GB2348376A - A roller coaster with freely rotating seats - Google Patents

Abstract

A roller coaster car 4 is mounted on an endless rail 1 by means of rollers 6, so that it is held to the rail but can move freely along it. Seats 11a, are mounted to mounting members 12a on the car 4 by means of a mounting shaft 13a (see figure 2), and are suspended from the shaft. They are arranged so that they can rotate freely around the shaft 13a. As the car moves along the rail and approaches, for example, a vertical descent, the seat 11a is able to freely rotate due to centrifugal forces or a change in acceleration, thus reducing external forces on the car. This reduction in external forces allows these operations to be carried out more safely. In addition, the fact that the seat 11a can rotate freely about shaft 13a means that it can face backwards for a portion of the track (see figures 5 and 6). This adds to the excitement experienced by the user.

Description

SPECIFICATION TITLE OF THE INVENTION ROLLER COASTER Background of the Invention Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a roller coaster provided in an amusement park and the like and used therein.

Description of the Prior Arts Conventionally, as a roller coaster of this kind, there has been known a roller coaster of a structure in i which a car with a seat is mounted on an endless running rail provided in a rolling and bending manner through a desired number of rollers so as to run freely while being held thereto, or a structure in which a car with a seat is suspended to the endless running rail through a desired number of rollers so as to run freely while being held thereto.

And, in the conventional embodiment having the above structure, while running the car along the endless running rail at high and low speed, steep slope descent, steep slope ascent, somersault, screw rotation or the like are repeated so that a weightlessness feeling and a thrill from a change in acceleration, centrifugal force and gravity which correspond to an interest of the roller coaster are caused.

However, since in the conventional embodiment, the seat is fixedly mounted to the car, the seat runs together with the car in one united body during running, so that a large amount of centrifugal force, gravity, the change in acceleration or the like are directly applied thereto and a compulsory external force is acted thereon. Accordingly, in view of a strength, securing a safety for an occupant and the like, during running only an acute running operation such as steep slope descent, steep slope ascent, somersault, screw rotation and the like can be performed, but a perpendicular running operation such as vertical descent, vertical ascent, vertical spiral motion and the like cannot be actually performed, much less backward running, so that the roller coaster can not always give a satisfaction in view of the thrill, interest and the like. Further, as mentioned above, since the seat is run and operated together with the car at an acute angle, not only the endless running rail extends for a long distance so that a great space is required for disposing the endless running rail, but also the total course becomes great so that the cost therefor tends to increase.

Summary of the Invention An object of the present invention is to provide a roller coaster which can solve all the conventional problems, can operate not only a seat together with a car in such a manner as to perform a perpendicular running motion such as vertical descent, vertical ascent, vertical spiral motion and the like, but also the seat in such a manner as to run backward, so as to significantly increase a thrill and an interest that the endless running rail suddenly disappear from a view of the occupant and the like; and further can be disposed in a small space in a compact manner.

Accordingly, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a roller coaster in which a car 4 is mounted on an endless running rail 1 of a desired length provided in a rolling and bending manner through rollers 6 so as to freely run while being held thereto, and seats lla and llb are suspended to the car 4 through desired mounting members 12a and 12b so as to rotate freely.

And, in the roller coaster in accordance with the present invention, the seats lla and llb are suspended to the car 4 so as to rotate freely, when the compulsory external force such as a great amount of centrifugal force and gravity or the change in the acceleration during running are applied, the seats lla and llb are rotated by the external force, so that the external force can be significantly decreased. Accordingly, a perpendicular running operation such as vertical descent, vertical ascent, vertical spiral motion and the like which are deemed to be impossible in the conventional art can be smoothly performed, and the seats lla and llb can be operated to run backward by rotating and inversely operating.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevational view which shows an embodiment in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan view which shows a car 4 of the same; Fig. 4 is a schematic view which shows a state of disposing an endless running rail 1 of the same; Fig. 5 is a partially enlarged side elevational view which shows an operating state of a seat lla at an A point on the endless running rail 1 of the same; Fig. 6 is a partially enlarged side elevational view which shows an operating state of a seat lla at a B point on the endless running rail 1 of the same; Fig. 7 is a front elevational view which shows another embodiment; and Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the same.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment An embodiment in accordance with the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

Figs. 1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention, in the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a pair of endless running rails constituted by a pipe, disposed on both sides, structured in a rolling and bending manner at a desired angle and having a desired length, and the endless running rail 1 is provided in a holding body 2 constituted by a pipe through a mounting bracket 3 having a substantial V shape in an overhead manner. Reference numeral 4 denotes a car disposed in the endless running rail 1 so as to run freely while being held thereto, reference numeral 5 denotes a frame having a substantial H shape, constituting the car 4 and formed in a manner of a revolving pair, reference numeral 6 denotes a pair of rollers having three rollers, each being mounted to each of four corners of the frame 5 through a mounting member 7 so as to be held to the endless running rail 1, and reference numeral 8 denotes four oil dampers radially disposed from a center of the frame 5 through a mounting plate 9, the oil damper 8 being structured so as to prevent a vibration due to a lack of uniformity of the running surface of the endless running rail 1 and an irregular vibration of the roller 6, thereby improving a contact performance of the roller 6 with respect to the endless running rail 1 and improving a running performance. Reference numeral 10 denotes a connecting member for connecting the cars 4 to each other, reference numeral lla denotes a desired seat rotatably disposed on the car 4 through a pair of mounting members 12a disposed on both sides of the car 4 and each having a substantial U shape, the seat lla being axially attached to the mounting member 12a through a mounting shaft 13a in a suspended manner so as to set a position of the gravity thereof low.

Reference 14 denotes a supporting device for an occupant mounted in the seat lla, reference numeral 15 denotes a handrail having an inverted and downward directing shape and disposed in front thereof, and reference numeral 16 denotes a cover member for protection axially attached to an upper end of the mounting member 12a in such a manner as to rotate freely. In addition, reference numeral 17 denotes a platform attached to the endless running rail 1.

Next, an operation of the embodiment having the above structure will be described below.

At first, the car 4 is connected to each other by the connecting-member 10 so that a desired car formation is obtained. Thereafter, while initially operating to run the car 4 by a desired drive means such as a chain conveyor, the car 4 is operated to run along the endless running rail 1 to a direction shown by an arrow in Fig. 4, so that a running operation such as vertical descent, vertical ascent, vertical spiral motion, screw rotation and the like is performed. At this time, since the seat lla is axially attached to the car 4 in such a manner as to freely rotate, the seat lla is suitably rotated by the centrifugal force and the gravity at a time of running of the car 4 or the change in the acceleration, so that such an external force can be reduced.

For example, at a time of vertically descending toward a B point from an A point in the endless running rail 1 shown in Fig. 4, the car 4 vertically runs along the endless running rail 1 but the seat lla gradually receives the external force due to the centrifugal force, the gravity and the change in acceleration in correspondence to the vertical running so as to be rotated through the mounting shaft 13a in an inverted manner. Then, not only the external force can be efficiently reduced, but also the seat lla passes through the B point in an inverted state, so as to run in a so-called backward state (refer to Figs. 5 and 6).

Further, similarly, also at a time of the vertical ascent, the vertical spiral motion, the somersault and the screw rotation of the car 4, the seat lla is suitably rotated at a desired angle without opposing to the external force such as the compulsory centrifugal force, gravity and the like, thereby reducing the external force and being smoothly operated to run. Then, the car 4 is stopped when arriving at the platform 17 while being operated to run, so that the car 4 is stopped at a predetermined place.

Figs. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of the present invention, in this drawing, reference numeral 12b denotes a mounting member having a square shape and standing in both sides of the car 4, reference numeral llb denotes a seat suspended between the mounting members 12b on both sides through a mounting shaft 13b in such a manner as to freely rotate, the seat llb being structured such that a position of a center of gravity is set slightly higher than that of the embodiment mentioned above. Reference numeral 18 denotes a damping means attached so as to suitably reduce and control an impact at a time of rotation of the seat llb, and the damping means 18 is constituted by a crank disc 19 fixedly attached to 13b of the mounting shafts, a counter weight 21 connected to the crank disc 19 through a crank rod 20 and a shock absorber 22 connected to the counter weight 21. Reference numeral 23 denotes a pair of guide rails disposed on both sides and vertically guiding the counter weight 21 through a guide piece 24, and reference numeral 25 denotes a vibration preventing roller attached to the counter weight 21. The other structures are the same as those of the embodiment mentioned above, and the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

In the embodiment having the above structure, as in the same manner as that of the preceding embodiment, while operating the car 4 in such a manner as to run along the endless running rail 1, the seat llb is suitably rotated, thereby efficiently reducing the external force such as the centrifugal force and the like without opposing thereto, so that vertical descent, vertical ascent, vertical spiral motion, somersault and screw rotation can be performed. At this time, the damping means 18 can suitably decrease and control the impact at a time of rotation in correspondence to the external force acted on the seat llb such as the centrifugal force and the external force and a smooth running operation can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the seats lla and llb are rotatably suspended to the car 4 which is mounted on the endless running rail 1 in such manner as to run freely while being held thereto through the mounting members 12a and 12b, the structure is not limited to this, and the seats lla and llb may be rotatably suspended to the car 4 through the desired mounting member as well as the car 4 is suspended to the endless running rail 1 so as to run freely while being held thereto. Further, the damping means 18 is not limited to the structure mentioned above, and a known damping means can be suitably employed and used.

In accordance with the present invention, since the car 4 is mounted on the endless running rail 1 of a desired length provided in a rolling and bending manner through the rollers 6 so as to run freely while being held thereto, and the seats lla and llb are suspended to the car 4 through the desired mounting members 12a and 12b so as to rotate freely, when the compulsory external force such as a great amount of centrifugal force and gravity or the change in the acceleration during running is applied, the seats are rotated by the external force, so that the external force can be significantly decreased. Accordingly, a perpendicular running operation such as vertical descent, vertical ascent, vertical spiral motion and the like which are deemed to be impossible in the conventional art can be smoothly performed, and the seats lla and llb can be operated to run backward by rotating and inversely operating. Accordingly, in comparison with the conventional embodiment, thrill, interest and the like can be significantly improved, and further the total course can be made compact with a small space.

The rader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (2)

1. CLAIMS 1. A roller coaster in which a car is mounted on an endless running rail of a desired length provided in a rolling and bending manner through rollers so as to run freely while being held thereto, and in which seats are suspended to the car through desired mounting members so as to rotate freely.
2. 2. A roller coaster constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.