US1030316A - Amusement apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

J. E. MQREYNOLDS.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED 511N314, 1911.

PatentedJune 25, 1912.

3 SHEETS-BHEET 1.

I c/o/M COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH 420-. WASHINGTON, n. C.

J. E. MGREYNOLDS.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION IILED JUNE 14, 1911.

1,030,316. Patented June 25, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

an sr'r JOHN E. MQREYNOLDS, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1912.

Application filed June 14, 1911. Serial No. 633,036.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that 1, JOHN E. MoREYNoLDs, citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in amusement appara tus, and has particular application to that type of apparatus wherein a number of fig ures representing horses or other animals, or, if desired, objects in the nature of cars, chariots or the like, are driven around a mechanical race-course, thereby affording amusement, entertainment and excitement to those engaged in using the apparatus.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to provide an amusement apparatus of the character described wherein each of the figures, cars, or other objects may be driven at a predetermined speed at the will of the operator or attendant, so that when the apparatus is in operation he has complete control of the speed of the figures, thereby enabling him to make the race as close and exciting as he may desire.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a novel means of connecting the figures or objects to the traveling or driving cable so that all curves in the track may be taken with ease, smoothness and safety.

Another purpose of my invention is to provide a novel arrangement of the various shafts for actuating the drive wheel of the traveling cables.

With the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in View, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying my invention, the cables and guide sheaves therefor being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side view of the carriage traveling along the trackway. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same, the track being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the power transmitting mechanism including the drive shafts, cone pulleys, gearing and cable driving wheels. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the flexible connection of the carriage and cable. Fig. 6 isa top plan view of the cone pulleys. Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation of the mechanism for shifting the belt to vary the speed of the cone pulleys.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the letter A indicates as an en- 'tlrety the platform or frame of the race is the carriage C comprising a frame formed of the end members 66 and the horizontal connecting bar 7. The members 6 project beyond the end of the bar 7 and carry the grooved wheels 8, arranged in pairs so that while one pair rides on the top edge of the track the other bears against the under edge thereof. Extending upwardly from the bar 7 is a suitable support 9 for an object or figure such as an animal or car (not shown). Secured to one side of the bar 7 at any suitable point is a plate 10 having a socket 11 in whichis secured one end of the relatively short flexible cable 12, the opposite end of said cable being secured in the socket 18 of the link 14 pivotally connected to the sleeve 15 carried by one of the drive cables. By reference to the drawings it will be seen that there is a drive cable 16 for each track, in the present instance three in number, each endless cable leading over guide sheaves 17 suitably arranged at the platform and grooved in such manner that the sleeves 15 of the carriage cable connections will ride easily and smoothly over and past the sheaves. It will, of course, be understood that there is a cable connection and sleeve for each carriage. In order to drive the cables shown in Fig. 1, I employ the grooved drive wheels 18, 19, and 20, engaging wit-h the outer intermediate and inner cables respectively. The drive wheel 20 is carried by the shaft 21 having the bevel gear 22 meshing with the bevel gear 23 at the end of the solid shaft 24. Similarly the wheel 19 is driven through shaft 25, and bevel gears 26 and 27 the latter on the end of the tubular shaft 28 through which passes the solid shaft 24. The outer wheel 18 is in turn driven through shaft 29 carrying bevel gear 30 meshing with bevel gear 31 in the end of the tubular shaft 32 which envelops the tubular shaft 28 and the solid shaft 24.

The ends of the shaft 24 extend beyond the ends of the shaft 28 and similarly the latter is longer than the outer tubular shaft 32. These shafts 24, 28 and 32 are provided with cone pulleys 33, 34 and 35, respectively arranged in the parallelism with the oppositely disposed cone pulleys 36, 37 and 38 on the power shaft 39, receiving power from a suitable source. These sets of pulleys 33, 36, 34, 37, and 35, 38, are connected in driving engagement by the bolts 40, 41 and 42,

which may be shifted by any suitable belt shifting means, to vary the speed ofrevolution of the drive shafts of the cables 16 and consequently varying the speed at which the figures or objects connected to the cables travel.

In Figs. 7 and. 8,1 have shown one arrangement for varying the speed of drive of the pulleys. In said figures, the numeral 43 indicates an operating lever terminating in a link 44 engaging with the belt shifting rod 45 carrying the pins 46 and 47. The numeral 48 indicates the drive belt engaging the two oppositely disposed pulleys 49 and 50,which, as will be noted from Fig. 7 are of the ordinary cone form so that as the belt is shifted through the medium of the rod 43, the driving speed of the pulleys and consequently the drive shaft will'be varied to conform to the requirements of the apparatus.

From the abovedescription taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of my improved amusement apparatus will be readily apparent. .The figures or cars which are supported on the standards 9 are thus car ried by the carriages whichtravel on the trac'kways and are-in connection with the endless traveling cables through the short 7 flexible cables 12. Motion is imparted to the power shaft 39 and thence through the cone pulleys to the telescoping shafts 24, 28 and 32 through which such motion is transmitted through the, respective bevel gears and short stud shafts'to the drive wheels 18, 19 and 20 and these being in engagement with the endless cables, drive the latter. lVhen it is desired to change the speed of travel of one of the cables it is only necesbe seen that I have provided a compact, du-

rable and entertaining form of amusement device, and one wherein the objects or figures carrying the passengers will travel easily, smoothly and safely over the trackway, the speed of travel of any of said objects or figures being under the control and regulation of the operator or attendant.

l/Vhile I have herein shown'and described one embodiment of my invention by way of illustration, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to all the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An amusement apparatus comprising a platform, a trackway thereon, an endless cable traveling adjacent to said trackway, guide sheaves for said cable, a drive wheel engaging with the cable, a shaft connected to said wheel, a second shaft, gearing be tween the first-named shaft and the second shaft, means for varying the speed of the revolution of the shaft, 'a carriage traveling on the trackway, and connections between said carriage and cable.

2. An amusement apparatus comprisinga platform, a plurality of trackways arranged thereon and located one within the other, a traveling cable for each of said trackways, guide sheaves for the cables, carriages traveling on said trackways, and flexible connections with the carriages and the cables, each connection comprising a socket member secured to the carriage and sleeve of the'cable and a short cable between the JOHN E. MGREYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

J. STERLING WHEELER, HARRY RATHGEB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I); G.

Images