Untitled record

Application filed Angnst 5, 1886. Serial No. 210,051. (No model.)

To all whoin ii may concern:

Be it known that I, William Ξ. Brown, of the city of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain 5 new and useful Improvements in Jails or Prisons, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention consists of improvements upon that for which Letters Patent of the United States No. 244,358 were granted on re the application of myself and Benjamin F. Haugh, jointly, under date of July 12, 1881. I have found in practice that it is somewhat objectionable to support the rotating cell structure from the bottom, as shown in said 15 Letters Patent, and I have therefore arranged to support it from the top, and the means of so supporting it and of making certain desirable adjustments constitute my present invention, as will be hereinafter more particularly 20 described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view 25 through a jail or prison embodying the invention described in said Letters Patent and also my present invention, showing the cell structure in top plan; Fig. 2, a central vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of that portion of the 30 structure embodying ray said invention and the immediately adjacent parts, as seen from the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detail view, partly in section and partly in side elevation, on a still further enlarged scale, show35 ing the supporting and adjusting mechanism still more clearly; and Fig. 4, a detail horizontal sectional view looking downwardly from the dotted line 4 4 in Fig. 3.

As in the aforementioned Letters Patent, 40 the portions marked A represent the outer walls of the jail orprison, constructed substantially after the usual plan of structures of this character; B, a corridor extending around within said walls, between them and the cell 45 structure; C, a heavy grating extending entirely around all the cells and from the floor to the roof of the same, and permanently secured in place; D, a circular structure divided into cells by partitions d and so mounted as to 50 be capable of revolving about a central vertical axis; E, a central space or opening in the structure D for purposes of ventilation, &c.; F, a central pipe or shaft on which the cell structure is mounted and revolves, and which is also preferably’ so constructed as to serve as a 55 smoke-stack, and G a heavy nut or bearing surrounding said pipe or shaft and serving to supportsaidcell structure. These several portions are of the same general construction as shown and described in said Patent No.244,358, 60 and will not, therefore, be described in detail, except as to those features which are of my present invention.

The cell structure D, as hereinbefore stated, is suspended from the upper portion instead 65 of being supported from below, as in the aforementioned patent. By this arrangement the revolving mechanism is kept free from any liability of becoming deranged or clogged from the overflow of the water-closets, which prac- 70 tical use demonstrated to be one of the disadvantages of the old construction, said closets becoming clogged and overflowing, causingthe mechanism to rust and become seriously impaired. It also permits the use of the adjust- 7 5 able supporting-rods, and more effectually removes the mechanism from the reach of the prisoners. It has therefore an annular ring, D', secured to the inner ends of the radial beams of its roof or top, and in the lower face 80 of this annular ring is preferably an annular groove formed to receive the conical anti-friction rollers d', which directly support it. Running from near this annular ring diagonally to the lower or central portion of the cell struct- 85 ure are stay-rods D², each of which, preferably, is constructed with a turn-buckle in its center, the nuts d² of which being turned operate to give the proper tension to these stays or supports, as will be readily understood. 90

The pipe or shaft F has an enlarged portion carrying screw-threads/, (see particularly Figs. 2 and 3,) upon which the nut G is mounted. The nut G is mounted upon these screwthreads and carries (through a washer, <7, and 95 an annular-grooved ring, G') the anti-friction rollers d, as will be clearly understood by an examination of the drawings, particularly said Figs. 2 and 3. The object of this screw-thread and nut is to enable the cell structure to be too accurately adjusted with relation to the surround ing construction, and thus bring the floors

860,508 of the cells exactly even with the floors of the corridors surrounding them. It may occasionally, also, be desirable to adj ust these somewhat after the original construction has been com5 pleted, as it frequently happens that the foundation of the central pipe or shaft will settle slightly after being put in place, and when this happens, by the use of this invention the parts can be easily and quickly restored to their io proper relative position.

I am aware that “roundabouts” and similar devices in games and toys have been constructed to revolve around a central post, and that some of them have been principally sup15 ported from the top; but I do not regard said devices as anticipating the invention as herein shown and claimed in any degree, inasmuch as there is an entire absence of any of the needs of the class to which this invention be20 longs in said other class, and consequently the advantages and advance in the art, resulting from the improved construction herein shown and claimed could not have been known to or anticipated in a class of invention entirely for25 eign to that to which this invention relates.