Rotating funfair ride

Abstract

A rotating funfair ride comprising a support structure on which a platform is arranged which is rotatable about an axis. The ride exhibits a superstructure to which support arms are oscillatingly hinged, each support arm bearing at a free end thereof a car which is predisposed to receive one or more passengers. Each car is associated to the free end of the support arm so that the passengers are seated with their backs facing the common rotation axis and the support arm.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a rotating funfair ride, which can be used in public areas dedicated to leisure activities and for public entertainment, such as, for example, amusement parks and similar places of recreation.

As is known, among the many rides familiar to all and sundry are rotating rides where the users sit in little cars provided with chairs which are set in motion according to circular and/or elliptical trajectories.

In particular, rotating rides having a plurality of support arms are known, which arms are circumferentially distributed about the main rotation axis of the ride. Each support arm is provided, at a free end thereof, with a group of cars. The cars are circumferentially arranged about a rotating pivot, the center of gravity of the group or system being localized at the rotation axis of the group. Each support arm is able to perform an oscillating movement on a vertical plane for raising and lowering the ride support structure. This movement is performed in both user loading and/or unloading operations and during normal ride operation, during which each car rotates solidly with the other cars in the same group of cars, about the rotation axis, and all of the car groups rotate solidly about the main rotation axis of the ride while they are raised and/or lowered by the support arms. The combination of the rotation about the main ride axis, the vertical oscillation of the support arm and the rotation of the group about the rotation axis lends each car a curved trajectory which generates a special effect on each user. In these rides the passenger is arranged with his or her shoulders in line with the axis of the support arm supporting the car in which the passenger is sitting.

The main aim of the present invention is to provide a rotating ride which can offer sensations to the user which are different to those experienced with usual rotating rides.

An advantage of the present invention is that it increases ride safety.

These aims and advantages and more besides, which will better emerge during the following description, are attained by a ride, according to what is described and claimed in the present application for a patent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A rotating funfair ride comprising a support structure on which a platform is arranged which is rotatable about an axis. The ride exhibits a superstructure to which support arms are oscillatingly hinged, each support arm bearing at a free end thereof a car which is predisposed to receive one or more passengers. Each car is associated to the free end of the support arm so that the passengers are seated with their backs facing the common rotation axis and the support arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the detailed description that follows of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of a ride of the present invention, illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of a ride according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view from above of an arm of the ride of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view from below of the arm of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the figures of the drawings, 1 denotes in its entirety a ride according to the present invention.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the ride 1 is a rotary ride comprising a support structure 2, either fixed or transportable, predisposed to lie at rest on a plane. Still with reference to FIG. 1, the ride 1 comprises at least a mobile platform 6 exhibiting a superstructure 7, which superstructure 7 is engaged to the support structure 2 in such a way that it can rotate about a common rotation axis X, which is perpendicular to the rest plane 3 on which the support structure lies 2. The mobile platform 6 further exhibits at least a support arm 8 which is operatively engaged to the superstructure 7 by a rotatable coupling 9. In detail, the support arm 8 exhibits a first end 8a which is hinged to the superstructure 7 in such a way as to oscillate on a vertical plane between a first position, in which an end of the support arm 8 is situated in proximity of the rest plane 3 of the support structure 2, and a second position, in which the end of the support arm 8 is distanced from the support structure 2.

As can be seen in the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the mobile platform 6 bears a plurality of support arms 8 which are circumferentially distributed about the common rotation axis X, preferably in equidistant angular positions.

Means for moving are advantageously associated to the support arms 8, which means for moving can move each support arm 8 between the first and the second positions thereof. In particular, the means for moving comprise for each support arm 8 at least a hydraulic actuator 11 having a first end 11a hinged to the superstructure 7 of the mobile platform 6, and a second end 11b hinged to the support arm 8. Each hydraulic actuator 11 is movable from a retracted position, in which the support arm 8 is in the first position, and a maximum extended position, in which the support arm 8 is in the second position.

Each of the actuators 11 comprises a lower pneumatic bellows 11c and an upper pneumatic bellows 11d, which are coaxial to one another and are extensible and retractable independently of one another. The use of the bellows will be better described herein below.

Still with reference to the figures of the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 2 and 3, each support arm 8 exhibits, on the opposite side to the first end 8a and the superstructure 7, a free second end 8b, to which at least a car 12 is associated, which car 12 is destined to contain one or more users.

Preferably each car 12 is associated to the free second end 8b of the support arm 8 in such a way that the users have their shoulders facing the common rotation axis X. In other words, each car 12 is associated to the free second end 8b of the respective support arm 8 so that the users are facing the space surrounding the ride and do not have the platform 6 and/or the superstructure 7 as their main point of visual reference. This position gives the users a particularly disorientating and therefore considerably exciting experience.

To increase the ride's effect even more, each car 12 can be pivoted to the respective support arm 8 about a rotation axis Y which is preferably horizontal and extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal development of the support arm 8 itself. Each car 12 can be idle with respect to the support arm 8, or can be rotated by means of an actuator (not illustrated). In the second case the ride 1 also comprises means for braking (not illustrated) which are operatively associated to the cars 12 in order to act on each rotation axis Y. The means for braking can be activated both when the ride is stationary 1, to aid easy mounting and alighting for the passenger, and when the ride is operating, to manage the rotations of each car 12.

As can be seen in the figures, each car 12 is preferably made to afford seating to two passengers side-by-side, but there is no reason why these chairs should not be single, nor is there any reason why there should not be three or four chairs, which of course would increase the passenger capacity without proportionally increasing realization and running costs of the ride. This is especially true for a version with three chairs for each car.

Each car 12 is chair-shaped and includes a seat 12a, a back-rest 12b about perpendicular to the seat 12a, and a head-rest. Each car 12 is associated to an arm 8 at the back-rest 12b thereof, preferably in the joint-zone between the seat 12a and the back-rest 12b should the cars 12 not be rotatable with respect to the support arms 12. In the other cases the positioning of the rotation axis Y can be chosen according to the type of oscillation to be impressed on the cars 12. For obvious safety needs, each car 12 is provided with lateral surfaces 12c that extend perpendicularly to the seat 12a and the backrest 12b and laterally contain the passenger. The chair of each passenger is further provided with safety belts and/or bars of known type (not illustrated).

Having described the ride from a structural point of view, the functioning thereof will now be described.

During passenger mounting, the platform 6 is kept in a stop position. The support arms 8 remain in the first position so that the cars 12 are accessible directly from the plane 3 of the support structure 2. Following the passenger access the means for ensuring safety are activated to block the users in their places. The lower pneumatic bellows 11c is then operated so that the car 12 is brought and kept at a safe height with respect to the ground. The platform 6 is then rotated about the common rotation axis X so that the cars 12 follow a circular trajectory on a plane that is parallel to the plane 3 of the support structure 2. During the rotation, which can be in either direction, the support arms 8 are moved on respective vertical planes to raise and/or lower the cars 12, as in FIG. 1.

During this phase of operation, the upper pneumatic bellows 1d are used, from which air enters and exits according to whether the cars are to be raised or lowered. The movement of the support arms 8 can be done contemporaneously, i.e. all of the support arms 8 are raised and/or lowered simultaneously, or can be done independently, so that each support arm 8 is raised and/or lowered at a different time from another support arm 8.

During ride operation, if the cars 12 are able to rotate with respect to the arms 8, the means for braking are suitably activated to permit rotation of each car 12 about the rotation axis Y.

The combination between the rotation of each car 12, the raising and/or lowering of the respective support arm 8 and the rotation of the platform 6 about the common rotation axis X determines the trajectory of each car 12 during the ride 1 operation.

At the end of the ride's run, the support arms 8 are brought back into the initial position in order to arrange the cars 12 in proximity of the support structure 2 and enable the passengers to alight. To achieve this position, first the upper pneumatic bellows 11d is lowered, followed by the lower pneumatic bellows 11c. The means for braking are activated, if necessary, to arrange the cars 12 in a suitable position for the passengers to alight. The platform 6 is progressively halted and the means for ensuring passengers' safety released. The use of two separate bellows has the advantage of affording a smaller consumption of air and thus of energy in order to operate the support arms 8, as the lower bellows is never deflated, except at the end of the ride's run to allow the passengers to alight. In a case of an electrical fault, or a pneumatic problem or breakage of the discharge solenoid on one of the bellows, the arm 8 and the car 12 are still supported by the bellows, or at least by one of them, thus preventing any risk to the passengers; the bellows act as a passive safety measure, and are indeed safer than the active safety measures, i.e. the end run stops which are normally used in known rides.

The ride 1 of the present invention attains the set aim of offering the passengers different sensations from those usually produced by prior art rotating rides, as they afford different trajectories from the usual ones and a different positioning of the passenger with respect to the rotation axis X of the ride.

Also, the above effects progressively change it should be possible to rotate the cars 12 about the Y axis, because of the out-of-center position of the center of gravity of each car 12 with respect to the corresponding Y rotation axis.

Claims

1). A rotating funfair ride comprising: an inclinable support structure; at least a mobile platform exhibiting a superstructure which is rotatably connected to the support structure; at least a support arm hinged to the superstructure and activatable by means for movement for oscillating between a first position, in which at least a car) is located in proximity of the support structure, and a second position, in which the at least a car is situated in a distanced position with respect to the support structure; the at least a car constrained to the at least a support arm on an opposite side thereof with respect to the superstructure and predisposed to receive at least a passenger, the platform being rotatable about a common rotation axis predefined to move the at least a car in at least a circular trajectory about the common rotation axis; wherein the at least a car is associated to a free end of the at least a support arm in such a way that the at least a passenger is located with his or her back towards the common rotation axis and towards the at least a support arm.

2). The ride of claim 1, wherein the means for movement comprise, for the at least a car, a hydraulic actuator which comprises a lower pneumatic bellows and an upper pneumatic bellows which are coaxial to one another, and which are extensible and retractable independently of one another.

3). The ride of claim 1, wherein the at least a car is pivoted to the at least a support arm about a rotation axis which is arranged horizontally and which extends perpendicularly to a longitudinal development of the at least a support arm.

4). The ride of claim 3, wherein the at least a car is idle with respect to the at least a support arm.

5). The ride of claim 4, where the means for braking are operatively associated to the at least a car and act on each rotation axis, the means for braking being activatable both when the ride is stationary, to aid mounting and alighting on one or more passengers, and when the ride is operating, in order to cause rotations of the at least a car about the rotation axis.

6). The ride of any claim 1, wherein each at least a car is conformed as a chair and exhibits a seat, a backrest which is perpendicular to the seat and a head-rest, each at least a car further comprising lateral surfaces which extend perpendicularly to the seat and the backrest and which are predisposed to contain the at least a passenger laterally.

7). The ride of claim 6, wherein the at least a car is associated to a support arm of the at least a support arm at a backrest of a chair thereof.

8). The ride of claim 1, wherein the at least a car is predisposed to receive at least two passengers seated side-by-side and is provided with means for safety for holding the at least two passengers in the chairs.

9). The ride of claim 1, wherein the platform is rotatably engaged on a plane of the support structure.

10). The ride of claim 1, wherein the ride comprises a plurality of support arms which are circumferentially distributed about the common rotation axis, each support arm of the plurality of support arms bearing a car and being mobile between the first and the second positions, independently of movements of other support arms of the plurality of support arms.