US1398514A - Amusement apparatus - Google Patents

Description

J. A. HEALY.

- AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATIONFILED MAY 9, 1921.

y 133985 14. v Patented Nov. 29 192i.

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J. A. HEALY.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLlcAUoN man MAY9.192|.

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AMUSEIVIENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1921.

Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ortica.

JAMES A. HEALY, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. HEALY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements are designed to afford an entertaining and sensational ride over a prescribed endless route in which provision is made for dipping the cars alternately up and down inclines, and conveying them around semi-circular curves in such manner as to afford amusement to both riders and spectators,-the route being arranged essentially on a mean level so as to be easily accessible for both use and observation,-and the invention consisting in the specific combination, arrangement and construction of parts, devices and appliances described and claimed, and distinctive features relating to the parallel dip channels connected and united by means of reverse direction curves, the means for car propulsion, etc., all as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l, is a plan of my improved amusement apparatus, the driving mechanism being concealed by the medial platform;

Fig. 2, is a plan of one extremity of the route, parts of thefplatform being broken away to show the drive mechanism, etc.;

Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional elevation taken in a general way upon the plane of line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4:, is a sectional detail showing a car upon a horizontal portion of the route channel F ig. 5, is a detail of a traction chain suitable for use in the propulsion of the cars.

My endless channel runway R, for passenger cars C, consists of longitudinal par-y allel, or substantially parallel, straight troughs R', R3, united by semi-circular return loops R2, R, the latter being preferably on a common horizontal level or plane, and connecting the straight trough sections R', R2,- which extend over dips or inversely inclined planes which merge at each extremity into saidy return loops R2, R4. Thus the said semi-circular portions R2, R4, of the runway R, may be countersunk, as shown at the left of Fig. 3, below the mean or ground level L, while the intermediate stretches of channel R', R3, dip7 or incline Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Novf, 1921.

Application led May 9, 1921. Serial No. 467,794.

both downward and upward, said inclines being reversed medially,-as also indicated in said Fig. 3, of the drawings. That is to say, for instance, starting from the semicircular loop R2, aty the left of Figs. l, 2 and 3, the floor ofthe channel is formed with the downward incline z', which merges medially of the length of -the straight stretch R3, of channel into the upward inoline '11', which merges into the horizontal floor 2, of the semi-circular return loop R4, said horizontal floor 2, extending to and merging' into the upward incline 3, of the straight run R', which upward incline 3, merges in turn into the downward incline 4, terminating in the semi-circular return oop R2.

I have thus shown and described inverted 4inclines c', z", 2, i3, and it, in the ioor of the channel runway R, extending both above and below the mean horizontal plane Vof 'said floor in the two semi-circular return loops R2, R4, although I do not limit myself to the identical arrangement here given by way of exemplifying the possibilities of myv system of inclined dip and curvilinear swing runway, consisting essentially of straight channels formed with reversed inclined planes and connected by semi-circular return loop channels; 'since it is obvious that the inverted inclines on both straight runways R', R3, may be depressed as in the latter (R3) below the mean floor level of the return loops R2, R4, or elevated above said mean floor level of the loops R2, R4, as in the stretch R', with substantially like results in that the cars C, traversing the entire route of the endless channel runway R, will be alternately raised and depressed, or run up and down hill, so to speak, while crossing the portions of the runway intermediate between the semi-circular return :loops R2, R4, and thenduring the transicause the cars are safeguarded on both sides throughout the route by the side walls of the runwayI- which side walls are nearly as high a's the sides of the cars, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 5, of the drawings.

In this connection it will of course be Vunderstood that the cars C, are of course provided with bearing rollers c, c, preferably of the caster type, for contactual engagementwith the fioor and side walls of the channel runway R; and that the cars are coupled together into an endless chain by .ieans of flexible connections c', c', as shown more particularly in Fig. l, of the drawings.

The endless chain of cars C, may be driven or propelledthrough and around the endless channel runway B., by resort to any suitable or well known mechanical expedients, preferably by means of endless sprocket chains S, S, countersunk in the floors of the straight portions R, R3, of the runway R, as indicated particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, of the drawings, the upper strands s of said endless sprocket chains S, being flush with the inclined portions of said runway floor, as shown in Fig. 3, and said sprocket chains S, S, being driven by sprocket wheels actuated through the medium of suitable shafting, gears, etc., by an electric motor M, as exemplified in Fig. 2, or by any equivalent source of power that may be available for the purpose.

` As the drive-sprocket chains S, S, are located only in the straight sections R', R3, of the channelrunway R, l provide for connecting the cars C, therewith temporarily by means of gravity coupling bars cx, pivotally connected to the rear ends of the cars and adapted to trail over the solid surface of the door of the channel runway as shown in Fig. 5, and to drop and engage automatically with the sprocket chains S, as illustrated in Fig. 3. As the cars pass beyond the sprocket chains S, the coupling bars cX automatically disengage therefrom.

lt will of course be understood that the straight portions R', R3, of the channel runway R, may be each made of sufficient length to accommodate several inclined planes inverted as related to each other; and also that by the term inverted inclines as herein used, l mean to include either elevated or depressed (or both elevated and depressed) inclined planes as related to the horizontal licor planes of the semi-circular return loops l, R4, as may be found most expedient in practice, or desirable in producing special effects.

The driving mechanism, etc., is preferably positioned under a central platform P, as indicated in Fig. 2; and exterior platforms ly, also on a common or mean level, may likewise be provided on a horizontal plane coincident with the upper edges of the semi-circular portions of the channel runway lt, as indicated in connection with the return curve R2, on the left hand side of Fig. 3, of the drawings. f

l/Vhat l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

l. ln amusement apparatus of the character designated, the combination of an endless channel runway comprising semi-circular return end loops connected by straight stretches of channel the floors of which are reversely inclined, an endless string of cars spaced apart in said endless channel runway and coupled together by fiexible connections, and means of propelling said cars around said endless channel runway, for the pureose described.

2. ln amusement apparatus of the character designated, the combination of an endless channel runway comprising semi-circular return end loops connected by straight stretches of channel the floors of which are reversely inclined, an endless string of cars spaced apart in said endless channel runway, andcoupled together by flexible connections, and means of propelling said cars around said endless channel runway, consisting of power driven endless sprocket chains countersunk in the floors of the straight stretches of the channel runway between the return end loops thereof, and coupling means on the cars adapted to engage automatically with said power driven endless sprocket chains, for the purpose described. y

3. ln amusement apparatus of the character designated, the combination of an endless channel runway comprising semi-circular ret-urn end loops connected by straight stretches of channel the floors of which are reversely inclined, an endless string of cars spaced apart in said endless channel runway' and coupled together by flexible connections, and means of propelling said cars around said endless channel runway, consisting of power-driven endless sprocket hains countersunk in the floors of the straight stretches of the channel runway between the return end loops thereof, and gravity bars pivotally attached to the cars and adapted to connect automatically with and disconnect automatically from said sprocket drive chains, for the purpose set forth.

Janes A.. HEALY.

Witnesses DOROTHY MIATT, GEO. VM. MIATT.

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