US2209549A

US2209549A - Amusement ride

Info

Publication number: US2209549A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1940-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 1957-07-30

Description

y 30, 1940- r E. A. ZEBULSKE I 2,209,549

AMUSEMENT RIDE Filed Dec. 7, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR EDWARD A. ZEBUL5KE' v B-m.

ATT RNEYS July 30, 1 E. A. ZEBULSKE AMUSEMENT RIDE Filed Dec. 7, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 E 80 m@ m @m m m A M I 5 [AW .1 Q w J m fi a a a a a w? a m? a 3 5 3 mfi. MN 0 o Q wwmw GE N w ww 3 y 30, 1940- E. A. ZEBULSKE 2,209,549

AMUSEMENT RIDE Filed Dec. 7, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 V 7 INVENTOR 92 no Aziauzski ATTORN Y5 July 30, 1940. E. A. ZEBULSKE AMUSEMENT RIDE Filed D80. 7, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Eva/Aka A. ZEBULSKE ATTORNEYS July so, 1940.

E. A. ZEBULSKE AMUSEMENT RIDE Filed Dec. 7, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR E00ARD A. 258 (/1 IKE YCZM.

ATT RNEYS Patented July 30, 1940 This invention relates to improvements in an PATENT orrlca AMUSEMENT RIDE Edward A. Zebulske, North Tonawanda, N. Y., 8.5-

signer to Spillman Engineering Corporation, North Tonawancla, .N. Y. V I ApplicationDecembe-r '7, 1938, SerialNo. 244,425

6 Claims. (01. 272-51 amusement device known as a roundabout and suitable for use at carnivals and amusement parks and the like. More particularly it relates to such a device in which one or more cars rotate in a circle around a common center, the plane of the circle being inclined at an angle to the horizontal.

In devices of this type it has been common to have the cars rotate in such manner that they are at a constant angle to the plane of the circle in which they rotate.

Ordinarily this angle is at right angles to such plane. With this construction, when that is, at the the car is at the top'of its travel, top of the circle, the car leans inwardly, which creates a force'in an inward direction counteracting to a greater or lesser extent the centrifugal force which tends to throw the car and the passengers outwardly. At the bottom of the circle, however, both car and passengers are leaning outwardly, which accentuates the centrifugal force and gives the passengers a feeling that they may be thrown out of the car.

It is an object .of this invention to construct a roundabout of the-c1ass described, in such a fashion that the passengers are comfortable at all times and have notendency to be thrown outward. This permits the utilization of greater operating speeds for the devices, with safety to the passengers.

It is a further object to accomplish this result by a simple device which maintains the cars at all times in a position whereby the centrifugal force upon the passengers is adequately counteracted. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

These objects are accomplished bythe invention herein describedwhich will be more readily understood by reference to the appended drawings.

cation Fig. 2 illustrates a sectional elevation of the device Fig. 3 illustrates an enlarged fragmentary view of the eccentric means for maintaining the cars at an inwardly inclined angle with some of the cars indicated on a much reduced scale at the outer edges thereof;

Fig. 4 indicates an enlarged plan View of a car and associated mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of the outer end of a sweep and the joint between two adjacent cars;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view partly in section and partly-in elevation of various parts of the device, considerable parts being broken away for simplification and condensation; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the brackets for holding" the cars in place.

Referring to Fig. 2, the device generally is 10- cated on a frame H) which consists of a central column H held in place by lateral braces I2, a plurality of circumferential supporting columns 83 located at a constant distance from central column H, and a second set of circumferential columns 14 located outwardly from columns l3 and connected thereto by lateral braces l5. The columns l3 and Mare highest on one side of the column I l and lowest on'the other, while the in termediate columns l3 and M graduate in height from the highest to the lowest. The columns l3 and 14 are kept in a fixed position with regard to central column I I by means of rods E8 and braces l9. 1

At the top of the columns l3 and M is preferably located a runway'or walk it for the convenience of patrons and-others, although such walk is not necessary for the functioning of the device. l

Rigidly attached to the columns i3 is a circular track I! which is preferably'located in a single plane as shown. The attachment is preferably near the top of the columns it, so that the cars (described below) are conveniently located near the runway or walk it. The'basic plane of this track is inclined at a substantial angle to the horizontal.

Located at the center of the device and adjacent the top of the column H is a rotatable member 2i freely rotating ina bearin 21. To the member 2| are attached a number of radially extending sweeps 22'. The sweeps are preferably rigidly attached to the rotatable member and at their outer ends are providedwith rollers or wheels 23 which ride on the track ll. Located somewhat inwardly from the outer end of each sweep is a joint 2 to which is attached a tie member 25 circular in cross sectionand extendingto a similar joint on the next adjacent sweep. This joint is shown in Fig. 5. The tie members 25 serve to keep the sweeps rigidly in position and apart from each other and serve also as supports for the cars, which will be described next. Fitted .oneach tie. member 25 are four collars 25, .two-loCatednear eachend of the tie member, for the purpose hereinafterv described On each tie .member. 25 ,is positioned a .pas-. senger carrier or Carfilhwhichean;rotate about the tie members 25 as an axis. Each car is held in place by means of brackets 3| (see Fig. 7) having depending flanges 32,. said brackets being attached to the underside of the car. One 01' these brackets is located adjacent each end of the car, and fits snugly over the. tie member 25 between the collars 26, the collars preventing the cars from sliding longitudinally. The recess formed by the depending flanges 32 is preferably curved, as shown in Fig. '7, in order that the pressure on the tie member may be spread over its area thus diminishing friction as the car rotates about the tie member as an axis. The tie member is positively held within the bracket by means of a pin 33 passing through holes 34 in the lower part of the depending flanges.

Located eccentrically with respect to the m tatable member 2| is a rotatable member 40 free- Spaced ly rotating in a stationary bearing 44. somewhat from the axis of rotation of this rotatable member 40 is a depending arm 45 provided at its lower end with a roller 46 rotating about a vertical axis. This roller fits between the arms of a U-shaped member 41 rigidly attached to rotatable member 2|. As member 2| rotates it thus carries arm 45 and roller 46 with it. Due to the fact, however, that member 40 is located eccentrically with respect to member 2| roller 46 will ride inwardly or outwardly in the slot provided by the arms of the U-shaped member 41, so that it reaches its point of closest approach to the member 2| when it is on the opposite side of member 2| from that of the axis of rotation of member 4|], and its farthest distance from member 2| when it is on the same side of member 2| as the axis of rotation of member 40.

To the member 40 are attached a plurality of tie members or rods 4| (see Figs. 3 and 6), each extending to a depending bracket 35 provided with braces 36 and rigidly attached to the inner side of the corresponding car. These tie rods are of such length and the eccentric member is so located that the cars are at all times tipped at an angle inwardly to the vertical, as shown very clearly in Fig. 2. The joint between the tie rods and the eccentric member 40 is preferably by means of a universal joint 42 and there is also preferably a similar universal joint 43 where it is attached to the car. This is due to the fact that the tie rods occupy varying angles with respect to the rotatable member 40, depending upon the varying positions on the circular track of the cars to which they are attached. This is shown in Fig. 3 where it is seen that the tie rods cross the sweeps at varying angles.

In the form shown in the drawings, a tie rod 4| is connected to a car on the lower part thereof, so that the moment .of force exerted by the tie rod about the axis upon. which the car rocks or pivots (that is, tie member 25) extends downwardly from such axis. This causes tie rod 4| to push outwardly on the under structure of the car in order that the upper structure may tip inwardly. In this case the efiective length of the tie rods 4|, that is, the distance between the center of rotation of such tie rods and the vertical axis of the cars, is greater than the effective length of the sweeps 22, that is, the distance between the center of rotation of such sweeps and the axis about which the cars rock or pivot. The

tie rods, however, could equally well be connected to the upper part of the cars, in which case the moment of force would extend upwardly from the latter axis, so that an inward pull 'ofthe tierod would cause the upper structure to tip inwardly.

In this case the effective length of the tie rods 4| would be less than the effective length of the sweeps 22.

The cars and associated tie rods 4| and sweeps 22 are caused to travel around the track I! by any convenient mechanism. In the form shown in the drawings (Fig. 1) this is accomplished by means of acontinuous cable 50 wrapped around two rotatable drums and 52. 'Drum 5| is stationary, while drum 52 is movable towards and away from drum 5|. It is kept as far away as possible from drum 5| by means of a spring 53, so that cable 50 is kept taut at all times. The drum 5| is rotated by any suitable means, such as a motor. The cable passes over hooks 54 attached to each sweep 22. The hooks are provided with V-shaped notches so that the cable will wedge firmly therein and exhibit the smallest tendency to slip.

In accordance with the present invention the passenger carriers are thus always inclined at an angle inwardly to the vertical. At the top of the inclined circle this angle is such that the car may be located at right angles or approximately at right angles to the plane of the track. At the bottom of the inclined circle, on the other hand, the angle between the car and the plane of the track will be much less.

In addition to counteracting centrifugal force, the arrangement of the present invention is useful in helping to counteract any tendency the car may have of actually dropping away from the passenger as it travels on the descending side of the circle, due to the acceleration of gravity.

As many modifications may obviously be made from the form shown in the drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention, the invention is not intended to be limited thereto except as defined in the appended claims. Some of the modifications immediately apparent are that the device may be driven by a motor attached to the central rotatable member 2| instead of a motor located at one side of the apparatus, or that some of the tie members, braces, etc., may be made integral with the frame or other parts of the device. The form shown, however, is more practical than these suggested modifications in that it may be easily dismantled and put together again for location at a different place.

When the expression in a plane inclined to the horizontal is used, it is understood that slight departures from a true plane, such as in the form of undulatory motion, is included.

' Likewise, the use of the expression in a circuiar path permits the same variations.

I claim:

1. An amusement device comprising a plurality of pivotally mounted passenger carriers, means for causing said passenger carriers to travel in a circular path in a stationary plane inclined to the horizontal, and tie members radially extending substantially from a center located eccentrically with respect to and on the downward side from the center of said circular path, said tie members being attached adjacent their outer ends to said passenger carriers and having difierent effective lengths than the efiective distance between said passenger carriers and the center of said circular path, whereby said passenger carriers are at all times maintained at an angle inwardly inclined from the vertical.

2. An amusement device comprising a plurality of sweeps radially extending substantially from a common center, passenger carriers pivotally connected to said sweeps, means for causing said passenger carriers and sweeps to travel in a circular path in a stationary plane inclined to the horizontal about said common center as an axis, and tie members radially extending substantially from a second common center located.

eccentrically with respect to and on the downward side from said first mentioned common center, said tie members being attached adjacent their outer ends to said passenger carriers and having different effective lengths than the effective lengths of said sweeps, whereby said passenger carriers are at all times maintained at an angle inwardly inclined from the vertical.

3. An amusement device comprising a rotatable member, a plurality of sweeps radially extending from said rotatable member, passenger carriers pivotally connected to said sweeps, a substantially circular track located in a plane inclined to the horizontal and whereon said sweeps travel, a second rotatable member located eccentrically with respect to said first mentioned rotatable member and on the downward side of said circular track from said first mentioned rotatable member, and tie members radially extending from said second rotatable member to said passenger carriers and having different efiective lengths than the effective lengths of said sweeps, whereby said passenger carriers are at all times maintained at an angle inwardly inclined from the vertical.

4. An amusement device comprising a rotatable member, a plurality of sweeps radially extending from said rotatable member", wheels located adjacent the outermost extremity of said sweeps, a substantially circular track located in a plane inclined to the horizontal and upon which said wheels ride, passenger carriers pivotally connected to said sweeps, a second rotatable member located eccentrically with respect to said first mentioned rotatable member and on the downward side of said circular track from said first mentioned rotatable member, and tie members radially extending from said'second rotatable member to said passenger carriers and having difierent effective lengths than the effective lengths of said sweeps, whereby said passenger carriers are at all times maintained at an angle inwardly inclined from the vertical.

5. An amusement device comprising a plurality of pivotally mounted passenger carriers,

means for causing said passenger carriers to travel in a circular path in a stationary plane inclined to the horizontal, a rotatable member located eccentrically with respect to and on the downward side from the center of said circular path, and tie members joined to said rotatable member by means of universal joints and radially extending from said rotatable member, said tie members being attached adjacent their outer ends by universal joints to said passenger carriers and having different efiective lengths than the efiective distance between said passenger carriers and the center of said circular path, whereby said passenger carriers are at all times maintained at an angle inwardly inclined from the vertical.

6. An amusement device comprising a rotatable member, a plurality of sweeps radially extending from said rotatable member, wheels located adjacent the outermost extremity of said wheels, a substantially circular track located in a plane inclined to the horizontal and upon which said wheels ride, tie members connecting said sweeps, passenger carriers pivotally mounted on said tie members, a second rotatable member located eccentrically with respect to said first mentioned rotatable member and on the downward side of said circular track from said first mentioned rotatable member, and a second set of tie members radially extending from said second rotatable member to said passenger carriers and having different efiective lengths than the effective lengths of said sweeps, whereby said passenger carriers are at all times maintained at an angle inwardly inclined from the vertical, said second set of tie members being joined to said passenger carriers and to said second rotatable member by means of universal joints.

EDWARD A. ZEBULSKE.