US3210076A - Motor driven revolving amusement device - Google Patents

Description

J Oct. 5, 1965 B. WALKER 3,210,076

MOTOR DRIVEN REVOLVING AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Feb. 5, 1963 2 Sheets$heet l Byrd Walk er 1 N VEN TOR.

BY WW 3m Oct. 5, 1965 B. WALKER MOTOR DRIVEN REVOLVING AMUSEMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1963 IN VENTOR.

Byrd Walker BY m Fm United States Patent 3,210,076 MOTOR DRIVEN REVOLVING AMUSEMENT DEVICE Byrd Walker, 1468 Rosada Way, Fort Myers, Fla. Filed Feb. 5, 1863, Ser. No. 256,305 4 Claims. (Cl. 27253.1)

This invention primarily relates to a revolving amusement device characterized, generally speaking, by a pair of simulated animal structures, hobby horses, for example, operatively mounted for reciprocal horizontal and vertical movement, upon a structurally and functionally novel base structure.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved amusement device for children.

A further object of this invention is to provide an amusement device of the character indicated upon which one or more children may be seated and wherein the seating members may reciprocated in horizontal and vertical directions in a novel manner.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an amusement device of the character indicated which will provide a simulated ride upon a horse, airplane, or boat.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel drive means for the device in order to obtain the simulated movement mentioned above.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an amusement device which requires a minimum number of parts and may be assembled quickly and easily.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention which comprises automatic driving means.

FIGURE 2 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating certain details of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially along line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a partial detail sectional view taken substantially along line 44 of FIGURE 3 and illustrating certain details of the drive mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, FIG- URES 1 to 4, a revolving amusement device generally designated by the numeral 18 is shown. The amusement device comprises a frame 12 consisting of a channelshaped deck member 14 supported upon suitable legs 16. A mesh screen 18 is strung between the legs to form a hollow enclosure beneath the deck member 14. Suitable bracing members such as 20 are disposed at the front of and the rear of the frame 12 to provide additional support for the deck member and to provide additional means for attaching the mesh screen 18 to the deck member 14.

Suitable casing members 22, 24 and 26 are mounted upon the deck member 14 in order to enclose the drive mechanism of the instant invention and to provide safety means so that the child using the amusement device does not have access to the drive mechanism. Suitable support and bracing members 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36 are rigidly attached together to form a suitable supporting frame for the casing members 22, 24. The casing members 22, 24 are also disposed about arcuate frame members 38, 40, 42 and 44. The casing 26 also has transverse bracing members 46 adapted to be formed integral therewith. It should be noted that the part of the deck member 14 underlying the casing members 22, 24, and 26 has been cut away in order to allow certain parts of the drive mechanism to extend therethrough.

Extending transversely of portions of the deck member 14 and welded thereto beneath the same and also attached to the depending support and bracing members 28 and 30 are two angle iron members 48 and 50. Mounted at horizontally spaced points along said angle irons 48, 50 are a first pair of bearing blocks 52 and a second pair of bearing blocks 54. Rotatably mounted within each of the bearing blocks 52 is a first shaft 56 and rotatably mounted within the bearing blocks 54 is a second shaft 58. The shafts 56, 58 are adapted to be rotated simultaneously in the same direction by means of a motor 59 disposed within the enclosure formed by the mesh screen 18 having an output shaft 60 which fixedly mounts a pair of sprockets 62 and 64. The sprocket 62 is aligned with a sprocket 66 rigidly attached to the shaft 56 and the sprocket 64 is aligned with a sprocket 68 rigidly mounted upon the shaft 58. An endless chain 70 is entrained about the sprockets 62 and 66 thus connecting the shaft 60 to the shaft 56 so that they rotate simultaneously and an endless chain 72 is entrained about the sprockets 64, 68 in order that the shaft 58 may rotate simultaneously with the shaft 60. It should be readily obvious that upon rotation of the shaft 60 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2 by suitable actuation of the motor 59 by a suitable switch, the shafts 56 and 58 will also be caused to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2.

Keyed to the shafts 56, 58 beneath the casing 22 is a first pair of crank arms 74. Also keyed to the shafts 56, 58 beneath the casing 24 are a second pair of parallel crank arms 76. The first pair of crank arms 74 are disposed 180 degrees relative to the second pair of crank arms 76 for the purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

Each of the crank arms 74, 76 has a rigid extension 80 and 82 mounted at the outer ends of said arms. Said extensions 82 rotatably receive sleeve members 84 and said extensions 88 rotatably receive sleeve members 86. Rigidly disposed between and formed integral with the two sleeve members 84 is a horizontal rod member 88 and integrally formed with and between the rotatable sleeve members 86 is an integral rod member 0. The rod members 88 and 98 have centrally and rigidly mounted thereon vertically extending posts 92 and 94. The post 94 extends through a slot 96 formed in the casing 22 and the vertically extending post 92 extends through a longitudinally extending slot 98 formed in the casing 24. The posts 92 and 94 have mounted at their upper ends channel shaped brackets 100 and 102. Supported by the bracket 100 is a simulated toy structure such as a hobbyhorse 104, and supported by the bracket 102 is a second simulated toy structure such as a hobbyhorse 106. The hobbyhorses each have a seat 108 disposed thereon on which a child may sit and also has handle means 110 which a child may grasp as well as footrests 112.

The operation of the amusement device depicted in FIGURES 1 to 4 should now be readily apparent. Upon actuation of the motor 59 the output shaft 60 will rotate causing the shafts 56 and 58 to rotate in the same direction accordingly. The rotation of said shafts will cause the first pair of crank arms 74 to revolve with the shafts 56, 58 thus moving the horizontal rod member 90 initially horizontally. Since the horizontal rod member is journalled upon the ends of the crank arms 74 the rod member 90 is always disposed in a horizontal plane but will be reciprocally lowered and raised as the crank arms 74 revolve with the shafts 56, 58. This movement is depicted in the phantom lines shown in FIGURE 2. It should also be obvious that the second pair of crank arms 76 and horizontal rod member 88 operate in a similar manner. Of course, the vertical posts 92, 94, since they are integral with the horizontal rod members 88, 90 respectively will also be caused to reciprocate simultaneously horizontally and vertically, thus causing the hobbyhorses or simulated toy structures to follow the above described path of movement and to give the child seated upon said toy structure the feeling of riding on a horse or the like. It should be noted that when the crank arms are at their extreme horizontal positions the vertical post 94 is disposed adjacent the horizontal brace members 36, 34 but the device is so organized that there is no interference by these members with the vertical posts 92, 94 in their repicrocatory motion. By disposing the first pair of crank arms 74 180 degrees relative to the second pair of crank arms 76 it should be apparent that the reciprocation of the structures 104, 106 are 180 degrees out of phase thereby providing for more enjoyment by the children using said amusement device.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An exercising and amusement device comprising support means embodying a hollow base having a horizontal platform constituting a deck and cooperating first and second elongated casing members provided with longitudinal spaced parallel slots, a pair of vertically dis posed motion transmitting posts, said posts operating individually in their respective cooperable slots, toy structures fixedly mounted atop their respective cooperable supporting and motion transmitting posts, first and second rotatably mounted shafts housed Within the hollow portion of said base, motor means also mounted within the hollow portion of said base operatively connected with and functioning to rotate said first and second shafts simultaneously in the same direction, crank arms operatively connected at corresponding ends to adjacent cooperating outer ends of the respectively cooperable first and second shafts, there being first and second pairs of said crank arms spaced parallel and having lower ends keyed and operatively connected to corresponding opposite end portions of the aforementioned first and second shafts, and first and second horizontally disposed rod members having pivotal operating connection at forward and rearward ends to the respective ends of the crank arms of said first and second pairs, the lower end portions of the aforementioned posts being fixedly joined to intermediate portions of the respectively cooperable rod members.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and wherein said first and second pairs of parallel crank arms are mounted 180 degrees apart about the circumference of the aforementioned first and second shafts.

3. An exercising and amusement device comprising, in combination, stationary support means embodying a hollow base having bearing means, forward and rearward crankshafts having median portions journaled for rotation in said bearing means, said median journaled portions being disposed in spaced apart parallelism and in a common horizontal plane, an inverted T-shaped member having a head portion Whose ends are pivotally connected with coordinated corresponding crank portions of said shafts, and a stem portion, the latter providing an upstanding post, and a hobby horse having a median part of its body portion poised on and fixedly joined to an upper end of said post.

4. The structure according to claim 3 and in combination, said hollow base embodying a platform constituting a deck situated adjacent to said toy to assist the rider of the toy to safely and conveniently mount and dismount said toy, and motor means housed in the hollow portion of said base and operatively connected with and simultaneously driving said crankshafts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,803,397 5/31 Rizza 272-17 X 2,637,554 5/53 Terreson 27253.l 2,919,132 12/59 Canady 272-531 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 3. AN EXERCISING AND AMUSEMENT DEVICE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, STATIONARY SUPPORT MEANS EMBODYING A HOLLOW BASE HAVING BEARING MEANS, FORWARD AND REARWARD CRANKSHAFTS HAVING MEDIAN PORTIONS JOURNALED FOR ROTATION IN SAID BEARING MEANS, SAID MEDIAN JOURNALED PORTIONS BEING DISPOSED IN SPACED APART PARALLELISM AND IN A COMMON HORIZONTAL PLANE, AN INVERTED T-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING A HEAD PORTION WHOSE ENDS ARE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH COORDINATED CORRESPONDING CRANK PORTIONS OF SAID SHAFTS, AND A STEM PORTION, THE LATTER PROVIDING AN UPSTANDING POST, AND A HOBBY HORSE HAVING A MEDIAN PART OF ITS BODY POSIED ON AND FIXEDLY JOINED TO AN UPPER END OF SAID POST.

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