GB351008A - Improvements in vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

351,008. Amusement vehicles. TRAVER, H. G., West 24th Street, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. March 15, 1930, No. 8456. Convention date, March 20, 1929. [Class 132 (i).] An amusement-vehicle frame comprises a pair of members 11, 12, each member being supported by wheels 6 at one end and from the other member at the opposite end, the members being connected together to have relative movement about a vertical axis and also about a longitudinal axis on one of the members. The invention is shown applied to an electrically-propelled amusement vehicle in which the wheels 6 run on angle-section rails R, guide rollers 32 being adapted to bear against the vertical sides of the rails. The frame members 11, 12 are bolted at 13 to arms 10 having bosses 9 loosely mounted on the axles 7, 8, and are connected together by a ball-and-socket joint 15 which permits relative movement about a vertical axis and a longitudinal horizontal axis, any other movement being prevented by means of a roller 19 carried by the member 12 and bearing on a flat plate 18 fixed to the member 11. An electric motor 22 is suspended by straps 24 from a platform 23 mounted on brackets 25 on the frame member 12, and drives the axle 8 through a universal joint 26 and differential gearing. A bracket 27 fixed to the platform 23 and the axle casing maintains the motor and the axle casing in alignment. Power is supplied to the motor by means of shoes 28 which contact with conductor rails C and are pivoted at 29 to brackets 31 secured to the ends of the frame arms 10. The vehicle body (not shown) is secured to a frame 34 supported on the axles by means of springs 35 formed with loops 37 to receive rollers 38 carried by lugs 40 formed on the bosses 9 mounted on the axles. Longitudinal movement between the body and the axles is prevented by means of a curved arm 41 fixed to a transverse member 44 of the frame 12 and connected to the body frame 34 by a pivoted link 52. Bolts 48<1> extend loosely between the body frame and the main frame 11, 12, and prevent accidental separation of the body from the frame and also limit the vertical movement of the springs. The vehicle is prevented from leaving the rails by shoes 50 which are fixed to the bosses 9 and are adapted to engage the underside of the rails R. A train of vehicles may be connected together by coupling links 49 having ball-ends 48 which engage corresponding sockets in transverse members 45, 44 of the frame members 11, 12 respectively.