Traver Engineering Company (1906 - 1933)
Dates
- Existence: 1906 - 1933
- Usage: 1919 - 1933
- Usage: 1906 - 1919
Biography
Traver Engineering Company was a fairground ride building company founded by Harry Guy Traver in 1906 in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, USA. Harry Traver was an engineer born in Gardner, Illinois on 25 November 1877.
In 1899, he took an apprenticeship in mechanical engineering with General Electric Co. after attending the 1898 Omaha Exposition. Upon finishing his apprenticeship, Traver took a job with Denver Tramway Co. and later was employed by Harris Safety Co. in New York City. In 1906, he filed a patent request with the U.S. Patent Office for an amusement park circle swing and founded Traver Circle Swing Co., in Broadway, New York City. In 1919 he moved the company to Pennsylvania and renamed it Traver Engineering Company. By 1924 Travers was the largest fairground manufacturer in the world.
Traver’s rollercoaster become popular for their unique twisted layouts and thrilling, swooped turns. Additionally, Travers was the first to build rollercoasters using steel structures rather than wood.
The Great Depression of the 1930s had a huge impact on the company, which closed in 1933. Harry Traver died in New Rochelle, New York on 27 September 1961.
Found in 29 Collections and/or Records:
Blueprints for Ride Structures and Platforms, c1911 - 1939
Blueprints for ride structures and platforms, including the Whirlwind Racer, the Rocket and Revolving Speedway and cars, Gorleston Ghost Train, No.1 Swoop and Noah’s Ark.
Blueprints of Whirlewind and Speedway Design and Specification, 1928 - 1935
Blueprints containing drawings and specifications for the design of different parts of a Whirlwind Racer and a Rocket Speedway.
Hand Rail Posts Blueprint, 25 July 1928
Blueprint showing hand rail posts with special bolts for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Jackstand Blueprint, 29 January 1929
Blueprint showing jackstands type G for American Whirlwind Racer by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A. with dimensions table.
Jackstand Blueprint, 19 May 1928
Blueprint showing type D jacktands or ledgers for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Jackstand Blueprint, 3 May 1928
Blueprint showing type B jacktands or ledgers for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Jackstand Blueprint, 9 May 1928
Blueprint showing type A jacktands low ledgers for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Jackstand Blueprint, 1 May 1928
Blueprint showing type C jacktands or ledgers for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Jackstand Blueprint, 10 January 1929
Blueprint showing type D jackstands for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Jackstand Blueprint, 23 May 1928
Blueprint showing typy F jackstands for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Orton and Spooner Collection
This collection contains a large selection of archives from the Orton and Spooner Company. The collection comprises photographs and cabinet card images showing carved work, structural work and classic painted work, 4 boxes of notes, invoices and clippings, 8 drawers of plans and blueprints, 2 folders of ride specifications and order forms, accounts books and a library of source books showing turn of the century art used by the artists in the company.
Paltform Brackets, Hand Rail and Storage Tank Blueprint, 25 July 1928
Blueprint showing hand rail, platform brackets and storage tank for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Plans, c1916 - 1939
Blueprints of electric parts for fairground rides supplied by Mather & Platt Ltd and Hackett & Co., Electrical Engineers to Orton and Spooner.
Ramp Bracing Blueprint, 26 May 1928
Blueprint showing the ramp bracing for a Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Ramp for Loading Shed Blueprint, 7 July 1928
Blueprint showing ramp for loading shed for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Ramp Hand Rail Blueprint, 24 July 1928
Blueprint showing the ramp hand rail of a Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Ramp Loading Shed Blueprint, c1928 - 1929
Blueprint showing the ramp loading shed for platforms of a Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Ramp Loading Shed Blueprint, 13 July 1928
Blueprint showing ramp loading shed for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Ramp Loading Shed Blueprint, c1928 - 1929
Blueprint showing loading shed ramp for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.
Struts and Bracing Blueprint, 18 March 1929
Blueprint showing longitudinal struts and bracing for Whirlwind Racer with table of dimensions by Traver Engineering Co, Beaver Falls, P.A.