The Lark - A geek blog

A carousel ( American English : from French carrousel and Italian carosello), roundabout ( British English ), or merry-go-round, is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders. The "seats" are traditionally in the form of rows of wooden horses or other animals mounted on posts, many of which are moved up and down by gears to simulate galloping , to the accompaniment of looped circus music . This leads to one of the alternative American names, the galloper. Other popular names are jumper, horseabout, and flying horses. Carousels are commonly populated with horses, each horse weighing roughly 100 lbs (45 kg), but may include a variety of mounts, for example pigs, zebras, tigers, or mythological creatures such as dragons or unicorns . Sometimes, chair -like or bench-like seats are used, and occasionally mounts can be shaped like aeroplanes or cars. The " roundabouts " or "merry-go-rounds" installed in playg...

A pirate ship is a type of amusement ride based on pirate ships, consisting of an open, seated gondola (usually in the style of a pirate ship) which swings back and forth, subjecting the rider to various levels of angular momentum . A variant where the riders must pull on ropes to swings the ride is known as a swing boat . The first known predecessor of the ride was invented by Charles Albert Marshall of Tulsa, Oklahoma between 1893 and 1897. This ride was originally called "The Ocean Wave". The Ocean Wave was first used in the Marshall Bros Circus in 1897. The circus was run by Charles and his brothers Mike, Will, Ed, friends, and family. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_ship_(ride)