Improvements in Roundabouts.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May. 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts.
I, FRANCIS CLARKE, of Dane John Works, Canterbury, in the County
of Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in that class of "Roundabout" used for
diversion which consists of an endless train of trucks supporting carriage bodies or
dummy horses and running on a circular undulating track.
My invention has for object to ensure that the wheels of the vehicles shall adapt
themselves to the varying torsional configuration of the plane of the track due to
the combined circular and undulating form of the latter and to afford additional
security against the wheels leaving the rails. It also has for its object to provide
improved means of propelling the vehicles and to enable a rocking motion to be
given to the dummy horses and vehicle bodies also if desired.
According to my invention each truck is provided with one pair of wheels only
turning loose on their axle by which the truck is supported at one end, the other
end resting upon and being coupled by a universal joint to the axle of the
adjacent vehicle.
All the wheel axles are radial and the wheels are free to adapt themselves to the
configuration of the track unimpeded by the rigidity of the truck frame. The
adjacent trucks are also coupled together preferably at the sides nearest the centre
of the track by rods extending from the mid length of one truck to that of the next
and so on throughout the annular train. In order to provide for the varying
distance between the points of connection of the coupling rods owing to the
undulations of the track each rod is made in two parts connected by a sliding joint
compressing a plunger on one part sliding within a cylinder on the other part to a
limited extent, whereby the effective lengths of the rod will vary as the vehicles
pass from a high to a low part of the track and vice versa. The endless train of
vehicles is propelled by a concentric and revolving frame comprising a number of
arms radiating from a central vertical shaft, said arms being attached by approxi-
mately horizontal connecting rods to the middle of the side coupling rods above
mentioned, there being about one such radial arm to about every four vehicles,
whereby a proper distribution of the propelling power is ensured, the connecting
rods allowing of the rising and falling motion of the trucks independently of the
frame.
When it is desired to impart a rocking motion to the dummy horses or vehicle
bodies the figures or bodies are pivoted towards the front on a horizontal axis and
provided with a trailing arm which rests on an undulatory track, the undulations of
which are sufficiently small to impart a rocking motion of suitable rapidity and
amplitude.
Dated this 20th day of May 1900
F. CLARKE,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Roundabouts.
I, FRANCIS CLARKE, of Dane John Works, Canterbury, 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 improvements in that class of Roundabout" used for
diversion, which consists of an endless train of trucks supporting carriage bodies or
dummy horses and running on a circular undulating track.
My invention has for its principal object to ensure that the wheels of the vehicles
shall so adapt themselves to the varying configuration of the undulating track as to
always bear equally on the rails and so avoid torsional strains (to which the
vehicles would otherwise be subject by reason of the combined circular and
undulating form of the track) and afford additional security against the wheels
leaving the rails. It also has for its object to enable a rocking motion to be given
to the dummy horses, if desired.
Reference is to he had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which
Figure 1 is a half plan of the Roundabout; "
Figure 2 is a cross-section of the track, shewing the propelling frame;
Figure 3 shews the central connection of a truck with the axle of the adjacent
truck.
Figure shews the means of imparting rocking motion to the horses;
Figure 5 is a plan of one of the compensating coupling rods.
Figure 6 shews the commection of one of the traction rods to the propelling
frame.
According to my invention, each truck frame A carries the usual dummy horses
or cross benches, and is provided with only one pair of wheels B turning loose on
their axle C upon the ends of which the sides a a of the truck are supported at one
end by bearings in which the ends of the axle are received, the other end of the
truck resting by a bracket D upon the middle only of the axle C of the adjacent
vehicle to which it is coupled by a universal joint d all the axles C being radial to
the track and each truck being thus supported at three points only, two lateral
points at one end and a central point at the other end whereby the necessary lateral
stability coupled with freedom of motion is obtained, whilst the sides a of the frame
being free to pivot on the ends of the axle the necessary vertical flexibility of the
whole train of vehicles is obtained so that the wheels are free to adapt themselves
to the configuration of the track unimpeded by the rigidity of the truck frames.
Adjacent trucks are also coupled together at the sides nearest the centre of the
track by rods E in the position of chords to the track and extending from the mid-
length of one truck A to that of the next and so on throughout the annular train,
the rods E being connected at each end to the trucks by a simple joint e working
on a horizontal axis. In order to compensate for the varying distance between the
points of connection of the coupling rods E owing to the undulations of the track
each rod is made in two parts EE (Figure 5) connected by a sliding joint com-
prising a plunger el on one part sliding within a cylinder e² on the other part to a
limited extent, whereby the effective lengths of the rods E will vary as the vehicles
pass from a high to a low part of the track and vice versa. To avoid the trucks
being tilted by persons overburdening the outer corners of the centrally-supported
end, a rigid arm a' is fixed to the frame and projects over the adjacent axle without
however resting on it, except when overloading occurs.
The endless train of vehicles is propelled by a concentric and revolving frame
comprising a number of arms F radiating from a central vertical post G each arm F
having a downwardly-extending bar H stayed by a strut I and tie bars. (Figure 6)
to the adjacent arms F and connected by a traction link K to the middle of one of

page_text: the coupling rods E above mentioned, there being about one such radial arm to
about every three vehicles, whereby a proper distribution of the propelling power
is ensured. The pulley of the traction links K is approximately in the horizontal
direction and the said links are jointed to the coupling rods E and to the hanging
posts H by simple joints which allow of the rising and falling motion of the trucks,
independently of the revolving frame.
When it is desired to impart a galloping motion to the dummy horses, each horse
is pivoted towards the front on a horizontal axis L carried by the frame A, as
shewn in dotted lines in Figure 4, provided with a trailing arm M which terminates
in a roller that runs on an undulating track N situated between the rails R of the
main track, the undulations of the rail N being much more frequent and of less
amplitude than those of the main track. There would be as many such tracks N
as there are horses mounted abreast on the same truck and their undulations would
not coincide with each other so that the motions of adjacent horses would not be
concurrent in direction.
"
Instead of a trailing arm M, the same effect may be obtained by the arrange-
ment shewn in full lines in Figure 4 consisting of a vertical plunger rod O sliding
in a guide bearing in the frame A and terminating in a friction roller running on
the guide track N, as before, the rocking axis L being in this case carried by a
pair of radius links pivoted at to the frame A instead of by a rigid pillar. The
main track R is constructed preferably of rails of I-section supported upon a wooden
framework of any suitable construction, and it may conveniently be made of about
40 to 50 feet diameter with four undulations (two convex and two concave) in the
circle. The central post G about which the boss or centre F1 of the propelling
frame revolves forms the chimney of the steam engine by which the said frame is
driven, the said frame and its driving gear being of any suitable and ordinary con-
struction. It is usual, in order to obtain the necessary overhead clearance of the
arms of the revolving frame to block up the engine wheels from the ground but
1 obtain the desired result by mounting the boss or centre F at a higher point and
make the engine easily transportable by rail by hinging the chimney Gat so that
it will fold down with the boss or centre F upon it when the arms F are dismounted
therefrom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In the herein described circular undulating railway "Roundabout "the method
of supporting the ends of the trucks or vehicles on the ends and centres respectively
of as many wheel axles only as there are trucks so as to couple them in an endless
train and afford the circular vertical and torsional flexibility of the train necessary
to maintain an equal bearing of all the wheels on the track, substantially as herein
described.
2. In the herein described circular undulating railway "Roundabout" in which
the vehicles or trucks are supported on and coupled to as many wheel axles, as
described, the coupling of adjacent trucks together by coupling rods occupying the
position of chords to the track jointed to the inner sides of the trucks at mid-length
and provided with a telescopic compensating motion, as described.
3. In the herein described Roundabout" in which trucks are mounted and
coupled, as described, mounting the dummy horses to rock on pivots and providing
them with a trailing or plunger rod in combination with a special undulating track
for imparting a rocking motion to said horses, as described.
Dated this 20th day of February 1831.
DET
Is 20th day or Icoruary 1831.
F. CLARKE,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.