This invention is concerned with improvements relating to rotational devices, in particular for obtain¬ ing simultaneous movement of an object about two or more axes.

In one embodiment of the invention the object to be rotated may be an article to be displayed, such as a three dimensional model or a, or part of a, two dimen¬ sional representation such as a picture or an advertise¬ ment, the embodiment thereby affording a display device which may be used to display the article in a manner which achieves a high degree of visual impact.

In another embodiment of the invention, the object to be rotated may be a person, the embodiment affording an amusement device of the kind as may be found in pleasure gardens and funfairs.

According to this invention there is provided a rotational device comprising a first member mounted f.or rotation about a first axis, first drive means to rotate the first member about said first axis, a second member mounted on the first member for rotation relative thereto about a second axis, and second drive means to rotate the second member about said second axis.

Preferably said second axis extends transversely to said first axis, desirably at right angles thereto.

Preferably the device comprises a third member mounted on the second member for rotation relative thereto about a third axis, and third drive means to rotate the third member about said third axis.

In the use of the invention as a display device, the various members may be used as carrier means for respect¬ ive parts of a representation to be displayed, which may be a logo or an advertising picture. For such usage, preferably the rotational speeds of the various members are arranged in a manner such that the members return to

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relative positions _n whic. -he overa-l re . es tation ..s visible, at intervals.

Alternatively, the lattermost member may serve as a mounting means for an object to be displayed, which may be a two-dimensional representation, or which may be three-dimensional object. In such circumstances con¬ tinued rotation of the lattermost member about the various axes of rotation provides an eye-catching display of the object, and renders it visible from many angles over the period of operation of the device.

Said various drive means may be individually opera¬ tive, for example each comprising an electric motor to rotate its associated member about its respective axis. Alternatively, said first drive means may be individually powered, such as by an electric motor, and the other drive means may derive their motive means by virtue of operation of the first drive means to rotate the first member about said first axis. Preferably however at least the second drive means is also individually powered, to obtain differential rotational speeds and/or directions between the first and second members.

Preferably the members are arranged to rotate one within the confines of rotation of another, with the first member being outermost, and describing on rotation a volume within which the second member is wholly retained during its rotation.

Preferably, the respective members are circular and are conveniently of annular section. Thus, at least one of the members (particularly that which is innermost) may be spherical or part-spherical in shape.

It is however within the scope of this invention for the members to be non-circular in form, and may be ovoid, angular (e.g. triangular) or of other shapes.

Most conveniently however the members are as annularly and of successivel]?- reducing diameter, being mounted one within the other.

Conveniently, the drive means for the second member comprises a continuous drive, element mounted on the first member for movement relative thereto, and a driven element mounted on the second member for rotation there¬ with about said second axis, and which is co-operable with the drive element. For example, the drive element may be a circular rack or ring gear, and the driven element may be a pinion co-operable therewith.

The drive element may be moved to rotate the driven element in consequence of rotation of the first member about said first axis, but may if desired be moved by separate driving means.

Preferably, the drive means for the third member comprises a continuous drive element mounted on the second member for movement relative thereto, and a driven element mounted on the third member for rotation there¬ with about said third axis, and which is co-operable with the drive element mounted on the second member.

.In the use of the invention as an'■amusement device, the second member may be afforded by a chamber, commonly referred to as a car, mounted on the first member for rotation therewith about the first axis, and for rotation relative thereto about said second axis. Thus the chamber may be afforded by a locomotion device travelling on the first member, said second drive means either being afforded by traction means on the locomotion device co- operable with the first member, or traction means on the first member and co-operable with the locomotion device. If desired, an upright axis of the chamber may be constrained against full rotation about a horizontal axis, whereby a person within the chamber is not turned upside down.

Alternatively, the chamber may be mounted on the second member and may be positionally stationary relative to the second member, obtaining movement about the first and second axes in consequence of the movement of the first member about the first axis, and of the second

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member : .1-tive to the irst a ^ the second a>is, (as above described) may be afforded by a third member mounted on the second member for rotation relative thereto about a third axis, in either case an upright axis of the chamber being constrained against full rotation about a horizontal axis, whereby a person within the chamber is not turned upside down.

The invention will become clear from the following description, to be read with reference to the accompany¬ ing drawings, of two embodiments of this invention which have been selected for the purposes of illustrating the invention by way of example. In the accompanying drawings:-

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

FIGURE 3 is as front elevation, illustrating the use of the device in displaying an advertising representa¬ tion; and

FIGURES and 5 are schematic views of forms of the second embodiment of this invention.

The device which is the first embodiment of this invention is a display device, comprising first, second and third annular members 6, 8 and 10 respectively, of successively reducing dimension, such that the inner diameter of the first member is larger than the outer diameter of the second member, and the inner diameter of the second member is larger than the outer diameter of the third member.

Each of the three members are formed from tube, as shown in Figure 2, which may be of any desired cross- sectional shape, for example, being generally rectangular or circular.

Mounted within the first and second annular members 6 and 8, for rotation relative thereto, are drive elements afforded by ring gears 12 and Ik . respectively.

The first annular member 6 is mounted on a vertical drive shaft 16, for rotation therewith about a first, vertical axis. Mounted within the drive shaft 16, co-axially therewith, is a second drive shaft 18 which extends through an aperture in the circumferentially outer surface of the annular member 6, having fixedly secured to the end portion thereof within the interior of the annular member a pinion 20.

Secured to the circumferentially outer surface of the annular member 8, and extending into the interior of the annular member 6, is a stub shaft 22, which has fixedly secured to the end portion thereof within the interior of the annular member 6 a pinion 24, (see Figure 2). Secured to the circu ferentially inner surface of the annular member 6, and extending through an aperture in the circumferentially outer surface of the annular member 8, is a stub shaft 26, which has fixedly secured to the end portion thereof within the interior of the annular member 8 a pinion 28. ^*

Secured to the circumferentially outer surface of the annular member 10, and extending into the interior of the annular member 8, is a stub shaft 30, which has fixedly secured to the end portion thereof within the interior of said annular member 8 a pinion 32.

Secured to the circumferentially outer surface of the annular member 10 is a stub shaft 34, said shaft seating in a pivot bearing secured to the circumferen¬ tially inner surface of the annular member 8.

The drive shaft 16 provides a first, vertical axis about which the first annular member 6 is mounted for rotation, whilst the stub shafts 22 and 26 define a second axis about which the annular member 8 is mounted for rotation relative to the annular member 6. The stub shafts 30 and 3 define a third axis, extending at right angles to the second axis, about which the third annular member is mounted for rotation relative to the second annular member.

In the operation of the device which is the f_.ι st embodiment of this invention, the drive shaft 16 is rotated to rotate the annular member 6 about said first axis. Were the pinion 20 stationary, such rotation of the first annular member would effect a rolling action of the ring gear 12 about the pinion 20, causing relative sliding movement between the ring gear 12 and the first annular member 6. Such movement of the ring gear 12 would in consequence cause rotation of the- second annular member about said second axis, by virtue of the engage¬ ment of the ring gear 12 with the pinion 24.

Such rotation of the second annular member effects a rolling action of the ring gear 14 about the pinion 28, which effects relative sliding movement between the ring gear 14 and the annular member 8. Engagement of the pinion 32 with the rotating ring gear 14 effects rotation of the third annular member 10 about said third axis.

Thus it will be appreciated that the drive shaft 16 constitutes driving means for the first annular member 6, whilst the driving means for the second annular member 8 is afforded by a driving element (pinion 20), a drive element (ring gear 12) and a driven element (pinion 24). Similarly, the drive means for the third annular member 10 is constituted by a driving element (pinion 28), a drive element (ring gear 14) and a driven element (pinion 32).

It will be appreciated that, by virtue of the rotation of the drive shaft 16 about said vertical axis, movement is effected:

(a) of the first annular member 6 about the first axis:

(b) of the second annular member 8 about the second axis: and

(c) of the third annular member 10 about the third axis.

Desirably however, the pinion 20 is itself rotated by rotation cf the drive shaft 18, to produce a desired

differential rotation. In a typical example, the drive shaft 16 is rotated at 1 r.p.m., whilst the drive shaft 18 is rotated at 3 r.p.m. The direction of rotation of either or both of the drive shafts 16 and 18 may from time to time be reversed, whereby the members oscillate through slightly less than 360°, or through 180° or through 90°.

The ratio of the various driving and driven pinions, together with the ring gears 12 and 14, may be of equal ratio, or may be of an unequal ratio to obtain desirable rates of relative rotation of the second and third annular members. Indeed, if desired, certain rings may be arranged to contra-rotate at the same or different speeds.

The number of annular elements is not limited to three, and if desired, the third annular member 10 may. be replaced by a sphere or hemisphere.

Whilst the various axes about which the annular members are mounted for rotation are illustrated in the preferred embodiment as being mutually at right angles, this is not necessary and the members may be mounted for relative rotation in any other desired angular relation¬ ship.

It is envisaged that the scale of the device may range from (e.g.) 25cm for a small device for use in a shop window display, to 5Cm for use in the display of a company logo.

Figure 3 illustrates an example of the device in displaying an advertising representation. As shown, the annular members, and hence the parts of the advertising representation, are co-planar, which relative positions they adopt at intervals, whilst at times inbetween the different parts of the representation will be in different angular positions.

Whilst in the first embodiment the drive means for the second and third annular members are provided by ring gear and pinion arrangements, as alternative construc¬ tions chain and sprocket arrangements may be used.

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In some cases the annular merce s may be driven by electric motors or pressure fluid (hydraulic or air) motors, and in these cases the motors would be situated at or adjacent the pivotal mounting points of the various members, with epycyclic reduction gears concentric with their major axes.

As an alternative to the device carrying the article to be displayed as described above, it would be possible to mount a display carriage on the faces of, or inside, the intermediate or innermost ring, whereby the object to be displayed travels circumferentially around such ring. Such a carriage may be electrically powered, conveniently being retained in position by rails.

Desirably in the application of the invention to a display device, illumination means is utilised to illuminate the object to be displayed. Such illuminating means may comprise illuminating elements forming part of the display, or mounted circumferentially around any part of any of the annular members. Where the object to be displayed is mounted in a movable carriage, the carriage may be illuminated in contrasting or varying colours.

In the second embodiment, the invention is applied to a locomotion device of the kind as may be found in pleasure gardens or funfairs.

In a first form of the second embodiment, part of which is illustrated in Figure 4. a locomotion device 100 is mounted on or within the cuter annular member 6 - to convey persons around the said annular member whilst said annular member rotates about the first axis, such locomotion device thereby rotating with the first member about the first axis, and rotating relative to the first member about a second axis extending at right angles to the plane of the first member and passing through the centre thereof. Such a locomotion device preferably comprises gravity-sensitive stabilising means to maintain the occupant or occupants substantially vertical, or at least to prevent the occupants from being

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turned upside down. For example the locomotion device may comprise one or more cars, each car having one or more seats 102. for an occupant which is mounted on the car by a device such as a gimbal 103 _. 104 such that, irrespective of the orientation of the car, the occupant remains substantially upright.

In a second form of the second embodiment, part of which is illustrated in Figure 5, chambers 110 are mounted on or within the second annular member 8, and such chambers may be positionally stationary relative to the second member, obtaining movement about the first and second axes in consequence of the movement of the first member about the first axis and of the second member relative to the first member about the second axis. As with the first form described above, such chambers may be afforded with stabilising means 103 _» 104, whereby the chambers are moved about horizontal axes thereof relative to the second annular member 8, in a manner such as to maintain the occupants substantially upright.

In a third form of the second embodiment, a locomo¬ tion device is mounted on or within the second annular member, to travel therearound as the second member moves about said first and second axes.

If desired, chambers or locomotion devices may be mounted on the third annular member 10, as has been hereinabove described in relation to the mounting of such chambers or locomotion devices on the annular member 8.

Such locomotion devices may be rail-mounted, and may be electrically driven relative to the annular member upon which they are mounted, conveniently by the use of a rack secured to the walls of the annular member and driven pinions secured to the locomotion device, and viewing apertures or windows may be provided around the circumference of the annular members as may be appropriate.

Locomotion devices may be mounted on or within one or more of the annular members, and may be contra rotated

to each other, and may be illuminated in contrasting and/or varying colours.