US2785896A

US2785896A - Child's merry-go-round

Info

Publication number: US2785896A
Application number: US431894A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cadwalader H Ellis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-05-24
Filing date: 1954-05-24
Publication date: 1957-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1974-03-19

Description

March 19, 1957 c. H. ELLIS 2,785,896

CHILDS MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed May 24, 1954 INVENTOR. anew/amaze HELL/s BY M6064 qgflmmr Un ed 3W8 P w? CHILDS MERRY-GO-ROUND Cadwalader H. Ellis, Seattle, Wash. Application May 24, 1954, Serial No. 431,894

1 Claim. (Cl. 272-33 This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to improvements in devices for use by and for the amusement of children. Furthermore, the invention relates to a novel form of device which is of the nature of a small carousel, or merry-go-round, and which hereinafter will be referred to as a carousel.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a carousel that is easily portable and especially adapted for use on a lawn, or in a play roomythat is safe for use by small children; that will accommodate several children at the same time, and which has few parts and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

More specifically stated, the objects and advantages of I the present invention reside in the provision of a portable carousel for use by children, that comprises a base struc ture upon which a smooth circular platform is mounted for axial rotation about a central standard, and a handle member that is fixed to the base for support above and centrally of the platform; the platform being disposed quite close to the supporting surface on which the base structure may be disposed with a perfectly smooth top surface and adapted to be manually rotated axially about the standard by the children sitting or riding thereon through their grasping and pulling on the handle member.

Further objects and advantages of the present carousel reside in the details of construction of parts comprised therein, in their combination and functional relationship, and in the mode of use of the device as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing the above mentioned and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a central, vertical section of the device, which I refer to herein as a carousel, embodied by the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top, or plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the present carousel.

Fig. 4 is a detail showing one of the platform supporting rollers as applied to the base structure.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail of parts of the device.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

Heretofore, devices of a character somewhat similar to the present carousel have been disclosed in various patents issued over a period of many years. For example, U. S. Patent No. 1,935,040, discloses a turn-table on which devices, simulating various animals, are fixed for children to ride on. Also, in U. S. Design Patent No. 167,860, seats for children are mounted on a base structure and are adapted to be rotated about a central standard by the riders grasping and pulling on a centrally 2 in the form of a seat, chair, or the like that would interfere with the present intended mode of use of the device.

Referring more in detail to the present drawings:

The base structure of the present device comprises a plurality of horizontally directed beams or arms 10, that project radially from a common center and in the same horizontal plane. The structure as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, comprise three wooden beam forming members, laid in crossed relationship, interlocked and rigidly joined. Theseparts may be secured together by any suitable means. In the present showing, there are six of the radially directed arms 10, and they are illustrated as being'fabricated of wood, but might be of any other suitable material, such as, for example, aluminum bars. ltis the intent that this base structure be as low in height as practical and that, in use, it shall be disposed flatly upon a lawn, floor or other suitable supporting surface, either inside or out-of-doors. In devices now being built, these arms are approximately two feet long.

Fixed on the base structure, at the axial center and top side thereof, is a wooden block 12, and rigidly secured .to this block to extend vertically upward therefrom, is a rod or standard 13. As herein shown, this rod is of metal and is welded at its lower end to extend perpendicularly from a flat. metal plate 14, and this plate is halted or otherwise rigidly fixed to the block 12 and to the base structure as comprised by the radial arms 10. Overlying the plate 14, about the standard, is a wood spacer or washer 15 and disposed upon and against this about the standard is a metal plate or washer 16.

Mounted to revolve about the standard 13 is a horizontal platform 18. This platform is perfectly fiat and is preferably of the circular form shown in Fig. 2. Presently, the platform is being made of five-eighths inch plywood, and is approximately four feet in diameter. Its top surface is smooth and polished for a purpose presently apparent.

At its center, the platform 18 is equipped with a metal hub 20, formed with 'a projecting flange 21 at its lower end that may be fastened by countersunk screws, or the like, to the platform. The hub has a bore that receives the rod or standard 13 therethrough for easy rotation of the platform thereabout.

About its outer portion, the platform is supported at equally spaced angular intervals by, and is freely revoluble on rollers 30. Each roller 30 is mounted on an axle 31, preferably through the mediacy of suitable antifriction bearings, not herein shown, and the axle is supported at its opposite ends in the opposite side flanges of a substantially U-sh'aped mounting bracket 32. These brackets are securely fixed upon the outer end portions of the arms 10 of the base structure as has been shown in Figs. 1 and 4. It is to be observed in Fig. 1 that the arms 10 of the base structure terminate within the peripheral limits of the platform 18, and that the rollers 30 are set on the arms well within the edges of the platform in order that there shall be no possibility of injury from the rollers to a child grasping the edge portion of the disk while it is in rotation.

The standard or rod 13 extends centrally through and about twelve inches above the level of the platform 18 and at its upper end is equipped with a circular disk 35 that located table-like handle member fixed to a central stand- I is about ten inches in diameter. This disk, which serves as a handle member, has metal disks 36 fixed centrally thereto at top and bottom sides and these disks are formed centrally with squared holes, as is also the disk, to fit a squared, or unround upper end portion of the standard 13 to hold the disk against rotation. A key 40, or the like, is applied to a hole in the upper end of the standard to engage the top disk 36 thus to hold the disk 35 in position on and against rotation on the standard 13.

r 3 Assuiningthe carousel to be so constructed, it is put into use by placing it on a level lawn, or floor as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. It can be occupied by one, or even up to six small children, by their sitting on the platforrn, The platform can be caused to rotate about the central standard by the children merely grasping the rim of the disk and pulling or pushingin proper dirernion The eujoyment of the device is in its use as a rnerry-go-round or by several children as a game in which each tries to remain on thelspinning platform longer than the others; it being ditficult to remain on the smooth platfiorm when it is rotated. Ordinarily, two or three children can use the present device with the most enjoyment, but it will accommodate more. s One of the important features of this device resides in the fact that the platform is disposed relatively close to the gnound, or floor surface, and-therefore, when a child slips off the platform there is little danger that it will be hurt. i

The present device is characterized by its simplicity; by its ease of use; by its unobstructed and smooth surfaced platform that is supported close to the groundand extends clear of all understructure that might cause injury to users or interfere with its intended mode of use. It can be made in various diameters according to desires, and of various materials.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: A childs rnerry-go-round of the character described comprising, a relatively flat, rigid base structure adapted for disposition upon a supporting surface, a standard fixed rigidly and non-rotatably in the base structure, a disklike turntable equipped at its center with a hole through which the standard extends as a spindle for rotation of the table thereabout, a handhold member of disk-like form fixed coaxially to the standard at its upper end, and relatively close to the turntable, suitable for a child seated on the turntable, and rollers mounted on the base structure beneath the outer peripheral portion of the table, on axles that are radial of the standard, her the support of the turntable for rotation'thereon; said turntable extending beyond the radial lirnits of thebase structure and being of substantially greater diameter than the handhold memher and formed with'a smooth polished top surface such that a child seated thereon will slide 011 at a sufiiciently high rotational speed of the turntable.

Refereuces Cited in the file of this pat ent UNITED STATESVPATENTS