US1398639A - Amusement device - Google Patents

Description

E. KOHLER.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE (CIRCLING WHIP).

APPLICATION FILEQ AUG.28, 1919.

1,398,639. Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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APPLICATION FILED AUG-28. I919.

E. KOHlER. AMUSEMENT DEVI-CE (CIRCLING WHIP).

' APPLICATION FILED 'AUG.28. 191.9. 1,398,639,- Patented Nov. 29, 1921.

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ATES

ERNEST KOHLER, or DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIG-NOR TO THE UNITED MiivEs Ann MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

A CORPORATION" OF .ARIZONA.'

AMUSEMENT DEVICE (01 0mm WHIP.)

Be it known that I, ERNEST KOHLER, a, citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, (Circling Whip;) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same. This invention relates to, amusement apparatus and especially-to theform of apparatus in which there are provided independent carriages orcars which are each anchored pivot ally to afsuitable structure .between which and another or other supporting table structures relative circular .or other suitable movement is produced so that the carriages or vehicles are caused to travel in erratic andindeterminatepaths of movements while at the same time being sub-, jected, if desired, to'a course of travel in a generally circular orbit. v

It is oneof the objects ofthe present invention to providean apparatus which will not only be attractive as an amusement but which will at the same time provide for the necessary degree of safety and which further may be operated at an economical cost in consumption of power-and which may beoperated with a minimum of personal attendants. A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus-of this type which will include passenger cars or carriages which may be in ameasure subjected to the control ofthe passengers or entirely independent thereof. A vfurther object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind which, while providing an innocent and very entertaining form of amusement yet can be constructed inexpensively and may be easily repaired in exigencies.

With the above and otherobjects in view as will become apparent to those versed in the art from the following description the invention consists of-the construction, the

combination, and in details and arrangements of the parts as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein: V V

Figure l is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical, diametrical section of the apparatus. I

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the driven annulus Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed August 28, 1919. Serial meaasez.

Patented Nov. 1,9211

7 and the means for driving :supporting the same. j w,

Fig. 4 is a transverse, sectional view showing in detail a portion of the annulus with its driving and supporting means. I'

5 is a transverse, sectional View through the annulus showing a modified form of support. V

Fig. 6 is a vertical, sectional view through one form of the car or carriage in which there isprovided a hand wheel by which some of the motions of the car can be controlled."

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one type of truck for the car and V Fig. 8'shows a modified mounted upon its truck. i

In the illustrated embodiment of the ins vention there is shown an annular and'rela tively wide floor or table 2 of suitable 5 diform oflthe Y mensions and style of construction the gen eral surface of which is plane but 'which' has at different points and at suitable locations therein diverse forms "of irregularities as spherical, protuberances 3 and other various projections as in the form of the-conic areas which may be concaved or convexed as shown clearly at 4: and 4 in, Fig. 2, Approximately fitting within the inner "circle of this outer floor or table 2 there is anannulus or driving ring 50f suitable form of I l construction and dimensi0ns,'its upper surface lying flush with and forming a con'-.

tinuation of'the general floor surface and within the circle of this annulus there is a circular floor or tablet the surface'of which also maybe of various contour as for instance plane in portions and concave and convex in different portions.

To secure the desired results in this present apparatus the annulus 5- is the driven member, though it is obvious that this member might be stationary and the outer and inner tables 2 and 6 may be. rotated with respect .to theannulus 5. 7

At suitable spaces or. pointgaround the annulus or driven ring 5 are placed anchors or pivot pins "or fastening means 7 to which are connected the tongues 8-of trucks consisting of transverse bars 9 to which the tongues 8 are attached. Each of the trucks.

has at the outer ends of its bar 9 caster wheels or rollers 10 designed to' run over and bear uponthe track or surfaceway of theorganized elements 2, 6 and 5. Upon each of the trucks there is mounted a suitable form of carriage or'vehlcle 11, in Fig.

i 6' thevehicle being shown as supported .car is being drawn along by the truck or to lead them into the belief that motion of the car can be controlled through means of the steering wheel, it being possible of course that some very slight control may be effected by the occupants of the car grasping the wheel 12,to overcome centrifugal motion or the inertia of the car.

A suitable form of driving means may be utilized to drive the relatively movable structures and in Fig. 4 the annulus 5 is shown as provided on its outer circumferential face with a groove 5 in which there runs a cable 15 leading off from one side of the annulus and being guided around 7 suitable guide and tension pulleys 16; a

bight of the cable 15 being wound around a drum l7 geared to the shaft of the motor 'stantially as follows:

.18, all of which may be concealed beneath the outer table or floor structure 2. The annulus which is shown in Fig. 4 has a rectangular cross-section, is supported on horizontal rollers 20 and also supported by vertical rollers 21 bearing against the inner circular surface of the annulus 5.

A slightly modified form of supporting rollers is shown in Fig. 5 in which case each 7 horizontal roller '20 is provided with a circumferential groove 20 to take a downwardly projecting rib or fin 5 formed on or attached to the bottom surface, of the annulus 5. In the case of the use of vertical rollers 21 as in Fig. 4 these may be ad justed readily with respect to their bearing surface by suitable adujsting bearings 22.

It is obvious that various modifications, alterations and changes in details of construction and method of operation may be resorted to within the spiritof my invention and scope of the annexed claims.

The operation of the apparatus is sub- Assuming; that the annulus 5 is the driven member it will be seen that centrifugal action will cause the cars or carriages 11 to swing outwardly as tongues 8 pivot about their anchors or pivots ,7 and in this outwardly swinging action the wheels of the trucks will be caused to roll over the undulating or irregular surface of the table structure 2 at certain points and at others will be thrown in wardly to ride on the circular table or floor 6 and engage the irregular surfaces of the same. If the bodies of the cars be mounted pivotally on the trucks 9 it will be seen that there canalso be free movement of the body with respect to the trucks further enchancingv the peculiar and indeterminate movements of the vehicles as they are thrown around by the driven annulus. Occupants of the cars when they are provided with the hand wheel 12, may attempt to control the movement of the car by grasping these wheels and also maylcontrol their own positions in the cars by grasping the wheels which latter will form a support to enable the occupants to steady themselves in the cars. I

The wheel 12 can also be used as a steering wheel when it is fastened to the truck as shown in the drawing.

Having thus described I desire to claim is: V 1. In an amusement apparatus of the t-haracter described, an inner and outer conmy invention'what centric supporting structure spacedv from each other at their adjacent edges and 'hav ing a generally horizontal top contour; an

intermediate memberarranged in and bridg-' ing. said space; anda car having wheels to traverse the surface ofthe said inner and outer concentric supporting structures and said intermediate member, said car having a tongue pivotally connected to said member,- the latter and said concentric. supporting structures having relative circular move- .ment so that the car may be indefinitely trailed to and fro over the surfaces.

2. In an "amusement apparatus of the character described, an inner'and outer concentric supporting structure spaced from each other at their adjacent e'dgesand having a generally horizontal top contour; an

intermediate member arranged in and bridg- 7 ing said space; and a car having'wheels to traverse the surface of said inner and outer concentric supporting structures and of said intermediate member, said car having a tongue pivotally connected to said member, the latter and said concentric supporting structures having relative circular move ment so that the car may be indefinitely trailed to and fro over the surfaces, and means forrotating the member to which the cars are connected. I

3. In an apparatus of the character. described, an inner supporting table having a generally horizontal top area provided with irregularities; an annulus surrounding said inner table; an outer annular table of generally horizontal top'contour, the inner edge of said outer table-being disposed in close juxtaposition to said annulus; and a car having a wheeledtruck, which car is pivotally connected to the annulus at spaced intervals and which is adapted to sweep over the general top plane of the structure while relative rotary movement is imparted as between the annulus and the supporting tables 7 4. In an apparatus of the character described, an'inner supporting table having a generally horizontal top area provided with irregularities; an annulus operating around the inner supporting table; an outer annular table of generally horizontal top contour, the inner edge of said outer table being disposed in close juxtaposition to said annulus; and a car having a wheeled truck, which car is pivotally connected to the annulus and which is adapted to sweep over the general top plane of the structure while relative rotary movement is imparted as between the annulus and the supporting tables, and

means providing for pivotal movement of a car with respect to its wheels.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, inner and outer concentrically spaced floor or table surfaces; a member bridging the space between said floor or table surfaces, a series of passenger cars having tongues, means on said? bridging member to which said tongues are pivotally connected;

and means for imparting a relative rotary movement between the anchorage and the table. I o

6. In an amusement apparatus of the char-,,, I

acter described, concentrically arranged and spaced tables or floors provided withundulating surfaces on their tops; an annulus operatively fitting in the space between adj a-' 7 cent concentric edges of the tables; anti'friction supports on which the annulus is rotato the annulus, the cars having wheels designed to trail over the surfaces of said tables and annuluswhen the latter is rotated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. V

ERNEST KOHLER.

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