US2081261A - Amusement device - Google Patents

Description

y 1937. J. N. BARTLETT 2,08L261 AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed April 13, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l F/GJ FIGQZ 6 ATTERNEY May 25,1937. J. N. BARTLETT AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed April v13, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3

gwuentoz John N. Barllell.

#42 dbtomwq May 25, 1937. J. N. BARTLETT 2,081,261

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed April 13, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 7 95 r INVENTOR.

John NBarZleZZ 19119.4 TTORNEY Patented May 25 1937 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly relates to passenger carrying cars for such devices.

One object of this invention is to provide a self propelled car adapted to be self steering on a banked runway.

Another object of this invention is to provide a self propelled car adapted to be included ina train of such cars, each car being self propelled and self steered on a banked runway, the construction of said cars being such as to prevent any car from buckling out of line with the remaining cars comprising the train.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car so constructed that whena plurality of such cars are coupled together the entire train may slip sidewise from a banked turn, veach car maintaining its proper position in line.

Another object is to provide a self propelled, self steering passenger car, a plurality of which cars are adapted to be coupled together to form a train, all of saidrcars being simultaneously controlled from a single point on the train.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a control device on a train comprising a plurality of cars of the type indicated adapted simultaneously to control a plurality of internal combustion engines.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device for controlling simultaneously a plurality of gear changing devices, said gear changing devices being located on separate cars comprising a train.

Another object is to provide in a train comprising a plurality of passenger cars a device forsimultaneously operating a plurality of clutching devices.

A further objectis to provide a runway having a long straight portion whereon the car attains a high velocity, said runway having a spiral descending turn at one end and an ascending banked turn at the other end.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car having its body portion pivotally connected for flexibility.

Still a further object is to design a car to simulate a rocket car and further to provide novel concealed couplings wherebya plurality of such cars may be coupled together into a train.

With these and other incidental objects in view, the invention includes certainnovel features of construction and combination of parts, the es sential elements of which are set; forth in the appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the banked runway.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the banked runway. a

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation of one of the cars having a portion thereof broken away better to disclose the driving means.

7 Fig. 4 is atop plan view of the car.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the car.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of the car adapted to be gravity operated and showing two cars coupled together, the coupling means being concealed. v

Fig. '7 is a schematic view of the several controls.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken through the trackway on line 8-8, Fig. 1. i

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken through the trackway on line 9-9, Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 diagrammatically illustrates a plurality of gravity operated cars coupled together to form a train. v

This invention relates to an improvement in amusement device's wherein a passenger carrying car operates on a banked runway, the design of the runway being such'that the car will attain a high velocity and will be self steering throughout the entire runway, the design of the car" being such as to permit either gravity or power propulsion.

The cars are adapted to be individually driven and consequently may be operated singly or they may be coupled together to form trains comprising a plurality of cars under the control of a single operator. To this end I provide an individual drive means for each car in orderthat each car being so driven will maintain approximately thesame speed as the rest of the cars in the train and thusovercome the tendency to buckle out of line. The last cars in the train are prevented from whipping from side to side by the use of individual drive means. Any conventional drive means of suitable design may be employed, a small internal combustion engine being disclosed in the illustrative embodiment of theinvention.

There is disclosed a runway having one of its ends ascending to a suitable altitude and then, by means of a steep spiral, descending to a long level, straight section of trackway. The cars may ascend to the topof the spiral under their own self contained power plants or they may be drawn to the elevated portion by extraneous means. Gravity enables the cars to attain a very high velocity in descending the spiral portion of the runway, which velocity, due to a minimum of friction, is substantially maintained throughout the major part of the straight portion of the runway. The velocity of the cars is diminished as they ascend a gradual inclined loop at the opposite end of the runway after which the cars descend a gentle grade to a loading platform where they may be brought to a stop by any suitable stopping means, or, in case of the self propelled cars, they may be stopped by applying their own brakes.

The carrier or car is designed to be flexible and is supported entirely on caster wheels in order that they may be self steering on all parts of the runway. Stabilizing springs are provided one for each caster wheel to prevent the cars from buckling out of line and to prevent the rear cars from whipping from side to side.

The car illustrated in Figures 3, 1, and 5 is constructed to simulate a so-called rocket car. The body of the car is made in two parts which are pivotally joined to provide horizontal flexibility. The car is mounted on a plurality of rubbertired caster wheels under spring tension to provide stability when the cars are traveling at high speed, and to permit all cars in a train of cars to be self steering.

The front portion l5 of the car is pivoted at IE to the rear portion I 1, and has pivoted to its under side a bar or truck member 18 on which is mounted a pair of casters H9. The bar I8 is pivoted on a draw bar 24 (Fig. 3) which extends through brackets l8 secured to the bottom of the fore part of the car. Extending inwardly from the caster frames 26 are arms 2| (Fig. 5) to which are attached springs 22 having their other ends attached to a bracket 23 secured to the cross bar 8. The draw bar 24 which is slidably mounted in the bar I8 and in the brackets I8 is pivotally connected to a cross bar 25 secured to the under side of the rear portion of the car and near the forward end thereof. Pivoted in brackets 26 secured to the bar 25 are truck frames 21 and 28 one at each side of the car and extending) longitudinally thereof. At their forward ends the frames 21 and 28 respectively carry caster wheels 29 and 30, the brackets 3i and 32 of which have inwardly extending arms 33 to which are secured springs 34 having their other ends secured to the brackets 35. These brackets are secured to the frames 21 and 28 and extend inwardly therefrom.

The rearwardly extending ends of the frames 21 and 28 carry caster brackets 36 and 31 respectively in which are mounted caster wheels 38 and 39. Springs 40 are stretched between inwardly extending arms 4| on the caster brackets 36 and 31, and brackets 42 extending inwardly from the frames 21 and 28.

The rear caster wheels 43 are mounted in brackets 44 supported by a cross bar or truck member 45 pivotally supported on a bracket 46 secured to the bottom of the rear body of the car. Springs 41 are stretched between arms 48 on the brackets 44 and a projection 49 on the cross bar 45. All of the caster wheels are so mounted that their vertical axes intersect the runway at right angles.

In order to prevent the forward part l5 of the car from folding back on the rear portion l1 compression springs 56 are provided. These springs are enclosed in tubes 5| pivoted to the rear portion of the body and are compressed between a member 53 (Fig. 3) and a plunger 54 pivotally mounted in projections 55 on the forward portion of the body.

An important feature of my invention is the provision of the springs 22, 34, 40 and 41. The purpose of these springs is to make each individual car in the train self steering on the troughlike runway, and to prevent the cars from buckling and whipping out of line. The tension of these springs is carefully adjusted to give those springs toward the rear of the car a greater tension than those at the front of the car, that is,

r the springs 40 have somewhat less tension than the springs 41, and springs 34 have less tension than springs 40, etc. When a train of cars side slips from a banked turn these springs permit all cars to slip sidewise at the same time insuring that each car will maintain its alinement in the train. The tension of these springs also tends to keep the cars at the rear of the train on a steady course and overcomes the tendency to whip from side to side.

One advantage in providing an individual drive means for each car in a train comprising a plurality of cars is that the propelling force is applied evenly on each car of the train which avoids the natural tendency of the intermediate cars to pull down from a banking turn when power is applied at the front end of the train only.

If the power were applied on the rear car only the tendency of the preceding cars would be to buckle out of line, which is also avoided by driving each car in a train individually.

Each car is therefore propelled by an individual motor indicated generally at 56 (Fig. 3) and mounted on a platform 51 having its forward end pivoted horizontally at 58 to a swivel 59 pivoted on a vertical stud 60 projecting upwardly from the floor or bottom of the car. drive wheel 6! is rotatably mounted between a pair of arms 62 projecting downwardly from the rear of the platform 51.

Secured to the drive wheel BI is a sprocket wheel 63 which is adapted to be driven by a chain 64 from an intermediate sprocket 65 mounted on a shaft 66 supported in a bracket 61 secured to the platform 51. Also secured on the shaft 66 is a sprocket 68 which is driven by a chain 69 from a sprocket 10 fast on the motor shaft 1|. The weight of the motor 56 and of the platform 51' provides sufiicient traction for the drive wheel 6| to propel the car.

The motor 56 and the drive connections are enclosed in a casing 12 shaped to simulate the rear end of a rocket discharge device for the propulsion of vehicles.

When a plurality of cars are coupled together to form a train they may all be controlled simultaneously from one car preferably the rear car, but which may be any car in the train. The control of the several cars comprising a train is by air pressure, although any other medium may be utilized, such for instance, as electricity. This control involves the simultaneous control of the carburetors, gears, clutches and brakes on all of the cars in a train. Compressed air for operating these controls is supplied by a pair of compressors 13 (Figs. 3, 4, and '1) mounted in the control car and adapted to be operated by the attendant in charge of the train.

Tubes 14 convey the air under pressure from the compressors 13 to an air storage tank 15 (Figs. 3 and 7) mounted in the forward part of the car. A tube 16 (Fig. 7) connects the tank 15 A rubber-tired with a series of control valves 1], 18, 19, and 8!) mounted on the right side of the control car within easy reach of the operator (see also Figs. 3 and fl). The valve 11 controls the application of the brakes to the drive wheels 6| on all of the cars in the train. [8 controls the carburetors thereby controlling the speed of the train. The valve .15 operates the gear shifting mechanisms forall cars and the valve 80 controls the clutches.

Tubes 8!, 82, 83, and 84 connect the valves 11, 18, 19, and 80 respectively with the devices adapted to be controlled thereby. Tubes 85,- ;86, 81, and ,88 lead from the valves Ti, 18, 19, and 8B respectively through a flexible coupling 89, illustrated conventionally in Figure 7, to the brakes, carburetors, gear shifting mechanisms and clutches .of all, the cars in the train so that operation of any one of the control valves 11 to 80 inclusive simultaneously operates the corresponding mechanisms on all of the cars in the train.

The brakes, indicated generally at 90 .(Fig. '7) are normally held in releasedpositionby springs (not shown) and are adapted to be applied by air pressure under the control of the valve 11. If it is. decided to hold the brakes applied, the operator places the valve 11 in hold position. As soon as the air pressure is released the brakes are released by their springs (not shown).

The carburetor control valve, or throttle 18 is a two way valve with an on and an off position. Application of air pressure by setting the valve 18 to the on position opens the carburetor Bl (Fig. 7) and accelerates the motor. The motors are slowed down by shifting the valve 18 to the off position, which allows the motors to run at idling speed.

The gears, indicated generally at 92, through which the power of the motor is transmitted to the drive wheel 6| are controlled by the valve 19. The gears are held in high ratio by a spring (not shown), and are adapted tobe shifted into neutral by the application of a small amount of air pressure, being held in neutral by a suitable spring operated locating member (not shown) as long as the proper air pressure is maintained. The gears are shifted into low ratio by the application of the full air pressure.

A clutch mechanism indicated at 93 may be of any suitable type, the clutch being normally held in disengaged position by a spring (not shown), and which clutch is adapted to be forced into engaged or driving condition by the application of air pressure under the control of the clutch valve 80 (Fig. 7). The clutch is held in slipping engagement by the application of a small amount of air pressure which is maintained by shifting the valve 80 to its hold position. The clutch is forced into full engagement by applying greater air pressure.

In order to start the train, the motors are all started and allowed to run at idling speed, the clutch, brakes and carburetors being held in ineffective positions by their respedtive springs (not shown) and the gears being held in neutral by the applicationof the proper air pressure.

The operator first shifts the gears into low ratio by removing the air pressure from the gear operating mechanism (not shown) and allowing the gears to be shifted to low by spring tension. The clutch and carburetor valves 80 and 18 are then manipulated to engage the clutches and at the same time to open the throttles. As soon as the train attains sufficient speed the clutch control valve 80 is operated to disengage the clutches and then the gear control valve 19 is manipulated to shift the gears into high ratio, after which the clutch valve 80 is moved to off position to allow the clutch spring (not shown) to render the clutches effective. The train may now be operated at any desired speed within its limits.

There. has been described an improved passenger car containing its own power device so that said car may be operated singly or coupled together in trains. By providing a power drive for each individual car the operator is enabled to drive the car up the elevation provided in the runway, and further a higher velocity may be attained and said velocity maintained on the level portions of the runway. The above described controls render the car or train of cars self contained as to starting and stopping and independent of any external elevating and braking devices. In Figures 6 and 10 there is illustrated a car substantially of the same construction as that shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5 with the difference that the motor driving means and the control devices are omitted. The coupling of this car is concealed by the body construction for better stream line effect and to reduce the wind resistance. This car is adapted to be operated by gravity and when a plurality of said cars are coupled together to form a train, such as is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 10, they are self steering and the stabilizing springs 22, 34, 40, and 41 prevent buckling and whipping out of line.

Obviously by increasing the size and capacity of the above described cars, trains comprising a plurality of such cars may be utilized as prime movers to transport passengers and freight between distant points at very high speeds. Such trains would have the advantage of lighter and less costly construction and the troughs in which they are adapted to operate could be constructed at far less expense than the present railway construction having heavy expensive steel rails and road beds which are costly to maintain. In addition trains comprised of my novel cars could be perfectly streamlined and would be capable of very high speed with safety.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the form or embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In an amusement device, the combination with an upwardly concave runway, of a train comprising a plurality of self-propelled cars operating on said runway, each car being mounted at both ends and in the center on caster wheels to permit all of the cars in the train simultaneously to move sidewise, and springs to control the caster wheels.

2. In an amusement device, the combination with an upwardly concave runway, of a train comprising a plurality of cars operating on said runway each car comprising two units pivoted on a horizontal transversely extending axis, caster wheels on both ends and in the center of each car to permit each car to be self-steering, and individual drive means for each car.

3. In an amusement device, a passenger carrying car having a body constructed in two parts, said parts being pivotally connected transversely at the bottom of the body to make the body flex,- ible, and springs between the upper body parts to yieldingly hold said parts in contact with the said wheels, said springs at the rear of the car' surface on which the car is travelling.

4. In an amusement device, a passenger carrying car having a body constructed in two parts, said parts being pivotally connected transversely at the bottom and having springs between said parts, said body being supported by a plurality of caster wheels each of which wheels is independently mounted, and a separate stabilizing spring for each wheel.

5. In an amusement device, a passenger carrying car mounted on caster wheels certain of which wheels are mounted on members pivoted to extend longitudinally of said car, and other of said wheels being mounted on members pivoted to extend transversely of the car.

6. In an amusement device, a passenger carrying car mounted on caster wheels certain of which wheels are mounted on members pivoted to extend longitudinally of said car, other of said wheels being mounted on members pivoted to extend transversely of the car, and a stabilizing spring for each wheel.

7. In an amusement device, a passenger carrying car having a body constructed in two parts, said parts being pivotally connected transversely to make the body flexible, springs between the body parts to yieldingly hold said body parts in contact with the surface on which the car is travelling, the body parts being mounted on independent caster wheels, each wheel being provided with an individual stabilizing spring.

8. In an amusement device a passenger carrying car provided with a plurality of independent caster wheels, individual springs for stabilizing being of greater tension than the springs at the front of said car.

9. In an amusement device, a passenger carrying car, caster wheels to support the car, the wheels at the ends being mounted on members pivoted to extend transversely of the car, and the wheels supporting the center of the car being mounted on members pivoted to extend longitudinally of the car, and separate stabilizing springs for each individual wheel.

10. In an amusement device, an upwardly concave runway, a passenger car provided with a plurality of independent caster wheels so constructed that each wheel is free to follow the irregular contour of the runway, each of said wheels being provided with an individual control spring, said car being adapted to be operated by gravity on said runway.

11. In an amusement device, an upwardly concave runway having a spiral loop at one end, and a caster wheeled car the body of which car is formed of two parts, said parts being pivoted to extend on a horizontal transversely extending axis, said wheels being canted to maintain positions perpendicular to the concave runway at all times.

12. In an amusement device, an upwardly concave runway, a passenger car for operating on the runway, said car being provided with independent caster wheels canted to maintain at all times positions substantially perpendicular to the runway, and individual stabilizing springs for each of the caster wheels.

JOHN N. BARTLETT.

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