EP1184062B1 - Free fall structure for a roller-coaster - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a free falling tower which is added with a thrill, is, in addition, extremely diversified in courses and more particularly is changeable in designs (even at a relatively narrow site). SOLUTION: This free falling tower for a roller coaster includes nearly perpendicular or exactly perpendicular rail systems for passenger units (the units move from the bottom end to the top end of the tower). From this place, the passenger units can fall by gravity and in succession, arrive at the courses of the roller coaster. In the region at the top end of the tower, the fixed passenger unit are rotated around a nearly perpendicular or exactly perpendicular axis and such passenger units can eventually fall by gravity on the other rails of the tower. Consequently, the fresh final boarding effect may be obtained in combination with the course of the roller coaster, more particularly the second tower of a similar structure.

Description

The invention relates to a freefall tower for a roller coaster of the type specified in the preamble of claim 1.

A free-fall or free-fall tower is understood to mean an approximately or exactly vertical tower which is provided with almost or exactly vertical rails on at least one side surface. On these rails, single wagons or a train, hereinafter also referred to as "passenger unit", are "shot" by a catapult-like acceleration to the top of the tower where the rate of climb becomes zero; then the passenger units fall backwards freely down and are intercepted above the ground as bum-free as possible. In such a freefall tower only a kind of shuttle operation is possible, namely the transport to the top of the tower and then the free fall to the starting point at the bottom of the tower.

It is also already known to connect a freefall tower with a roller coaster, so a ride in which the passenger units gradients and gradients on tracks with different geometries such as. Straight lines, curves, loops, screws, etc. drive through. Thus, in the Hotel Sahara in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, in the area of the "Nascar Cafe" as "Speed: The Ride" designated Roller Coaster, in which a passenger unit is "shot" out of the hotel by means of a catapult to the upper end of a freefall tower; at the highest point at which the speed of the passenger unit is zero, the passenger unit immediately falls freely downwards and then traverses a route with various geometric curves, until finally the starting point is reached again. The train is therefore not a closed orbit, and it is also possible only a kind of shuttle operation between the exit station and the upper end of the freefall tower.

Similar roller coasters or roller coasters with Freefall tower are operated in Arlington, Texas, and in Eureka, Missouri under the name "Mr. Freeze".

A disadvantage of this embodiment of a freefall tower with attached roller coaster is the shuttle operation, as usually done the free fall and the subsequent ride on the roller coaster only in the reverse direction. It is therefore searched for additional variation possibilities, e.g. Change of direction, varied route design etc.

Although WO99 / 04875 already shows a combination of two free-fall towers, which are connected by a rail system. At the upper ends of the two free-fall towers, at least one seating area of the passenger unit may be rotated 180 degrees about a pivot axis extending transversely of the rail system. In this case, in addition to this pivotal movement, the passenger unit is moved over a predetermined distance in the backward direction away from the end position, resulting in a new driving feel.

The invention has for its object to provide a freefall tower for a roller coaster of the specified genus, which provides additional thrills and allows a very varied and in particular variable route design even on relatively small footprints.

This is inventively achieved by the features stated in the characterizing part of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are defined by the features of the subclaims.

The advantages achieved by the invention are based on the following mode of operation: As hitherto usual, a passenger unit is driven by a lift, linear motors or catapult launch to the upper end of a nearly or exactly vertical freefall tower brought. However, the corresponding cars are aligned for a "normal ride", ie, the passengers sit upright in the car, so that they lie at the end of this vertical driveway in the forward direction on their backs in their seats and look up. Of course, the passengers are held by a security system, such as a safety bar, in their seats.

At the end of this driveway, when the kinetic energy of the passenger unit and thus its speed becomes zero, so without additional measures the free fall would begin, now a redundant braking system is activated and the passenger unit is detained, leaving the passengers, lying on their backs in the seat , to look up.

After a period of time whose length can be varied, whereby the tension is further increased, the passenger unit is rotated about a nearly or exactly vertical axis. This rotation may, for example, perform the passenger unit with respect to the rails or the rail with passenger unit with respect to the tower structure. According to a preferred embodiment, but in particular for structural and safety reasons, but the entire upper portion of the tower with rail system and fixed passenger unit is rotated about the vertical axis. For this purpose, only at one interface of the tower locked together rails must be separated so that the upper portion of the tower is rotated with rail and passenger unit, while the lower part of the tower remains stationary with its rails.

After the rails of the rotatable upper part have been locked again in the new position with the rails of the lower, stationary part of the tower, the brakes are - again after a variable period of time - released again, and the passenger unit falls almost or exactly vertically in the open Fall backwards down the tower. At the lower end of the tower, the rails merge into a rollercoaster track so that the passenger unit can now drive through all the known driving figures backwards, such as straight or curved uphill and downhill gradients, looping, screws, etc.

The rails can then lead the passenger unit back to the same tower or to a second tower, where the passenger unit is reversing. The energy lost due to friction and air resistance can be transmitted to the passenger unit e.g. be re-added by linear motors on the tower or near the ground in a straight area.

Upon reaching the top of this tower, the process begins anew, i. the passenger compartment is held in place by a redundant braking system, and the passengers, looking down through the safety bar, are held down in the seat.

Now either the top of this tower can be turned again, or the brake is - without any rotation of the tower - released again, so that the passenger unit falls down this tower forward and the previously reversed roller coaster ride with looping, screws, etc. now moves forward ,

This driving effect can be repeated several times, but you can also finish it on the first tower or on the second tower after the stop and bring the passenger unit over the drop route and a braking device back to the starting point, so that a closed orbit.

When using more than one tower, for example, of two towers, you do not drive from tower to tower, but you can in between also drive file to the same tower and then run back to a second tower.

Both the direction of rotation of the upper part of each tower and the angle of rotation can vary. If, for example, four rail systems are provided on a tower, then the upper area of the tower can be rotated through 90 °, 180 °, 270 ° or 360 °, ie in angular increments of 90 °, whereby several angular steps can be combined with one another.

This results in a variety of driving options that can be used in this roller coaster.

In particular, the travel time can also be varied by, for example, driving through a specific section several times. If there are only a few passengers waiting, longer travel times can be selected, while travel time is reduced if there is a large number of passengers.

Because the passenger unit can not usually be stopped to the centimeter level at the top of the tower, the rail at the top of the tower is extended and the interface of the rails between the lower, stationary and upper rotatable parts of the tower is below the passenger unit as far down as possible.

Because the passenger compartment can only fall down when the rails are locked to the tower or to the towers, the roller coaster will never travel with the rail open, and each unit will have only one passenger unit at a time. Here, a block is understood as a route in which, for safety reasons, only one single passenger unit may be located.

This meets all the safety requirements for a rollercoaster.

Already when using a single tower, but in an even greater variety when using two or more towers can be realized in a closed roller coaster ride new driving effects in conjunction with freefall, forward and reverse. The driving effects of two known rides can be combined, namely freefall tower on the one hand and roller coaster on the other hand, and there are also new and better effects, since now the free fall or freefall forward, backward and lying down is possible.

A roller coaster with integrated freefall tower according to the invention requires less space in the floor plan, as many and in particular the significant effects on the exact or almost vertical tower play. This can also be used in amusement parks for this ride and dead property corners.

In contrast to a normal roller coaster all routes can be traversed several times and with appropriate rotation of the or each tower even alternately forward and backward.

The required for conventional roller coasters block brakes are required only in the area of the station, since the tower or towers perform the same function.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht eines Freefall-Turms,

Fig. 2

eine Ansicht von oben auf den Turm mit einer Fahrgasteinheit,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Darstellung eines Beispiels für eine Achterbahn mit einem Turm, und

Fig. 4

eine schematische Darstellung eines Beispiels für eine Achterbahn mit zwei Türmen.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to embodiments with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings. In the drawings show

Fig. 1

a side view of a freefall tower,

Fig. 2

a top view of the tower with a passenger unit,

Fig. 3

a schematic representation of an example of a roller coaster with a tower, and

Fig. 4

a schematic representation of an example of a roller coaster with two towers.

A turret indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1 is formed, for example, by a truss structure and has a wide base 11 which terminates at the top in a slender end portion 14. The side surfaces of the tower 10 are provided with a commercially available rail system 28 (see also Fig. 2), wherein in Fig. 1, only on the right and left, a rail system 28 is shown. However, it can also be provided on the front and back of the tower 10 more rail systems 28.

A single carriage or a train 20, hereinafter referred to as "passenger unit", can travel on the rail system 28 to the upper end of the tower 10. The kinetic energy required for this purpose can be generated on an upstream sloping or free-fall path, by lifters, linear motors or by means of a catapult.

If the kinetic energy available as a result is insufficient, 10 linear motors 12 can be provided approximately in the middle of the tower and take over the further transport of the passenger unit 20 in the end region of the vertical path.

On the right side of Fig. 1, a Passenger unit 20, in this case a train, shown, which has hit the tower 10 backwards, that is, in the upper end position on the tower 10 see the passengers down.

The train 28 on the left side of the tower 10 has approached this forward, that is, in the upper end position see the passengers up.

At the upper end of the tower, the rail system 28 is provided with an emergency brake 16 and a stopper 18, which together limit the movement of a passenger unit 20.

The upper, indicated by the reference numeral 14 region of the tower 10 is separated at a rotational plane 15 of the lower part. This upper region 14 can be rotated in successive steps of 90 ° about the vertical, central tower axis 17.

As can be seen from the horizontal section through the upper part 14 of the tower 10 in Fig. 2, the tower 10 has a square plan, with a rail system 28 is located at the four corners of this square. On the or each rail system 28, a passenger unit 20 having wheels 24 extending about an axis 22, and run with counter wheels 26, the rails 28 hold the passenger unit 20 also in the illustrated in Fig. 2, vertical position in which the passengers see upwards due to the interaction between wheels 24 and counter wheels 26. This position of the passenger unit 20 is thus shown on the left in FIG.

The passenger unit 20 thus moves at the tower 10 on one of the four rail systems 28 at high speed, e.g. shot down after a free fall distance or from a catapult, possibly supported by the linear motors 12, high, until the upper area 14 is reached.

At the end of the climb, when the speed of the passenger unit 20 at least approximately zero, a redundant braking system is activated, for example, blocks the wheels 24 of the passenger unit 20 and thus holds the passenger unit 20 in the apparent from Fig. 1 position.

When the tower 10 has been approached in the forward direction, the passengers now look up into the sky, lying on their backs in the seat of the passenger unit.

After a variable and adjustable period of time, the locking of the rails 28 at the rotary level 15 is released, and the entire upper area 14 of the tower 10 with the fixed passenger unit 20 is rotated about the vertical axis 17 of the tower 10 in increments of 90 ° °, whereby several 90 ° steps can be completed immediately after each other.

The direction of rotation of the upper region 14 of the tower 10 can be varied as desired, that is, as shown in FIG. 2, the region 14 can rotate with the passenger unit 20 either clockwise or counterclockwise, each in one or more successive 90 ° increments to reach the indicated next position.

As soon as the passenger unit is in the new position, the new rail position in the region of the plane of rotation 15 is locked to the rail system 28 in the stationary lower part 11 of the tower 10; then - also after a variable, adjustable period of time - the brakes of the redundant braking system are released, and the passenger unit 20 falls, at least at the beginning vertically, in free fall backwards on the tower 10 down.

In a simple embodiment, which is particularly useful if not much space is available, the passenger unit 20 is braked soft at the bottom of the tower 10 and then transported back up.

It is particularly useful, however, to connect to the rail system 28 of the tower, a rail system of a conventional roller coaster, so that, for example, in the above-described case, the passenger unit 20 can drive through backward known Fahrfiguren, such as looping, screws, downhill sections, gradients, curves, etc.

Fig. 3 shows a possible embodiment of such a roller coaster, in which a tower 10 with a rotatable upper portion 14 is integrated.

This rollercoaster track has a station where passengers board the passenger units 20. A passenger unit 20 is then brought by means of a lift or a linear motor or with a catapult start on the upper portion 14 of the tower 10, namely in the phase 1, which is indicated by a 1 in the circle, in the forward direction of the passenger unit 20 on the rail No. 1 of the tower 10. In the upper area, the passenger unit 20 is fixed as described above, and the upper area 14 of the tower 10 is then rotated in phase 2 to the rail No. 2. Then, the brake is released, and the passenger unit 20 falls backwards in the phase 3 at the tower 10 downwards, goes through a looping back to the tower 10 and, if the energy is insufficient, by means of a linear motor to the rail no transported top portion 14 of the tower 10.

There, the passenger unit 20 is either fixed again or immediately falls freely back down, so that it passes through the same route with the looping again in phase 4 until the rail no. 2 is reached again. Now the phase 3 with the looping, now referred to as phase 5, again go backwards until the rail no. 3 is reached again, where the passenger unit 20 is fixed.

Now, the passenger unit 20 is further rotated clockwise to the rail No. 4, phase 6, and then the passenger unit falls forward freely down to another rail track, until finally the station is reached again via a conventional brake in the phase 7.

Depending on the number of passengers, the described driving style can also be varied; In the case of a large number of passengers, for example, phases 4 and 5 can be dispensed with in order to achieve shorter travel times and thus higher throughput.

For example, phases 3, 4 and 5 can be repeated several times, which results in longer journey times.

Finally, FIG. 4 shows an embodiment in which two freefall towers 10 are integrated into the route of a roller coaster.

Again, the passenger unit 20 is brought in phase 1 forward to the rail number 1.1 in the upper area 14 of the first tower No. 1. In phase 2, the area 14 of the first tower No. 1 is rotated by 90 °, so that the passenger unit 20 is now on the rail No. 1.2 tower No. 1. The passenger unit 20 then falls backwards at the first tower No. 1 down and undergoes in Phase 3 a route that provided with a loop and possibly a linear motor for the further transport of the passenger unit 20 to the rail number 2.1 of the second tower No. 2 is. After this phase 3, the upper area 14 of the second tower No. 2 in the phase 4 to Turned 90 °, so that the passenger unit is now on the rail No. 2.2 of the second tower No. 2. The passenger unit 20 then falls forward again freely down and enters in phase 5 to the rail number 1.3 of the first tower No.1. Also on this route can, if necessary, be provided linear motors.

After this phase 5, the upper portion 14 of the first tower No. 1 is rotated by 90 ° in the clockwise direction, so that in the phase 6, the rail No. 1.4 of the first tower No. 1 is reached. After this phase 6 falls in phase 7, the passenger unit 20 backwards at the first tower No. 1 down and reached, again possibly via a linear motor, the rail No. 2.3 of the second tower No. 2.

Now, the upper portion 14 of the second tower No. 2 is rotated in the clockwise direction, so that in the stage 8, the rail No. 2.4 of the second tower No. 2 is reached.

From this point falls in the phase 9, the passenger unit 20 forward freely down and passes through the usual brake back to the station.

Of course, you can also combine the route according to Fig. 4 with that of Fig. 3, that is, it is not necessarily always the other tower 10 are approached, but it is also possible, at least on sections first approach another rail of the same tower 10 before proceeding to the other tower 10.

Because the passenger unit 20 can not be stopped to the centimeter in the upper region 14 of the or each tower 10, the rail system in the tower 10 is extended upward and the interface 15 between the stationary part 11 and the rotatable part 14 of the tower 10 as far as moved downwards so that a sufficient tolerance for the fixed position of the passenger unit 20 is available.

Because the passenger unit 20 can only be dropped when the rail is locked to the or each tower 10, the operation of this open track roller coaster is not possible; In addition, this ensures that in each block of blocks, so in each part of the route in which is to stay only a single passenger unit, actually only a single passenger unit 20 is located.

Thus, all safety requirements for a roller coaster are met.

After passing through a fall distance, but also after a catapult start, energy losses due to frictional forces and air resistance occur at the passenger unit. To compensate for this lost energy energy must be supplied, for example. About the multiple-addressed linear motors. The energy supply required for this purpose can be controlled relatively accurately, and even regulated if necessary, which ensures that only the upper rest position of the passenger unit is reached during normal operation.

Nevertheless, for safety reasons in the upper region 14 of each tower 10 in addition to the normal holding brake nor the safety brake 16 and the end buffer 18 is provided which serves as a stop to avoid overshooting the passenger unit 20.

There is a possibility that a power failure will occur at the time when a passenger unit 20 is caught in the upper portion 14 of a tower 10. In this case, an emergency generator is provided, which rotates the upper portion 14 of the tower 10 in an angular position, from which the passenger unit 20 can reach the station via the associated rail system 28 after releasing the brakes.

Another source of danger is the occurrence of a power failure while driving, which means that the passenger unit 20 by means of the linear motors no loss of energy can be supplied. This would mean that the passenger unit 20 does not brake in the upper area 14 after passing through the riser at the tower 10 achieved more. The passenger unit 20 would then fall freely down and could swing out in a low point of the roller coaster track. Since such a low point is usually near the ground, passengers can simply be retrieved from the passenger unit.

Alternatively, the passenger unit 20 may be held in a lower position on the tower 10 in the brake area above the interface 15. Again, then the upper portion 14 of the tower 10 is rotated by means of the emergency generator in a position from which the passenger unit 20 can reach the station safely.

If, in one of the cases described, the potential energy of the passenger unit 20 is insufficient to safely reach the station, the brake holding the passenger unit 20 in the upper area 14 of the tower 10 can be released, causing the passenger unit 20 to fall freely downwards and close to it Ground out.

As an alternative to this, the passenger unit can also be pulled up by a hoist winch (not shown) on the tower 10 by means of the already mentioned emergency generator, held in the braking area of the upper part 14 and then released by the brake so that the station safely reaches the station due to the higher fall distance becomes.

Driving file of Figure 3:

• ① forward to the tower rail no.
• ② Turn tower to rail no. 2
• ③ Backwards from rail no. 2 to rail no. 3
• ④ forward from rail no. 3 to rail no. 2
• ⑤ Backwards from rail no. 2 to rail no. 3
• ⑥ Turn the tower to the rail No. 4
• ⑦ Forward of rail No. 4 to the railway station

Driving file of Figure 4:

• 
  Forward to the tower No. Rail No. 1.1
• 
  Turn tower no. Rail No. 1.2
• 
  Reverse v. Tower No. 1 Rail No. 1.2 to Tower No. 2 Rail No. 2.1
• 
  Turn tower no. Rail No. 2.2
• 
  Forward from Tower No. 2 Rail 2.2 to Tower No. 1 Rail No. 1.3
• 
  Turn tower no. Rail No. 1.4
• 
  Backwards from Tower No. 1 Rail 1.4 to Tower No. 2 Rail No. 2.3
• 
  Turn tower no. Rail No. 2.4
• 
  Forward from Tower No. 2 Rail 2.4 to the railway station

Claims (8)

1. A free-fall tower for a roller coaster,
   comprising an approximately vertical system of rails (28) for a passenger unit (20) which travels on the system of rails (28) from the lower end to the upper end of the tower (10),
   whence the passenger unit (20) can free-fall downwards, travelling on the system of rails (28), and then pass onto the roller coaster circuit, characterised in that
   the entire upper end region (14) of the tower (10), together with the system of rails (28), is rotatable about a vertical axis (17), and in that
   at the upper end of the tower (10), a redundant braking system is provided for fixing the passenger unit (20) on the system of rails of the rotatable tower region (14).
2. The free-fall tower according to claim 1, characterised in that four systems of rails are provided, each offset at 90° to one another.
3. The free-fall tower according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the direction of rotation and/or angle of rotation of the upper, rotatable region (14) of the tower (10) is variable.
4. The free-fall tower according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that at the upper end of the tower (10), an emergency brake and/or a stopper for the passenger unit (20) is/are provided.
5. The free-fall tower according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that a lifter, linear motors or a catapult is/are provided for transporting the passenger unit (20) to the upper, rotatable region (14) of the tower (10).
6. The free-fall tower according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that at least one other tower (10) having an identical or comparable design is connected to the first tower by a roller coaster circuit.
7. The free-fall tower according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the roller coaster circuit includes known ride features such as linear and curved inclines and slopes, loop-the-loops, screws, etc.
8. The free-fall tower according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that an emergency power unit is provided which, in the event of a power cut at the point in time at which the passenger unit (20) is fixed in the upper, rotatable region (14) of the tower (10) by the braking system, rotates the upper region (14) of the tower (10) to a position from which the passenger unit (20) can reach the lower starting point after the braking system is released.

Images