US548450A - Carousel - Google Patents

Description

(No Medal.) 3 Sheets -Sheet 1.

G. E. NORCROSS. cmousnt.

No. 548,450. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

Witnesses: Inventon.

Attorney.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. O. E. NORUROSS.

GAROUSEL.

No. 548,450. Patented (Jet. 22, 1895.

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COLLEN EMLEY NORCROSS, OF SMITHVILLE, NEW JERSEY.

CAROUSEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,450, dated October 22, 189 5.

Application filed August 10, 1894. Serial No. 519,955. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern- Be it known that I, COLLEN EMLEY NOR- CROSS, of Smithville, in the county of Bur lington and State ofNewJerseyhaveinvented certain new and useful improvements in Caro usels, of which the following is a specificatron.

My invention relates to that class of carousels in which one or more riders seated in seats circularly arranged and suspended from a centrally-pivoted platform or ring or from arms radiating from a central post or pivot gyrate about a common center. Heretofore such devices have been rotated by steam or horse power without any means being employed to counteract the centrifugal force, the tendency of which is to unseat the rider or not offering any calisthenic advantages in their employment, or where such provision was made in requiring the riders to propel themselves by means of cranks, gearing, &c., the mechanicalelements employed being so clumsy and ponderous as to render them inefficient and undesirable as a means of recreation. Hence such devices when put in practice have been speedily abandoned, and few, if any, are at present in use.

The object of my invention is, first, to provide a carousel which will completely obviate the danger attendant upon riding in aswiftly circularly moving chair or seat, due to the centrifugal force developed by such movement; secondly, to afford invigorating and healthy exercise in an attractive form appealing to the public taste and consequently securing its patronage.

To these ends my improvements consist in the employment of seats resembling the sad die of an ordinary bicycle suspended from a horizontal ring by means of rods of sufficient length, having freedom toswing outwardly in a radial direction in a plane at right angles to that of rotation,said ring varying in die meter with the number of seats in the carousel and being in turn suspended by guy wires or rods from a fixed collar near the top of a central mast or pivot, to which they are rigidly secured, and auxiliary horizontal rods secured to the ring and connecting the same with a flanged collar, also rigidly secured upon the central mast or pivot aforesaid. At a point near the foot of the ceutral'post or pivot is keyed or otherwise firmly secured a collar analogous to the upper one, and between the two in contact with both, but free to rotate thereon, extends a metallic sleeve, fitting loosely over the central post or pivot, so as to admit of free and independent rotation of the post. The central post or pivot is seated at its lowest extremity and rotates in a step resting on the ground or in a grooved beam, and the top is held in place by and rotates in a corresponding hearing or collar seated in an overhead cross-beam, forming part of the inclosing frame or structure. Near the upper end of the sleeve inclosing the central post or pivot is keyed a collar provided with apertures for the reception of the upper ends of guy-rods bolted thereto and fastened at their lower ends to a main foundation-platform, which is likewise secured to the lower end of the said sleeve by means of an additional collar keyed thereon and bolted to a concentric cylind rical casing and suitable bolts for securing the latter to the platform aforesaid. Keyed at the upper end of the sleeve is a bevel-gear meshing with small bevel-pinions, one for each saddle or seat, said bevelpinions rotating in bearings dependent from and in, respectively, the upper collar keyed to the central shaft or pivot and each connected by means of universal and telescopic shafts with sprocket-wheels j ourn aled in bearings carried upon the rim of the main revoluble ring, said sprocketwheels being r0- tated by means of hell; chains engaging with sprocket-wheels upon crank-shafts under the seats or saddles and occupying the same relative positions thereto that the ordinary sprocket-wheel and crank-shaft of a safetybicycle occupy with reference to the saddle thereof, the whole mechanism being actuated by means of treadles upon the said crankshaft, said treadles being analogous to the 'treadles ordinarily used on bicycles. Suitable brakes and positive stops applied to the lower collar of the central pivot or shaft are provided to regulate the movement of either or both or to bring them to absolute rest, as here inafter more fully set forth.

The nature of my improvements and the manner in which they are to be carried out will be understood, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectional elevation. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view showing brake and stopping mechanism. Figs. 5 and 6 are a front and side elevation, respectively, partially in section, showing the driving mechanism of the machine. Fig. 7 isa broken de tailfview of telescopic and universal drivingsha t.

A main frame constructed of timber or metallic beams of suitable size and strength suitably assembled, having two transverse girders, the one above and the other beneath the carousel proper, is provided with pivotal steps, the one in the overhead girder and the other in the ground beam, for the reception of a cylindrical mast 7 stepped in the steps and being revoluble therein. At a convenient distance above its lower eXtremity-say, twelve or eighteen inches-is keyed or held with a setscrew a flanged collar 8, to be more fully described hereinafter in connection with the brake mechanism. Slightly above this fixed collar and extending around and about twothirds, more or less, the length of the mast 7 is a sleeve 5, provided with a flanged collar near its upper end cast or keyed thereon, said collar being provided with eyes for the reception of the upper ends of guy-rods 40, which are fastened therein, the lower ends of the same being secured to a circular platform which rests upon the ground or foundationgirder at a level between the interiorsurface of the collar 8 and the top of the foundationgirder and step. The sleeve 5 fits easily over the mast 7' and permits the latter to rotate freely within it, and at its upper end it is crowned with a bevel-gear 17, either cast with or keyed upon'it.

Keyed or securely screwed upon the mast 7, just above the top of the sleeve 5, is a flanged collar 14, exteriorly analogous to the collar 8, but in an inverted position theretoi. a, with the flange up and the hub downward. Screwed or otherwise secured to the periphery of the said flange are guy-rods 27 27, radiating horizontally and secured at their outward ends to a horizontal ring 28, strengthening and maintaining the latter in a position concentric with the pivotal mast 7.

Immediately beneath and adjacent to the upper step of mast 7 a flanged collar or ring provided with eyes for the reception of guy rods or ropes 39 is keyed or otherwise secured to the said mast 7. The rods or guyropes 39 extend radially outwardly and downwardly, and are secured at their outward and lower extremities to the ring 28, supporting the latter and relieving the radial rods 27 27 of weight thereof and of the mechanism dependent therefrom and supported thereby.

Bolted to or otherwise securely fastened to the sleeve 5, at a point adjacent to the lower end thereof, is a circular disk or plate 3, extending over and being firmly bolted to a cylindrical casing 2, forming part of or being securely bolted to the platform 1. The plate or collar 3 may be cast solid or with arms, and it may be cast with the casing in one piece, these details not affecting the object to be obtained by myconstruction, to wit: that-the main platform 1, the casing 2, the plate 3, the sleeve 5 shall all be rigidly connected together, permitting the free rotation of the mast 7 within their aggregation and concentric therewith.

The plate 3, platform 1, and easing 2 inclose the collar 8, keyed on the mast 7, and the casing is slotted horizontally on a level with the said collar 8 for the passage and operation of the brake-bar 4=l,one extremity of which being pivoted on the post 42 upon the main platform 1 and the other extremity projecting to the exterior of the casing forming a handle affords facilities for vibrating the lever in either direction. The center of the lever expands horizontally in the form of an oblong ring, the interior surface of the ends of which have the same diameter and Width as the periphery of the collar 8 and on the same level therewith, forming a brake-shoe for the same, the normal position of which is central when the device is running and which is pushed to either side, thereby bringing one of the ends of the shoe in contact with the exterior periphery of the collar 8 upon the rotating shaft or mast '7, thereby bringing the same gradually to a rest. The plate or collar 3 is provided with a vertically-sliding bolt 9, sliding easily in a fixed sleeve 11 and opening 8 in the said plate 3. The bolt is provided near its upper end with a handle or lever 13,

extending at right angles to the axis of the bolt, and, resting upon the top of the sleeve 11, it is held in position by the resiliency of a cylindrically-coiled spring 13, which abuts against the under side of the plate 3 and whose lower end reacts upon a pin passing through the said bolt at a point near the lower end of the latter.

The upper end of the fixed sleeve 11 is notched or cut in such wise that one half of the same presents a plane horizontal face, but the other half shows a plane inclined to the horizon at an angle of forty-five degrees. When the bolt is in its upper position, it rides upon the horizontal plane of the sleeve by means of the lever; but when it is desired to depress the said bolt the handle 13 is pushed around until it comes over the inclined portion of the slot, when it falls therein, being actuated by the spring 13. The-flange of the collar 8, keyed upon the mast 7, is perforated vertically along the circular path which comes immediately beneath the verticallysliding bolt 9, with a series of holes of sufficient diameter to allow the bolt aforesaid to pass freely through them, so that when actuated by the spring 13 its handle 13 being no longer sustained upon the flat end of the sleeve 11, the bolt 9 falls, and it immediately enters the hole which first comes beneath it and instantaneously stops the rotation of the ICC) 7 mast 7 relatively to the platform 12. When in this position, the machine can only be rotated by the external application of power to the mast 7. This can be effected by means of gearing and steam or horse power in the usual manner. Radiating from the ring 28 are arms 29 29, the, all of equal length in pairs, a pair for each vehicle, each pair carrying a horizontal bar 30 parallel to the chord subtending the are contained between the members of a pair of brackets. The bar 30 is threaded at both ends and is held rigidly in eyes in the outer extremity of the brackets 29 29, &c., by means of nuts and jam-nuts. The horizontal bar is not tangent to the ring 28, but leaves suificient clearance at its center for the placing and tightening of the exterior nut. upon the rod 27. The said bar 30 carries sleeved and revoluble around its longitudinal axis, near its forward end or the end which lies in the direction of the movement of the carousel, a sprocket-wheel carrier or bearing-block 43, (see Fig. 5,) provided with a socket whose longitudinal axis is at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the horizontal bars 30. Into these sockets are secured the tubes 31 32, respectively.

The construction of each bar and the mechanism connected therewith being identical in each case, the description of one, as hereinabove and what follows, will answer for the others.

The tubes 31 32 extend downwardly to within a convenient distance of the platform 1 and are screwed into sockets tapped into the lower sprocket-wheel casing, said casing 45 being of suitable form to contain the sprocketwheel 33 upon a suitable crank-shaft 46, passing through suitable hearings in the casing and carrying cranks 38 38, provided with treadles 37 37 analogous to ordinary bicycletreadles. Passing through the tubes and over the sprocket-wheel 33 and engaging with the same is a chain-belt 31, which passes over and gears with the sprocket-pinion 26, car-' ried on the shaft 25, which is journaled at its outer end in the. bearing formed in an upwardly-projecting standard 44. on the horizontally-revoluble sprocket-wheel carrier or bearingblock 43 upon the bar 30, the axis of said shaft 25 lying in a plane radiating from and containing the axis of rotation of the mast 7.

Near the end of the horizontal bar 30 and fitting easily, so as to admit of free rotation thereon, is a T-shaped sleeve provided with a socket, into which is secured the verticallydepending rod or tube 34, bent forward horizontally below and fitting in a socket upon the sprocketwheel shaft and held therein by means of a set-screw. A saddle 34, similar to a safety-bicycle saddle and provided with springs, is secured upon ahorizontal rod. The said saddle-supporting rod is screwed rigidly into the socket of a T-shaped sleeve 35, secured to the dependent. rod or tube 34 and being capable of free vertical movement up or down thereon.

Handles and handle-bars 36 36, supported upon the vertical chain-guide tubes 31 and secured thereto, afford a support for the hands of the riders.

The shaft 25 is connected by means of a universal joint22 to shaft 23, (see Fig. 7,) and the latter, carrying a seat, telescopes into a hollow shaft 20, provided with a feather corresponding with the seat upon shaft 23. The shaft 20 is connected by means of a universal joint 18 to the shaft 10, journa-led in the hanger 15, depending from the collar 14, said shaft carrying the bevel-pinion l6, meshing with the gear 17.

The operation of the machine will be readily understood. The riders occupy seats 3i, and applying power to the pedals 37 the power is transmitted through the sprocket-wheels, link belts, and connect-ions to bevel-pinion l6, mast 7, and transmitted to rim 28 through collar 14, rods 27, and guys 39. It is obvious that instead of sprockehwheels with link belts bevel-wheels and universal shafts or shafts with universal joints, can be substituted therefor, or cables and V-shaped pulleys, without departing from my invention. Particular attention is called to the fact that as the speed increases the seats actuated by the centrifugal force and freely suspended from the tangential rods spread outwardly, the resultant from the force of gravity and the said centrifugal force being constantly normal to the saddle in a vertical plane passing through the central axis of rotation, so that there is no tendency whatever to unseat therider, no matter what speed may be attained or imparted to the carousel, the universally-jointed and telescopic shafts adapting themselves to the various positions assumed by the standards carrying the upper sprocket wheel or wheels, as these depart from their normal vertical position with varying speeds.

I am aware that carousels, roundabouts, or merry-gorounds have been in use heretofore, and that some of them have been driven by means of handles and treadles operatedby the riders themselves and geared so as to communicate a rotary motion to the central mast or pivot carrying the entire rotating system; but in no such devices has any provision been made to counteract the centrifugal force resulting from the said rotary motion, said centrifugal force increasing with the rate of speed attained, so as to become eventually an element of danger, the only safeguard against which is the employment of straps or other fastening devices, the main objection to which is that in the majority of cases they are neglected and are only remembered after an accident has occurred.

It is obvious, also, that the device can be made of such dimensions as to accommodate any number of riders.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a carousel, the combination of a central revoluble mast, 7, horizontal revoluble ring, 28, suspended from and supported by said mast near the upper end of the latter, arms 29 extending outwardly from said ring, bars 30 supported by said arms, tubes or pipes 31, 32 and rods 34: supported by bars 30 and adapted to oscillate or swing freely thereon in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of bars 30, seats 34' supported by rods 34, sprocket wheels 26 and 33, respectively,

chain belts 31, pedals 3'7, cranks 38, pinions 16,gear 17, driving shafts 25, universal joints 22 and 18 with intermediate shafts 20 and 23, the former being tubular and provided with feathers 21, and the latter being adapted to telescope the former and being provided with seats, or grooves, adapted to said feathers on shafts 20, rods 27 and guys 39, whereby power applied to said pedals is transmitted to the mast and from the latter to the ring 28, arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a carousel the combination of therim or band 28, brackets 29, bars 30, sprocket wheels 26 supported by said bars, tubes or pipes 31 32, supported at their upper ends by the casing of said sprocket wheels, sprocket wheel 33 supported by said tubes or pipes at. the lower ends of the latter, link or chain belts passing, through said tubes or pipes and engaging with the sprockets of said respective wheels, rods or pipes 34 secured at their upper ends to horizontal bars 30, and at their lower ends to the casing of the sprocket wheels 33, seats-34E attached to said rods or pipes 3t, handles 36 attached to tubes 31, pedals 37 and cranks 38 for operating said sprocket wheels and chain belts and mechanism, substantially as described, whereby the power applied to said pedals is transmitted to mast 7 and rim or band 28, all arranged and combined substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

COLLEN EHLEY NORCROSS.

Witnesses:

EDWARD S. TROTH, PATRICK FITZPATRICK.

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