US3075761A - Ferris wheel apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 29, 1963 c. w. AHRENs 3,075,761

FERRIS WHEEL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1961 i 2 ,f4/f 47 ,a Fig'. I /2 /NVENTOR Arron/v5 V5 3,075,761 FERRIS WHEEL APPARATUS Ciaude W. Ahrens, Box 275, Grinnellylowa Filed `Ian. 13, '1961, Ser. No. 82,467 3 Ciairns. (Ci. 272-33) This invention relates to amusements devices and particularly to that type of device 'or apparatus commonly called a Ferris wheel.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel Ferris wheel apparatus for use by a single individual wherein the individual can rotate himself within the apparatus in a vertical plane and through .a complete circle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a Ferris wheel apparatus capable of the use described above which is economical of manufacture, effective and safe in use, and which is readily assembled and disassembled.

These objects and other features and advantages of this invention will be readily understood upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Ferris wheel appa ratus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a detail of the apparatus, with certain parts broken away and others shown in section for purposes of clarity; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary View of another detail of the apparatus, with certain parts broken away and others shown in section for clarity of invention.

Referring now to the drawing, a Ferris wheel type of amusement device is indicated generally at 1t) in FIG. 1 and comprises a support assembly 11 for rotatably supporting a cage assembly 12 above the ground lever (not shown). The cage assembly 12 is constructed so that a single individual can safely stand inside the cage and rotate himself completely through a 360 circle, the rotation continuing until stopped by the individual or by an attendant for the apparatus r1t).

The support assembly 11 includes a pair oftriangularly shaped frames l13 and 14 each of which is comprised of a tubular support 16 bent at the midpoint 17 and shaped as best illustrated in FIG. 1. The lower ends 18 and 19 of the support 16 are joined by a base angle iron 21, and are secured as by welding. A pair of short tubular stubs 22 and 23 are also secured by welding to the support lower ends 18 and 19, respectively, and are extended in the same direction in a parallel manner normal to the base angle iron 21.

The frames 13 and 14 are mounted in spaced relation in an upstanding manner with the base angle iron 21 of each at on the ground and with the midpoint 17 of each support 16 located so to speak at the upper apex of the triangle formed by each frame. To securely support the frames 13 and 14, a pair of elongated connecting rods 24 and 26 (FIGS. l and 3) are provided. The rods have a diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of the stubs 22 and 23 whereby they are telescopically insertable at each end 27 (FIG. 3) into each stub. To provide for adjustably spacing the frames 13 and 14 from each other, each stub 22 and 23 is provided with a pair of set screws 2S and 29 and nuts 31 arranged for frictional engagement with the ends 27 of each connecting rod 24 and 26. Thus, each frame is lockingly engageable with common ends 27 of the connecting rods 24 and 26 at relatively adjusted positions.

For rotatably mounting the cage assembly 12 on and between the frames 13 and 14, each of the latter is provided with a bearing shaft unit 32 (FIGS. 1 and 2) secured to the midpoint 17. The units 32 are extended toward each other in aligned relation and provide a sta- @rates patent tionary horizontal axis about which the cage assembly 12 rotates in a vertical plane. Each bearing shaft unit 32 (FIG. 2) includes a short tubular member 33 secured at one end to the midpoint 17 of the support 16 and open at the other end 34. A roller bearing 36 is `inserted with avpair of washers 37 and 38 into the open end 34 and receives one end of a shaft 39 the other end of which is secured to a bolting plate 41. A spacer 42 is mounted on the shaft 39 between the plate 41 and the outer washer 33.

The cage assembly 12 includes .a pair of rectangularly shaped frames 43 (FIG. 1') and 44 of tubular -material connected together in aligned relation by a pair of corner crossbars 46 and 47 at what shall be designated the top 48 of the cage assembly 12, and by another pair of corner crossbarsf? and S1 at what shall be designated the .bottom 52 of the cage assembly. The common sides 53 and 5d of the cage frames 43 and 411 are also interconnected by a plurality of spaced side crossbars 56 which serve as hand grips as will be seen hereinafter.

Each cage frame 43 and 44 is cross-bracedby a quartet of diagonal bars 57, '53, 59 and 6%, the adjoining inner ends of which serve as a support for a bolting plate 61 having bolt holes therein adapted for alignment with bolt holes in the bolting plate 41 of each bearing shaft unit 32. At the top 418 and bottom 52 .of the cage assembly, a mesh-type covering 62 is stretched between the ' respective corner crossbars 46, 47 and 49, 51 and the ends 63 of the cage frames L23 and 44. The mesh covering 62 at the bottom '52 of the cage assembly '12 is reinforced by a pair of support bars 64 and S66 extended between and secured to the corner crossbars 49 and 51.

In the disassembled state, the 'Ferris wheel apparatus 1I) comprises the support frames 13 and 1d each of which includes the stubs 22 and 23 and a bearing shaft unit '32 as integral therewith. 'It is noted that each support frame also is provided with a mesh covering 67 (FIG. l) stretched between portions of the tubular support 16 and the base angle iron 21, and also between top and side mesh frame supports 68 and 69 `mounted as illustrated. The connecting ` rods 24 and 26 are separate, and the cage assembly 12 is completely integral in the form described hereinbefore.

To assemble the apparatus 10, the stubs 22 and 23 of each support frame 13 and 14 are loosely mounted on the ends 27 of the connecting rods 24 and 26, and the cage assembly 12 is then hoisted into position so that its bolting plates 61 are attachable by bolts 71 (FIG. l) to the bolting plates 41 of the bearing shaft units 32. The set screws 28 and 29, backed olf before the assembly, are then threaded down into frictional locking engagement with the ends 27 of the connecting rods 24 and 26. The apparatus is then ready for use. The disassembly procedure is just the opposite of that for assembly.

In use, an individual can enter the interior of the cage assembly 12 and stand preferably on the reinforced mesh covering 62 at the bottom S2. The individual assumes a stance facing either the front 'i2 (FIG. l) or the rear 73 of the apparatus 1n so that he may readily grasp any one of the hand grip bars 56 on each side, depending on his height. The cage assembly 12 can then be rotated by maneuvering of the individual, or by the action of an attendant outside the cage assembly. As a safety feature, although not shown, here, strap or socket devices can be secured to the inside of the bottom mesh covering 62 for securing the feet of the user. It is to be appreciated that as the bottom mesh covering `62 is located radially from the bearing shaft units 32, the stationary axis of rotation for the cage assembly 12 and about which the latter is perfectly balanced, by the individual user placing his feet on the bottom covering so as to be able to shift his Weight back and forth, the cage assembly can be readily rocked back and forth until enough leverage is obtained by the individual to cause the Ycage assembly to rotate completely about its axis of rotation.

For construction purposes, the apparatus l@ has preferred dimensions wherein the length or" the base angle irons 2l is approximately ten feet and the length of the connecting rods 24 and 26 is approximately four and onehalf feet. The bolting plates 4i are spaced not quite four and one-half feet from the base angle irons 2. The height or length of the cage frames 43 and 4s is a little over seven and one-half feet, and their width about four feet. The spacing between the cage frames, as determined by the length of the corner and side crossbars, is not quite three feet, and the cage bolting plates 61 are ocated exactly in the center of each cage frame 43 and ad.

Both the tubular supports 16 and the connecting rods 24 and 25 are two inch round steel pipes, While the material for the cage frames d3 and 44 is one and one-half inch, sixteen gauge galvanized tubing. The corner crossbars 46, 47 and 49, S1, the diagonal bars 57-6, and the bottom support bars 54 and 66 are also one and one-halt inch, sixteen gauge galvanized tubing, While the side crossbars 56 are one inch, fourteen gauge galvanized tubing. Although not shown, tour elongated edging strips are utilized to secure the mesh coverings 52 to the four end portions 63 of the cage frames 43 and 44. Both mesh coverings 62 and a7 are expanded metal ofthirteen gauge thickness. All tubular and angle iron structure for the apparatus lil is welded at all the connections, except where specified otherwise hereinbeore.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it is to be remembered that various modications and alternate constructions can be made thereto Without departing from the scope of thc invention as defined in the appended claims,

I claim:

l. A Ferris Wheel apparatus comprising, ground engaging support means including a pair 'of triangulariy shaped frames aligned in upstanding spaced positions with one ieg of each frame flat on the ground, a stub tube secured to each end of said one leg of each frame and extended toward the opposite frame, a'pairlof elongated connector rods each of which is telescopically inserted into each opposed pair of stub tubes for connecting said frames in spaced relation, shaft means rotatably mounted on each frame at the upper apex thereof in opposed relation, and

cage means including a pair of aligned rectangular trarne means each of which is vertically disposed adjacent to a respective frame and mounted on said corresponding shaft means, a pair of Wall means connecting opposed ends of said frame means on either wall means of which an individual can stand, and hand grip means extended intermediate said wall means and between the opposed sides of said frame means and adapted to be grasped by the individual.

2. A Ferris Wheel apparatus comprising, ground engaging support means including a pair of frames, means connecting said frames in spaced, horizontally aligned positions, a pair of opposed, horizontally aligned shaft units mounted on said frames and each of which includes a rotatable first mounting plate, cage means including a pair of frame units, crossbar means connecting said frame units and adapted to be gripped by the hand, a pair of meslrlike covering means extended across and secured to both ends of said frame units and one of which is reinforced by brace means secured -to said frame units, and diagonal bar means secured lto each frame unit and including a second mounting plate secured to said tirst mounting plate, whereby an individual can stand within said cage means on said rein forced covering means and grip said crossbar means.

3. A Ferris Wheel apparatus comprising, ground engaging support means including a pair of upstanding, spaced interconnected frame sections, cage means of an open,

. y rectangular box shape including front, back, end, and side sections of a generally planar character, disposed between said spaced frame sections for free rotation in a vertical plane, each of said end sections of the cage constituting occupant platform means, each said front and back section comprising a plurality of hand hold means extending transversely of the cage in spaced relationship to each other, said side sections comprising cross-bracing means between the front and back sections of the cage, spaced aligned bearing members secured to each cross-bracing means on the exterior side of a side section and extending outwardly therefrom, and aligned bearing means secured to each frame section to receive the bearing members in rotating support relationship to thereby support the cage in a substantially balanced condition in any angular position in the vertical plane and in spaced relationship to the ground.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 924,495 Germany Mar. 3, 1955

Claims (1)

1. A FERRIS WHEEL APPARATUS COMPRISING, GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF TRIANGULARLY SHAPED FRAMES ALIGNED IN UPSTANDING SPACED POSITIONS WITH ONE LEG OF EACH FRAME FLAT ON THE GROUND, A STUB TUBE SECURED TO EACH END OF SAID ONE LEG OF EACH FRAME AND EXTENDED TOWARD THE OPPOSITE FRAME, A PAIR OF ELONGATED CONNECTOR RODS EACH OF WHICH IS TELESCOPICALLY INSERTED INTO EACH OPPOSED PAIR OF STUB TUBES FOR CONNECTING SAID FRAMES IN SPACED RELATION, SHAFT MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON EACH FRAME AT THE UPPER APEX THEREOF IN OPPOSED RELATION, AND

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