Year: 1888

page_text: I, THOMAS WILLIAM TAYLOR POTTS, of 23, Letterstone Road, Fulham, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows
-
My invention relates to an improved roundabout, the cars or the like of which are
mounted on an extensible frune in such a manner that, in starting the machine or
apparatus, they are gradually rused from the ground and at the same time,moved
radilly from the centre of the apparatus so that the circle through which the cars are
moved is increased in diameter
According to my said invention the extensible frame is composed of a series of
pairs of ours jointed together at their centres and adapted to work in the same
manner as lazy tongs, that is to say, when the adjacent ends of one pair of bars
are moved together the distance between the opposite ends of the pairs of bars will
be increased
One end of one bar of each pair is connected to a rotatable ring on the top of a
central pole or support, and the adjacent end of the other bar is connected to the top
of a telescoping tube which is arranged around the central support so that when the
telescoping tube is expanded the adjacent ends of the bars of the several pairs of bars
will be moved towards each other thereby moving the free ends of the said bars
outwards away from the central pole
The cars or other receptacles are mounted on the free ends of the pairs of
bars in such a manner that they are gradually raised as the bars are closed
together
The lower end of the telescoping tube is preferably mounted on friction rollers at
the foot so that it will rotate and cause the rotation of the pairs of bars around the
central pole or support
A petroleum engine or other motor may be used for rotating the telescoping_tube
The free ends of the adjacent pairs of bars are connected by ropes, chains,
bars, or the like, so, as to maintain the said pairs of bars at uniform distances
anant

page_text: The central pole or support serves also as the central pole for supporting a cover
for the apparatus to protect it from the weather
Dated the 12th day of June 1888
G F REDFERN & Co,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant
I, THOMAS WILLIAM TAYLOR POTTS, of 23, Letterstone Road, Fulham, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentlem in, 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 an improved roundabout, the cars or the like of which are
mounted on an extensible frame in such a manner that, in starting the machine or
apparatus, they are gradually raised from the ground and at the same time moved
radilly from the centre of the apparatus so that the circle through which the curs are
moved is increased in diameter
According to my said invention the extensible frame is composed of a series
of pairs of bars, Jointed together at their centres and adapted to work in the same
manner as lazy tongs, that is to say, when the adjacentjends of one pair of bars
nie moved together the distance between the opposite ends of the pairs of bars will be
increased
One end of one bar of each pair is connected to a rotatable ring on the top of a
central pole or support, and the adjacent end of the other bai is connected to the top
of telescoping tubes which are arranged around the central support so that when the
said telescoping tube is extended the adjacent ends of the bars of the several purs of
bars will be moved towards each other thereby moving the free ends of the said bars
outwards away from the central pole
The cars or other receptacles are mounted on the free ends of the pairs of
bar in such a manner that they are gradually raised as the bars are closed
together
The telescoping tube telescopes into a cylinder the lower end of which is preferably
mounted on triction rollers at the loot so that it will rotate and cause the rotation of
the pairs of bars around the central pole or support
The free ends of the adjacent pairs of bars are connected by ropes, chains, bars or
the like so as to maintain the said pairs of bars at uniform distances apart

page_text: The central support is provided at its upper end with a pole for supporting a cover
for the apparitus to protect it from the weather
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the sune by reference
to the accompanying drawing, in which,
Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my improved roundabout
Figure 21 a horizontal section of part of the same
Figure 1
on the hne A B of
Similar reference letters indicate similar parts in both the figures
The extensible frame comprises six purs of bars a a eich pair being jointed at its
centre 6 to work in the same manner as lazy tongs so that when the adjacent ends c, c
are moved together, the distance between the said ends and the opposite ends d, d will
be increased and vice versa when they are separated
e is the rotatable ring to which is connected the end c of one bar of each pur, and
which is capable of rotating on a collar on the central pole or support f¹ mounted
in a socket 9 on base plate g¹ the said pole being formed hollow and perforated at
its lower end as shown in Figure 1 his the telescoping tube to the upper end of
which is connected the adjacent end c of the other bar of each pair, and which is
arranged around the central pole or support f¹ so that when the said telescoping tube
18 extended, the adjacent ends c, c of each pair of bars will be moved towards each
other, thereby moving the free ends d, d of the said bars outwards away from the
central pole
1, 2 are cars which are suspended from the free ends d of the bars a attached to
the rotatable ring e which cars, as the pairs of bars are extended, are raised
from the ground The lowered position of the cars is shown by the dotted lines in
Figure 1
718 the cylinder into which the tube / telescopes, an additional tube being
also used to allow of the required extension of the tube h h¹, are rods which
telescope into tubes h³ and h³ and serve to strengthen or stay the tubes h, k and
cylinder,
For extending the tube h to raise the cars I idvantageously make use of hydraulic
power, the water being pumped from a series of connected tanks through a pipe ¹
and through the lower part of the pole f¹, into the interior of the cylinder, and
tubes k and ň by means of a pump m, Figure 2 The pump m is worked from a
shaft n by gear wheels o and p, a clutch q being used to allow the said pump to be
connected to or disconnected from the said shaft is required
r is a hand wheel for operating the clutch 9 through the medium of a rod „¹ and
bell-crank +³
is a platform upon which the operator stands to work the apparatus'
ງ
To prevent the tube h from extending too far I provide a valve in the bottom
of the cylinder and connect it by means of a chain or its equivalent s¹ to the said
tube so that if the operator forgets to disconnect the pump m from the shaft n at
the right moment the tube / when it has been extended a certain distance beyond the
proper point will open the valves and allow the water to escape through à pipe s
into the tanks /
For collapsing the telescoping tubes h and k in order to lower the cars 1, I provide
a valve t operated by a hand wheel t¹, rods and bell cranks to allow the water
contained in the cylinder, and tubes h and k to pass into the tanks through the
Pipe³
"u, u are friction rollers with which the bottom or foot f* of the cylinder 7 18
provided and upon which it can rotate with the pair of bars a around the central
support f¹ u² is a rail or track formed on the base plate g¹ upon which rail the
friction rollers u run
To cause the rotation of the apparatus I form cog teeth on the underside of the
foot with which teeth gears a bevil wheel mounted loosely on the shaft n A
clutch &³ is provided for connecting and disconnecting the wheel o² to and from the
shaft n as required

page_text: 2018 a hand wheel for operating the clutch 2 by means of a rod w¹ and bell
crank w
In order to form a water tight joint between the cylinder, and the base
plate g I extend the said cylinder below the foot f¹ so as to form a spigot_ƒ³
which enters and works in a corresponding recess 9³ provided with a stuffing
gland g*
The shaft n can be worked by a petroleum engine or other motor
x, are ropes, chains, bars or the like which connect the free ends d of the
adjacent pairs of bars a as shown so as to maintain the said pairs of bars at
uniform distances apart The said connections can be jointed together at their
centres and additional cars suspended at those points if required
The central support f¹ is formed hollow at its upper part, so as to receive a pole y
for carrying the cover y¹ to protect the apparatus from the weather the outer edges of
which cover are attached to arms y jointed to a circular bracket y' attached to the top
of the said support fl
✓ are guy ropes attached to the arms y for steadying the apparatus
To enable the apparatus to occupy little space so as to render it more portable
when moving from place to place, the arms a and y³ can oe lowered so as to fit close
round the tubes h, k, and the cylinder 7, as will be obvious
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 18
(1) A roundabout comprising a series of pairs of jointed bars arranged around a
central support, the adjacent inner ends of each pair being jointed respectively to a
collar fixed relatively to the central support (so far as a longitudinal movement 18
concerned) and to a collar or plate sliding on the said support, while the lowermost
outer ends of such pairs of bars are adapted to carry cars or the like, whereby
when the adjacent inner ends of such pairs of bars are moved towards each other
the cars or the like will be moved upwards and radially relatively to the said
support, and vice veisa when they are separated, substantially in the manner
described
(2) In a roundabout of the kind referred to in the preceding claiming clause,
mounting the sliding collar or plate upon telescoping tubes, adapted to be expanded
by water or other fluid pressure, substantially as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore
described
(3) The manufacture and use of the improved roundabout hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings
Dated the 10th day of An-1 1980
G F REDFERN & Co,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant