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
  • A63G21/12—Chutes; Helter-skelters with special cars, e.g. horse-shaped
• • 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
  • A63G21/04—Chutes; Helter-skelters with fixed rails
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63G—MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT
  • A63G7/00—Up-and-down hill tracks; Switchbacks

Definitions

• the invention relates to an amusement device comprising a track-like guide construction, along which at least one vehicle is movable in a direction of transport, said vehicle comprising a holder for a person, which holder comprises at least a back support and a seat.
• amusement devices Most people experience such an amusement device as very spectacular. For those who consider this known amusement device to be too spectacular, amusement devices are known in which the person is moved over the guide construction in a sitting position. As amusement devices of this kind have been known for quite some time already, they are not considered to be sufficiently challenging in some cases.
• the object of the invention is to provide an amusement device in which persons can be moved over the guide construction in a safe but nevertheless exciting position.
• the back support can be positioned against a person's back, with the persons' back including an acute angle with the guide construction, seen in the direction of transport, under the influence of the back support.
• the person's back in includes an acute angle with the guide construction, the person is forced to take up a position similar to the position in which a person rides a motorcycle or a galloping horse. Such a position enhancing the sensation of speed of the person being moved over the track-li e guide construction.
• Another embodiment of the amusement device according to the invention is characterized in that the back support can be moved from a boarding position to a securing position, and vice versa, with the back support in use abutting against the person's back in said securing position.
• the back support is moved from the securing position to the boarding position again when the person gets out, so that this, too, will be relatively easy.
• the time required for getting into and out of the holder will be relatively short. This is important with a view to enabling a maximum number of persons to use the amusement device within a particular period of time.
• amusement device comprises at least one handle positioned in front of the back support, seen in the direction of transport, which handle is connected to the back support via a system of links, wherein the back support can be pivoted by means of said handle.
• Yet another embodiment of an amusement device according to the invention is characterized in that in that the handle can be moved against spring force.
• the handle and thus also the back connected thereto, can preferably take up a position in which the back support is in a boarding position, as it were.
• the back support can be locked in position.
• the back support can be locked in the position in which the person's back includes an acute angle with the guide construction. This ensures that the person will remain fixed in this position while being moved over the guide construction.
• Yet another embodiment of the amusement device according to the invention is characterized in that the holder comprises a movable locking element, wherein the person's legs can be secured in use by means of the locking element.
• Another embodiment of the amusement device according to the invention is characterized in that the handle is connected to the movable locking element, wherein both the locking element and the back support can be moved by means of said handle.
• amusement device comprises at least two vehicles arranged side by side, seen in the direction of transport, which can be jointly moved over the guide construction.
• Yet another embodiment of the amusement device according to the invention is characterized in that a sidecar is present beside the vehicle, seen in the direction of transport, which sidecar is provided with a seat on which a person can be positioned.
• said sidecar renders the amusement device suitable also for use by relatively small persons who are not tall enough yet to be fixed in position in the holder by means of a back support.
• Such a sidecar is furthermore suitable for persons who cannot or do not want to be moved over a guide construction with their back in a forwardly inclined position. Using the sidecar, such persons can still have a sensation of being moved by means of a motor cycle.
• Figs. 1A-1C are side elevations of an amusement device according to the invention, showing a boarding position, an intermediate position and a securing position, respectively;
• Fig. 2 is another side elevation of the amusement device that is shown in Fig. 1A;
• Figs. 3 is another side elevation of the amusement device that is shown in Fig. 1C;
• Figs. 4A-4C are perspective views of the amusement device that is shown in Figs. 1A-1C, showing the boarding position, a boarding position in which a person is present on a holder, and a securing position, respectively, of the amusement device;
• Figs. 5A and 5B are perspective front and rear views of an amusement device according to the invention, which is provided with two vehicles according to the invention are arranged side by side; and
• Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the amusement device according to the invention, which is provided with a vehicle according to the invention as well as with a sidecar positioned beside said vehicle.
• Figs. 1A-1C show various side views of an amusement device 1 according to the invention, which is provided with a track-like guide construction 2, over which a vehicle 4 is movably supported via guide rollers 3.
• the vehicle 4 can be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow PI either by a separate drive unit or by the force of gravity.
• the vehicle 4 comprises a motorcycle-like construction 5, which is provided with a forwardly inclined (seen in the direction of transport PI) seat 6 and a stop plate 7 disposed near a front side of the seat 6.
• the seat 6 is connected to a frame 9 of the vehicle 4 by means of a rod 8.
• the seat 6 is provided with a rod 10 extending in line with the seat 6, which rod is connected, at an end remote from the seat, to a supporting rod 11 that is connected to the frame 9.
• the supporting rod 11 is provided with a guide section 12 extending substantially transversely to the supporting rod 11.
• Said guide section 12 slidably supports a handle 13.
• Said handle 13 is rigidly connected to a locking element 14, which comprises two locking pins 15 extending on either side of the seat 6.
• the locking element 14 and the locking pins 15 connected thereto may be formed in the shape of the petrol tank of a motorcycle, for example.
• the handle 13 and the locking element 14 are provided with a toothed rack 16 on another side of the guide section 12.
• the toothed rack 16 On a side remote from the handle 13, the toothed rack 16 is pivotally connected to an end 17 of a piston rod 19 which is movable within a gas spring 18.
• the gas spring 18 is pivotally connected to the frame 9 on a side remote from the toothed rack 16.
• the toothed rack 16 is furthermore pivotally connected to a coupling rod 22 near the pivot 17, which coupling rod is pivotally connected to a bar 24 at an end 23 remote from the pivot 21.
• Said bar 24 is pivoted to the seat 6 about the pivot 26 near a rear side of the seat 6, as a result of which the bar can pivot about the pivot 25 in the direction indicated by arrow P2 and in the opposite direction.
• the bar 24 At an end remote from the pivot 23, the bar 24 is provided with a back support 26, which is pivotally connected to the bar 24 via a pivot 27.
• the vehicle 4 is provided with an element 28 to be brought into engagement with the toothed rack 16, by means of which element the toothed rack 16 can be locked against movement in a direction indicated by arrow P3.
• the element 28 can be operated by means of a hydraulic or electric unit (not shown), which is connected to the element 28 via a line 29.
• Fig. 2 shows another side view of the amusement device 1 that is shown in Fig. 1A, in which gutter-shaped supports 30 are provided on a front side of the seat 6, between the locking element 14 and the frame 9, on either side of the rod 10.
• Each support 30 comprises a lower leg support 31 and a knee support 32 connected thereto.
• Each support 30 is pivoted to the rod 10 via a pivot 33.
• the supporting rod 8 is provided with two foot supports 34 positioned on either side of the rod 8.
• Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1C, with this difference that the view of the Fig. 3 is taken from a different side of the amusement device 1, whilst furthermore also the supports 30 are shown in Fig. 3.
• Figs. 4A-4C are perspective views of the positions of the amusement device 1 as shown in Fig. 1A-1C, with a person 35 furthermore being present on a seat.
• the vehicle 4 In the position of the amusement device 1 that is shown in Figs. 1A and 4A, the vehicle 4 is in a so-called boarding position. In this position, the element 28 has been brought into engagement with the toothed rack 16 via the line 29, as a result of which the handle 13 and the locking element 14 connected thereto, as well as the bar 14 and the back support 26 connected thereto, have been moved to the position as shown in Figs. 1A and 4A by means of the gas spring 18. In said boarding position, there is relatively much space for a person 35 who wishes to seat himself on the seat 6. To that end, a person 35 swings one leg over the seat 6 and seats himself on the seat 6.
• the toothed rack 16 is likewise moved in the direction indicated by arrow P3, whilst the rod 22 connected to the toothed rack 16 is moved in a direction opposed to the direction of transport PI.
• the bar 24 is pivoted about the pivot 25 in the direction indicated by arrow P2.
• the person 35 must continue to move the handle 13 in the direction indicated by arrow P3 until the back support 26 abuts firmly against said person's back 40.
• the vehicle 4 is now ready for being moved over the tracklike guide construction. It is impossible for the person 35 to leave the vehicle 4, because the back support 26 pushes the person in forward direction, whilst at the same time the person's legs 38, 41 are fixed in position in the vehicle 4 as well. A support may be provided between the locking bars 50, against which support the person can position his chest, so that the person 35 can even remove his hands 14 from the handle. Since the back support 26 is pivotally connected to the bracket 24, the back support 26 can easily adjust itself to accommodate the person's back 40. The same applies with regard to the supports 30, which can pivot about the pivot 33.
• the person's back 40 as well as his lower legs 38 include an acute angle with the guide construction that extends parallel to the direction of transport P.
• the person's body takes up a Z-shaped position, as it were, which strongly resembles the position of a person riding a real motorcycle.
• a similar position is taken up by a person riding a galloping horse.
• Figs. 5A and 5B are perspective views of an amusement device 1 according to the invention provided with two vehicles 4 positioned side by side. Since each vehicle 4 has its own mechanism for moving the back support 26, the handle 13, the locking element 14, etc to the securing position, each vehicle 4 can be optimally adapted to the dimensions of the person 35 being seated on the vehicle 4 in question.
• the vehicles can be moved over the guide construction by the force of gravity or by separate drive units, with a high speed and a rapid acceleration of the vehicles being possible even in upward direction.
• the shape of the back support, the knee supports and the lower leg supports ensures a correct, safe fixation of the person present in the vehicle.

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• Passenger Equipment (AREA)
• Motorcycle And Bicycle Frame (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=32906718

Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (9)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 2003
  • 2003-02-20 NL NL1022745A patent/NL1022745C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2004
  • 2004-02-18 CN CNB2004800048804A patent/CN100441257C/zh not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-02-18 WO PCT/NL2004/000124 patent/WO2004073818A1/en active Search and Examination

Patent Citations (5)

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