Carousel

From ArticleWorld


A Carousel is a type of amusement ride that consists of a rotating platform with seats for the passengers. The seats are usually shaped like animals and made of wood. Traditionally, they are wooden horses that are sometimes mechanically controlled to move up and down to simulate a horse’s galloping movements. This is why the carousel is also known as a galloper to some. Some of its other popular names include the roundabout, merry-go-round and flying horses.

Any type of rotating platform may be termed as a carousel. Rotating conveyors in the baggage claim area of an airport are also called carousels. When in a playground, it is usually a simple rotating platform that is child – powered, which has slings or bars to which kids can hang on to while riding it. Most modern carousels, especially those in America mainly have wooden horses as “seats”. Earlier types of carousels, however, included a variety of animals like cats, pigs, dogs, rabbits, deer etc.

Direction of rotation of a carousel depends on the rules of the road of that country. This is why most American carousels run in a counter – clockwise direction. It is the reverse in Britain.

[edit]

History

Records of carousels date back to the Byzantine Empire. In 1860, the first steam – powered carousel was introduced in Europe. It later spread to USA in the year 1870. the oldest carousel in Europe that still functions is at the Letna Park in Prague. Charles I.D. Looff, a Danish woodcarver built the first carousel at Coney Island in 1876.

Carousels in Europe have animal forms in static postures, whereas their American counterparts have active creatures complete with expressive eyes, tossed manes and moving postures. American carousels were carved in three different distinct styles :

  1. The Philadelphia Style – It includes the William Dentzeland, Daniel Carl Muller, Philadelphia Toboggan Companies
  2. The Coney Island Style – It includes the Marcus Charles Illions, Charles Carmel, Solomon Stein & Harry Goldstein, and Charles I. D. Looff companies
  3. The County Fair Style – It includes the Armitage Herschell, Edward Spillman, Allan Herschell, and Charles Parker companies

Later, another double decker style was introduced were one carousel was placed atop another. An example of this type is the Columbia Carousel.

Retrieved from "http://www.articleworld.org/index.php/Carousel"