US1186185A - Roundabout. - Google Patents

Description

J.- D. GUINN.

ROUNDABOl JT. APPLICATION FILED nov.20. I914.

Patented June 6; 1916.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. D. GUINN.

ROUNDABOUT.

APPLICATION FILED uov.2o. 19H.

Patented June 6, 1916.

,3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. vasmxa'rorl. D- c.

Patented June 6, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- J. D. GUINN. ROUNDABOUT.

APPLICATION man uov.2o. 1914.

JOSEPH D. GUINN, OF SALAMANCA, NEW YORK.

ROUNDAEOUT.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1916.

Application filed November 20, 1914. Serial No. 873,152.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnri-r D. GUINN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salamanca, in the county of Cattaraugus and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Roundabouts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in roundabouts or amusement devices of that kind having a rotatable or horizontally oscillatory platform for the occupants.

The objects of this invention are to produce an amusement device of this character of novel construction in which the rotation of the platform produces a rising and falling motion of the same; also to provide a device of this kind having improved operat ing mechanism for the platform adapted to be operated by means of an engine or other source of power; also to improve the construction of devices of this kind in the respects hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of a roundabout embodying the invention. Fig. :2 is a similar elevation hereof showing the platform in an elevated position. Fig. 3 is a plan View thereof showing an engine for actuating the platform. Fig. 4c is a sectional view of areversing clutch for enabling the engine to actuate the platform in either direction.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary central sectional elevation of the roundabout on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation, on a stilllarger scale, of the upper end of the post from which the platform is suspended. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the roundabout showing one of the spokes of the driving wheel. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional plan View thereof on line 88, Fig. 5.

A represents a stationary upright center post, and B represents the platform which is suspended from a support at the upper portion of the center post by cables, ropes or other suitable flexible connections 0 which permit the platform to oscillate about the center post and cause it to rise and fall as the cables C wind on and unwind from the center post by reason of the oscillations of the platform.

The center post A can be of any suitableconstruction and can be secured in upright position in any sultable manner. For instance, as shown, the post conslsts of a metal pipe and the lower end of the post is secured in an upright socket or tubular part a of a base plate a. A key or upwardly projectmg portion (4 is provided at the bottom of the socket, being preferably made integral with the base plate, and engages in a corresponding notch or recess in the lower end of the post A to hold the post against rotation. The base plate is secured to cross beams a resting on the ground and which are of suflicient length to give the device the necessary stability. A nut a is screwed on the upper end of the tubular socket a and a ring or gasket a? around the post centers the post and holds it rigid in the socket and tightly closes the joint between the same and the upper end of the socket.

The platform B may be of any suitable construction, that shown being annular in form and provided with seats or a bench b of any sort desired for the occupants, preferably arranged near the inner edge of the platform, and with a railing 6 near the outer edge thereof. The platform shown comprises a frame constructed of inner and outer circular members or beams b and 6 connected by radial members If, the frame being covered by a floor 6 The supporting cables C for the platform are preferably fastened at their lower ends to eyebolts c secured to lugs or brackets c on the radial frame members 6 and at their upper ends to spools or rollers 0 journaled on pins 0 which are secured in a cap fastened to the upper end of the tubular post. The cap shown consists of two parts 0 and 0 the part 0 being secured to the upper end of the post and the part 0 being secured to and covering the part 0 Any other means for securing the cables to the platform and to the post may be used if desired.

The platform is set in motion by applying force to the same to start it turning, so that the cables C are wound in one direction on the center post and raise the platform a distance depending upon the extent of rotation thereof, and when the platform is released, it will descend and revolve in the opposite direction and reversely wind the cables on the center post. The platform is thus turned alternately in opposite directions and the motion and speed gradually increased until it has acquired considerable momentum, when it will oscillate back and forth and rise and fall for a considerable period of time without further application of force,

In the construction shown, power-driven mechanism is preferably employed for imparting movement to the platform from a horizontally rotatable driven member or pulley D, which includes a hub (Z journaled on the tubular socket a of the base, preferably by means of antifriction bearings (Z d, a grooved rim (Z for a driving belt or cable, and a plurality of spokes (Z connecting the rim (Z with radial extensions (Z of the hub.

The platform is operated from the driven pulley D by means of a plurality of connecting rods or members which form a slidable or telescopic connection between the pulley D, which rotates in a fixed plane, and the platform 13 which moves up and down while rotating. The connecting members shown for this purpose each include an arm or part E having a bifurcated inner portion, the inner ends of which are pivoted at e eto the pulley D, and a part F comprising two legs f f pivoted at f f to the platform. The outer end 6 of the part E is slidable endwise in a bearing f secured on the part F. By means of this construction the two parts E and F of the connecting member slide relatively to each. other when. rotary motion is imparted to the platform from the pulley D and thus enable the platform to move up and down relatively to the pulley while force is applied to the platform through the connecting members to turn the platform.

6 represents a stop or collar, preferably adjustable at the outer end 6 of the part E of each connecting member, to limit the upward movement of the platform; and 6 represents a similar stop or collar on the part c at the other side of the bearing 7. The stops 6 serve to center the platform relatively to the pulley D and hold it horizontal and steady when the platform is in its lowest position. The rods or connecting members could be slidably and pivotally connected to the platform in any other suitable uy suitable means may be used for driving the pulley D to actuate the platform. Figs. 3 and 4 show how this can be accomplished by means of an engine or motor. In these figures, G represents an engine or motor having a shaft 9 provided with two pulleys g and 57 These pulleys are con nected by means of belts g and 9*, one of which is crossed, to pulleys h h of a reversing clutch H. The pulleys h 72. are mounted to revolve freely about a shaft if and are rigidly connected with clutch members h if. A movable clutch member it is splined to the shaft and is provided with clutch faces It and 71 adapted to be moved into engagement with either of the clutch members it h by moving the movable member lengthwise of the shaft, so that the shaft 71, can be driven in one direction or in another. The movable member can be actuated by a shift rod it having an arm 7L9 engaging a circumferential groove h in the movable member. I represents a pulley on the shaft 71/ which is connected by means of a belt or cable to the pulley D of the roundabout.

In the operation of the device, the movable clutch member may be placed in either position to start the platform rotating in one direction. After the cables have been wound on the center postfthe clutch can be released to permit the cables tounwind, so that the platform will continue to rotate in opposite directions and will, by its own momentum, alternately wind the cables on the post in opposite directions. If desired, the clutch member in starting the roundabout can be reversed at short intervals so that the cables are gradually wound on the center post to a greater extent, thus raising the platform more at each winding of the cables, until the maximum height desired is reached, after which the platform will continue to rotate for some time.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a roundabout, the combination of an upright center post which is held in a fixed position and prevented from turning, a platform arranged to rotate about said center post and rise and fall, flexible connections attached to the upper part of said center post and to said platform for suspending the platform, and means rotatable about said post and connected with the platform for applying force to the platform to rotate the same to cause said flexible connections to wind on said center post whereby the platform is caused to oscillate horizontally and rise and fall.

2. In a roundabout, the combination of a stationary center post, a platform adapted to rotate and to move up and down relatively to the post, flexible connections sus pending said platform from said post and adapted to be wound on said post by the rotation of said platform, a member rotatable about said post and having a direct operative connection with said platform, and means for driving said member.

3. In a roundabout, the combination of astationary center post, a platform adapted to rotate and to move up and down relatively to the post, flexible connections suspending said platform from said post and adapted to be wound on said post by the rotation of said platform, a member adapted to be rotated about said post, and arms con.- necting said rotatable member and said platform for rotating said platform about said post.

4:. In a roundabout, the combination of a platform, a stationary center post extending upwardly through the platform, connec tions suspending said platform from the up-. per end of said post, a driving member rotatable about said center post, and arms con meeting said driving member and said platform for causing said platform to be rotated by said driving member about said stationary post.

5. In a roundabout, the combination of a stationary center post, a platform adapted to rotate and to move up and down relatively to said post, flexible connections suspending said platform from said post and adapted to be wound on said post by the rotation of said platform, a driven member rotatable in a fixed position about said post, and arms pivoted on said member and having a movable connection with said platform for imparting rotary movement to the platform and permitting the up and down movement thereof.

6. In a roundabout, the combination of a stationary center post, a platform adapted to rotate and to move up and down relatively to said post, flexible connections suspending said platform from said post and adapted to be wound on said post by the rotation of said platform, a pulley rotatable about said post, and connecting members pivotally connected to said pulley and pivotally and slidably connected to said platform for imparting movement'to the platform.

7. In a roundabout, the combination of a stationary center post, a platform adapted to rotate and to move up and down relatively to said post, flexible connections suspending said platform from said post and adapted to be wound on said post by the rotation of said platform, a pulley rotatable about said post, and connecting members each comprising a part pivotally connected to said pulley and a part pivotally connected to said platform, said parts being slidably connected.

8. In a roundabout, the combination of a stationary center post, a platform adapted to rotate and to move up and down rela tively to said post, flexible connections suspending said platform from said post and adapted to be wound on said post by the copies 0! this patent msy be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the rotation of said platform, a pulley rotatable about said post, an arm pivoted to said pulley, and a bearing in which said arm is slidable lengthwise, said bearing being pivotally mounted on said platform.

9. In a roundabout, the combination of a stationary center post, aplatform adapted to rotate and to move up and down relatively to said post, flexible connections suspending said platform from said post and adapted to be wound on said post by the rotation of said platform, a pulley rotatable about said post, an arm having a bifurcated portion pivoted on said pulley, and a piv oted bearing on said platform in which said arm is slidable lengthwise.

10. In a roundabout, the combination of a stationary center post, a platform adapted to rotate and to move up and down relatively to said post, flexible connections suspending said platform from said post and adapted to be wound on said post by the rotation of said platform, a base having an upwardly extending tubular portion in.

which said post is seated, a pulley journaled on said tubular portion of the base, and means connecting said platform and said pulley for driving the platform.

11. In a roundabout, the combination of a stationary center post, a platform adapted to rotate and to move up and down relatively to the post, flexible connections suspending said platform from said post and adapted to be wound on said post by the rotation of said platform, a member rotatable about said post and operatively connected with said platform, a motor for driving said member, and a. clutch interposed between said motor and said member for driving said member in either direction of rotation.

Witness my hand, this 18th day of November, 1914.

JOSEPH D. GUINN. Witnesses:

C. W. PARKER, C. B. HORNBECK.

"Commissioner 01' Istents.

wlshingtol, D. 0."

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