IMPROVEMENTS IN BASCULES OR SEE-SAWS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry James Taylor Piercy of Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Mechanical Engineer for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN BASCULES OR SEE-SAWS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry James Taylor Piercy
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd January 1883.
HENRY JAMES TAYLOR PIERCY of Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Mechanical Engineer " IMPROVEMENTS IN BASCULES OR SEE-SAWS
My invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of bascules or
see-saws in the manner hereinafter described, whereby the instrument or apparatus
is rendered more convenient in use than ordinary bascules or see-sawa and is free
from the inconveniences and dangers attending their use.
According to my invention the oscillating beam of the bascule or see-saw is
provided with a parallel oscillating rod situated either over or under it. The seat
at each end of the beam is jointed both to the beam and parallel rod so that the
said seats are preserved level in every position of the oscillating beam. The seats
project beyond the beam and are brought so near the ground on the oscillating of
the beam, that the riders have great power of raising the depressed end of the beam
aud the central pillar and ropes ordinarily employed for enabling the riders to give
motion to the beam are dispensed with. As none of the moving parts of tho
apparatus are below the seats there is no risk of injury to the feet and legs of the
children or persons using the apparatus Each seat is provided with a step for
facilitating the mounting and dismounting of the riders and for supporting the
beam when required in a horizontal position. These steps are of light construction
and turn upon joints so that they can be raised by the rider's feet or hands so as to
lie under and against the parallel rod of the beam. The rod is provided with
spring catch fastenings for securing the steps in their raised positions. Strings or
cords enable the riders to liberate the steps and allow them to fall into a position
ready for use.

page_text: The oscillating beam of the bascule or see-saw consists of two flat parallel bars
or plates fixed at such a distance apart that a weight for the purpose of balancing
the beam when persons of different weights are using the apparatus can slide from
end to end between the flat bars or plates constituting the said beam. The lower
inner edges of the bars or plates have ledges or flanges on which the sliding weight
is supported and moves. One of the bars or plates is provided with a rack and a
spring pawl carried by the weight engages in the said rack the lever or handle of
the pawl being near to and nearly parallel with the handle by which the sliding
weight is moved in the beam. By this arrangement the hand in grasping the
handle of the weight for the purpose of moving it at the same time grips the lever
of the spring pawl thereby disengaging the said pawl from the rack and the sliding
weight can be moved into the required position in the beam. On loosing the
handle of the weight when the weight has been brought into the required position
it is immediately fixed in that position by the spring pawl taking into the rack.
Or instead of the rack and pawl or in addition thereto a screw and hand wheel
may be employed to fix the sliding weight in the beam at the place to which it has
been brought.
In order to prevent the shock which would be occasioned by the seats striking
suddenly on the ground I fix a strong coiled spring or springs at the centre of the
beam. These springs are so arranged that their compression may be commenced at
any desired point of the stroke of the beam. Or spiral or conical springs may be
placed underneath the seats for the same purpose. When baskets or cages are used
in place of ordinary seats the springs described are especially desirable. In order
to fit the bascule or see-saw for use either out of doors or in the nursery I make
the pillar or stand on which the beam is supported in two parts. The upper part
carries the bearing in which the axis turns and has a cylindrical socket pin or peg
on its underside which takes into a cylindrical opening or socket in the top of the
lower part of the stand.
This arrangement also permits of the bascule or see-saw swivelling or having a
horizontal motion around the stand as well as the vertical motion of an ordinary
Bec-sa w.
The lower part of the pillar or stand used in the nursery may be of an ornamental
character and when not being used for supporting the beam of the bascule or sce-saw
may be used as a support for a table top or seat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry James Taylor Piercy in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 12th July 1883.
HENRY JAMES TAYLOR PIERCY of Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BASCULES OR SEE-SAWS
"
. My invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of bascules or
see-saws in the manner hereinafter described, whereby the instrument or apparatus
is rendered more convenient in use than ordinary bascules or see-saws and is free
from the inconveniences and dangers attending their use
According to my invention the oscillating bean of the bascule or see-saw is
provided with a parallel oscillating rod situated either over or under it. The scat
at each end of the beam is jointed both to the beam aud parallel rod so that the
said seats are preserved level in every position of the oscillating beam. The seats
project beyond the beam and are brought so near the ground on the oscillating of
the beam that the riders have great power of raising the depressed end of the beam
and the central pillar and ropes ordinarily employed for enabling the riders to give
motion to the beam are dispensed with. As none of the moving parts of the
apparatus are below or underneath the seats there is no risk of injury to the feet and
legs of the children or persons using the apparatus. Each seat is provided with a
step. for facilitating the mounting and dismounting of the riders and for supporting
the beam when required in a horizontal position. These steps are of light
construction and turn upon joints so that they can be raised by the rider's feet or
hands so as to lie under and against the parallel rod or the beam. The rod is
provided with spring catch or other fastenings for securing the steps in their raised
positions. Strings or cords enable the riders to liberate the steps and allow them
to fall into a position ready for use
The oscillating beam of the bascule or see-saw consists of two flat parallel bars
or plates or planks fixed at such a distance apart that a weight for the purpose of
balancing the beam when persons of different weights are using the apparatus can
slide from end to end between the flat bars or plates constituting the said beam.
The lower inner edges of the bars or plates have ledges or flanges on which the.
sliding weight is supported and moves. One of the bars or plates is provided with
a rack and a spring pawl carried by the weight engages in the said rack, the lever
or handle of the pawl being near to and nearly parallel with the handle by which
the sliding weight is moved in the beam. By this arrangement the hand in
grasping the handle of the weight for the purpose of moving it at the same time
grips the lever of the spring pawl thereby disengaging the said pawl from the rack
and the sliding weight can be moved into the required position in the beam. On
loosing the handle of the weight when the weight has been brought into the
required position, it is immediately fixed in that position by the spring pawl taking
into the rack. Or instead of the rack and pawl, or in addition thereto, a screw
and hand wheel may be employed to fix the sliding weight in the beam at the
place to which it has been brought
In order to prevent the shock which would be occasioned by the seats striking
suddenly on the ground I fix a strong coiled spring or springs at the centre of the
beam. These springs are so arranged that their compression may be commenced
at any desired point of the stroke of the beam. Or spiral or conical springs may
be placed underneath the seats for the same purpose. When baskets or cages are
used in place of ordinary seats the springs described are especially desirable. In

page_text: order to fit the bascule or see-saw for use either out of doors or in the nursery I
make the pillar or stand on which the beam is supported in two parts.
The upper part carries the bearing in which the axis turns and has a cylindrical
socket pin or peg on its underside which takes into a cylindrical opening or socket
in the top of the lower part of the stand.
This arrangement also permits of the bascule or see-saw swivelling or having a
horizontal motion around the stand as well as the vertical motion of an ordinary
see-saw
The lower part of the pillar or stand used in the nursery may be of an
ornamental character and when not being used for supporting the beam of the
bascule or see-saw may be used as a support for a table top or seat.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, &
bascule or see-saw constructed according to my invention; Figure 2 represents the
same partly in plan and partly in horizontal section; Figure 3 represents partly
in end elevation and partly in cross section the pillar or stand of the bascule and
Figure 4 represents cross sections taken through the oscillating beam and weight,
one of the said sections being taken through the solid part of the weight and the
other section being taken through the slot in the weight in which slot the spring
pawl works
The other Figures of the Drawings are hereinafter explained.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the drawings.
a is the oscillating beam of the bascule or see-saw turning on the pivots or
centres b, b carried by the pillar or stand c, c²; d is the oscillating rod situated over
the beam a. The inner ends of the said parallel rod d are connected to the
disc d² the axis of which is supported by and turns in the summit of the pillar or
stand; e, e are the seats at the ends of the beam a. Each seat is jointed at e² to
the oscillating beam a and at es to the oscillating parallel rod d. By jointing the
seats to the beam and parallel rod as described and represented, the said seats are
preserved level in every position of the oscillating beam. At the left hand half of
the bascule represented in Figure 1 the position of the beam is indicated in dotted
lines when at the top and bottom of its stroke and the arcs or paths in which the
centres of the jointed seat travel are also indicated in dotted lines. From an
examination of the said dotted lines the manner in which the seats are preserved
level in every position of the beam will be readily understood.
By reference to the Drawing it will be seen that the seats e, e project some
distance beyond the ends of the beam a and on the oscillating of the beain the said
seats are brought so near the ground that the riders have great power of raising
the depressed end of the beam. By this construction the central pillar and ropes
ordinarily employed to give motion to the beam are dispensed with and as none of
the moving parts of the apparatus are below the seats there is no risk of injury to
the feet and legs of the children or persons using the apparatus.
Although it is preferred to arrange the parallel oscillating rod above the beam a
as represented yet it may be situated under the said beam with the same effect.
At each end of the beam is a step f for facilitating the mounting of the riders to
and dismounting from the seats e e. These steps f. f may also be used for
supporting the beam in a horizontal position when required. A front elevation of
one of these steps, is shown at the right hand end of Figure 1. As shown in the
drawing each of the steps consists of a light frame carrying foot treads, the said
frame being jointed at g to the underside of the beam so that when out of use
they can be made to lie under and nearly against the beam a as shown at the left
hand end of Figure 1, or be allowed to take the vertical position shown at the
right hand end of Figure 1 when required for use. The steps ff are secured in.
their raised positions by the lever catches h, h on the beam, the free end of the step
engaging with the hooked lower end of the lever catch as represented in the.

page_text: Drawing. The steps are raised after the riders have mounted to their seats by
means of the rider's feet or hands and the steps are released when the riders wish
to dismount from their seats by acting upon strings or cords connected to eyes in
the handle ends of the lever catches h and passing to the seats c.
The oscillating beam a is made of the trough form seen in the plan Figure 2 and
cross section Figure 4. That is, it consists of two parallel bars or plates at the
required distance apart the lower inner edges of the said bars or plates having
ledges or flanges a³, a². In the said trough shaped beam a sliding weight i works
the said weight being supported and travelling on the ledges or flanges a³, a² by
means of the pairs of rollers a³, a³ carried by the said weight. The weight i can
slide or travel from end to end of the beam a. for the purpose of balancing the
beam when persons of different weights are using the apparatus. The said
weight is fixed in its adjusted position by the following arrangement of parts.
On one of the bars or plates of the trough shaped beam a is a rack / (see Figure 1)
and situated in a cross slot in the sliding weight i is a pawl pressed upwards by
a spring so as to cause it to engage with the rack and fix the sliding weight in
the beam; is the lever or handle of the pawl and is a handle affixed to the
sliding weight (see Figure 4). It will be seen that the pawl handle 12 and the
weight handle are so close together that the hand in grasping the handle i for
moving the sliding weight at the same time grasps the lever 12 of the spring
pawl thereby disengaging the said pawl from the rack and releasing the sliding
weight, which can now be moved into the required position in the beam. On
loosing the handle after the adjustment of the weight, the said weight is
immediately fixed in its adjusted position by the spring pawl Z taking into the
rack.
Or the sliding weight i may be fixed in its adjusted position in the beam a by
the clamping arrangement represented in side elevation partly in longitudinal
section in Figure 5 and cross section drawn to a larger scale in Figure 7. The
sliding weight i has connected to it by means of the screw m, worked by the hand
wheel n, a clamping plate p working underneath the flanges or ledges a², a² of the
bean on which ledges the weight travels and is supported (see Figure 7). When
it is wished to adjust the weight in the trough of the beam a, the screw m is
turned so as to relax the pressure of the clamping plate p upon the ledges a², a³
when the weight is released and may be moved to the required position. By then
tightening the screw m the clamping plate p is made forcibly to grip the
ledges a², a² between itself and the wheels a³ of the weight and thereby fix the
weight in its adjusted position. The parts of the apparatus which I have not
described are marked with the same letters as corresponding parts in Figures 1, 2
and 4.
Although I prefer to make the beam of the trough shape described and repre-
sented yet in the case of small and light bascules or see-saws the beam may be
made of a single bar, plate or plank. In this case the weight has a saddle shape
and slides on the top edge of the bar, plate or plank and is fixed in position by
a clamping screw, or it may be adjusted by means of a rack and pawl.
The arrangement for preventing the shock which would be occasioned by the
seats striking suddenly on the ground is represented in Figures 5 and 6 and tho
spring is represented separately drawn to a larger scale in Figure 8.
Around the centre b on which the beam a turns a coiled spring q is fixed having
arms q, q² at opposite sides, and crossing the beam a are bolts r, r. When either
end of the beam a is approaching the ground one or other of the cross bolts ?
bears upon one or other of the arms q² of the spring 9 and the said spring is put
uto a state of tension and considerable resistance is thereby offered to the further
lescent of the beam and the shock referred to is prevented. Stops q³ on the pillar
of the bascule limit the rising motion of the arms of the spring q as seen in
Figure 5. These stops may be made adjustable so as to vary the limits of the
pring's action.

page_text: Instead of the spring 9, 92, 92 and cross bolts r, r spiral or conical springs may
be placed beneath the seats e, e for the same purpose.
The pillar or stand on which the beam is supported is made in two parts
marked respectively c and c³. The upper part c² of the pillar or stand carries the
bearing in which the axis b turns and has on its underside the socket pin or peg ca
which takes into the cylindrical opening or socket c' in the top of the lower part c
of the stand. By means of the said peg or pin c³ the beam of the bascule or seesaw
may have a swivelling or horizontal motion around the stand. The upper part c³
of the stand, detached from the lower part c, is represented in Figure 5A. The peg
or socket pin c³ of the part c has a shoulder c which takes a bearing upon the top
of the lower part c of the stand in the manner best seen in the sectional part of
Figure 5. The upper part of the stand is secured to the lower part while permitting
of the rotation of the former part upon the latter part by means of a pin passed
through the part c working in an annular groove in the socket pin c³.
"
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I claim as my invention of
'Improvements in bascules or see-saws":-
First Arranging the seats at the extreme ends of the combined oscillating beam
and parallel rod of the bascule or see-saw for the purpose and substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and also
jointing the said seats to the said beam and rod in the manner described and
illustrated.
Secondly-The combination with the oscillating beams of bascules or see saws of
hinged or jointed steps of the construction described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings for facilitating the mounting and dismounting of the riders and
for supporting the beam when required in a horizontal position; also the arrange-
ment or combination of parts described and represented for fixing and releasing the
said steps.
Thirdly The combination with the oscillating beams of bascules or see-saws of
a sliding weight capable of being fixed in any required position in the beam for
the purpose of balancing the beam when persons of different weights are using the
apparatus substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings; also constructing the beam in the manner described and
illustrated for the purpose of receiving the sliding balancing weight and the
arrangements or combinations of parts described and illustrated for fixing the
sliding balancing weight in its adjusted position in the beam.
Fourthly Preventing the descending end of the oscillating beams of bascules
or see-saws from striking suddenly on the ground by the use of a strong coiled
spring arranged at the centre of the beam substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings
In witness whereof I the said Henry James Taylor Piercy have hereunto set
my hand and seal this fifth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three
A
DEHAAK