Claims
- 1. An amusement ride attraction for carrying passengers in a raft comprising:
- a fixed flume section;
- a first flume ramp pivotably attached to the fixed flume section;
- a second flume ramp pivotably attached to the first flume ramp; and
- an actuator connected to one of the first and second flume ramps for quickly lowering the ramps as the raft moves over them.
- 2. The amusement ride attraction of claim 1 further comprising a pipe on at least one of the fixed flume sections and first flume ramp, with the pipe forming a tunnel.
- 3. The amusement ride attraction of claim 2 further comprising a fog generator in the pipe.
- 4. The amusement ride attraction of claim 1 further comprising a runout chute adjacent to the second flume ramp.
- 5. The amusement ride attraction of claim 4 further comprising scenery adjacent to the second flume ramp and runout chute.
- 6. The amusement ride attraction of claim 4 further comprising a water flume path connecting to the fixed flume section and runout chute, and forming a substantially closed loop.
- 7. The amusement ride attraction of claim 1 further comprising an L-structure supporting the second flume ramp and connected to the actuator.
- 8. The amusement ride attraction of claim 1 further comprising a trip point sensor on the first flume ramp, and a controller linked to the trip point sensor and the actuator.
- 9. The amusement ride attraction of claim 1 further comprising a water flume path connecting to the fixed flume section and second flume ramp.
- 10. The amusement ride attraction of claim 9 further comprising water in the flume path and pumps for pumping the water.
- 11. The amusement ride attraction of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of rafts adapted to float in the flume path.
- 12. The amusement ride attraction of claim 10 further comprising guide walls on at least one of the first and second flume ramps for guiding rafts and water over the flume ramps.
- 13. The amusement ride attraction of claim 9 further comprising a conveyor lift in the flume path.
- 14. The ride attraction of claim 1 wherein the first flume ramp and second flume ramp are longer than the raft.
- 15. An amusement ride attraction comprising:
- a fixed flume section;
- a first flume ramp pivotably attached to the fixed flume section;
- a second flume ramp pivotably attached to the first flume ramp;
- an actuator connected to one of the first and second ramps;
- a runout chute adjacent to the second flume ramp; and
- a roller on the second flume ramp supported on the runout chute.
- 16. An amusement ride attraction comprising:
- a fixed flume section;
- a first flume ramp pivotably attached to the fixed flume section;
- a second flume ramp pivotably attached to the first flume ramp;
- an actuator connected to one of the first and second ramps;
- a water flume path connecting to the fixed flume section and second flume ramp;
- water in the flume path and pumps for pumping the water; and
- a bypass channel in parallel with the water flume path and bypassing the first fixed flume section, and the first and second flume ramps.
- 17. An amusement ride attraction having a raft floating on water comprising:
- a flume section;
- a first flume ramp pivotably attached to the flume section;
- a second flume ramp pivotably attached to the first flume ramp;
- the flume section, first flume ramp and second flume ramp forming a contiguous flume path carrying the water;
- an actuator connected to one of the first and second flume ramps; and
- the first flume ramp and second flume ramp rapidly movable via the actuator from a first position under the raft, upon a sensed presence of the raft on the first flume ramp, to a second position below the first position, thereby providing a simulated waterfall effect.
- 18. An amusement ride attraction comprising:
- a flume path extending into a waterfall reservoir;
- a collapsible dam at a downstream end of the waterfall reservoir, the collapsible dam including:
- an upstream wall, a top, and a downstream wall;
- the upstream wall having a first end vertically supported on a floor and a second end pivotably attached to the top;
- the downstream end having a first end vertically supported on a floor and a second end pivotably attached to the top; and
- an actuator linked to the dam.
- 19. An amusement ride attraction comprising:
- a flume path extending into a waterfall reservoir;
- a collapsible dam at a downstream end of the waterfall reservoir comprising:
- an upstream wall including a trailing edge, and a leading edge horizontally slidable on an upstream vertical support;
- a top pivotably attached to the trailing edge of the upstream wall;
- a downstream wall with a leading edge pivotably attached to the top and a trailing edge of the downstream wall horizontally slidable on a downstream vertical support; and
- means for erecting and collapsing the dam.
- 20. The ride attraction of claim 19 wherein the means for erecting and collapsing comprises an actuator which moves the dam from an erected position under a raft traversing the dam, to a collapsed position, in response to a sensed presence of the raft at the dam, so as to simulate a waterfall effect.
- 21. A method of simulating the sensation of falling over a waterfall in a raft, comprising the steps of:
- (a) floating a raft on water from a flume section onto a first flume ramp which is pivotably connected to a second flume ramp, the first flume ramp pivotably attached to the flume section, and extending therefrom in a first position level to the fixed flume section;
- (b) sensing the presence of the raft on the first flume ramp;
- (c) rapidly pivoting the first and second ramps downwardly to a second position below the first position; and
- (d) allowing the raft to rapidly drop down the first flume ramp onto the second flume ramp to simulate a waterfall effect.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/614,042, filed Mar. 12, 1996, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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614042 |
Mar 1996 |
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