Year: 1885

page_text: I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 85, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Thomas J. Sloan, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer) to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to swings used by children or others and it has for its
object novel methods of constructing such swings so that they can be readily put in
operation by the persons using them.
The improved swing consists of a suitable single or double seat or chair fixed
between the lower ends of two parallel pendulous sheet metal plates connected
together where necessary by transverse stays and fitted freely at their upper ends
upon a transverse horizontal bar carried by any suitable supports. A vertical
spindle is arranged so as to turn in bearings close to the inside of each pendulous
plate, and their upper ends are provided with bevilled toothed sectors gearing with
corresponding bevilled toothed sectors fixed upon the horizontal bar from which the
swing is hung which bar does not itself turn.
The lower ends of the vertical spindles are fitted with levers having single or
double handles within easy reach of the persons in the swing who by pushing and
pulling the handles alternately cause the swing to oscillate in the desired way.
Instead of the double pendulous plates.described a single one may be used upon
one side of the seat only, this plate hanging near the wall of a room and being
provided with sufficiently strong stays to carry the outer bearing at the upper end,
which swings upon a horizontal bar projecting from and fixed into the wall of the
room, this bar carrying a bevilled toothed sector into which gears a corresponding
sector at the upper end of a vertical spindle the lower end of which has a handle as
in the arrangement first described.

page_text: In another form of arrangement instead of the toothed sectors upper and lower
levers may be used connected by vertical bars arranged either parallel or crossing
one another, the lower levers having handles attached to them operated by the
persons in the swing.
Or instead of levers and bars a fixed pulley may be used upon
the upper
horizontal bar from which the swing is suspended connected by a flexible cord or
chain to a similar pulley carried by the side frame at the lower end of the swing
and having a handle by which it can be operated so as to produce the desired
movement by the persons using the swing.
In the different arrangements described pedals worked by the feet may be used 1
instead of handles.

page_text: Improvements in Swings.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Thomas J. Sloan, of Paris in the Republic 'of France, Engineer)
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying drawing (that is
to say):-
This invention relates to swings used by children or others, and it has for its
object novel methods of constructing such swings so that they can be readily put
in operation by the persons using them.
The improved swing consists of a single or double chair or seat, suspended to an
axis round which it oscillates.
In the accompanying drawing, which is in illustration of the invention, figure 1
shews in side and front views a swing formed of two sheet metal sides suitably cut
out and hammered up or strengthened, the seats being fixed between their lower
ends and their upper ends fitting freely upon a transverse horizontal bar C carried
by any suitable supports. Two vertical spindles are arranged so as to turn in
bearings close to the inner sides of the suspended plates described, their upper ends
having fixed upon them bevilled toothed sectors B gearing with corresponding
bevilled toothed sectors fixed upon the horizontal bar C from which the swing is
hung, which bar does not itself turn. The lower ends of the vertical spindles are
fitted with levers and handles a, within easy reach of the persons in the swing, who
by.alternately pushing and pulling the handles cause the swing to oscillate in the
usual way.
Figure 2 shews & swing similar to that just described, except that it is modified
so that it can be easily suspended against the wall of a room, a single side
suspending plate only being used and provided with sufficiently strong stays to
carry the outer bearing at the upper end which swings upon the horizontal bar C
projecting from and fixed to the wall of the room. This bar C carries a toothed
sector into which the corresponding toothed sector B gears upon the vertical
spindle the lower end of which has a lever and handle a as in the arrangement first
described.
Instead of double seats or chairs, a cradle may be arranged upon one side and a
seat for a nurse upon the other.
Figure 3 shews in side and end view another modification in which instead of
bevilled toothed sectors, upper and lower levers are used connected together by
vertical bara D, E, either parallel or crossing each other (both methods being shown
in the figure) the lower levers having handles fixed upon them, as shewn at a, a,
the handles being shown either turned up or turned down.
Or, instead of levers and bars a flexible cord or chain may be used as illustrated
in figure 4 to effect the oscillation of the swing.
The cord is placed upon an upper pulley G attached to the upper fixed bar,
a second pulley H being fitted upon a centre below and having a handle J within -

page_text: convenient reach of the persons using the swing. The cord is passed round both
pulleys as shewn.
In the different arrangements described and shewn, pedals worked by the feet
may be used instead of handles.
The form of arrangement shewn in figure 1 possesses the following advantages as
compared with swings ordinarily hitherto used,
1st The movement of the handles is very slight, and does not require violent
effort and rising from the seat by the persons using them, as is the case where
swings are moved by a cord.
2nd Any one can work the swing easily and without fatigue.
3rd The swing can be easily set going or stopped, by pulling or holding back the
handle.
4th The alternate backward and forward movement of the arms, is not fatiguing,
and is excellent exercise.
5th The action of the handles is always effective, whatever may be the position of
the swing.
I do not confine myself to the precise form, arrangement, and proportion, of the
several parts of the apparatus, which may be varied more or less, but having now
particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The combination of the levers and handles a with the toothed sectors B and
fixed bar O, operating substantially as and for the purpose described, and shewn in
figures 1 and 2.
"
2. The combination of the levers and handles a with bars D and E either parallel
or crossed, substantially as described and shewn in figure 3.
3. The combination of the pulleys G and H connected by a flexible cord or chain,
with a handle J substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn in
figure 4.
4. In a swing, the combination with one or more levers and handles or pedals
operated by the persons using the swing, of toothed sectors, bars, pulleys and
flexible cords or chains, or equivalent devices, by which the swing is made to
oscillate, substantially as described.