US1501613A - Amusement ride - Google Patents

Description

July 15 1924. 150L613 H. F. MAYNES AMUSEMENT RI DE Filed Dec, 18, 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 la A HOME Y6 July 15 1924.

501,613 H. F. MAYNES AMUSEMENT RIDE Filed Dec. 18 932 6 Sheets-Sheet B 12]}VOR A42, ATTORNEY? H. F. MAYNES AMUSEMENT RIDE Juiy 15 1924. 1,501,613

Filed Dec. 18 Q 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 20 z: 9 zz MM/MMMMW MMAWWWWM 2 19 EN TOR A; ATTORNEY H. F. MAYNES July 15 1924.

AMUSEMENT RIDE Filed Dec. 18 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 m xm m A S E N A M F H July 15 1924.

AMUSEMENT RIDE M 5 1\\\\.\\! ll m 1 n a 47 1 uf W M ,0 [A w I m 0 T r M. I V T e n m i 7 I T e o I I A .n 7 w w M m H e e %v W 6 0V Y B On AU Filed Dec. 18

H. F. MAYNES AMUSEMENT RIDE July 15 1924.

Filed Dec. 18, 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR A, ATTORNEYJ Patented July 15, 1924. v i

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EYLA FREDERICK HAYNES, F GAINES, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB, BY DIRECT AND IESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO HAYNES CORPORATION, OF DOVER, DELAWARE, A COE- POBATION OF DELAWARE.

. musnunn'r 2.11m

Application filed December 18, 1922. Serial 10.807588.

To all whom it may concern: source of power is required to rotate this Be it known that I, Hm F. MAYNES, drum and unfold the canopy. When the a citizen of the United States, residing at canopy is to be unfolded rotation of the 56 Gaines, in the county of Tioga, State of drum is arrested long enough to permit the 8 Pennsylvania, have invented certain new cables carried by the still revolving cars to and useful Improvements in Amusement wind about it and pull the canopy into un- Rides; and I do hereby declare the folfolded position. When this position has lowing to be a full, clear, and exact debeen reached the drum is automatically re- 60 scription of the invention, such as will enleased and permitted to continue its rota- 10 able others skilled in the art to which it tion with the ride, but latched against reappertains to make and use the same. verse movement. Springs return the can- This invention relates to an amusement opy to folded position when the holdlng ride of the type in which cars and paslatch on the drum is released.

sengers are alternately hidden from and The accompanying drawings disclose a 16 exposed to view during the ride by means preferredembodimentof my invention and of a collapsible canop or equivalent means. a study of them will make clear the prin- Such a ride is descri ed in my copending ciples involved. In these drawingsapplication, Serial No. 559,986, filed May Fig. 1 is a plan view of part 0 a merry 11, 1922, since issued as Patent No. 1,439,- go-round ride constructed and equipped in U 478, December 19,1922. The object of the accordance with the present invention,

present invention is generally to improve showing the general relation of the parts. such rides, particularly those of the merry- Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectlon go-round type. One improvement lies in throu h art of the ride showin the canopy the provision of a new cano y operating in un ol ed position covering t e cars and a mechanism, so designed that the movement also showing the relation of the drum to the of the ride itself is utilized to operate the canopy. canopy, thus doing away with the neces- Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the hills sity of a separate source of power and of the ride showing the position of the simplifying the control. Another improvedriving mechanism. U ment lies in'the rovision of means for Fig. 4 is -a view similar to Fig. 1 but on automatically ren ering the canopy operata larger scale and showing in greater detail ing mechanism inoperative when the canopy the canopy collapsing mechanism in folded has reached the concealing'position. Anposition. other improvement lies in the provision of Flg. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sect1on a new drive for the ride. through the cars and canopy showing the The ride illustrated in my Patent No. canopy in concealing position over the cars 1,439,478 is provided with a fixed vertical and also showing the position of one of the central axis about which passenger-carryblowers used in connection with the ride. ing cars revolve, sweeps radiating out- Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section 5 wardly and carrying the cars, an unsimilar to Fig. 2 but showmg the canopy 1n dulating trackway upon which the cars folded osition.' run, and a canopy normally lying in Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 6 showfolded position adjacent the cars designed ing the canopy in unfolded or concealmg to be unfolded to conceal the cars and position.

their passen rs from spectators. This Fig. 8 is a detail showing the manner 1n canopy is un olded by means of a motor which the operating cables are connected situated at the center of the ride. To unto the drum and the canopy operating fold the canopy in accordance with the sheave. present invention I provide a series of cables Fi 9 is a detail showing the manner extending from'the canopy and winding in w ich these cables are wound about the about a central drum coaxial with the ride drum. and normally rotating with it. No separate Fig. 10. is anenlarged vertical section 9 which 0 through the central stand pipe, the sweep spider, the drum and the clutch mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the drum.

Fig. 12 is a section taken along line 12-12 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a vertical section through the drum similar to Fig. 10 but showing the clutch mechanism in elevation.

Fi 14 is an elevation partly in section showing the clutch release cams, and a Fig. 15 is a detail of the clutch members.

The merry-go-round ride shown in these drawings comprises a central stand pipe 1 fixedly mounted upon a suitable base or standard 2 and acting as a pivot or axis for the ride. Upon this stand pipe is fixed a thrust bearing 3 upon which rotates a sweep s ider 4 to which are pivotally connected or swinging movement in a vertical plane a series of radial sweeps 5. Pivoted to the outer ends of these sweeps is a train of cars 6, each car being supported by two sweeps as clearly shown. At the outer end of each sweep is mounted a wheel 7 running upon an undulating trackway 8, these wheels supporting the weight of the cars. Beyond this trackwa is situated a loading platform llows the undulations on the trackwa and encircles the ride. Both trackway an latform are supported upon suitable stan arde 10 and held in place relative to the central stand pipe by means of tie rods 11. v

This ride is driven by means of a cable 12 which encircling it and makes driving contact therewith through a series of cable guides 13 one secured to the lower side of each sweep. One of the hills of the ride is slightly flattened as shown in Fig. 8 and at this point is situated the driving mechanism comprising a motor 14, a drivin or power sheave 15 driven through suitabireducing g fimn as shown and an idler sheave 16.

e ca le upon leaving the last cable guide block passes about the idler sheave for half a turn, then about the driving sheave, again about the idler sheave then about the drivmg sheave once more and thence back to the guide blocks. Beneath the driving sheave 15. and afiixed thereto is a brake drum 17 upon which the brakes are applied when the ride 18 to be stopped. By arranging the two pulleys in relation to the drive as shown, when the brakes are applied through brake drum 17 the greatest strain comes on the dnvmg sheave and hence the action of the brake 15 more efiective than it would be with the starting strain borne by the driving ee -1 v g now described the general eo sanction of the merrygarcund the manner inwhich it is drives I shall now turn to a description of the canopy and its operating mechanism. The canopy itself 18 18 best shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 to of a V-shaped standard 21 supported upon the cars. These fanlike supports are U- shaped as shown and are secured to the canopy at their closed ends, their other ends being journaled upon the rod 20. Likewise journaled upon each rod 20 between the ends of the fanlike supports is a sheave 22 provided with a pin 23 extendin through it near its periphery and designe to connect with the upper of the supports 19 as is shown most clearly in Figs. 6 and 7. It is thus clear that c ockwise rotation of this sheave 22 will unfold the canopy from the position shown in Fig. 6 until it encloses the cars as shown in Fig. 7. It next remains to consider the means r efiectingthis partial rotation of sheave 22 in order to effect this unfolding movement ofthe canopy.

. Returning to Fig. 1' it will be seen that there is there illustrated a central drum 24 about which passa series of cables 25 which radiate outwardly and pass about the sheaves 22. Therefore by proper relative rotation of this drum 24 the sheaves 22 can be rotated to effect the proper unfolding of the canopy, but in accordance with the present invention this relative movement is produced by simply arresting the normal rotatation of the drum with the ride and holdin it fixed for a short time suflicient. to erm1t the cables to wind about it and unfo d the canopy. This unfolding action will be clear from a study of Figs. 2,8 and 9. When the drum 24 ceases to rotate while the ride itself moves on in clockwise rotation, the lower runs of the cables 25 begin to wind clockwise about the drum, the resulting in the necessary pull u on the sheave 22 to 'rotate it. It is clear, owever, that unless some means were provided for disengaging the cables or releasing the drum so that it might again rotate with the ride something would break when the canopy reaches. its completely unfolded position. The mechanism for arresting the rotation of the drum and automatically permitting it again to rotate when the canopy has been unfolded is shown most clearly in Figs. 2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 to which attention is now called.

Integral with: the sweep spider 4 and journaled upon the standpipe 1 is a sleeve 26, and upon this sleeve is J urnaled the drum barrel 27. The upper end of this drum barrel is provided with ratchet teeth 28 the function of which will be described later. Above the up r end of the drum barrel but within the d rhm a clutch member 29 i:

mounted upon the stand pipe and ke ed thereto so that it can be sl1d verticall ut cannot be rotated. The lower face 0 this clutch member is provided with ratchet teeth 30 which correspond with and are used to engage ratchet teeth 28 on the drum barrel. Within the stand pipe is mounted a plunger rod 31 keyed directly to the clutch mem er 29, slot 32 being provided in the stand pipe to allow for vertical movement of the plunger rod and its key 33 therein. This plun r rod 31 is reciprocated by means of suita le linkwork 34 which terminatesin a lever 35 pivoted on the loading platform as. shown in Fig. 2.

Clutch member 29 is normall raised to such a point that the ratchet teet 28 and 30 are out of engagement. When in this position it is clear that the drum is free to rotate in unison with the sweep spider, the cables 25 causing it to rotate with the ride. Through movement of the lever 35, however, this .clutch member can be lowered so-that the ratchet teeth engage, and as clutch member 29 itself cannot rotate but is fixed upon the stand pipe, the drum barrel thereupon becomes locked and rotation of the drum ceases with the consequent Winding up of the cables and the unfolding of the cano y.

Release of the drum is effected by the ollowing mechanism. The upper end of sleeve 26 is provided with a cam 36 shown most clearly in Fig. 14. -Journaled upon the stand pipe ust above the upper end of the sleeve 26 and keyed to the drum barrel so that it can move longitudinally relatively thereto but cannot rotate except with the drum barrel, is a cam collar 37 likewise provided with a cam 38 designed to co-operate with the cam 36. The upper end of this cam collar 37 abuts against the clutch member 29 as shown in Fig. 10. Now the cam 36 is so positioned that continued rotation of the sweep spider after the arrest of the drum causes it to engage cam 38, raise cam collar 37 and disengage the clutch member just as the canopy reaches its completely unfolded position. When the clutch members are disengaged the drum, of course, is free to continue its rotation with the ride.

It is necessary at this point, however, to provide some latch preventing reverse rotation of the drum due to action of the canopy returning springs which will be described later. Accordingly I provide a latch link'39 mounted within the drum for vertical movement and engaging with a dog 40 situated upon the upper face of the spider. This dog is so positioned relative to the cam 36 that the latch link 39 has just ridden over it when thecam 36 co-operating with the cam collar 37 has disengaged the clutch members. The canopy is now unfolded over the cars and the ride is going merrily on. Let us now consider the mechanism designed to return the canopy to its folded position.

The outer ends of the various members of the groups of fanlike supports 19 are connected by means of coil springs 41. These springs perform two functions. The bear against the walls of the canopy an support them between supports and the also serve to return the canopy to its fold position. It will be clear from a consideration of the nature of this ride that when the canopy is unfolded it springs are extended and hence placed under tension. There is therefore a constant tendency for them to contract and return the canopy to its ori 'nel position. I have also provided auxi iary springs 42 extending from one of the inner fanlike supports to the sweeps, these springs acting to initiate the return movement. But as long as the latch link 39 abuts against the latch dog 40 this return movement 0 the cano y is impossible.

In or er to disengage the latch link from the dog I have prov1ded the following mechanism. An annular rin 43 is rotatably mounted upon the clutc member 29, this ring being provided with a projecting eye 44 through which the u per end of the latch link loosely extends. The extreme upper end of the latch link is provided with a nut 45. To release the latch link it is only necessa to reverse the movement of lever 35 whic moves the plunger rod 31 upwardly, and this raises the clutch member 29 and ring 43 until the eye 44 enga the nut 45 and raises the latch. At t is moment the return springs 41 and 42 act to fold the canopy, the restraint imposed by the lower runs of cables 25 being thus removed.

In order to prevent the too sudden return of the canopy and to prevent its slamming into folded position I have provided a brake consisting of a brake drum 46 within the upper end of the winding drum and a cooperating expansible brakeband 47 pivoted upon and supported by arms 48 keyed to the stand pipe and operating through toggles 49 mounted upon the clutch member 29. Thus, as the lever 35 is moved to disenga e the latch, continued movement will app y the brake and allow the canopy to gently return to rest.

It sometimes happens, due to the undulatory nature of the ride and perhaps to various other causes, that the return springs do not act upon the entire circumference of the canopy and return it to folded position all at the same time, some of the springs acting quickly and others lagging in their action. In order to distribute the force exerted by these springs I have employed additional cables 25 which are wound about the drum 24 in a direction opposite that in which the unfolding cables are wound. These cables now under discussion form in efi'ect the upper runs of cable and they serve through the reverse rotation of drum 24 to exert a pull upon the lagging sections of the canopy and thus equalize the forces exerted by the nous or slotted floor 52 with which the cars are provided. The canopy may also be provided with partitions such as shown in ig. 7 dividing the enclosure into a series of small com artments or these partitions can be omitted and the entire train enclosed in a seeming tunnel.

he operation of the ride may be briefly reviewed as follows. The canopy lying in folded position between the cars and the central pivot, the passengers readily enter the cars from the loadin platform as is common in merry-go-roun rides. The passengers being seated the ride is started through motor 14 and soon gets up to speed. Meanwhile the drum 24 is rotating with the cars and. the canopy remains in folded position. Suddenly the operator moves the lever outwardly thus lowering clutch member 29 so that the ratchet teeth 30 engage ratchet teeth 28 and arrest the rotation of the drum. The lower runs of cables 25 immediately begin. to wind up and the canopy is thrown over the cars by the continued rotation of the ride itself. This continued rotation rings the cam 36 into engagement with the cam 38 and raises cam collar 37 to disengage the clutch members, this disengagement being effected after the ride has rotated through about five-eighths of a full circle. At the same time latch link 39 has fallen behind latch dog 40 and the drum although free to rotate with the ride cannot reverse under the impetus of springs 41 and 42. At this point the blowers 51 may be operated.

In order to add to thegeneral merriment it now becomes necessary to raise the canopy and this is done by reversing the movement of lever 35 which has meanwhile been returned to its initial position through the action of the cam collar 37 clutch member 29 and plunger rod 31. This reverse movement of the lever 35 raises the clutch member 29 until. the eye 44 of the ring 43 disengages the latch from the latchdog. The springs 41 and 42. are thus free to return control of the operator. This has been found true of mechanism constructed and operated in accordance with the present invention.

I claim:

1. In an amusement ride having a. travelling passenger car or train, the'oombination.

with the car or train of a canopy adapted to be moved into concealing position between the car or train and spectators, means for moving the canopy during the ride into concealing position, and means for connecting the moving car ortrain with the canopy moving means.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising the combination of a car or train revolving about a central. pivot, a radiall folding canopy normally lying in folded position between the car or train and the-pivot and adapted to be interposed between the car or 1 train and spectators, means for moving the canopy into concealing position during the ride, andmeans for connecting the moving car or train with the canopy moving means.-

3. In an amusement ride of the merry-goround type, having a travellin passenger car or train, the combination wit the car or train of a canopy travelling therewith and adapted to be moved into concealing position between the car or train and spectators, means for moving the canopy into concealing position during the ride, and means for connecting the moving car or train with. the canopy moving means.

4. In an amusement apparatus having a passenger car or train, the combination with the car or train of a folding canopy adapted to enfold the car or train, means for moving the canopy into unfolded position, means for connecting the car or train with the canopy the canopy for automatically foldingthe canopy when the holding means cease to act.

5. In an amusement ride having a travelling passenger car or train, the combination with the car or train of a folding canopy carried thereby, and adapted. to fold and unfold transversely of the path of movement of the car or train, means for positively unfolding the canopy over the car or train, means for holding it in the unfolded position, means for automatically folding the canopy when cease to act, and braking. means opposing the action ofthe automatic return metal preventing a sudden return of the canopy to folded position.

the holding means Ill 6. An amusement ride of the merry-goround type, comprising the combination of a car or train revolving about a central ivot, a folding canopy normally lying in olded position at one side of the pat of movement of the car or train, a rotatable drum coaxial with the ride, cables connecting the drum and the canopy, and means for re atin the movement of the car or train to that o the drum so that the movement of the car or train relative to the drum causes the cables to wind around the drum and unfold the canopy.

7. An amusement ride of the merry-goround type, comprising a car or train revolving about a central pivot, a radially folding canop carried by the car or train and normally lying in folded position between the car or train and the pivot and adapted to enfold the car or train, a rotatable drum mounted for rotation about the pivot and normally rotatable with the cars, cables connecting the drum and the canopy, and means for arresting rotation of the drum while the car or train continues to revolve, whereby the continued movement of the car or train causes the cables to wind uplon the drum and unfold the canopy over t e car or train.

8. An amusement ride of the merry-goround type, comprising the combination of a car or train, revolving about a central pivot, a radially folding canopy carried by the car or train and normally lying in folded position between the car or train and the pivot and adapted to enfold the car or train, a rotatable drum mounted for rotation about the pivot and normally rotatable with the cars, cables connecting the drum and the canopy, means for arresting rotation of the drum while the car or train continues to revolve, whereby the continued movement of the car or train causes the cables to wind upon the drum and unfold the canopy over the car or train, means for disengaging the arresting means when the canopy has been folded over the car or train, and means for holding the drum in fixed relation to the pars when the canopy is in unfolded posiion.

9. An amusement ride of the merry-goround type, comprising the combination of a car or train, revolving about a central pivot, a radially folding canopy carried by the car or train and normally lying in folded position between the car or train and the pivot and adapted to enfold the car or train, a rotatable drum mounted for rotation about the pivot and normall rotatable with the cars, cables connecting tlie drum and the canopy, means for arresting rotation of the drum while the car or train continues to revolve, whereby the continued movement of the car or train causes the cables to wind upon the drum and unfold the canopy over the combination of the car or train, means for disengaging the arresting means when the canopy has been folded over the car or train, means for holding the drum in fixed relation to the cars when the canopy is in unfolded position, means for disengaging the drum holding means and automatic means for returning the canopy to folded position.

10. An amusement ride of the merry-goround type, comprising the combination of a car or train, revolving about a central pivot, a radially folding cano y carried b the car or train and normally ying in fol ed position between the car or train and the pivot and adapted to enfold the car or train a rotatable drum mounted for rotation about the pivot and normally rotatable with the cars, cables connecting the drum and the canopy, means for arresting rotation of the drum while the car or train continues to revolve whereby the continued movement of the car or train causes the cablestowindupon the drum and unfold the canopy over the car or train, means for disengaging the arresting means when the canopy has been folded over the car or train, means for holding the drum in fixed relation to the cars when the canopy is in unfolded position, means for disengaging the drum holding means, automatic means for returning the canopy to folded position, and a brake for preventing rapid counter-rotationof the drum during the folding movement of the canopy.

11. In an amusement ride of the merrygo-round type, having a travelling passenger car or train'revolving about a fixed central stand pipe, the combination of a folding canopy normally lying in folded position at one side of the car or train and adapted to be folded over it, a drum coaxial with the stand pipe and normally rotatable with the ride, a cable extending from the drum to the canopy for unfolding the latter, a clutch member on the drum, a non-rotatable cooperating clutch member on the stand pipe, and means for throwing the clutch members into engagement during the ride to arrest the rotation of the drum, whereupon the continued movement of the car or train winds the cable about the drum and unfolds the canopy.

'de of the merry-go- 12. An amusement r1 round type, comprising the combination of ider journaled a central fixed axis, a sweep s thereon, sweeps extending ra 'ally from the spider, passenger cars at the outer ends of the sweeps, a folding canopy carried by the cars and adapted to enclose them but normally lying in folded position at one side, a drum journaled upon the vertical ax1s an normally rotatable with the sweep spider, cables connecting the drum and the canopy, a clutch member on the drum, anon-rotaable vertically slideable co-operatmg clutch member keyed on the axis, means for throwiet ing the clutch members into engagement during the ride to arrest the rotation of the drum, whereby the continued rotation of the spider, sweeps, and cars, winds the cable about the drum and unfolds the canopy, a cam carried by the spider, and a non-rotatable vertically slideable cam collar keyed on the axis bearing against the movable clutch member and. co-operating with the cam carried by the sweep spider to raise the clutch member and disengage the clutch.

13. The combination with the mechanism claimed in claim 12 of automatic means for folding the canopy, a latch carried by the drum, and a dog on the spider cooperating with the latch to prevent reverse rotation of the drum when the clutch members are released.

14. The combination with the mechanism claimed in claim 12 of automatic means for folding the canopy, a brake band co-operating with the drum and actuated byu ward movement of the slideable clutch member for preventing sudden return of the canopy to unfolded position.

15. An amusement ride of the merry-goround type, comprising the combination of cars mounted to revolve in a vertically undulating path about a fixed pivot, it normally folded canopy carried by the cars and adapted to enfold them, a drum coaxial with the pivot and normally rotatable with be the ride, cables connecting the drum and the canopy, means for arresting the rotation of the drum while the cars continue to revolve whereby the continued movement of the cars winds the cables upon the drum and unfolds the canop and springs in the cables for. holding them taut.

An amusement ride of the merry-go round type, comprising the combination of cars mounted to revolve about a fixed pivot, a normally folded cano y carried by the cars and adapted to en old them a drum coaxial with the pivot and normally rotatable with the ride, cables winding upon the drum and connected with the canopy, part of the cables bein. wound about the drum In one direction an part in the other, means for arresting the rotation of the drum durmg the ride, whereupon the continued rotation of the ride winds part of the cables upon the drum and unfolds the canopy while unw nding the other cables, springs for re turning t e canopy to the folded position and reversing the rotation of the drum, the rewmdm of the cables unwound durin the unfo ding movement distributing the force of the sprlngs and folding the entire canopy at one time.

n amusement ride of the merry-goround type, comprising the combination of cars deslgned to revolve about a fixed pivot, a normally folded canopy carried. by the cars, means for unfolding the canopy to the drum and. unfold the canopy,

conceal the cars, means for folding the canopy, and means for distributing the force exerted by the folding means so that the entire canopy folds at one time.

18. In an amusement ride of the merrygo-round type having cars revolvingabout a central axis, the combination of a canopy adapted to conceal the cars, a drum. coaxial with the ride and normally rotatable therewith, cables extending from the drum to the canopy, a clutch for arresting the rotation of the drum so that continued rotation of the ride causes the cables to wind upon springs operating to return the canopy to folded position, means for automatically disengaging the clutch when thecanopy is unfolded, a latch holding the drum against reverse movement when the clutch is disengaged. a brake for preventing rapid reverse rotation of the drum, a linkwork for throwing the clutch members into engagement and for disengaging the latch and applying the brake.

19. i In an amusement ride having a travelling passenger car or train, the combination with the car or train of a canopy adapted to be interposed between the car or trainand the spectators, means for moving the canopy during the ride into concealingposition, and means for automatically rendermgthe moving means inoperative when the canopy has en moved into concealing position.

20. In an amusement ride having a travelling passenger car or train, the combination with the car or train of a canopy adapted to enclose the car or train and normally lying in closed position at one side of the path of travel, means for unfolding the canopy over the cars, and means for automatically arresting the unfolding movement when the car or train has been enclosed.

21. In an amusement ride of the merrygo-round type having cars revolving about a central pivot, the combination of a canopy adapted to enclose the cars and normally lying in folded position at one side of the path of travel, means for unfolding. the canopy over the cars, means for automatically rendering the unfolding means inoperative when the canopy is unfolded, means for holding the canopy in unfolded position and means for folding the canopy.

22. In an amusement apparatus having a passenger car or train, the combination with. the car or train of a folding canopy adapted to enfold the car or train, means g actuated by the movement of the car or train for moving the canopy into unfolded position, means for rendering the unfold ing means inoperative when the canopy is unfolded, means for holding the canopy in unfolded position and means for automatically folding the canopy when the holding means cease to act.

23. In an amusement ride having a travelling passenger car or train, the combination with the car or train of a folding canopy normally lying in folded position lengthwise of the car or train and to one side thereof, fanlike supports for the canopy pivoted on the car or train, a sheave likewise pivoted on the car or train coaxial with the fanlike supports and movable with said supports, and a cable fastened to each sheave through which force is exerted to open the fanlike supports.

24. An amusement ride comprising the combination of a central axis, sweeps radiating therefrom, cars at the outer ends of the sweeps, cable ides secured to the sweeps, a cable in said guides, and means fog pulling upon the cable to rotate the r1 e.

25. An amusement ride of the merry-goround type, comprising the combination of a rotating car support, a cable guide on said support, an endless cable in said guide for rotating the support, a driving sheave, and an idler sheave, the cable as'sing from the cable guide around the id er sheave thence around the driving sheave, thence around the idler sheave again and thence around the driving sheave a second time.

26. An amusement ride of the merry-goround type, comprising the combination of a rotating ca'r support, a cable guide on said support, an endless cable in said guide for rotating the support, a driving sheave, an idler sheave, the cable passing from the cable guide around the idler sheave, thence around the driving sheave, thence around the idler sheave again and thence around the driving sheave a second time, and a brake drum coaxial with the driving sheave.

27. An amusement ride comprisin the combination of a car or train revo ving about a central pivot, a drive therefor, a radially folding canopy normally lying in folded position between the car or train and the pivot and adapted to be interposed between the car or train and spectators, and means for connecting the car or train drive with the canopy moving means.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si nature.

HYLA FREDERICK MAYiIEs.

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