US3672669A

US3672669A - Alternatively occupant propelled or motor driven roundabout

Info

Publication number: US3672669A
Application number: US113550A
Authority: US
Inventors: John James Ottaviano
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-02-08
Filing date: 1971-02-08
Publication date: 1972-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-27

Abstract

An amusement ride for children, the device comprising a stand that supports a horizontally rotatable frame consisting of a pair of crossing arms, each of the arms at its outer end being attached to a riding unit which consists of a horse-shaped body supported upon a front and rear wheel that travels on the ground, the front wheel having foot pedals and the horse shaped body having a seat for a rider. The foot pedals are removable and a pair of stirrups are releasable to hang down upon opposite sides of the horse-shaped body. An electric motor mounted on the stand has a gear engageable with a gear mounted on the underside of the hub supporting the crossing arms whereby the pedals may be removed and the roundabout motor driven.

Description

United States Patent Ottaviano June 27, 1972 [54] ALTERNATIVELY OCCUPANT PROPELLED OR MOTOR DRIVEN ROUNDABOUT 21 Appl. No.2 113,550

Lakin ..272/44 X 3,424,132 1/1969 Fischer et al 272/39 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1897 Great Britain ..272/33 B Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Amold W. Kramer [57] ABSTRACT An amusement ride for children, the device comprising a stand that supports a horizontally rotatable frame consisting of a pair of crossing arms, each of the arms at its outer end being attached to a riding unit which consists of a horse-shaped body supported upon a front and rear wheel that travels on the ground, the front wheel having foot pedals and the horse shaped body having a seat for a rider. The foot pedals are removable and a pair of stirrups are releasable to hang down upon opposite sides of the horse-shaped body. An electric motor mounted on the stand has a gear engageable with a gear mounted on the underside of the hub supporting the crossing arms whereby the pedals may be removed and the roundabout motor driven.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures ALTERNATIVELY OCCUPANT PROPELLED R MOTOR DRIVEN ROUNDABOUT This invention relates generally to amusement rides for children.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel amusement ride for children which consists of a merry go round having several riding units each one of which includes a wheel that is foot powered by a rider.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a merry go round for children to enjoy riding by pedaling an which provides a healthy exercise.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a merry go round which will keep small children in a yard while riding so that they do not ride in the back of a car backing from a driveway or rolling out into traffic in a street.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a merry go round which also teaches small children the value of team work and coordination by several children all pedaling at the same speed together.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a merry go round which unlike a tricycle or bicycle will not tip over, thereby preventing a child from becoming injured when falling or bumping into other objects.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a merry go round which when used out-of-doors may .incorporate a light canopy similar to a lawn umbrella for being placed thereupon so to protect small children against s falling rain or against excessively strong sunlight for a long duration.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a merry go round which alternately can be built on a small scale as a toy for very young children of creeping age and which could include a seat and back and arm rests for supporting the very small child, and wherein such child may be strapped in and learn to push himself forward and backward to develop use of the legs for earlier walking.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a merry go round which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be evident upon a study to follow specifications and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the present invention shown with a portion thereof broken away for greater clarity,

FIG. 2 is a view taken in the direction 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a view generally similar to FIG. 1 and showing a modified drive mechanism.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and particularly at this time to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the reference numeral represents a merry go round according to the present invention wherein there is a central stand 11 which includes a horizontal base 12 for being placed upon a ground 13, the base 12 supporting an upstanding and vertical post 14 which can be steadied additionally by the use of diagonally extending radial outward braces 15. The upper end of the post 14 supports a freely rotatable frame 16 comprised of a pair of crossing arms 17, the outer ends of the crossed arms 17 each having a riding unit 18 secured thereto.

Each riding unit 18 includes a flat body 19 in the shape ofa horse, the body being supported upon a front wheel 20 and a rear wheel 21 which ride upon the ground 13. The front wheel is provided with foot pedals 22 upon which a child 23 may place his feet 24 so to provide a driving power to the merry go round. A horizontal seat 25 is secured upon the body 19 and a pair of sidewardly extending handle bars 26 serve to receive a child s hands 27 for holding himself upon the riding unit 18.

It is to be noted that for greater detail of construction, the frame 16 includes a rotatable hub 28 through which the crossing arms 17 extend, the hub being rotatable about the post 14. Additionally, each of the riding units includes a fork 29 secured by bolts 30 to opposite sides of the body 19 as shown. It should be further noted that the merry go round includes thus four riding units each one of which are spaced at respective to each other. A socket 31 on an inner side of the horse shaped body 19 serves to receive a downwardly bent end 32 of the arm or boom 17.

The horses body or bodies may be attractively painted so as to appeal to small children. They may be made of sheet plywood or other desirable material according to the judgment of the manufacturer. The booms or arms 17 as well as the stand 11 can be made of lightweight tubular metal. All of the moveable or rotatable structure of the merry go round is sufficiently light enough so that even a single rider finds it easy to pedal and move the device.

In operative use, it is now evident that one or several riders can at the same time pedal the riding units so to cause the units to travel in a circular path around the central stand 11.

In a modified form of the invention as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing, the merry go round 33 is provided with foot pedals 22 being made removable and a pair of foot stirrups 34 being released to hang downward so that a child may place his feet therein. The device instead of being foot powered is in this instant driven by an electric motor 35 mounted upon a platform 36 secured to the center post 37 of the stand 38, the motor driving a gear 39 that engages a gear 40 secured to the frame 41. Thus a child can enjoy a ride without pedaling so to give the feeling that he is traveling a powered vehicle in the manner of an adult.

What I now claim is:

1. In a merry go round, the combination of a stationary stand, a rotatable frame supported upon said stand, and said frame at its outer ends having a plurality of riding units secured thereto for travelling in a circular course, each of said riding units being adaptable for a child to ride thereupon; said stand comprising a flat horizontal base upon which there is an upstanding post, a plurality of diagonally downward extending braces for additionally supporting said post in a vertical upright position and the upper end of said post being adaptable for supporting said frame, said frame comprising a freely rotatable pivoted hub, said hub supporting a pair of crossing booms or arms, one of which at its opposite ends is secured to said riding units, each one of said riding units comprising a body of flat plywood material which is configurated into the shape of a horse, said body being supported upon a front wheel and a rear wheel which travel upon the ground, said front wheel being provided with foot pedals, a pair of sidewardly extending handhold elements secured to said body, a seat being positioned upon said body so that a rider may be seated and said body being attractively colored so to appeal to children, said foot pedals being removable and a pair of stirrups being releasable to hang down upon opposite sides of said horse shaped body, said frame having a gear on the underside of said hub which is engageable with a gear on a motor shaft of a motor supported upon a platform secured to said upstanding post of said stand for electrically rotating said frame, said motor being located immediately adjacent below said crossing booms with only a narrow clearance space therebetween.