Patent Application
20140261051
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. 5,527,223. One of the drawbacks of this ride is that rider has to be lifted into the launch position at a safe speed, taking up ride time. Also the rider controls the release of the rider from the launch line, potentially causing further delay, particularly if the rider becomes scared and refuses to release the launch line, requiring that the rider be lowered back down to the ground for removal from the ride.
The foregoing example of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.
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.
The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tool and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements.
In one embodiment two support towers each have two legs with a cross beam between them. Alternatively the support towers can be arch shaped. Between the two support towers 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.
In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.
Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
Referring first to
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.
Referring next to
In use, 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. When 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
While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations therefore. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims hereinafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations are within their true spirit and scope. Each apparatus embodiment described herein has numerous equivalents.
The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. Whenever a range is given in the specification, all intermediate ranges and subranges, as well as all individual values included in the ranges given are intended to be included in the disclosure. When a Markush group or other grouping is used herein, all individual members of the group and all combinations and subcombinations possible of the group are intended to be individually included in the disclosure.
In general the terms and phrases used herein have their art-recognized meaning, which can be found by reference to standard texts, journal references and contexts known to those skilled in the art. The above definitions are provided to clarify their specific use in the context of the invention.
