Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63G—MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
  • A63G31/00—Amusement arrangements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63G—MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
  • A63G31/00—Amusement arrangements
  • A63G2031/002—Free-fall

Definitions

• the invention relates to a fall attraction for theme parks and fairgrounds, comprising a seating carrier, a rail track, for guiding said seating carrier, mounted on at least one tower or mast, which rail track has at least one vertical or sloping fall section over which the seating carrier can execute a free fall and an adjoining braking section in order to bring the seating carrier to a stop, and means for transporting the seating carrier to the uppermost section of the rail track.
• the known fall attraction has an initial braking path at the lowermost part of the free fall section and a second, essentially horizontal, braking path that adjoins an essentially vertical section.
• the aim of the invention is to construct a fall attraction as indicated in the preamble in such a way that the attractive sensation is increased whilst, at the same time, safety is improved.
• the fall attraction is to this end characterised in that the braking section of the rail track has a safety section that extends upwards, over which the seating carrier can be slowed down by an upward movement and can then fall back.
• the rail track can form a closed loop or can be a finite, non-closed path.
• a closed loop will usually be preferred.
• the seating carrier can be rotatably connected about at least one hinge pin to a vehicle that is movable over or along the rail.
• auxiliary rails could also be used in order to control or to cause the hinging movements of the seating carrier.
• rollers or other guide elements are mounted on the seating carrier, which rollers or guide elements are able to interact with the auxiliary rails in certain parts of the movement path.
• the seating carrier can comprise one, two or more floors of seats.
• Fig. 1 shows a side view of a fall attraction according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 shows a side view of the a fall attraction at an angle of 90° with respect to the side view in Fig. 1.
• Fig. 3 shows a side view of part of an alternative embodiment.
• the theme park or fairground attraction shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a vertical mast 1 , on which a rail track 2 is mounted, said rail track 2 consisting of two closed rail loops 3 and 4 which are some distance apart and joined to one another.
• the mast 1 is supported by a number of support legs 5.
• the support leg can be replaced by guy wires and the tower bears on a plate which is anchored into the ground by anchors.
• a vehicle 6 is provided with wheels, rollers, sliders or magnetisable elements, such that the vehicle is able to move over the rail track.
• the rail track 2 extends in the vertical plane (and can also be at a slight slope) and has two sections 8, 9, extending obliquely from top to bottom, two horizontal sections 10, 11 and bend sections which join the said sections to one another.
• the vehicle 6 with gondola 7 can be brought to the top over a sloping section 8 or 9 by means of a displacement mechanism.
• said displacement mechanism is a cable or chain loop 12 which is driven by rollers or sprockets and which is provided with one or more dogs 13 in order to be able to engage behind the vehicle 6.
• the people in the gondola 7 should be able to be given the opportunity to enjoy the view in the uppermost section of the rail track, but after some time the gondola is brought to the top edge of section 8 and the hook linkage is broken, as a result of which the seating carrier 6, 7 hurtles downwards in free fall.
• the vehicle shoots upwards, via the bend sections between sections 8 and 11, the straight section 11 and the bend sections between the sections 11 and 9, into the sloping section 9, slows down, falls back and, if no additional braking facilities are provided, comes to a stop after moving backwards and forwards a few times, suspended from the horizontal section 11. It is not precluded that the fall is somewhat retarded and controlled by means of brakes.
• the sections 8, 9 can also have a greater or lesser slope or be set up vertically and the bend sections between the sections 8 and 11 and between the sections 11 and 9 can have a much greater radius of curvature, with even the horizontal section 11 being dispensed with and replaced by tend sections merging into one another.
• the gondola 7 is connected to said vehicle via a horizontal hinge pin 14 and the lower section of the vehicle 7 could also be connected via a vertical hinge pin to the upper section thereof.
• the rotation of the gondola about the said pins could be controlled with the aid of hydraulic cylinders, motors or other drive means, which are not shown.
• the rail track 2 is not in the shape of a loop but is open-ended and, moreover, the vehicle 6 with gondola 7 runs on the inside of the essentially L-shaped track.
• the fall path is vertical and the braking path is much broader.
• the mast has been omitted from the drawing for convenience.
• the essential feature is a rail track having a fall section and a braking section, in which latter section the falling seating carrier, which may or may not be controlled, is slowed down, inter alia by an ascending movement.

Landscapes

• Types And Forms Of Lifts (AREA)
• Warehouses Or Storage Devices (AREA)
• Emergency Lowering Means (AREA)
• Road Paving Structures (AREA)
• Prostheses (AREA)
• Air Bags (AREA)
• Manipulator (AREA)
• Road Signs Or Road Markings (AREA)
• Massaging Devices (AREA)
• Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)
• Forklifts And Lifting Vehicles (AREA)
• Seats For Vehicles (AREA)
• Walking Sticks, Umbrellas, And Fans (AREA)
• Placing Or Removing Of Piles Or Sheet Piles, Or Accessories Thereof (AREA)
• Golf Clubs (AREA)

Priority Applications (8)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19765545

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (12)

Cited By (2)

Citations (3)

• 1997
  • 1997-08-26 NL NL1006849A patent/NL1006849C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1998
  • 1998-08-26 DK DK98940682T patent/DK1017461T3/da active
  • 1998-08-26 DE DE69826880T patent/DE69826880T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-08-26 AT AT98940682T patent/ATE278446T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-08-26 ES ES98940682T patent/ES2230709T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-08-26 EP EP98940682A patent/EP1017461B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-08-26 HU HU0003492A patent/HU223830B1/hu not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-08-26 PT PT98940682T patent/PT1017461E/pt unknown
  • 1998-08-26 WO PCT/NL1998/000479 patent/WO1999010063A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1998-08-26 SK SK269-2000A patent/SK2692000A3/sk unknown
  • 1998-08-26 PL PL98338901A patent/PL190513B1/pl not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1998-08-26 AU AU88902/98A patent/AU8890298A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (3)

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