US834389A - Amusement apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

No. 834,389. A

EPA. LYNDE.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION I'ILED FEB. 10, 1906.

PATENTED OCT. 30, 1906. i

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APPLIOATIOR FILED I'EB.10. 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST A. LYNDE, OF NEW YORK; N. Y.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Application filed February 10, 1905. ,Serial No- 246.079

such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to so-called amusement apparatus which is designed for persons to participate in the use of for the purposes of amusing themselves and perhaps onlookers or for the purpose of exercise. My present invention is what I term I a spinning wheel or platform, and it consists in a peculiar and novel form of apparatus, together with the various details thereof, all as hereinafter fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

I have illustrated types of my invention in the accompanying drawings, Wherein Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the apparatus shown as mounted in a pavilion, to which is connected awaiting-platform for passengers; Fig. 2 is a plan view with the top of the pavilion removed. Fig. 3 is a side view of a somewhat modified form of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a side view of another modification of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view showing in detail the looking device for holding the platform against rotation. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, in vertical section, of the brake for bringing the platform slowly to rest. Y

Referring to the drawings, in which like numbers of reference designate like parts throughout, 1 is a revoluble shaft or axle, which is'mounted slightly out of vertical'position, so as to be inclined to the horizontal plane, the footof the shaft being rounded and mounted in a rounded socket or cavity 2, formed in a suitable block of metal or other material 3, which is fixed in position in solid material 4, such as concrete or masonry. The upper end of the shaft or axle 1 is provided with a bearing 5, mounted in .fixed position in the upper part of the surrounding structure or pavilion 6, and is of course located to one side of a vertical line containing the center of the bearing 2 for the foot of the shaft.

To the lower part of the shaft 1 are secured a set of trusses or frames 7, having their upper portions provided with suitable beams 8, which lie in a plane at right angles to the shaft 1, and upon these beams 8 is secured a circular platform 9, which is made of suitable material, such as wood, the upper surface of which may be made smooth or'rough, as the case may be. This platform 9 and its supports 7 8 move in fixed relation with the shaft 1, and the upper surface of the plat- Patented Oct. 30, 1906.

form 9, upon which persons are to stand or walk, is. always inclined to the horizontal plane, so that looking at the revoluble plat form from one side one side thereof is always at a point much higher than the other,

the idea being that as soonas a weight, such as that of a person, rests upon what may be called a high point of the platform, the high point on which the weight is thus imposed will seek or gravitate to the lowermost point, thereby causing the platform to re-' volve, and if this weight remains in the same position it would be carried past the low point up to the other side, thence back again, thereby causing the platform to oscillate on its axis of motion. From this description it will be understood that where a number of persons enter upon the revoluble platform at the low point and move upwardly toward either side of the axis of rotation or the shaft 1 the platform will at once begin to revolve, and it may be made to continue to revolve in the same direction by the persons or the greater number of them walking up one side of the platform, so that their superimposed weight and the force exercised on the platform by the walking of the persons thereon may. continue to rotate the platform, which will rotate in adirection opposite to that in which the persons walk.

In order to hold the platform at rest unt l the persons using it dispose themselves upon the platform wherever they choose or may be directed, I provide a lockmg device comprising a sliding bolt or bar 10, provided on enter in order to lock the platform against ro.

tation. 5 Around the platform 9 I lace a fixed guard or rail 15, made of suitab e flexible macular to conform to the circular shape of the the low point of the inclined platform 9, is a terial, such as netting, and having the upper and lower parts upon the interior thereof provided with soft padding 16 for the purpose of preventing a passenger from being precipitated off the platform as well as preventing a passenger from being injured by coming 'nr contact with the fixed rail while the platform is moving. The rail 15 is mounted on the fixed frame or structure surrounding the platform 9. This rail or guard 15 is placed around and slightly above the platform, so as to have as little s ace as practical between the platform itself and the rail or guard, and, furthermore, this rail or guard is set in vertical position in order to better perform its functions and to give fuller and freer use of the revolving platform.

A suitable structure or pavilion 7 is provided for the revoluble platform 9 and its shaft or axle 1, the structure being made cirplatform. To one side of the structure, at

waiting stand or platform 17, having at one side a ticket-office 18 with. an entrance 19, and from this waiting-platform 17 leads a gate 20, through which persons may pass from the waiting-place onto the revoluble platform. Adjacent to the entrance-gate 20 there is an exit-gate 21, located also in the guard or rail 15, from which gate leads the steps 22.

In order to bring the revoluble platform 9 slowly to rest for the purpose of admitting passengers thereto or discharging them thererom, I provide a brake comprising a shoe 23,

carried by an arm 24, which is pivoted to a lever 25, turning on the pin 26, a link 27 being pivoted to the other end of the lever and such ink being connected with a hand-lever 23, pivoted at 29 and moving across an ordinary toothed segment 30 for the purpose of holding the brake hand-lever in the different positions. The brake-shoe is applied to the periphery 31 of the platform 9 by forcing the brake-shoe against it, as will be understood from Fig. 6. Instead of a fixed brake-shoe, as indicated in the drawings, an ordinary friction-roller may be employed to bring the platform more gradually to rest. I11 the center of the platform 9 and disposed around the shaft 1 is arranged a fixed seat 32, upon which persons may seat themselves if they so desire.

In Fig. 3 I show the bearing for the up er end of the shaft 1 as consisting in an annu ar bearing 33, so that the shaft may gyrate on its foot in the socket 2 and have a range of movement, as indicated in Fig. 3, between the full-line position and the dotted-line po sition, thereby causing the platform to have a wabbling movement, which when combined with the rotary movement of the platform will give a very peculiar motion. to the platgers, as well as the amusement derived therefrom.

In Fig. 4 I show the top-like structure of the platform 9 and its fixed axle 1 as mounted on a float 34, which may be placed in the water, the level of which is indicated by the wavy line 35, the head of the axle 1 being mounted in a suitable annular bearing 33, fixed in a superstructure 36. This application of the top-like revoluble structure may be used at seashore or other resorts where it can be floated in the water and utilized by bathers to dive from, as well as to use for the purpose of physical exercise. If preferred, inv the floating structure the part of the axle above the face of the platform may be entirely omitted, so that the platform will be wholly unobstructed, and in such case the superstructure 36 may be omitted. This floating structure may be so constructed and weighted as to float with either the entire revoluble structure above the water-level or with it partly submerged, so as to bring the low point of the inclined platform at about the level of the water, and this will make a very neat appearing apparatus.

There is a locking device such as described. and shown in Fig. 5 connected with each of the two gates 20 and 21, the stud 13 being fixed to the heel of the gate so as to be rotated by the gate as it is swung over a quadrant, and these parts are so related and adjusted that when either gate is closed its lock is out of engagement or open, and if either gate be open its lock is closed, so as to hold the platform at rest. It will thus be seen that should either or both of the gates be open the platform will be held at rest and cannot be rotated by persons standing or walking thereon, and should both of the gates be closed at the same time the platform would be free to move under the weight of the persons thereon. Above the revoluble platform are arranged a series of depending handles or straps 37, which may be seized by persons upon the platform, so as to maintain themselves in an upright position while they move their feet in a walking or running motion, thereby turning the platform and gaining considerable exercise and amusement in this manner.

In operating the apparatus the attendant first looks the revoluble platform 9 against movement, and then several persons are admitted through the entrance-gate 20, which is then closed, the exit-gate 21 being also closed. The persons thus admitted to the platform may be directed to walk up to one side thereof and stand at a certain high point leased, so as to cause the weight of the persons on the platform to revolve it, and as the persons shift their positions, which they are free to do some going to one side of the shaft form and increase the sensation of. the passenand some to another at a high point on the thereon, whereupon the locking device is replatform, this may either cause the continued rotation of the platform or check it and reverse the direction of rotation, depending, of course, on the way the persons dispose themselves. It will thus be seen that with the platform operating in this manner something of a competitive effort may be made on the part of one group of persons as against another in trying'to control the direction of rotation of the platform, and such a friendly contest would result in considerable amusement to theparticipants themselves as well as to persons looking on.

The apparatus may be used for a great variety of purposes and amusements aswell as a means of exercise by athletes, and the broad idea of the revoluble latform arranged as described may be utilized in many different ways.

I wish to be understood as not limiting my invention to the specific constructions of the various different parts herein described, as it is evident that the same may be variously modified without, however, departing from the spirit of the invention.

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

1. An amusement apparatus comprising a revoluble platform having its upper surface inclined to the horizontal and adapted for persons to stand upon or move freely thereover, said platform being suitably mounted to readily turn in either direction about its axis of motion and being disconnected and idle and being turned on its axis in one direction or the other by the superimposed weight ofa person or persons at a high point thereof.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising a revoluble platform having its upper surface inclined to the horizontal and adapted for persons to stand upon or move freely thereover, said platform being suitably mounted to readily turnin either direction about its axis of motion andbeing disconnected and idle and being turned on its axis in one direction or the other by the superimposed weight of a person or persons at a high point thereof and adapted to rock or wabble in its turning movement r 3. An amusement apparatus comprising a revoluble platform having its upper surface inclined to the horizontal and adapted for persons to stand upon or move freely thereover, said platform being suitably mounted to readily turn in either direction about its axis of motion and being disconnected and idle and being turned on its axis in one direction or the other by the superimposed weight of a person or persons at a high point thereof, and a vertically-disposed stationary guard placed around said inclined platform and independent thereof.

4. An amusement apparatus comprising a revoluble shaft mounted in inclined position and provided with suitable bearings, a platform secured to said shaft with its upper surface practically at right angles thereto and adapted for persons to stand upon or move freely thereover, said shaft and platform being idle or disconnected and being turned'in one direction or the other by the superimposed weight of a person or persons at a high point on the platform.

5. An amusement apparatus comprising a revoluble shaft mounted in inclined position and provided with suitable bearings, and having considerable lateral play in its bearings at one end of the said shaft, and a platform secured to said shaft with its upper surface practically at right angles thereto and adapted for persons to stand upon or move freely thereover, said shaft and platform being idle or disconnected and being turned in one direction or the other by the superimposed weight of a person or persons at a high point on the platform.

6'. An amusement apparatus comprising a revoluble platform having its upper surface inclined to the horizontal and adapted for persons to stand upon or move freely thereover, said platform being suitably mounted to readily turn in either direction about its axis of motion and being disconnected and idle and being turned on its axis in one direction or the other by the superimposed weight of a person or persons at a high point thereof, and a lock for holding said platform against rotation at will.

7. An amusement apparatus comprising a revoluble platform having its upper surface inclined to the horizontal, and adapted for persons to stand upon or move freely thereover, said platform being suitably mounted to readily turn in either direction about its axis of motion and being disconnected and idle and being turned on its axis in one direction or the other by the superimposed weight of a person or persons at a high point thereof, and a float upon which said revoluble platform is mounted.

8. An amusement apparatus comprising a revoluble platform having its'upper surface inclined to the horizontal and adapted for persons to stand upon or move freely thereover, said platform being suitably mounted to readily turn in either direction about its axis of motion and being disconnected and idle and being turned on its axis in one direction or the other by the superimposed weight of a person or persons at a high point thereof, and overhead depending handles or straps for a person or persons on said platform to take hold of in moving their feet upon said platform.

9. An amusement apparatus comprising a revoluble platform, a guard or rail'surrounding said platform, one or more gates located in said guard or rail, a releasable locking deeach gate and its respective locking device operated thereby, each of said gates acting to close said lock when the gate is open'and to release said look when the gate is closed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST A. LYNDE.

Witnesses:

WILLIS FOWLER, 1 WILLIAM H. STEIN.

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