US2225411A - Amusement ride - Google Patents

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet l A. FELTMAN AMUSEMENT RIDE Nu. m

. m 5 mm m R HR m E mb Filed Jan. 17, 1940 M: Rx

Patented Dec. 17, 1940 AMosEt mN'r RIDE Alfred Feltman,

Palm Beach, Fla.

Application January 17, 1940, Serial No. 314,269

4. Claims.

This invention relates to an improved pleasure apparatus and particularly to what is known as an amusement ride, an object being to provide a construction which is an improvement over my prior Patent No. 1,293,393.

Another object of the invention is to provide an amusement ride wherein the movable members may be caused to move in a given path and also the entire apparatus tilted.

A further object of the invention is to provide an amusement ride having a rotating member with independent cars mounted thereon and means for swinging the rotating member on a central axis so as to tilt the same either while stationary or moving.

A further and more specific object is to provide an amusement ride having a tiltable frame and a rotating platform or carrier thereon, together with freedom of the cars and adjustable deflectors for deflecting the cars at certain points during their revolutions.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an amusement ride disclosing an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View through Fig. 1 approximately on the line 2-2 Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of Fig. 4 approximately on the line 33;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of part of the structure shown in Fig. 1 with certain portions broken away for illustrating a deflecting member in its association with one of the freely moving cars;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View through Fig. 1 approximately on the line 55; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to the right-hand end of the structure shown in Fig. 2 but illustrating a modified form of the tilting structure.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, l indicates the ground or other support on which standards 2 are mounted. These standards are each formed with a bore 3 accommodating the shaft 4 to which a frame 5 is preferably rigidly secured. The frame 5 in cross section as shown in Fig. 2, is an elongated substantially diamond shaped structure with suitable bracing bars transversely at the bottom and at the top with a track member 6 of sheet metal or other suitable material. This track member is provided with a flat center 1 which is usually held horizontal, as shown in Fig. 5, when loading the ride with passengers. Extending from this central platform is an inclined circular section 8. A platform or carrier it is spaced above the track or platform 6. The carrier H) is of substantially the same shape as the track member 6 but at the periphery is provided with a walk or circular platform H. A central section I3 of carrier H] is horizontal when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 5. This places the section I3 of carrier I0 in a plane parallel to the circular platform H which is provided on the extreme outer edge with a fence 12. The carrier 10 is provided with an annular inclined section l4 which is 1o made up of a number of pieces of material l5, as shown in Fig. 1, and in each of the pieces l5 there is provided a radiating slot it which extends from near thecenter of the device to the periphery. There is provided a car I! for each slot IE and each of these cars is provided with a seat I8 and fiange l9 extending beneath the inclined section or portion Id of carrier ID. The car ll is shown in detail in Fig. 3 and from this figure it will be observed that the car body 20 is mounted upon a plate El having a pin 22 which is rotatable in a sleeve 23. Sleeve 33 is carried by a platform of wood, metal or other material. The platform 24 is preferably circular and slightly larger than the body 20 which is also circular. A band 25 is rigidly secured to the platform 2i and normally overlaps the body 25] whereby the body 29 may move with the platform .26 or rotate independently thereof. Suitable anti-friction members 26 are connected with the platform .24 for supporting the same and the remaining part of car ll. Preferably, there is a centrally positioned anti-friction member 26", as shown in Fig. 3, and a numberof supporting antifriction members near the outer edge, the latter anti-friction members being slightly shorter than the central anti-friction member. This will allow a certain tilting action, particularly when one of the members strikes the raised portion 27 carried by the track member 6. By reason of the 40 flange l5, the car il may freely rotate or slide' back and forth in slot I5 and may gyrate by reason of the member 2? without being disengaged from the carrier Ill. By reason of this structure itwill be seen that there is a certain up and down movement of .the car and also a rotary and back and forth movement. All of the cars are constructed as shown particularly in Fig. 3 and move around the central bearing 28 as the carrier I9 rotates. It will be observed that I the bearing 28 is supported by member 29 so that t carrier H) may freely rotate.

An annular rack 33 is secured to carrier It at the center thereof, as shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 5. A pinion 3i continually meshes with 42 of a tubular guide 43. on the abutment 39 so as to limit the movement under the action of spring 4|.

rack 30 and this pinion is driven by electric motor 33 through suitable transmission gears 34. A control rheostat 35 controls the current supplied to motor 3 to cause the motor to function at any desired speed. As shown particularly in Fig. 2 the rack 35 is preferably made from sheet material and welded or otherwise rigidly secured to carrier II).

An inner annular member 36 is also welded or otherwise secured to the metal carrier l0 and carries a number of anti-friction members 31 which continually rest on track 6. As shown particularly in Fig. 3, there is provided an outer depending annular flange 36' which may be integral with carrier Ill or rigidly secured thereto. Flange 1 35' carries a number of anti-friction members 38 which roll on the track member 6. This allows the carrier Hi to freely rotate while the track member 6 is normally held stationary,-either in the position shown in Fig. 5 Whch may be called a horizontal position, or the position shown in Fig. 2 which may be called a tilted position. It will be understood that the tilt may be anywhere between a horizontal position and the tilted position in Fig. 2. The latter position is the extreme tilted position. When in the extreme tilted position the upper portion of section l4, as shown in Fig. 2, is inclined slightly so that the cars will gravitate toward the center of the ride. As the ride rotates the cars will gravitate outwardly. The outward movement is augmented by centrifugal action.

Arranged in line with the center of the slots l6 are cushioning abutments 39, as shown particularly in Fig. 3. Each of these abutments is provided with a head 40 adapted to be struck by the annular band 25 and also adapted to be pressed by the spring 4| which presses against the base A nut 44 is threaded The spring 4| is intended to prevent the cars from hitting the outer edge 45 when moved outwardly with some considerable force. This gives a nice cushioning action which will quickly slow down the move- ,ment of the car, usually stopping the same before the car strikes edge 45.

In order that the cars at spaced intervals may be moved radially inwardly, there are provided a plurality of deflecting members 46, as shown particularly in Fig. 4. As illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, there are two of these deflecting members but, if desired, more may be used or even less. Each deflecting member has a curved contact bar 41 hinged at 48. A link 49 is pivotally connected at 50 to the bar 41 and at 5| to a lever 52 which is pivotally mounted at 53 on a bracket carried by the track member 6. The outer end 54 of lever 52 is connected with a piston rod 55 connected with a suitable piston 56 in cylinder 51. A slot in rod 55 may accommodate journal pin 58 so that there will be no pinching action as the piston 56 moves back and forth. Air, steam or liquid under pressure is adapted to be supplied and exhausted through pipes 59 and 60 so as to cause piston 56 to move back and forth. When the piston 56 is moved to the right, as shown in Fig. 3, bar 41 will be swung outwardly away from the center of the apparatus and when the piston 55 is moved to the left, as shown in Fig. 3, the bar 41 will be swung inwardly so that when any of the cars |1 strikes the same, the respective cars will be deflected so as to move radially inwardly. If the ride is moving slowly this inward movement will be for only a short distance but if the ride is moving at a iair rate of speed, the deflection of the cars will be greater. The operator can regulate this by varying the speed or rotation of the carrier |0 or may vary the inward movement by varying the position of bar 41. Preferably, the cylinders 51 for the respective bars 41 are connected together so that these bars may swing inwardly or outwardly simultaneously.

Air, steam or liquid from any suitable source may pass through the master valve 6|, as shown in Fig. 2, and then through the control valves 62 and 63 for providing liquid at either end of the cylinder 64 which cylinder is provided with the piston 65 connected with the piston rod 66. Rod 66 is pivotally mounted at 61 while the cylinder 64 is pivotally mounted at 68. Thecylinder may be supplied withfluid under pressure or may be exhausted of fluid through either of the control valves 62m 63 so as to tilt the ride to the position shown in Fig. 2 or to any intermediate desired position. Instead of using this form of means for tilting the ride an auxiliary form may be usedgas shown in Fig. 6, wherein an areshaped rack 69 is bolted .or otherwise rigidly secured to the frame 5 and continually meshes with pinion 10 which is actuated by a worm 1|. Worm 1| may be actuated by an electric motor 12 or by a hand-actuated crank, as preferred. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, there is provided a loading platform 13 and an unloading platform 14. It 'will be evident that both platforms could be used for loading and unloading without departing from the spirit of the invention. Preferably, the apparatus is moved to a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 5, when loading or unloading. This will permit the passengers to step out of the cars on the circular plate at and then to one of the loading or unloading platforms.

I claim:

1. An amusement ride including a frame, hinge means for hinging the frame in. a fixed position, a reciprocating member secured to said frame ad- .jacent one end of the frame, hand controlled means for reciprocating said reciprocating memher for tilting said frame to a desired angle, a track member mounted on top of said frame, a plurality of cars mounted to move over said track member, each of said cars having an annular radiating flange, means for moving said cars over said track member and a carrier having a radiating slot for each of said cars, said cars being positioned so that a portion thereof will project through said slots while said flange is positioned beneath the undersurface of said carrier for preventing said cars from leaving said track member.

2. An amusement ride including a stationary frame, a frusto-cone shaped sheet metal track member mounted on said fram and rigidly secured thereto, a carrier of substantiallythe same shape as the track member mounted torotate over said track member, said carrier having a plurality of radially extending slots, a car extending through each of said slots, said cars being mounted on said track member and movable in a circle by said carrier as the carrierrotates, said carrier having a depending annular flange at its periphery, a plurality of rollers carried by said flange positioned to contact with said track member for supporting the carrier at the periphery, a swinging car deflector connected to said annular flange-at spaced intervals, power actuated means for swinging said deflector inwardly and outwardly whereby when any of the deflectors are swung inwardly each car adjacent the periphery of the carrier will be deflected radially 76 inwardly as it passes the deflector, and poweractuated means for rotating said carrier.

3. An amusement ride including a supporting frame, a track member carried by said frame, said track member presenting an inverted disklike structure, a carrier of substantially the same shape as said track member spaced from the track member, means at the center of the carrier for ro-tatably supporting the carrier, means acting on the carrier adjacent the center thereof for rotating the carrier, said carrier having a plurality of substantially radiating slots, a plurality of cars mounted to move over said track member, there being one car for each of said slots, said cars projecting through the slots, an annular depending band secured at its upper edge to the periphery of the carrier, and a resilient abutment carried by said band opposite each of said slots, each of said abutments including a tubular guard carried by said band extending radially inwardly, a headed bolt slidably mounted in said tubular guard and normally extending therefrom, a coil spring acting on the head of said bolt and on base of said tubular guard for resiliently urging said bolt radially inwardly and a stop secured to said bolt adjacent the end opposite said head.

4. An amusement ride including a supporting frame, a track member carried by said frame, said track member presenting an inverted disklike structure, a carrier of substantially the same shape as said track member spaced from the track member, means at the center of the carrier for rotatably supporting the carrier, means acting on the carrier adjacent the center thereof for rotating the carrier, said carrier having a plurality of substantially radiating slots, a plurality of cars mounted to move over said track member, there being one car for each of said slots, said cars projecting through the slots, a bar having one end pivotally connected to said track member near the periphery thereof, said bar being positioned so that the free end may swing inwardly toward the center of said track member, said bar being positioned so that said cars will strike the same if the bar is swung outwardly a certain distance for causing the cars to move radially inwardly along said slots, and means for swinging said free end inwardly and outwardly, said last mentioned means including a link pivoted at one end to said bar and extending substantially radially of said track member, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame, one

end of said lever being pivotally connected to said link, a piston rod pivotally connected to the other end of said lever, a piston secured to said piston rod, a cylinder for said piston, and manually controlled means for admitting and exhausting fluid under pressure into said cylinder at the respective ends for causing said base to swing inwardly and outwardly.

ALFRED FELTMAN.

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