US1057919A

US1057919A - Observation-car.

Info

Publication number: US1057919A
Application number: US72388412A
Authority: US
Inventors: Achille F Biavati
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1912-10-04
Filing date: 1912-10-04
Publication date: 1913-04-01
Anticipated expiration: 1930-04-01

Description

WITNESSES mymron CW V (963% [W /(112g ATTORNEYS A. P. BIAVATL OBSERVATION cm.

APPLICATION FILED 06124, 1912.

' Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

'wml INVENTOR G #MZQWA 3 0 fi'z' q I By a: I A7TORNEY8 .A. P. BIAVATI.

OBSERVATION GAB.

APPLICATION FILED 0014, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

v wmvssss INVENTOR 0} if? Kiwi-iii ATTORNEYS Patnted Apr. 1, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AGHILLE-F. BIAVA'II, OF NEW YORK, 'N. Y.

OBSERVATION -GAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

Application filed October 4, 1912. Serial No. 723,884.

To all whom it may concern: j v

Be it known that I, AomLLE F. BIAVATI, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, boron h of Manhattan, in the county and State o New York, have invented a new and Improved Observation-Car, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in amusement devices, and particularly to What are known as observation wheels, and has for an object to provide an improved structure having a self-balancing car arranged with means for rotating the same in various directions while-the wheel structure is rotating. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide an observation wheel with a plurality of independently rotating cars arranged to remain in a vertical position by gravity and by such action transmit power to propelling mechanism for propelling the car acertain number of turns in one direction in a horizontal plane, and then a certain number of turns in an opposite direction. v

In carrying out the objects of the invention, a wheel structure of any desired kind is provided having suitable bracing members. To this wheel is connected a plurality of rings, the rings'being stationary in respect to the wheel and acting as guides with tracks for cars mounted therein. These cars are formed with suitable seats to act as the usual observation car, and' actin through gravity will remain in a vertica position and allow the ring or track supporting the same to move as the main or large wheel moves. A plurality of gears are provided and also a' plurality of racks so arranged and associated together and with the respective cars and the wheel, as to cause the .cars to rotate in a .horizontal' plane. These gears and racks may be so set as to cause the cars to rotate in a single direction in the horizontal plane, or rotate a certain number of revolutions in one direction and then reverse themselves and rotate a oer-- tain number of revolutions in "the opposite direction. Arranged in the car are one or more seats which rotate with the car in its horizontal movement and also a seat which does not rotate in a horizontal plane so that when in use the patrons may use'either seat.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in

at the bottom than at-the top or sides so .which similar characters of reference indi-- eate corresponding arts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a si e View of a Wheel embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the car and the supporting ring therefor; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the structure shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section through Fig. 3 on the line 4-4; Fig. 5 is a section through Fig. 3 on the line 55; Fig. 6 is a planview of the upper framework of the Icar shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 7 is a fra mentary sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3, the same showing the bottom of the car, the tracks and steps and associated parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates the wheel which may be of any size and of substantially any construction.

upon a suitable journal 2, which in turn is held properly in position by uprights 3. I

tive cars 5 are adaptedto be positions in the respective rings and guided and held I in place thereby. The cars are made heavier that the same will naturally remain normally in a vertical position under the action of gravit will remain substantially in a horizontal position. In order to cause the cars 5 to better act under the law of gravity, a plurality of double flanged wheels 6 are mounted in suitable guides 7 which are secured in any suitable manner to the framework of the cars 5.

The framework 8 of the cars 5 has rigidly secured thereto an' upper frame-9 and a lowerframe or bottom 10. These upper and lower frames of course are rigidly secured to the frames 8 and move therewith. Ar-' 10C ranged on the frame or bottom 10 is a circular track 11 and a pair of steps 12 and 13.

The track 11 is deslgned to accommodate any desired number of, flanged wheels 14' connected with the floor 15 of the horizontally moving part of the car iniwhich seats 16 are placed. Arranged centrally of the floor 15 is a second floor '17 rigidly secured to a seat18. Theseat 18 is supported by a bar 19 clamped tothe bottom of the floor- 11o ing 10 by

suitable nuts

20 and 21 ,whereby the floor 17 and associated parts are held The wheel 1 is supported so that the bottom of the cars stationary in respect to the bottom or flooring 10 and consequent-lywill always remain in a vertical posltion without independent rotation. The floor 15 and seats 16 are connected with a suitable housing 22 which is rovided with an upper portion or top 23 avin rigidly secured thereto a shaft'2 l. The shaft 24 is rigidly connected with the beveled gear 25 meshing with the pinion 26- which is rigidly secured to 'the shaft 27. The shaft 27 does not extend entirely across the car but substantially to a central point The gear wheels 29 are adapted to engageat various times the

racks

30, 31, 32 and 33. These racks are rigidly secured to the rings 4 so that as the big wheel 1 rotates the various racks may engage the respective wheels 29 at different times for rotating the same.

It will be observed that the racks 32 and 33' a are arranged on opposite, sides, and racks mitted through shaft 27, pinion 26, beveled 30 and 31 are arranged on opposite sides so that only one of the wheels 29 may engage a rack at any one time and that while enaging alternately racks on opposite sides of the car the cage or framework 22 will be rotated in opposite directions in a horizontal plane. It will be observed from Fig. 4 that thereis a space between the various racks so that when one of the gear wheels 29 is disengaged from rack 30 there will be an interval before the opposite gear wheel 29 will engage rack 33. This will give the cage or housing 22 and seats 16 time to stop its rotary movement or substantially stop the same. From Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that when power is transmitted from one of the gear wheels 29 the same will be transgear 25, and shaft 24 to the housing or cage 22. The rotation of the housing or cage 22 will not in any way affect the seat 18 and associated parts.

A suitable banister or railing 34: is provided so that during the movement of the housing or cage 22 no one will accidentally fall on to seat 18. Also it will be observed that suitable gates 35 are provided for preventing any one from accidentally falling out of the car.

It will be evident that a greater or less number of racks could be provided so as to change or vary the number of horizontal revolutions of the housing or cage 22 and that other minor changes could be -made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of a wheel, a plurality of caisupports mounted on said wheel and adapted to bodily turn with saids whee'l, a car rotatably mounted within each of said supports, and means for causing said car to be of greater weight at the bottom than at the top whereby the car will remain nor-- mally in a Vertical position while said wheel is rotated. 1

2. In an observation wheel of the class described, the combination of a wheel structure, a plurality of rings arranged onhsaid wheel structure adapted to be carriedthereby, said rings beingstationary in respect to 7 said wheel structure, a car mounted in each pair of said rings, said car being heavier'at the bottom than at the top whereby the car is adapted to remain in the same vertical position under the action of gravity, antifriction means for each of said cars engaging said rings whereby said rings act as tracks for said car, a rotatable cage arranged in each of said cars and means for transmitting power frolnsaid wheel to each of said cages for causing a horizontal rotary movement of said cages;

3. In an observation wheel of the class described, a wheel structure, a plurality of circular tracks rigidly secured to said wheel structure, a car for each pair of said tracks, means for holding said car on said tracks, said cars being heavier at the bottom than at the top whereby the cars-are adapted to remain upright continually under the action of gravity, an independent rotatable cage arranged in each of said cars, and a plurality of means for transmitting power from said wheel to said cage for rotating the same independently of the rotation of said wheel.

4. In anobservation wheel of the class described, a wheel structure, a plurality of guiding rings rigidly secured to said wheel structure, a car rotatably mounted in each pair of said rings having a weighted bottom, the rotatable mounting of said cars and the weighted bottom causing said cars continually to remain in a vertical position notwithstanding the rotation of said wheel, an independent rotatable cage arranged in each of said cars, a gear wheel secured to said cage, a rack secured to said rings, and means for connecting said gear wheel and said rack whereby when said wheel is rotated power will be transmitted "through said rack and said gear wheelto said cage for rotating the same with a movementindependent of the rotation of said wheel. v

5. In an observationwheel of the class described, a wheel structure, a plurality of guiding rings rigidly secured to said wheel tructure, a car mounted in each pair of said rings and guided thereby said cars being weighted at the bottom was to remain continually in a vertical position notwithstanding the rotation of said wheel structure, a rotating cage arran ed in said cars, a plurality of spaced rac secured to said rings on opposite sides of said cars, a shaft extending across said cars, a ear wheel secured to each end of said sha t and adapted to alternately engage said racks, a pinion connected with said shaft, and a gear wheel -meshing with said pinion connected with said cage whereby power is transmitted from said wheel structure to said cage for rotating the same in a horizontal plane and in reverse .directions for .a predetermined number of revolutions.

6. In an observation wheel of the class described, a rotatable wheel structure, a plurality of pairs of rings rigidly secured to said wheel structure, said rings acting as each pair of said rings being arranged alternately onopposite rings so that said gear wheels will engage successively said racks and consequently transmit power to said cage for rotating the same, a certain number of revolutions in one direction and then rotating the cage in a certain number of revolutionsin an opposite direction.

7. In an observatlon wheel of the characterdescribed, a rotating wheel structure,

a plurality of car supports arranged thereon, a plurality of cars supported by said car supports, said cars being heavier at the bottom than at the top thereby remaining continually by gravity 1n a vertical position,

a rotating cage arranged on each of said cars, a seat and platform arranged interiorly of eachof said cages statlonary in respect to said cars, and means for transmitting power from said wheel structure to said rotating cage for rotating the same,

8. The combination of a rotatable wheel, a plurality of car supports mounted on said wheel and adapted to bodily turn with said wheel, cars rotatably mounted on said supports having greater weight at the bottom than at the top, whereby the bottom of the cars will remain substantially horizontal during the rotation of said wheel, and an independently rotatable cage positioned in each of said cars.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this'specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' Witnesses:

JAcoB KALLMAN, FREDERICK C. BREWSTER.

'ACHILLE F. BIAVATI.