US1096119A - Maniature panama canal. - Google Patents

Description

L. E. MYERS.

MINIATURE PANAMA CANAL.

AEPLIGATION FILED PBBJQ, 1913.

1,096, 1 1 9, Patented May 12,1914.

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- APPLICATION IILED FEBJQ, 1913.

Patented May 1.2, 1914.

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LOUIS E. MYERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE ANGLO-CALIFORNIA TRUST COMPANY, TRUSTEE, OF SAN FRANCISCOpCALL FORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

MINIATURE PANAMA CANAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914;.

To (Mlle/ 1cm it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS E. Mrnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in a Miniature Panama Canal, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to produce a simple and novel arrangement for conveying people past or around something of considerable size which is to be exhibited to them and simultaneously and automatically, by means of a phonograph, deliver a lecture concerning the thing exhibited.

Specifically considered, my invention has for its object to produce a simple and novel arrangement for carrying large numbers of people past and around a reproduction of the Panama Canal, its terminals and the adjacent territory, built on a considerable scale; and at the same time, by means of automatic phonograph devices, deliver lectures describing and explaining the various points of interest or matters of history, in such a way that all of the persons who are being carried will be able to hear the lectures distinctly.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized. will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its object and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus arranged in accordance with my invention in proper relation to a reproduction of the Panama Canal to exhibit the latter fully; Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the cars or carriages of which the conveying apparatus is made; and Fig. 3 is a view looking toward the right from the left hand end of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, 1 represents a chain of cars or carriages, preferably a continuous chain running over a track formed in an endless loop which surrounds a reproduction on a fairly large scale of the Panama Canal, 2, and its terminals, 3 and 4,

and incloses any desired amount of territory lying on each side of thechannel of the canal.

The cars or carriages may take any suitable form, being preferably mounted on wheels, 5, which run along ordinary railway rails, 6. The cars or carriages may be coupled together and move in any suitable manner. In order to give the cars or carriages a large seating capacity, I prefer to provide each with a series of seats, chairs or benches, as indicated at 7, 8 and 9, these extending lengthwise of the car so that persons seated therein face in the direction at right angles to the track. I furthermore prefer to arrange the seats at different elevations, those on the side which are to be on the inside of the loop being the lowest and those on the outside the highest, so that each row of persons in the car will have a full view of the exhibit over the heads of those in front of them. In all of the cars or carriages, or at short intervals throughout the train are placed phonographs, 10; there being in the arrangement shown one of these phonographic devices on every third car in the train. Extending along the track, preferably between and parallel with the rails is a stationary rack bar, 11. From each of the phonographs extends a vertical shaft, 12, having on its lower end a gear wheel or pinion, 13, meshing with the rack bar. The vertical shafts may either be propelling shafts for the phonographs, that is the means for driving the records, or they may be controlling devices which govern the rate at which the records are actuated by suitable spring motors or other motors. In either case, the records of the phonograph will be actuated in definite relation to the movement of the cars on which they are carried. Consequently if one of the phonographic devices is initially adjusted so that a record can be made thereby and the car on which it is mounted is made to travel around the loop while av lecturer is talking into the device, delivering the part of the lecture pertinent to each point of interest as that point is reached, a record will be produced which will thereafter repeat whatever the lecturer has said at the very point where he said it.

By providing each of the phonographic devices with a record made in the manner described and arranging for the shifting veyer movable along the canal, a phone graph carried. by the conveyer and adapted to deliver a lecture on the Panama Canal, and means for governing the operation of the phonograph so as to svncln'onize the locture with the passing view as seen from a point on the conveyer near the phonograph.

In an apparatus of the character described, a miniature Panama Canal, a conveyer movabl along the canal, a phonograph carried by the conveyer and adapted to de-' liver alccture on the Panama Canal, and means for governing the operation of the phonograph with reference to its position relative to the canal.

In an apparatus of the cha 'acter described, a n'iiniature Panama Canal, a movable endless conveyer surrouinling the canal, a phonograph carried by the conveyer and adapted to deliver a lecture on the Panama Canal, and means for governing the operation of the phonograph so as to synchronize the lecture with the passing view as seen from a point on the conveyer in the vicinity of the phonograph.

I. In an apparatus of the character described, a miniature Panama Canal, a car movable on tracks running adjacent to the canal, a phonograph carried by the car and adapted to deliver a lecture on the Panama Canal, a rack bar extending in the direction of and in the vicinity of said tracks, and a governor for said phonograph geared to said rack bar.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a miniature Panama Canal, a car running 011 a track surrounding the canal and its terminals, a phonograph carried by the car and adapted to deliver a lecture on the Panama Canal, and means for governing the operation of the phonograph so as to synchronize the lecture with the passing view as seen from the moving car.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a spectacle to be exhibited, a conveycr movable along the same, a phonograph :arried by the conveyer and adapted to deliver a lecture on said spectacle, and means for governing the operation of the phonograph so as to synchronize the lecture with the passing view as seen from a point on the conveyer near the phonograpl'i.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a movable conveyer, a pl'ionograph carried by the conveyer and adapted to deliver a lecture on the passing view, and means for governing the operation of the phonograph so as to synchronize the lecture with the view as seen from a point on the conveyor near the phonograph.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS E. MYERS.

Vitnesses:

M. B. SNrrLorr, PIARRY K. GERWIG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. G."

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