US20140261051A1 - Amusement ride - Google Patents

Amusement ride Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20140261051A1
US20140261051A1 US13/837,635 US201313837635A US2014261051A1 US 20140261051 A1 US20140261051 A1 US 20140261051A1 US 201313837635 A US201313837635 A US 201313837635A US 2014261051 A1 US2014261051 A1 US 2014261051A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
ride
truck
track
rider
towers
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US13/837,635
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
William J. Kitchen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US13/837,635 priority Critical patent/US20140261051A1/en
Priority to PCT/IB2014/059827 priority patent/WO2014141195A1/fr
Publication of US20140261051A1 publication Critical patent/US20140261051A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63G—MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
    • A63G21/00—Chutes; Helter-skelters
    • A63G21/20—Slideways with movably suspended cars, or with cars moving on ropes, or the like

Definitions

  • Thrill type amusement rides are well known in the art. Rides that allow an amusement park or other location to charge a premium to ride and provide a flight like experience to the rider are popular and remain in demand. In order to be successful, it is desirable that the ride have a relatively small foot print on the ground, as space at desirable locations is generally at a premium. The rides need to be easy to operate to lower the cost of training ride operators while maintaining safety standards. A comparatively low cost to build and maintain the ride is also desirable. These types of rides often have only a few riders as a time, so the ability to control the ride time and keep it to chosen ride times while allowing for flexibility for the ride operators to have “premium rides” that last longer is also desirable.
  • One known thrill ride is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
  • One aspect of the present disclosure is a swing type amusement ride with two support towers and a suspended wire track strung between the towers.
  • a ride truck is mounted on the suspended wire track with the rider(s) suspended below the ride truck on wires.
  • the ride truck is driven along the suspended wire track between the two towers, moving the riders along beneath the ride truck.
  • One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a ride that combines a flying along a path effect with a swing effect at each end, creating a unique rider experience.
  • One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a ride that an operator can easily chose the length of the ride by choosing the number of times the ride is propelled between the towers.
  • One aspect of the present disclosure it to provide a ride that the operator can choose the excitement level of the rider by varying the speed that the ride truck moves between the towers, allowing for a wider range of people to ride on the thrill ride.
  • two support towers each have two legs with a cross beam between them.
  • the support towers can be arch shaped.
  • a suspended set of cables forms a track that supports a ride truck. Riders are suspended beneath the ride truck in a rider support mechanism. The ride truck is driven along the track between the towers, causing the rider support mechanism to be propelled along under the ride truck. The ride truck slows and reverses on the track when it reaches the other tower. The forward momentum of the rider support mechanism causes it to swing out beyond the tower, before it is pulled back toward the other tower by the ride truck.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the amusement ride.
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the loading area.
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the top of one of the support tower showing the motor.
  • FIG. 4 is a close up of the ride truck mounted on the suspended wire track.
  • FIG. 5 is a close up of the motor drive.
  • FIG. 6 is a close up view of the riders swing out from one of the towers.
  • FIG. 7 is a close up view of an alternate embodiment with the riders in rider carriage.
  • the ride 100 has two support towers 103 and 104 .
  • Each tower has two support legs 117 , 118 connected by a cross beam 119 .
  • the two support legs incline towards each other, forming a truncated A frame.
  • the support towers can be formed as arches. These configurations allow for significant space between the bases 120 , 121 to ensure the riders do not come into contact with the support legs while the ride is in operation, but allows for a narrower top, which both provides structural stability and reduces construction cost.
  • the support towers are 100′ high, and the bases are 60′ apart.
  • the cross beam is 12′ long.
  • guy wires 122 are used to ensure stability of the support towers 103 , 106 .
  • the number and configuration of the guy wires 122 will depend on a number of factors, including but not limited to height of the towers, environmental conditions, maximum weight of riders that will be allowed on the ride at one time, speed of the ride and other similar considerations.
  • the guy wires may also be eliminated if the towers are designed and built heavy enough.
  • Two track wires 107 and 108 are strung between the two support towers 103 and 104 and connected to the cross beams 119 .
  • the track wires are large enough allow sufficient tensioning to reduce the catenary of the cable to a minimum amount, possibly 1.5 inch diameter wires.
  • An alternate embodiment (not shown) the track wires could be rigid track.
  • a ride truck 101 is slidably mounted on the track wires 107 , 108 .
  • a drive cable 109 driven by motor 113 is attached to the ride truck 101 to move the ride truck back and forth along the track wires 107 , 108 in the depicted embodiment.
  • Another possible method of driving the ride would be a liner induction motor, powered by a single electrified cable (not shown). Other methods of driving the truck along the wires could be used as well.
  • Two rider suspension wires 123 are pivotally connected at an upper end to the underside of ride truck 101 on each side of the ride truck 101 .
  • the riders 102 are connected to the lower end of the rider suspension wires at a height that ensures the riders cannot contact the ground or any objects around the ride. This height will vary with the ride location.
  • the triangle shape thus formed provides side-to-side stability to the riders.
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a loading area 111 , which in the depicted embodiment is located under one of the support towers 103 .
  • the rider(s) 102 will be attached to the rider support wires 123 with attachment device 115 .
  • a queue guide 110 is provided to organize and guide the line of people waiting to ride on the ride 100 .
  • the design of such queue guides 110 to ensure safety and minimize customer dissatisfaction with wait times is well known and will not be further discussed here.
  • the queue guide 110 leads to a hydraulic scissor lift 112 to lower and lift a loading platform 109 with riders 102 on it up to be attached to the attachment device 115 .
  • the hydraulic scissor lift 112 can then be lowered out of the way to ensure the riders 102 can be moved without hitting the loading platform 109 .
  • the use of the lifting loading platform 109 ensures that the riders 102 are always well clear of the ground when the ride is moving. Other methods of lifting the loading platform 109 can be used as well. Also, other methods of designing a loading platform 109 to allow the riders 102 to be loaded on the ride and then have the loading platform 109 move out of the way are possible as well and are considered within the scope of this disclosure.
  • the ride truck 101 is moved back and forth along the track wires 107 , 108 between the two support towers 103 , 104 .
  • the ride truck 101 is moved by an electric motor 113 driving a shiv wheel 130 .
  • the ride truck 101 has wheels 133 to allow it to freely move along the track wires 107 , 108 .
  • Retention loops 134 attach the ride truck 101 to the track wires.
  • the rider 102 is attached to the rider support wires 123 in face down position in the depicted embodiment.
  • the loading platform 109 is lowered and then the ride truck is accelerated toward the other support tower 104 at speeds of 5 to 60 mph.
  • the riders will be pulled along under the track wires, giving a feeling of flying along the ground.
  • the ride truck reaches the other tower 103 , it slows rapidly, and reverses direction. Momentum then carries the riders out is a swinging arc as shown in FIG. 6 .
  • the speed of the ride truck can be controlled to set the height the riders will swing to. If desired, the rider truck could stop at one end to let several swings outward occur before the rider truck heads back the other direction.
  • the ride truck is then moved back to the other tower, repeating the swing outward from the other tower. If desired the ride truck can move back at a slower speed so there is less swing on the other end, allowing the riders to be brought to a stop and unloaded from the ride faster.
  • the ride operator can chose if the ride truck takes one complete traverse of the track, or multiple runs back and forth along the track. In another embodiment (not shown) there are loading platforms at both towers and the riders are unloaded after a single run along the track and swinging at a single end.
  • FIG. 7 shows an alternate embodiment where multiple riders are placed in a rider carriage 130 , probably in seated configuration.
  • the rider carriage has windows and a door for loading and unloading the riders.

Landscapes

  • Train Traffic Observation, Control, And Security (AREA)
  • Current-Collector Devices For Electrically Propelled Vehicles (AREA)
US13/837,635 2013-03-15 2013-03-15 Amusement ride Abandoned US20140261051A1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13/837,635 US20140261051A1 (en) 2013-03-15 2013-03-15 Amusement ride
PCT/IB2014/059827 WO2014141195A1 (fr) 2013-03-15 2014-03-14 Manège

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13/837,635 US20140261051A1 (en) 2013-03-15 2013-03-15 Amusement ride

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20140261051A1 true US20140261051A1 (en) 2014-09-18

Family

ID=51521539

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/837,635 Abandoned US20140261051A1 (en) 2013-03-15 2013-03-15 Amusement ride

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US20140261051A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2014141195A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3229931A4 (fr) * 2014-12-11 2018-12-19 Buttercup Business Inc. Piste de descente fixée à angle presque droit avec chute libre et balancement à rayon variable
EP3554661A4 (fr) * 2016-12-14 2020-07-15 Skysurfer International Limited Manège

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1548535A (en) * 1923-12-12 1925-08-04 Edgar M Goldsmith Amusement device
US2307141A (en) * 1940-06-03 1943-01-05 Everett W Ladd Combined swing and glide apparatus
US2448325A (en) * 1946-11-29 1948-08-31 Jr Charles B Poorman Recreation apparatus
US5660113A (en) * 1995-12-15 1997-08-26 Lehotsky; Ronald M. Aerial cable support system for snow ski jumping
US20110132224A1 (en) * 2009-02-12 2011-06-09 Kitchen William J Suspended Cable Amusement Ride
US8607710B2 (en) * 2010-10-28 2013-12-17 Jack Farr Cable-tow system having a stationary support cable
US8683925B2 (en) * 2010-03-31 2014-04-01 James Liggett Zip line transport trolley system

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU734995B2 (en) * 1996-10-06 2001-06-28 Neil Horace Harrap Powered ride apparatus
US5931740A (en) * 1997-07-15 1999-08-03 Kitchen; William Joel Module-type amusement ride
US6699135B2 (en) * 2000-11-10 2004-03-02 Stat Cochron Multidirectional amusement device
US6440002B1 (en) * 2000-11-15 2002-08-27 Skycoaster, Inc. Top loading swing type amusement ride
WO2010105499A1 (fr) * 2009-03-14 2010-09-23 Quan Xiao Procédés et appareil pour donner à un utilisateur une perception somato-sensorielle pour des activités à sensations fortes comme le saut

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1548535A (en) * 1923-12-12 1925-08-04 Edgar M Goldsmith Amusement device
US2307141A (en) * 1940-06-03 1943-01-05 Everett W Ladd Combined swing and glide apparatus
US2448325A (en) * 1946-11-29 1948-08-31 Jr Charles B Poorman Recreation apparatus
US5660113A (en) * 1995-12-15 1997-08-26 Lehotsky; Ronald M. Aerial cable support system for snow ski jumping
US20110132224A1 (en) * 2009-02-12 2011-06-09 Kitchen William J Suspended Cable Amusement Ride
US8683925B2 (en) * 2010-03-31 2014-04-01 James Liggett Zip line transport trolley system
US8607710B2 (en) * 2010-10-28 2013-12-17 Jack Farr Cable-tow system having a stationary support cable

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3229931A4 (fr) * 2014-12-11 2018-12-19 Buttercup Business Inc. Piste de descente fixée à angle presque droit avec chute libre et balancement à rayon variable
EP3554661A4 (fr) * 2016-12-14 2020-07-15 Skysurfer International Limited Manège

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2014141195A1 (fr) 2014-09-18

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5853331A (en) Amusement ride
KR20160091356A (ko) 타워 라이드용 트랙 및 구동부
JP6517798B2 (ja) 移動可能な軌道セクションを有するアミューズメント装置
US9272223B2 (en) Swing amusement ride system
US10376798B2 (en) High angle tethered slide with freefall drop and variable radius swing
ZA200301824B (en) Apparatus for an amusement ride and fall.
US20140261051A1 (en) Amusement ride
US20180085675A1 (en) Amusement ride for hang gliding simulation
US10780360B2 (en) High angle tethered slide with freefall drop and variable radius swing
US6342017B1 (en) Amusement ride with enhanced ride control
US10758830B2 (en) Amusement ride
US5427576A (en) Bungy jumping tower
US2235563A (en) Amusement device
CN206141852U (zh) 一种缓冲式直升机自动托举运输平台装置
EP2896441A1 (fr) Système de manège à balancement
EP1590056A1 (fr) Manege de loisir
KR101498549B1 (ko) 번지샷 놀이기구
CN112509411A (zh) 一种模拟太空行走的设备
JPS6055146B2 (ja) 折返し式コ−スタ−
JPH07285759A (ja) 軌道上を移動する移動体の駆動方法および駆動装置

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION