Improvements in the Motion and Mechanism Actuating the Horses of Roundabouts.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 25th May, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Motion and Mechanism Actuating the Horses
of Roundabouts.
We JOHN BROMLEY & THOMAS HARRISON both of Belinda Street Works,
Leeds, in the County of York, Engineers & Machinists, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows
:-
This invention consists of the arrangement round a circle of a number of horses,
suspended from the ends of an equal number of poles & connected to suitable
gearing, which when set in motion causes the whole to revolve round a corrugated
pathway, thereby imitating in appearance a number of horses galloping & vaulting
simultaneously round a circular course.
In order to effect the above object we construct a suitable platform or frame,
mounted on wheels, or fixed to a traction engine, to serve the double purpose of a
foundation for the whole superstructure & also as a means of conveyance when
removing.
In the centre of the platform we erect a strong cylindrical chimney made of
wrot iron or steel plates, & at a suitable distance above the platform we fix on
the chimney a metal ring or sleeve, supporting a loose boss or bearing, having two
or more flanges. Round the periphery of the top flange we form a number of
slots or hinges for receiving the ends of the poles, from which the horses are
suspended.
Each of the hinged poles from which the horses are suspended is mounted
on one or more runners placed at a convenient distance from the centre of the
roundabout & resting on a circular pathway the outline of which is of a corrugated
or undulating form, the said pathway being supported by suitable pillars fixed to
the platform.
The horses when suspended in their respective positions form three or more
circles, the hinged poles being made for this purpose in different lengths, the
outer horses being suspended from the longest poles & the inner ones from the
shorter ones.
The horses when in motion are also subject to a strain caused by the action
of centrifugal force, to prevent them moving out of their vertical position they are
suitably stayed or guided in their movements.
The driving is effected by means of a large toothed wheel having on the upper
side of its rim, a number of forked projections each of which grasps one of the
hinged poles, the central part of the wheel being fixed to the loose boss or bearing
& made to gear with a pinion fixed to the upper end of a vertical shaft, that
is driven by bevil gearing from the crank shaft of the engine.
In the above arrangement each horse being actuated from its own hinged pole
whilst moving on the corrugated pathway, is free to rise or fall independent of any
other & always retains approximately its vertical position. As a modification of
this arrangement we propose substituting one or more sets of three horses, fixed to
a small platform & suspended from two poles moving on a swivel joint, the effect of
which will be to impart a rocking motion to the horses as they move round the
corrugated pathway by the action of the poles.
Dated this 17th day of Sentember 1890.
JOHN BROMLEY,
THOMAS HARRISON,
Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Motion and Mechanism Actuating the Horses
of Roundabouts.
We JOHN BROMLEY, and THOMAS HARRISON, both of Belinda Street Works,
Leeds, in the County of York, Engineers, and Machinists, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
per-
This invention consists of the arrangement round a circle, of a number of horses
suspended from the ends of an equal number of poles, & connected to suitable
gearing, which when set in motion causes the whole, to revolve round an undulating
pathway, thereby imitating in appearance, a number of horses leaping or vaulting
round a circular course.
In order that our invention may be better understood reference, is made to
the accompanying drawings.
(Fig. 1) is a sectional elevation through the centre of the roundabout.
(Fig. 2) is a plan shewing the arrangement of the hinged poles.
In order to effect the object of our invention, we construct a central platform or
stage (A), mounted on wheels (B), or fixed to a traction engine, to serve the
double purpose of a foundation for the whole superstructure, & also as a means of
conveyance when removing.
In the centre of the platform (A), we erect a strong cylindrical chimney (C),
made of wrot iron or steel plates, and at a suitable distance above the platform,
we fix on the chimney a metal ring, or sleeve (D), supporting a loose boss or
bearing (E), having at the bottom a flange (F), to which the main driving wheel (M)
is fixed.
Above the wheel (M) we fix to the loose bearing or sleeve (K), an angle iron
or other suitable frame (L), and between this frame & the rim of the wheel (M)
we fix a number of uprights (N), & between the said uprights we pass the hinged
poles (H), from the outer end of which, the horses are suspended. The hinges are
formed by means of the hooks (P), fastened to the inner ends of the poles &
hooked through adjustable loops (R, R2 & R³). The outer loops (R¹ & R²) are
screwed at both ends & bolted through the arms of the wheel (M), & the arms of
the frame (L). The inner loops (R³) are bolted to the flange (F), with nuts
at both sides. By means of the said loops or hinges the poles (H), can be raised
or lowered when required, & the horses prevented from striking the platform (S),
when either, the poles, runners, or undulating pathway get worn.
Each of the hinged poles H, are also mounted on one or more runners (I), either
concentric or eccentric with the axle, round which they revolve, & are placed at a
convenient distance from the centre of the roundabout resting on a circular
pathway (J), the outline of which is of an undulating form. The said pathway is
supported on timbers, or, suitable pillars fixed to an angle iron (U), which is
supported also by suitable pillars or uprights, erected on the platform (A).
The pathway (J) imparts to the horses, by means of the hinged poles, a long
steady leap, or vaulting motion, & the runners (I) when used as an eccentric
imparts by means of the hinged poles, a series of short gentle leaping or, vaulting
motions.
The horses when suspended in their respective positions, form three or more
circles, the hinged poles being made for this purpose in different lengths, the outer
horses being suspended from the longest poles, & the inner ones from the shorter
ones.
The horses when in motion are also subject to a strain, caused by the action of
centrifugal force, to prevent them moving out of their vertical position, due to the
said force, they are suitably stayed, or guided in their movements.

page_text: The driving of the whole is effected by means of the large toothed wheel (M),
which actuates the hinged poles, by means of the uprights N, & also actuates the
swifts or tie beams (V) by means of the angle iron frame (L), to which the said
swifts are firmly fixed. In order to reduce the strain on the uprights (N), due to
the driving of the hinged poles, we propose attaching each of the longest poles,
to the outer ends of the swifts (V), by means of a rod or chain (T), supplied with
a spring for taking up any slackness in the chain. By means of this arrangement,
the driving power will, to a great extent, be applied to the outer ends of the
hinged poles.
Each of the longest poles, is also connected in the same manner, to two of
the shorter poles, forming a set of three, & thus the whole number of poles will be
efficiently driven.
In the above arrangement each of the horses, being actuated from its own
hinged pole whilst moving on the undulating pathway (J), they are free to rise or
fall independent of each other, & retain approximately more or less their vertical
position. As a modification of this arrangement, we propose substituting one
or more sets, consisting of three or more horses, fixed to a small platform, &
suspended from the ends of two poles, working at the opposite ends, in a swivel
joint. The effect of which will be, to impart simultaneously, a rocking or
undulating motion to the said three or more horses, as they move round the
undulating pathway by the action of the poles.
The toothed wheel (M) is suitably geared to a pinion, fixed on the top end
of the vertical shaft (W), & by means of a bevil wheel fixed to the bottom of the
said shaft, is geared, to an horizontal shaft, connected to the crank shaft of the
engine.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of our invention,
& in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is-
(First). The general arrangement and construction of a roundabout, moving
round a circle, and imparting to a number of horses, a leaping or vaulting motion
by means of hinged poles, running on an undulating pathway, substantially
as herein described and illustrated.
(Second). The undulating pathway (J), substantially as herein described and
illustrated.
(Third). The method of driving or actuating a number of hinged poles, to which
horses are suspended, by means of a rod or chain (T), substantially as herein
described and illustrated.
(Fourth). The method of adjusting the position of the hinged poles, by means of
adjustable loops or hinges, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
(Fifth). The modification, consisting of the arrangement of three, or more horses
in a set, fixed to a small platform, and actuated as herein described.
(Sixth). The use of one or more eccentric runners, for giving to the horses,
through the medium of the poles, an easy and regular up and down motion,
to resemble leaping or vaulting, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1891.
JOHN BROMLEY,
THOMAS HARRISON,
Applicants.