US1373108A - Amusement apparatus - Google Patents

Description

M; AND H. STUE'HRER.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATlON HLED DECJ 1920. 1,373,108, Pawnd m2119211.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Haw 'oehnen M. AND H. STOEHR'ER.

v AMUSENLENT APPARATUS. APPLlcATmN msn DEcJ, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Patented Mar. 29, 192'1.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX STOEHRER AND HAROLD STOEHRER, OF METHUEN, HASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS T0 STOEHBER & PRATT DODGEN CORPORATION, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS,

A CORPORATION.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

g Patented Mar. 29, 1921.

Application led December 7I 1920. Serial No.v lit-8,997.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MAX S'ronnnnn and HAROLD STOEHRER, citizens of the United States, residing at Methuen, in the county operator.

That is to sa ,the present invention proposes to provi e a novel amusement apparatus including a floor, platform or other area having thereon a plurality of independently manipulated occupant-controlled cars or vehicles supported in such a manner that, in the hands of an unskilled operator,

'they will follow a promiscuous, irregular,

l or undefined pathover the floor or other area, to not only produce various sensations during the travel of the vehicle but to collide with other cars as well as with portions of the platform provided for that purpose. In this connection, it is proposed to provide an entirely safe device that may be readily controlled by the operator through the stopping ofthe motive el`ement, but which during the operation of the latter, re uires the utmost skill and attention of t e occupant-driver to cause the car or vehicle to dodge other vehicles or obstructions on the floor.

Therefore, it will be apparent that a general object of the invention is to provide an amusement device including what may be termed a running field or -arena having thereona plurality of independently voperated cars or vehicles capable of being steered by the occupant to dodge or avoid other cars or obstacles, but which normally have a tendency to compel the operator to follow a pathA of travel or course other than a straight and direct path.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of a type that may conveniently utilize electric currentas the motive power for driving the motors of the individual cars, and to this end, it is roposed to make the floor one electrode of) the circuit over which the drive ing wheel ofthe motor travels, and through l which the current is conducted to the motor, while the other electrode is an overhead conductor coextensive with the floor and traversed nby a trolley connected with the motor.

With the above and other objects in view Y which will more readily appear as the nav ture of the invention is better understood,

the sameconsists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts,

hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the inventionl is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l isa plan view, partly in section, of the platform of the apparatus showing a plurality of cars positioned thereon.

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the overhead and platform conductors and one of.

the cars located on the latter. Y

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of one of the cars clearly illustrating the unguided supporting rollers and the occupant steered and motor driven traction unit.

Similar reference'numerals `designate corresponding parts throughout the `several figures of the drawings.'

The apparatus embodying the present invention is capable of being made a permanent structure atv amusement resorts and the like, or on the other hand it may bejconvenintly set up at carnivals, fairs and other places of amusement, and, while in the present embodiment, the individual cars are intendedto-befelectrically driven, it will of Y hicles capablef being steered to dodge Jor clear other vehicles, but by reason of peculiar structural features, are compelled to more or lesspiollow an uncertain course which frequently results in collisions with .other `CMS andffwith the sides of the inyclosure to produce sensations and thrills not 55 switch20 isl obtainable.y through devices which are intended tofollow a direct or straightpath as inthe case ofthe ordinary automobile.v

n I-n carrying'theY inventioninto effect,` the Mplatfcrmor running` field 1 ispreferably inclosediby suitablev relatively stout sills 2 or the like which constitute the banks or bumpersrfor preventin theA cars from leavingfV the platform, whi e the surface of the latter isf 'efcra'bly covered Witha plurality of metaliic sheetsn electrically connected or 'bonded-'so aste makef in effect'a continuous mealliselectrode; 3L which @Overs *he entire A playingrandjes-pianura; This metallic wire's'i'ilfofanelectric circuit while the other electrode@ is connectedwith one*l of the is connected" with an overhead conductor 6 A aroux'idA the edges: of the supported onthe frame-work 7 located latform -1 and serving tofsupport the con uctor 6 in such .1 a mannerirthat it is entirely coextensive with thev metallicv electrode 3. Any suitable and p' convenient'material may be used. for the overhead conductor or electrode 6, and .as showme-suitableand readily obtainable w1re 'a meshmay bey used.

The conductorfsurface of they platformV 1 sup orts a plurality of independently steered? and controlled cars C of the general type disclosed in my cfpending application b'erialf Number 369,381

, AS shown-lin Fig. 2, these; cars preferably y l'con'si'stof .aibase or floor 8 supported on a 'pluralityfofunguided rollers 9pof the caster type,V while theupper sidefof the platform 'carriesI an; operators seat k10- and steering 'device 11 forcontrolling the pro 'fe tractionfpnit-l2`f.swiveled in. the

' centrically steering" thro elling or oorv 8, echereof, and shiftedlby the said A Y ughthew'sprocket and chainconhections 13,14-and15, vthe latter s 15 being af part of the inotor assem- `jb yi@ The said tractionk device 12 includes l rectlon throu a ',f driven'by a sultableelectric-motor 17. This the' main 'traction 1 orf vdriving wheel 16 adapted to` be shi'ftedor rotated in any dil1 the,V steering` device and motor 17 rvhas` one of itsterminals grounded through the' tractionwheel 16 that travels Y ,on the conductor-3 of the platform, while.

.' g the" other terminal is connected by an. overshown,augmen ted by thecoil sprmgs 22.

Another feature of improvement the led March 27, 1920..

v It is proposed to v equl each. of' the cars around the oor 8 with suitable shock 1 1 ments 21 which lmay be of the fiat spring type v cars shown herein is that of supplementing the support for the floor of the car by a fixed roller in addition to the unguided rollers of the caster type. That is to say, while it is proposed to retain the unguided caster feature it is proposed to introduce another element of uncertainty in combination with said unguided rollers and eccentric traction unit, namely a fixed roller which at times acts as a pivot as will presently appear.

As shown in Fig. 3, it will be observed that the roller 9, which is preferably located in the same circumferential line as the unguided rollers 9, is fixed or stationary as distinguished from swiveled and has its tread surface always disposed in the samorelatively fixed position. ,lVhen the traction Wheelv 16 and fixed 'roller 9 are in alinement, the car may be driven over a straight path but when the traction wheel C 16 is thrown out of alinement with the fixed roller, the latter will act more or less as a pivot which will cause the car to swing out of its straight path and also disarrange the positions of the unguided casters which has the effect of throwing the car in an unexpected direction. If the momentum of the car is considerable when the change of direction is made the fixed roller may skid. The attempts of the operator` to stop the promiscuous motion of the car, of coursc, involves the manipulation of the steering unit in various directions, and each shifting of the traction unit naturally has a tendency to shift the car in a different direction, the unguided casters contributing to the irregular movement because the are not controlled by the operator. T erefore, it will be' seen that in addition to the unguided supporting rollers 9, it is proposed to provide a relatively fixed roller which has the effect of introducing a new factor into the manipulation of the car which materially increases the difiiculty of progress or travel to the inexperienced operator or driver.

From the foregoing, it is believed to be apparent that the present invention has particularly in view an apparatus consisting of a pluralty of individually dirigible cars adapted for promiscuous travel over a common surface, and which in the hands of an unskilled operator follow an irregular and undefined path,but are capable of being given a definite path of movement in the hands of a skilled operator to dodge or escape collisions with other cars or the sidesV of the platform. This feature has the effect of creating an interest in the o eration of the car that is fascinating as we l as amusing, and until the operator becomes skilled inthe manipulation furnishes many novel sensations and thrills'sought by pleasure seakers in the use of devices of this charac er.

This application is a continuation in part of our former application Serial No. 369381 filed March 27, 1920, as to allsubject matter in common.

Without further description, it is believed that novelty as well as the features of construction and operation will be readil apparent to those skilled in the art, and 1t will of course be understood that changes may be resorted to within the sco of the apended claims without departing from t e spirit of the invention.

1. An amusement device consistingrof the combination of a running iloor, an electrically charged ceiling structure, a 'car hav# ing uncontrolled travelinv supports free to travel upon the running oor 1n any direc'- tion, a manually shiftable motor driven' combined guiding and traction unit, and an electrical trolley having a promiscuous traveling `engagement with the charged ceiling.

2. n amusement device comprising in combination2 a running floor, an electrically charged ceiling structure, a car having uncontrolled traveling supports free to travel upon the runnin loor 1n any direction, a

' manually control ed motor driven traction unit ada tedto be universally shifted about a vertica axis so as to have a promiscuous guiding movement over said floor, and an electrical trolley having a romiscuous traveling engagement with t e charged 3. n amusement device comprising in combination, a running floor included in an electrical circuit, an electrically charged ceiling structure, a car having uncontrolled traveling supports free to move in any direction upon the said running oor, a single [combined guiding and traction unit mounted to be shifted universally about a vertical axis, and an electrical trolley `having a promiscuous travelingengagement with the charged ceiling.

4. An amusement device consisting ofy the combination of a runningiloor, a car promiscuously movable thereon2 said car having a plurality of freely swiveled supporting rollers permanently carried thereby, and manually steerable motor-means for driving one of said swiveled rollers.

5. An amusement device including a car platform, a plurality of swiveled supporting elements permanently carried by the platform for permitting movement thereof in any direction, means for drivin ,one of said elements, and means for steering said driven element.

6. An amusement device including a car platform, a vplurality of uncontrolled supporting elements carried. by the latform for permitting movement in any irection, said elements being arranged 1n substantially the same horizontal circular plane, and a traction unit universall shiftable about a vertical axis and locate inside the circle of the supporting elements.

7. In an amusement device including a car platform having a plurality of uncontroll'ed supporting elements for permitting movement of the platform in any direction 9. An amusement apparatus includinlgr a car having a plurality of relatively ee self-adjusting supporting rollers, a relatively fixed supporting roller, and a dirigible traction unit disposed eccentric to the vertical axis of the car body.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aiix our signatures in the presence of two witp IIBSSBS.

YMax s'roEi-IRER. HAROLD sToE-HRER.

Witnesses:

Josnrn M. Hanonoon, WILLIAM F. Moms.

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