Popular Science Monihhj 



155 



A Merry-Go-Round Swing 



A MERRY-GO-ROUND swing is easy 

 to iiKike if the following <lirections 

 are carefully observed. 



The necessary materials and their 

 exact measurements are as follows: 



1 pipe 2 ins. by 8 ft For vertical shaft 



2 pes. I in. by 3 ins. by 10 ft For cross-arm 



2 iron roils \ in. by 6 ft For cross-arm guys 



2 pes. 2 ins. by 4 ins. by 6 ft. . For foundation cross 

 4 pes. 2 ins. by 2 ins. by 



4 ft. 3 ins For center bearing braces 



2 pes. 2 ins. by 8 ins. by 8 ins. (oak). ...For bearings 



2 iron plates 6 ins. by 6 ins For bearings 



2 machine bolts \ in. by 2\ ins. .For top bearing 

 4 machine bolts \ in. by 



4.1 ins For bottom bearing 



4 lag-screws J in. by 3 ins For top bearing 



4 carriage bolts J in. by 



2.' ins. . .For cross-arm ends (2 to each end) 

 2 carriage bolts \ in. by 



4! ins For cross-arm center blocks 



2 pes. I in. by 10 ins. by 18 ins For seats 



)6 ft. Manila rope For swings 



Any soft wood will be suitable. 



Begin with the foundation-cross, 

 Fig. I. Find the center of the two 

 cross-pieces; half notch them to fit 

 flush, and nail together. The foundation- 

 cross is then ready to receive the bottom 

 bearing, Fig. 2. Bore a hole 2}^^ ins. in 

 diameter in the center of the block. Bolt 

 one of the iron plates between the block 

 and the foundation-cross, using two 

 machine bolts 4^2 ins. long. This 

 completes the foundation-cross and 

 bottom bearing. The top bearing is 

 made the same as the bottom bearing, 

 only the hole runs through the iron plate. 



The four braces are sawed at the ends 

 to an angle of forty-five degrees, and 

 firmly nailed to the ends of the founda- 

 tion-cross, thus bringing the ends to- 

 gether at the top. Ne.\t, the top bearing 

 is firmly screwed on the end of the 

 braces, using four li-\n. by 3-in. lag- 

 screws, taking care first to bore the holes 

 with a gimlet. Now we will put the 

 center shaft into place. If a pipe of the 

 given dimension is not available an old 

 boiler-tul)e of the same dimensions will 

 answer the purpose. For the cross-arm 

 Fig. 4, the two pieces of the dimensions 

 above given are bolted together at the 

 ends, using two bolts to each end. 



Now bolt two blocks i in. on each 

 side of the center, the blocks to be 2 ins. 



PLATE 



/ftON PLATE 



O 



FIG I 





-* T" 



r/6 4 



/X J X 'O 



This open-air swing can vie with the Pied 

 Piper of Hamlin 



thick. Thus we have a hole 2 ins. 

 -square, enough space for the center 

 shaft to run through. Now bore a.}i-in. 

 hole at each end of the arms to receive 

 the stay-rods, which are threaded at one 

 end only, the other end being bent in 

 the shape of a hook to catch on the rim 

 of the center shaft. Now slip the cross- 

 arm over the shaft, bolt the ends of the 

 rods to the ends of the arms, and hook 

 the other ends on the shaft. Make the 

 two boards for the swing seats Fig. 5, 

 with the dimensions already given; bore 

 a yi-in. hole at the ends of the boards 

 to receive the rope. Now run the rope 

 through the holes and knot them so that 

 they will not slip out of place, the swings 

 being tied to the cross-arm. The 

 merr\'-go-round swing is now com- 

 plete and can be set firmly by driving 

 stakes into the ground at the end of the 

 foundation-cross and securely nailing 

 them. — O. B. Laurent. 



