US2113131A

US2113131A - Rotating amusement device

Info

Publication number: US2113131A
Application number: US65262A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lee U Eyerly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-02-24
Filing date: 1936-02-24
Publication date: 1938-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 1955-04-05
Also published as: FR818302A; GB485869A

Description

Ap 5, 1938. L. u. EYERLY 2,113,131

ROTATING AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1/5/\/ Tc/ L. 11. EYEQLY April 5, 1938. u EYERLY 2,113,131

ROTATING AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Feb 24, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WMENTU L.U. E'YER LY )4 7' TERA/E V April 5, 1938. 1.. u. EYERLY ROTATING AMUSEMENT DEVIUE Filed Feb. 24, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to amusement devices, and particularly to the type commonly referred to as merry-go-round, in which the cars are rotatable about a vertical axis.

The main object of this invention is the provision of an improved form of rotating amusement device in which the individual cars are mounted on rocker arms by means of which the cars can be tilted as they revolve about in their orbits and at the same time each car is revolvable on an axis which is normal to its supporting arm which is radial from the center of rotation.

The second object of this device is to make it possible to hold the arms in a given vertical position while the cars are being revolved about their vertical axis for the purpose oi facilitating the loading and unloading thereof.

These, and other objects, will become more apparent from the specification following as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan of the device.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig.3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through a car showing the position of the occupant.

Fig. 8 is a plan of the car.

Similar numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown a base l0 which is secured to a suitable foundation H, preferably of concrete. From the base l0 extends upwardly the vertical shaft I2 which is revolvable in the upright bearing |3,

whose upper end is cylindrical and forms a shaft.

for the sleeve H from which radiate the lugs I5 which carry the transverse pin l6.

To each pin I6 is hingedly attached a radial car arm l1. Each car arm I1 is provided with a pivot pin l8 which is normal to the arm l1 and has mounted thereon the sleeve |9 of the car 20 which contains a seat 2| and an occupant 22. The car 20 is free to rotate about the axis of the pivot pin l8.

To the uper end of the shaft I2 is secured a crank arm 23 to whose outer end is attached a wrist plate 24 from which radiate the connecting arms 25 whose outer ends are connected to the 5 arms H by means of the pins 28. The purpose of this construction is to cause the cars 2. to rock in vertical arcs when the shaft I2 is held stationary and the sleeve I4 is rotated, or when the sleeve I4 is held stationary and the shaft I2 isrotated. 5 The lower end 21 of the shaft l2 journals in the frame casting 28 which is provided with a conical recess 29 to receive the cone 30 of the slidable clutch element 3| which is splined on the shaft l2. The shaft I2 is provided with a collar 32 10 above the spline 33. About the collar 32 and free to rotate on the shaft I2 is a clutch gear 34 whose teeth 35 can be brought into mesh with the teeth 36 of the element 3| by means of the forked bell crank lever 31. The forked bell crank lever 31 15 is actuated by a connecting rod 38 from the hand lever 39 whose position may be selectively fixed by means of the quadrants 40.

Mounted in parallelism with the shaft I2 is an intermediate shaft 4| whose lower end 42 journals in the frame casting 28 in which is formed a conical recess 43 which is coaxial with the shaft 4|. Splined on the shaft 4| is a slidable clutch jaw 44 on whose lower end is formed a cone 45 which is adapted to engage the recess 43 when the jaw 44 is moved downwardly by means of .the forked bell crank lever 46 which is operated by the connecting rod 41 through the hand lever 48. This can be held in a desired position by means of a quadrant 49. 3o

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 4| above the clutch jaw 44 is a clutch part 50 which is part of the bevel gear 5| which is integral with the pinion 52 which meshes with the idler pinion 53 which in turn meshes with the clutch gear 34. Meshing 35 with the gear 5| is a bevel pinion 54 on the shaft 55 of the motor 55 whose operation is controlled by means of a switch 51 and rheostat 58.

There is also shown a loading platform 59 by means of which the occupant can enter or leave 40 the car 20 when it is in substantially its lowermost position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. On the upper end of the shaft 4| is secured a pinion 60 which meshes with the gear GI which is secured to or integral with the sleeve I4. 5

'The operation of the device isas follows:

*Assuming'that the device is stopped and it is desired to load a passenger, the operator by manipulating the

levers

39 and 40 causes the entire device to rotate about the vertical shaft 50 I2 until'the lowermost car 20 is brought around to the loading platform 59. The shaft I2 is then held in a fixed position by manipulating the hand lever 39 causing the cone 30 to engage the recess 29. Any further operation of the motor 56 will 55 cause the arms I! to rotate about the vertical shaft l2 and due to the fact that the crank arm 23 is now motionless each car 2| will descend to the loading platform I! as it approaches same.

Obviously, it will be desirable to stop the motor 56 during the operation of loading or unloading each car 20. g

After the cars are loaded, the shaft l2 may be rotated or held stationary or the cars may be made to revolve about in their orbits by permitting the pinion to drive the gear ii which is attached to the sleeve ll.

It will be noted that due to the difference in g the size of the pinion i2 and the gear 34, the shafts l2 and ll rotate at different speeds.

It can be seen from the foregoing that a wide range of movements is obtainable. for the cars 2. since they may either rock vertically or rotate in a circular orbit or do both of these acts at the same time, and in addition thereto may rotate upon their vertical axes.

I claim: I

1. A rotating amusement device of the class described, having a plurality of radial arms revoivable on a vertical axis, each of said arms having a. passenger car mounted on the outer end thereof, each of said arms being hingedly mounted, a crank arm associated with said revolvabie arms near their axis of rotation, connecting rods from said crank arm to the respective arms whereby said arms may be rocked and means for revolving said arms on a vertical axiswhile said cars are caused to 'rotate on axes which are normal to their respective arms in vertical planes.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base having an upright shaft thereon,

a plurality of radial arms revolvably mounted on said shaft, each of said arms being hinged at its inner end to permit same to rock vertically, a crank at the upper end of said shaft, connecting rods extending from said crank to each of said arms, means for rotating said arms on their vertical axis and means for rocking said arms vertically in conjunction with or independently of the rotating movements thereof.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, an upright shaft mounted on said base, a plurality of radial arms revolvably mounted about said shaft and hinged on their inner ends thereof to permit a vertical rocking movement by each of said arms, means for rocking said arms and rotating same about their vertical axis, a passenger car mounted on .each of said arms having means for permitting same to rotate freely on an axis which is normal to its respective arm in a vertical plane. Y

4. In a-device of the class described, the combination of a base, an upriflht shaft supported by said base having means for holding same against rotation and having means for causing same to rotate, said shaft having a crank arm at the upper end thereof, a plurality of radial arms having their inner ends hingedly mounted around said shaft, each of said arms having a passenger car on the outer end thereof and each of said arms having a connecting rod joining its inter--