or lever and the seat or
horse body may oscillate freely in a vertical plane.

page_text: The Invention consists also in the application of elastic springs of vulcanized
india-rubber or of metal or other suitable material, and which are attached to
the body of the rocking horse or to the ends of the see-saw, so that the horse
body or see-saw plank may be maintained by them in equipoise when not in
When in use the rocking or oscillating motion may be given by the
rider himself or by an assistant, the springs always tending to restore the
horse or see-saw with the rider or riders to the state of equipoise. To prevent
undue strain upon the springs through violent usage, I employ check straps
which effectually govern the vibration or oscillation of the parts, and confine
such oscillation within proper limits. The upright bar or lever may consist
of a spring of steel or other suitable material, in which case other springs will
be needless, but it must be firmly secured, not hinged, to the floor or base
board as well as to the seat or horse body.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Owen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
July 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
OWEN, of Bedford Row, in the County of Middlesex, Dentist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Owen, Her special licence that I, the said George Owen, my execu-
tors, administrators and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Owen,
my executors, administrators and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter, during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROCKING HORSES, SEE-SAWS, AND
OTHER ANALOGOUS VIBRATING OR OSCILLATING CONTRIVANCES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Owen, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calender months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Owen, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This Invention of improvements in rocking horses, see-saws, and other
analogous vibrating or oscillating contrivances for the recreation and exercise
of children and invalids, consists in the substitution for rockers as heretofore
used in the construction of rocking horses, see-saws, &c., of an upright bar or
lever made of iron, wood, or other suitable material, to the top of which the
seat or seats or the horse body is securely fixed in any convenient manner.
The bottom of this upright bar or lever is hinged or otherwise fixed to the
floor, or to a base board, or to an iron work forming a base in such a manner
that the bar or lever and the seat or horse body may oscillate freely in a
vertical plane.
The Invention also consists in the application of elastic springs of vulcanized
india-rubber, or of metal or other suitable material attached to the body of
the rocking horse, the ends of the see-saw, &c., &c., in such manner as may
be most convenient, so that the horse body or see-saw, &c., may be main-
tained by them in equipoise when not in use. When in use the rocking or
oscillating motion may be given by the rider himself, or by an assistant, the
springs always tending to restore the horse or see-saw with the rider or riders
to the state of equipoise. To prevent undue strain upon the springs through
violent usage I employ check straps which effectually govern the vibration or
oscillation, confining it within proper limits. The upright bar or lever may
consist of a spring of steel or other suitable material, in which case other
springs will be needless, but it must be firmly secured, not hinged, to the floor
or base board, &c., as well as to the seat or horse body.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Owen, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July in the year of our Lord