Improvements in Roundabouts.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 8th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1889
Improvements in Roundabouts.
I, JOHN THOMAS BOWER, of London Road, Sittingbourne, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to roundabouts of the kind in which a series of animal
figures such as horses are mounted upon a carriage adapted to run upon a circular
rail or track.
The object of my invention is to provide means whereby a jumping motion will be
imparted to the animal figures from time to time as they move with the carriage and
to this end it comprises the following improvements.
I arrange one or more inclined planes adjacent to the rail or track, and in connec-
tion with the legs of the figures I arrange wheels or rollers in such a manner that
when during the movement of the carriage the said wheels or rollers come into contact
with the inclined plane they will cause the upward movement of the animal in the
required manner.
In practice I find it advantageous to mount the animals on vertical parallel bars
sliding in guides in the carriage, one or both of the said guides being capable of
making a longitudinal movement in the frame of the said carriage to allow for any
variation of the distance between the said bars during their rising and falling
motions.
Dated the 19th day of February 1889.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
+, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts.
1. JOHN THOMAS BOWER, of London Road, Sittingbourne, in the county of Kent,
Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to roundabouts of the kind in which a series of animal
figures are mounted in connection with a carriage or platform in such a manner
that, during the movement of the said carriage or platform, a jumping motion
will be imparted to the said figures; and it comprises the improvements hereinafter
described.
In the acompanying drawing:-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a roundabout constructed according to my
invention; and,
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a view of a detail.
15 a rotating platform and bare animal figures in connection with the same.
The said platform, as shown in the drawing, is suspended from a frame c by means
of rods d, d, the said frame being carried upon a central shaft e and having motion
communicated to it in any convenient manner.
The animal figures are mounted upon vertical bars f, sliding in guides or
apertures in the platform a, and having at their lower ends rollers g, g, the said
bars being maintained in their vertical positions by links h, h, jointed to lugs h¹
secured to the underside of the platform.
i is a double inclined plane, which is arranged beneath the platform a, so that,
during the rotation of the said platform the rollers a will run upon the some and

page_text: thus cause the alternate raising and lowering of the front and hind legs of the
figure.
In Figure 1 the dotted lines represent the position of the figure when the rollers y, g
are running up the incline, and it will be understood that, as the rollers pass down
the adjacent incline, the front legs will be lowered and the hind legs raised. Thus,
as the rollers pass up and down the double incline, a jumping motion will be
imparted to the figure. When the rollers are not upon the incline the weight of the
figure is supported entirely upon the platform.
In order to prevent any lateral or rocking motion of the figures which may be
caused by the constant mounting and dismounting of riders, I advantageously provide
3 supporting arm 1, Figure 3, which is pivotted at one end to a bracket k on the
platform a and at the other to a bracket under the horse. The arm j is made in two
parts sliding one within the other so as not to interfere with the movements of the
horse.
It is obvious that one, two or more sets of inclines may be arranged in conjunction
with each platform according to the diameter of the latter and the number of
figures or to the number of jumping motions which it is desired that the figure
should make.
Although I have described the platform as being suspended it is to be understood
that the arrangement may be modified by providing the platform with wheels running
upon a track in this case, motion is advantageously imparted to the platform by
toothed-gearing arranged beneath the same.
Also I wish it understood that I do not confine my invention to use with a circular
track, as it is obvious that the same movement could be imparted to figures upon a
platform adapted to run upon a straight track.
The great advantage of my invention is that, during the continuous forward move-
ment of the platform, no backward movement is imparted to the figures, as is the case
when cranks or eccentrics are used for producing the motion.
Although I have described the use of animal figures it is obvious that cars, boats or
other receptacles may be employed for carrying passengers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a moving platform having animal figures, boats or the
like in connection therewith, of inclined planes, over which rollers connected to the
said figures or boats are adapted to run for the purpose of imparting a jumping
motion thereto, substantially as described.
2. The manufacture and use of a roundabout having animal figures or the like.
adapted to have a jumping motion imparted to them, substantially in the manner
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 8th day of November 1889
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.