Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63G—MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
  • A63G27/00—Russian swings; Great wheels, e.g. Ferris wheels

Definitions

• the inventions proposed are related to a ferris wheel or such amusement, e.g. at least 80, 90 or 100 m high. With this type the gondolas continuously keep the outer side of the amusement, such that at the highest level the gondola projects above the structure and an unimpeded view is offered in all directions.
• the inventions are however also applicable to other structures whrein a plurality of gondolas circulate in a closed loop by way of convenient stationary or moving bearing and/or guiding structure.
• the bearing and/or guiding structure is e.g. a rim like, circular, vertical or inclined ring structure, rotatable around a central hub, such as with a traditional ferris wheel, or e.g.
• the gondolas are undisplacable mounted to the ring structure and follow the movements thereof.
• the gondola are mounted displacable/advancable along the ring structure and advance therealong.
• the bearing/guiding structure can also be designed different from circular, e.g. with a flattened part or helical or in the shape of the digit 8.
• gondolas e.g. 10 or 20
• gondolas are substanti- ally equally distributed with mutual spacing along the com ⁇ plete bearing/guiding structure or moving track, respec ⁇ tively, of the gondolas.
• This is clearly different from e.g. a so called roller coaster, wherein only one gondola is at the track each time.
• a constant advancing speed of the gondolas can be apllied during a plurality of succeeding circulations of the gondolas, which is very important from the point of view of comfort for the passangers that have the desire to I
• the gondolas are closed with a view to the safety and to offer protection against the weather.
• the gondolas are typically provided with one or
• an air conditioner one or more closable entrance doors for the passangers, a vending machine
• binocculars mounted on a bracket, a music device, telecommunication equipment.
• the ferris wheel has a substantially ring or rim unit with thereon along the complete circumference with mutual spacing the gondolas carrying the passengers, possibly a hub unit centrally within the rim unit, bearing on the sub surface through a supporting
• the ferris wheel has equipment such as for entrance and exit of the passengers,
• the rim or such unit can comprise a space structure such as a space frame, but also a more closed structure, such as a tube with any desired section, or be fabricated from sheet
• the rim unit makes a closed ring or loop which preferably is positioned vertically and is turned in its plane around its horizontal central axis.
• the spoke unit has slender, possibly flexible pulling elements, wherein the spoke unit can be designed such that it
• slender flexible pulling elements means elongated structural elements, which can substantially only bear tension forces in lengthwise direction. Examples are cables, ropes, chains, cords. Also e.g. tubes with small buckle strength, i.e. elements with such small strenght to bear longitudinal compression forces, that this strength is not used when designing the ferris wheel. Use is prefered of so called “locked coil cables”, made of bundles of ropes, of which at least the outer ropes have a substantially Z-shaped section.
• the slender flexible pulling elelemts preferably extend radially from the hub to the rim and keep at the rim a constant circumferential spacing.
• the slender flexible pulling elements are inlined with respect to the plane in which the rim turns around the hub, such that loads from the rim perpendicular to said plane (e.g. wind forces) can also transferred to the hub through the slender flexible pulling elements.
• the slender flexible pulling elements are preferably pre tensioned such that during all expected condictions in use tension forces act in the slender flexible pulling elements.
• the rim is circumferentially loaded with compression forces.
• the gondolas are preferably at the radially outer side of the rim and can be provided with a feature such that they, or at least their passangers floor or seats, each can turn around a relevant axis parallel to the rotating axis of the rim such that during turning of the rim the gondolas always keep the same position, such that the passengers always stand/sit upright.
• said feature has a mechanic drive means such that the positioning is guaranteed under all circumstances.
• Fig. 1 shows a front view of a ferris wheel
• Fig. 2 shows a side view
• Fig. 3 shows a view of a rim part
• Fig. 4a-c show details of a hub
• Fig. 5a-b show details of a rim
• Fig. 6 shows a perspective of another wheel
• Fig. 7a-b show a perspective of a part of a wheel during erection
• Fig. 8 shows a view of another wheel during erection
• Fig. 9 shows a damper
• the rim of fig. 1 is in this example a space frame with at the inner ring 64 (positioned in the vertical symmetry plane of the rim) node points with equal spacing, to each of which a longitudinal end of a spoke (tension cable) is connected.
• node points In a symmetrical manner from said node points to the outside the space frame widens radially and then narrows to end in coupling points for the gondolas at both sides of the vertical symmetry plane of the rim.
• the spokes extend absolutely radially, or slightly different therefrom, to the central hub and are connected thereto with the other end. When different from absolutely radial, axis symmetric loads in the plane of the rim can be transferred to the rim through the spokes.
• spokes extend inclined relative to the vertical symmetry plane of the rim, wherein viewed circumfe- rentially the spokes alternatingly incline oppositely.
• the hub is journalled onto a shaft, which at only one side is mounted to a bearing structure of buckle free tubes and tension cables that are connected to a foundation.
• the hub shaft is mounted at both its ends.
• the rim At low level the rim is sideways guided at two locations along its circumference to avoid too large sideways displacement (i.e. parallel to the hub axis) thereof, to protect entering and exiting passangers. Between said two guiding locations along the circumference of the rim the entrance platform for the gondolas is provided.
• the wheel is provided with 32 gondolas which each are provided with two equal driving rings with common rotating axis, between which the vertical symmetry plane of the rim extends and with which the gondolas are connected to the rim.
• Each gondola can thus turn around a body axis parallel to the hub axis relative to the rim to maintain the position of the gondola during turning of the wheel (e.g. keep the floor of the passangers cabin horizontally) .
• Fig. 3 shows the rim 1, the gondola 2, the hub 3 and the so called rotation cables 4 (illustrated further on) .
• the ferris wheel is provided with a system to measure shape disturbances thereof. It can be designed with one or more sensors, e.g. a source and a goal, to detect mutual displacement of two parts.
• a transmitter is mounted to the hub 3, transmitting e.g. high frequency radiation, such as a radio or light wave (visible or invisible e.g. UV or IR radiation) , such as a beam of laser light.
• a receiver or reflector is mounted to the rim. In case of a reflector a receiver is mounted to the hub 3.
• Transmitter and recei ⁇ ver/reflector are mounted such that with it an unallowable twist between hub 3 and rim 1 can be detected.
• sensors that measure displacement of two objects, e.g. by providing the rim 1 and the hub 3 each with an own pulse counter to measure the rotating displacement of each separately, and these are connected to an evaluation unit, such as computer, to supply it with the measuring data and compare it to detect unallowable large mutual twisting.
• an evaluation unit such as computer
• Another example is mounting of one or more strain gauges to a part of the wheel, e.g. a cable 4, and connecting it to an evaluation unit.
• Another protection system is e.g. provided by sensors with which the tension in the rotation or spoke cables is measured during use of the wheel. E.g.
• sensors are provided near the hub, e.g. measuring pins or strain gauges in or on the cable sockets mounted to the hub.
• sensors are e.g. connected to an evaluation unit, such as computer, e.g. provided in the hub.
• the computer is provided with a transmitter for wireless signal transmission of the measuring data from the sensors or a signal that is determined therefrom.
• Fig. 4 shows the hub 3 of fig. 3 and views according to arrow I (fig. 4c) and II (fig. 4b) , respectively, thereof, in which the spoke cables 5 are indeed schown.
• Fig. 5 shows a part of the rim 1 of fig. 3, also with illustration of the spoke cables 5.
• spoke cables 5 there are more then two times spoke cables 5 than rotation cables 4 (in this example at eich end of the hub 3: 32 spoke cables 5 and 8 rotation cables 4, thus at least three times more spoke cables 5) .
• the spoke cables 5 extend absolutely radially (or differ 2° at the most) , the rotation cables 4 extend each at an angle of at least 10°, 20° or 30°, e.g. in the range of 20°-70° relative to the radial direction.
• the rotation cables 4 extend inclined, at the one hub side in the direction and at the other hub side opposite the rotating direction of the wheel (in the direction of arrow A in fig. 4) .
• the rotation cables 4 can independently transmit the rotation driving power and braking power from the hub 3 to the rim 1.
• the spoke cables 5 extend inclined relative to the plane in which the rim turns around the hub 3, and are centrally mounted to the radial inner side of the rim 1.
• the rotation cables 4 are mounted radially further to the outside, at both sides of the symmetry plane 6 of the rim 1.
• the rotation cables 4 are mounted to the hub 3 outside the spoke cables 5, at the sdie corresponding to the rim 1.
• the wheel has no rotation cables 4.
• the soke cables 5 are inclined at an angle of at least 5° or 10° relative to the radial, all at the one hub side in the direction and all at the other hub side opposite the direc ⁇ tion of rotation of the wheel.
• This inclination of the spoke cables 5 is illustrated in phantom in fig. 4 with dash line 7.
• the spoke cables 5 can independently transmit the rotation driving power and braking power from the hub 3 to the rim 1.
• This embodiment can be obtained starting from that according to fig. 4 and 5, by eliminating the rotation cables 4 and shifting the mounting location of the spoke cables 5 over one mounting location at either the hub 3 or rim 1.
• the rim In stead of a space frame for the rim 1, it can be made of sheet material. In stead of the diamond shape (viz. fig. 5A) , the rim can have a sectional shape as a triangle, preferably with equal sides.
• Fig. 6 shows a so called centreless wheel, wherein the 24 gondolas (only schematically shown) displace along a stationary rim or guide/suspension.
• the rim is flattened at the lower side, such that the gondola at that point advance horizontally during some time, which is advantageous to let the passengers enter/exit.
• Each gondola has an own electro motor for its propulsion along the rim.
• the gondolas keep a mutual spacing of at least 1 or 2 gondola diamters, i.e. the space between two succeeding gondolas offers room to one or more identical gondolas in the same orientation. Is has shown that in this manner it is possible to realise a relatively light weight but also safe structure.
• the galvanic power for the own propulsion motor obtain the gondola through a stati ⁇ onary power rail, co-extending with the rim.
• the gondolas are preferably mutually mechanically coupled, such that they provide a kind of train in closed loop shape.
• Track shapes differing from the circular shape as shown are also feasible, such as ellips, 8-shape, etc.
• Fig 6 shows at both sides of the wheel a platform.
• the passengers can enter/exit at both ends.
• logistic time saving and safety imporvement can be obtained.
• This can e.g. de provided by an automatic deur open/closing system designed to open the doors of a gondola at different times. E.g. first the one door opens at the side where no future passengers are waiting at the platform, such that passangers automatically exit toward said side.
• MOUNTING METHOD Fig. 7a-b show a mounting method, wherein the wheel is assembles in flat position and thereafter is erected by a crane structure 8, while pivoting around the ends of the supporting tubes 9 pointing away from the hub 3.
• Fig. 8 shows an alternative mounting method, wherein first the hub 3 is mounted in its use position, whereafter the rim 1 is mounted thereto. During that, preferably a circle part segment of the rim 1 with the relevant pulling elements (spoke cables/rotation cables) is each time suc ⁇ cessively mounted to the hub 3. During that the circle part segment to be added is present in the lowest position of the wheel, symmetrically relative to the vertical symmetry axis of the wheel. The relevant circle part segment is mounted to the hub 3 with the aid of a bending stiff temporary sub structure 10 (a kind of bending stiff spoke) . Subsequently the hub 3 is turned such that the added circle part segment turns over half its length, by which its place during mounting comes free. Fig.
• the motoric driving or brake system for e.g. turning the rim or advancing the gondolas along the rim or turning the gondola around its axis to maintain its orientation in space can be provided with one or more rollers, each comprising a rigid roller rim with thereon a pneumatic tyre (preferably tubeless) of flexible thin walled material, comparable to the supporting wheel of an automobile or lorry.
• the tire has a central running face at a radial distance to the roller rim and at both sides side walls connecting thereto and extending to the roller rim, with at their end facing away from the running face a bead following the outer diameter of the roller rim and mounted thereto.
• the roller rim provides the air tight closure between the side walls.
• the tyre is substantially completely filled with a foam material, e.g. of latex or latex like.
• a foam material e.g. of latex or latex like.
• said filler has such properties, that the tyre filled therewith does not substantially behave different from the situation when the filler is absent.
• the roller remains in use, also when the tyre is punctured. If the foam material adheres to the rim, a high couple transmission can be ensured.
• the roller rim is preferably of cast metal, such that the couple transmission is maximum.
• the wheel is preferably provided with a system for protection against particularly dynamic wind loads (parti- cularly af low frequency) . It is desirable, with a view to comfort, to keep deflections small to avoid passengers becoming sea sich. It is therefor proposed to mount one or more dampers to preferably the rim 1 of the gondola 2.
• the dampers are preferably equally distributed along the cir- cumference of the rim 1. In an example, near each gondola a damper is located.
• Fig. 5 shows a possible embodiment with dampers 11, schematically illustrated.
• Each gondola 2 is provided with two dampers 11.
• the dampers are elongated ele ⁇ ments, extending perpencidular to the rotation plane of the wheel or the vertical plane or in the width direction of the rim.
• the dampers are substantially directed in the direction in which the deflections by dynamic loads must be limited.
• the damper is e.g. about as long as the rim is wide, e.g. at least 5 m.
• the damper comprises a hollow, elongated body, e.g. a tube 11 closed at both ends and mounted to the part to be damped. Within it a heavy element 12 is displacable, through a spring element 13 (e.g. coil spring) at its one end mounted to the one end of the tube 11.
• a spring element 13 e.g. coil spring
• the damper contains friction lowering means, such as free rotating rollers, balls or another roll bearing mounted to the element 12 and bearing on the inner wall of the tube 11, such that the heavy element 12 can displace within the tube 11 with low friction.
• the tube 11 is further filled with liquid, such as oil. While in rest the relaxed spring 13 keeps the element 12 approximately in the centre of the tube
• the components of the damper are preferably selected such that the eigen frequency of the element 12 is below 1 or 0.5 Hz.
• the wheel according to fig. 6 merely in the area of the rim where the upper three gondolas are present.
• a cabin or such passenger space can move up and down with the aid of displacement, guiding and/or driving means along an upward extending fixed column, tower structer or such (hereafter commonly refered to as column) , such that the cabin can serve as a passanger elevator and can bring the passangers to a level of 100 m or more above the ground to enjoy the view. It is desired that the passangers are brought up and down in a comfortable, safe manner and also can enjoy the view during upward and downward movement. It is further desired that the passangers during the complete ride stay in the cabin. Differently spoken, it is unnecessary that at the top of the column a cabin is present which e.g.
• the column does not obstruct the view from the cabin, such that the cabin preferably extends outside, e.g. around, the column and e.g. is designed substantially in a closed loop in a ring or donut shape (e.g. angled or rounded) .
• the cabin functions as elevator and observation space and is therefor equiped with sufficient windows for viewing outside.
• the cabin is substantially transparent at the side facing away from the column, such that the view straight forward while standing or sitting is substantially unobstructed, e.g. obstructed at the most by structurally necessary elements such as glazing bars, frame elements, a safety guide.
• the amusement can be equiped with driving means for both moving up and down of the cabin and turning of the cabin around an upward axis.
• driving means for both moving up and down of the cabin and turning of the cabin around an upward axis.
• By said turning around a passanger staying at the same position in the cabin can have a view of 360°.
• the turning around will as a rule be with low speed, e.g. a single revolution per at least 1, 5, 10 or 15 minutes, adjusted to the use as observation tower.
• This invention now proposes to design the cabin that during the ride passangers are offered sufficient space to walk around and take several positions without obstrucing other passangers.
• a passanger can easily change places during the ride.
• the passangers belonging to a group have better opportunities due to the larger available space in the cabin to stay together.
• a group will more easily become spread if they are distributed among the last remaining seats at random positions within the cabin.
• the floor of the cabinb extends over a distance of at least 3, 4 or 5 m from the side wall of the column. Differently spoken, the floor measures diagonally at least about 15, 20 or 25 m with a column diameter of about 10 m.
• the cabin keeps several tens cm spacing with the column, e.g. between about 0.25 and 0.75 cm.
• the invention also proposes to equip the cabin with two or more levels, such that passangers can stay at the same number of levels and enjoy the view.
• the cabin has two walking surfaces and two window groups above each other, with a mutual distance according to the human ergonomy, e.g. at least 2 m.
• those levels are mutually connected through the inside of the cabin by a stairs or elevator or such bridging means, such that passangers e.g. during the ride can change level.
• the one level can be designed for smokers while another for non-smokers. In connection with a view that is as unobstructed as possible it is prefered that the one level projects further outside the column than another.
• the invention also proposes to provide the floor and/or ceiling of the cabin with windows, such that the passangers can enjoy the view straight downward or upward, respectively.
• the bigger cabin offers the possibility to ease making one's toilet and eating/drinking during the ride.
• the cabin e.g. has a toilet room and/or selling point for refreshments of other consuming goods. It is even feasible to make in the cabin an arrangement of (standing) tables and possibly chairs, at which the passangers can eat/drink. A breakfast, lunch or dinner with waiters is even possible. Also a counter with seats is feasible.
• the structure Taking account of the large freedom of movement of the passangers, the structure must be designed such that it also remains safe during important asymmetric loading since passangers crowd together at a single side of the cabin, e.g. since fron that position something special outside can be seen.
• a guiding system of the cabin along the column and/or the lifting system designed to bear said asymmetric load, e.g. the weight of 25 or 50 persons or more, without loss of function.
• a particularity of the invention is further that the cabin is preferably free of relative to the horizontal inclined structural elements extending from the inside to the outside, such as stiffening beams or cables, or vertical bulk heads as high as the cabin or substantial part thereof, serving to stiffen and strengthen the floor sufficiently. Such structural elements obstruct the passangers in the moving space.
• the cabin of the invention is preferably of the type with self bearing walls, such that it has a monocoque like structure or self bearing hull. Thus the space between the inner and outer wall and ceiling and floor is substantially completely available to the passangers.
• the cabin preferably offers a passangers space with panoramic observation windows and of sufficient depth such that passangers can stand or walk around the column in three, four, five, six of more concentric rows without passangers in different rows mutually contacting.
• the enclosed drawing shows a non-limiting example of the invention, showing in:
• Fig. 10 schematically a side view, partly broken, of an observation tower
• Fig. 11 a side view of the cabin
• Fig. 12 a perspective view of the cabin
• Fig. 13 a side view of another cabin
• Fig. 14 a sectional view, broken, of said other cabin.
• the illustrated amusement comprises a vertical column 100 as a space frame with six vertical piles 21 (only four are visible) with equal spacing, arranged in a pattern in top view with six corners.
• a vertical column 100 As a space frame with six vertical piles 21 (only four are visible) with equal spacing, arranged in a pattern in top view with six corners.
• inclined stiffening rods 31 are mounted to adjacent piles 21, 5 to improve the buckling stiffness and strength.
• an escape track (not shown) extends from top to bottom, e.g. a fire stairs.
• a counter weight 71 suspended from cables 41, of the cabin 51 can move up and down.
• the cables 41 extend in the column 100
• the top of the column is e.g. 100 m above the ground 61.
• the substantially cilindric cabin 51 can be hoisted from the ground (only the sectional circumference of the cabin is shown) to the top of the column
• Fig. 10 shows the position of the counter weight 71 when the cabin 51 is at the lowest location; and when the cabin as at the highest level.
• the cabin 51 has the shape of a closed ring or donut, closely fitting around the column 100. This the cabin extends
• the cabin has two levels and is thus at two levels provided with a substantially uninterrupted group of windows 91 in the side wall of the cabin 51 facing away from the column 100 and extending around the column 100.
• the floor of the top level projects further
• Each floor extends from close to the column 100 out ⁇ wardly. If the diameter provided by the piles 21 is about 10 m, the floor of the cabin extends over a distance of at least
• the floor measures diagonally about 20 m.
• a stairs 101 extends.
• the stairs 101 projects through a hole in the floor of the top level of the cabin 51 and is provided at the from the column away facing side of the side wall of
• At groud level 61 are the entrance and exit, here with moving stair 111. They end within the space in the column 100 that is enclosed by the cabin 51. Through entrance and exit doors in the to the column 100 facing side wall of the cabin 51 the passangers arrive in and out the cabin 51.
• Fig. 12 shows the floors 131, uninterrupted extending from, the inner wall 114 to the completely glass outer wall 115 of the cabin. The ronds 31 are eliminated.
• the walls 114, 115, the floors 131 and the roof 118 of the cabin are designed to be load bearing such that the space enclosed by them is freely accessible for passangers. Window bars 119 are further shown in the wall 115.
• Fig. 13 and 14 show another cabin with just one pas ⁇ sangers level, wherein fig. 14 shows the centre line 116 of the column 100 and a part of the cabin. Passangers 117 can move anywhere in the cabin 51 from close to the column 100 to the window 115. In fig. 13 the cabin is in the top position and the column is broken.
• the ferris wheel is arranged on a turning disc or ring or such structure such that the ferris wheel can be turned around an upward or vertically axis such that the upward or vertical directed plane in which the ferris wheel rotates kan change position, e.g. dependent from the position of an object in the sky, such as the sun, or the wind direction.
• the turning disc or ring is provided with driving means to turn it around the upward or vertical, e.g. symmetry axis. Both the ferris wheel and its foundation/bearing structure turns with the turning disc/ring.
• Observation tower or such amusement with a cabin with e.g. free bearing external walls, possibly in two or more levels.

Landscapes

• Types And Forms Of Lifts (AREA)
• Lift-Guide Devices, And Elevator Ropes And Cables (AREA)
• Force Measurement Appropriate To Specific Purposes (AREA)
• Tires In General (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Publications (1)

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• 2005
  • 2005-07-12 BR BRPI0513290-8A patent/BRPI0513290A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2005-07-12 AU AU2005263019A patent/AU2005263019A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-07-12 WO PCT/NL2005/000501 patent/WO2006006857A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-07-12 CA CA002614882A patent/CA2614882A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-07-12 US US11/632,450 patent/US20070238536A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2005-07-12 EP EP05759869A patent/EP1778376A1/en not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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