US2995369A - Amusement device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 8, 1961 E. L. AMBLE AMUSEMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1, 1960 INVENTOR. ELMER L. AMBLE BY "W .A TTORNEYS Allg- 1961 E. L. AMBLE 2,995,369

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed March 1, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 111111111111, I u I I I n I 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIA I a I II a I 1 IN VENTOR.

ELMER L. AMBLE .AT TORNEYS Un tt tes Paw 2,995,369 AMUSEMENT DEVICE, Elmer L. Amble, Blue Earth, Minn.

Filed Mar. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 12,068 1 2 Claims. (Cl. 2.7251) This invention relates to playground or amusement devices for children, and more particularly to an entertaining merry-go-round device which rotates in an adjustable horizontally inclined plane. 3

An object of this invention is the provisionof an amusement device having an elongated seat board which the riders may cause to rotate in an adjustable horizontally inclined plane merely by adjusting their positionson the seat board. j

Another object of this invention is the provision of an amusement device having a novel base and adjustment mechanism upon-which the seat board is rotatably supported and adjusted to desired positions. 7 I

A further object of this invention is the provision of an amusement device having a new adjustable upstanding handle gripping element associated with both ends of the seat board. p I,

A still further object of my invention is the provision of an amusement device which is beneficial because of its entertaining and exercising usefulness, may be simply but substantially and durably constructed, and is inexpensive to manufacture.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of my novel invention, some parts shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in end elevation taken on the irregular line 33 of FIG. 1 with some parts shown in section; and

FIG. 4 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 represents generally the ground supported base of my amusement device. The base 1 includes an elongated cylindrical sleeve 2 supported vertically above the ground by a concrete encasing 3. Secured to said sleeve 2 near the top 4 thereof is a clamp bracket 5. Rigidly secured to the clamp bracket 5, as at 6, are a plurality of outwardly depending brace members 7. The lower ends 8 of the said brace members are all rigidly secured, as at 9, at circumferentially spaced points on an annular ring 10, which engagingly overlies the ground in concentric relationship to the sleeve 2. This novel bracing arrangement greatly enhances the rigidity of the sleeve 2.

Slidably received within the sleeve 2 is an elongated post 11 which has an upwardly opening U-shaped fork 12 on its upper end. The post 11 has a plurality of horizontally opening and vertically spaced apertures 13 which alternately and selectively cooperate with a single aligned horizontally opening aperture 14 near the top 4 of the sleeve 2. A locking pin 15 is slidably received through the aperture 14 and alternately slidably received within a selected one of the apertures 13. This locking arrangement permits the post 11 to be adjustably raised and lowered to selected positions as desired.

The fork 12 of the post 11 has opposed upstanding side portions 16 with horizontally alignable apertures 17 therein. Secured within the apertures 17 and pivotable about a horizontal axis defined thereby is an inverted T- member represented generally by the numeral 18 which receives a bolt 19 and a nut 19a; journaled with the apertu-res 17. The generally upstanding portion of said T- member forms a vertically inclined spindle 20 which pivots in a generally vertical plane about the horizontal axis defined by said bolt 19. A laterally outwardly projecting crank arm 21 is rigidly secured to said T-member I8, and a depending elongated adjustment bar 22 is pivotally secured to the outer end 23 of the crank arm 21. The bar 22 is associated witha bracket 24 which is rigidly secured to said sleeve 2. The bar 22 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures 25 which cooperate with and are alternately aligned with a plurality of apertures 26 in said bracket 24. l A suitable fastener 27 is receivable within a cooperating pair of apertures selected from the apertures 25 and 26, and thereby rigidly connects the. bar 22 to the bracket 24 in any desired position so as to selectively adjust the inclination of the spindle 20.

A hearing plate 28 defining a bearing collar 29 is rotatable upon the spindle 20'. The bearing plate 28 lies in a plane generally normal to the axis of the spindle 20. A

- strengthening plate 30 is rigidly secured to the bearing plate 28 and alsolies in a plane generally normal to the axis ofthe spindle 20 and parallel to the above mentioned plane of said bearing plate 28. Rigidly secured to said bearing plate 28 and to said strengthening plate 30, by suitable fasteners 31, is an elongated seat board 32 which rotates about said spindle 20 with said plates 28, 30. The opposed ends of said seat board 32 are formed to provide seat portions 34. Spaced between the seat portions 34 and the bearing plate 28 are a pair of handles represented generally by the numeral 35. Each handle 35 includes a cross bar 36 and depending side portions 37 which are pivotally secured to the board 32 by means of the lag bolts 38. Connected to each handle 35 are a pair of knee braces 39 which are pivotally secured to the board 32, as at 40, and adjustably secured to the side portions 37 by suitable fasteners 41. The longitudinally spaced apertures 42 in each side portion 37 of the handles 35 provides a means for selectively adjusting the position of the handles 35- in relation to the rider, not shown. For the purpose of providing stirrups, represented generally by the reference numeral 42', for receiving the riders feet, not shown, a pair of chains 43 are adjustably secured to both seat portions 34 of the board 32 by means of a pair of snap swivels 44 received on the lag bolts 38, as shown particularly in FIG. 4. Each set of chains 43 is further provided with a cross rod 45.

Having specifically described my invention, it will be seen that an extremely useful merry-go-round type of amusement device is provided for. By adjusting the inclination of the spindle 20 so that the same is vertically disposed, it should be obvious that the board 32 will rotate in a horizontal plane remote from the ground a distance corresponding to the adjusted height of the post 11 within the sleeve 2. However, by adjusting the horizontal inclination of the board 32, as above described, and

' by adjusting the height of the post 11, an extremely entertaining amusement device results therefrom. When the board 32 is so inclined from the horizontal, one rider mounts the lower seat portion 34, and the board 32 is thereafter rotated through and the second rider gets on the board 32. The rotation of the board 32 is thereafter maintained by the alternative back and forth leaning movements of the riders on their seats 34 which alters the magnitude of the respective moments about the axis of rotation. The rider in the upper position leans back so as to increase his distance from the spindle 20 and the lower rider leans forward toward the center of the board 32 so as to decrease his distance from the spindle 20. This causes rotation of the riders until their positions are interchanged wherein the same leaning procedure is again followed so as to cause a constant increase in the moment of the upper rider and a decrease in the moment of the lower rider.

This invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects; and while I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof, I wish it to be specifically understood that same is capable of modification Without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. What I claim is: p

1. An amusement device comprising a ground supported rigid base having a vertically disposed cylindrical sleeve secured thereto, said base comprising said sleeve which is securely anchored in the ground, a ground supported annular ring, and a plurality of vertically inclined brace members connected to the upper outer portion of said sleeve and to said ring, said amusement device further comprising a vertically adjustable post slidably received within said sleeve, means associated with said sleeve and said post for establishing vertical adjustment therebetween, said means comprising a plurality of horizontally opening and vertically spaced apertures defined in said post and alternately cooperating with an aligned horizontally opening aperture defined in the upper portion of said sleeve, and a locking pin slidably receivable in the aperture in said sleeve and alternately slidably receivable within a selected one of the apertures'in said post for vertical adjustments therebetween, said amusement device further comprising an upwardly opening U- shaped fork rigidly secured to the upper end of said post, a generally upright spindle journaled within said fork for pivotal movements in a generally vertical plane, means associated with said spindle-and said post for imparting adjustable movements to said spindle, the last said means comprising a laterally outwardly projecting crank arm rigidly secured to said spindle, '21 depending elongated adjustment bar pivotally secured to the outer end of said crank arm and defining means associated with said sleeve for relative adjustment therebetween so as to selectively adjust the inclination of said spindle, said amusement device further comprising a bearing plate rotatable upon said spindle and lying in a plane generally normal thereto, and an elongated seat board rigidly secured to said bearing plate for'rotation therewith about the axis of said-spindle.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in further combination with stirrup means secured to opposite ends of said seat board for receiving the feet of the riders.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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