Amusement ride system

An amusement ride system, comprising:

• a substantially rigid track supported above a ground surface by a plurality of supports, the track comprising a plurality of track segments connected together such that adjacent track segments have substantially no freedom of movement relative to each other, and such that a junction between adjacent track segments presents a substantially smooth, continuous, and uninterrupted surface, each track segment comprising a run and a flange extending from an upper portion of the run, the track having first and second opposite end sections and a central section disposed therebetween, wherein the flange has a width that is substantially uniform within the central section of the track and wherein the width of the flange increases within at least one of the first and second opposite end sections of the track from the uniform width to a maximum flange width;
• and
• a bogie configured to move along the track, the bogie having a vertical center plane and having an upper opening extending along a length thereof for accommodating the flange, the bogie comprising:
• two first lateral wheels rotatably mounted on each side of the vertical center plane, the two first lateral wheels being arranged to rotate in a first plane that is oriented at an angle of between about 0° and about 60° relative to the vertical center plane;
• a second lateral wheel rotatably mounted on each side of the vertical center plane, each second lateral wheel being movable along an arcuate path or along a direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical center plane, between a respective first position that is proximate the vertical center plane and a respective second position that is spaced-away from the vertical center plane;
• and
• a mechanism configured to provide a force that normally biases each of the second lateral wheels toward the respective first position,
• wherein, on each side of the vertical center plane, the second lateral wheel is arranged to rotate in a respective second plane that is oriented generally perpendicular to the vertical center plane at least when the second lateral wheel is in the first position, and
• wherein a space between the second lateral wheel on one side of the vertical center plane and the second lateral wheel on the other side of the vertical center plane increases with the width of the flange when the bogie moves through the at least one of the first and second opposite end sections of the track, and
• wherein the force provided by the mechanism increases with the increasing space, thereby increasing rolling resistance between the second lateral wheels and the flange.

A bogie configured to move along a track of an amusement ride, the bogie having a vertical center plane thereof, the bogie comprising:

• two first lateral wheels rotatably mounted on each side of the vertical center plane, the two first lateral wheels being arranged to rotate in a first plane that is oriented at an angle of between about 0° and about 60° relative to the vertical center plane;
• a second lateral wheel rotatably mounted on each side of the vertical center plane, each second lateral wheel being movable along an arcuate path or along a direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical center plane, between a respective first position that is proximate the vertical center plane and a respective second position that is spaced-away from the vertical center plane, each second lateral wheel being arranged to rotate in a respective second plane that is oriented generally perpendicular to the vertical center plane at least when each second lateral wheel is in the respective first position thereof;
• and
• a mechanism configured to provide a force that normally biases each second wheel toward the respective first position thereof,
• and
• wherein the mechanism is further configured such that the magnitude of the provided force increases with increasing separation between the second lateral wheel on one side of the vertical center plane and the second lateral wheel on the other side of the vertical center plane,
• wherein, on each side of the vertical center plane, the second lateral wheel is disposed between the two first lateral wheels along a length of the bogie,
• and further comprising:
• on each side of the vertical center plane, a first lateral wheel surface disposed proximate a first end of the bogie and a second lateral wheel surface disposed proximate a second end of the bogie that is opposite the first end, and wherein the two first lateral wheels are rotatably mounted one each to a respective one of the first and second lateral wheel surfaces.

A bogie configured to move along a track of an amusement ride, the bogie having a vertical center plane thereof, the bogie comprising:

• two first lateral wheels rotatably mounted on each side of the vertical center plane, the two first lateral wheels being arranged to rotate in a first plane that is oriented at an angle of between about 0° and about 60° relative to the vertical center plane;
• a second lateral wheel rotatably mounted on each side of the vertical center plane, each second lateral wheel being movable along an arcuate path or along a direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical center plane, between a respective first position that is proximate the vertical center plane and a respective second position that is spaced-away from the vertical center plane, each second lateral wheel being arranged to rotate in a respective second plane that is oriented generally perpendicular to the vertical center plane at least when each second lateral wheel is in the respective first position thereof;
• and
• a mechanism configured to provide a force that normally biases each second wheel toward the respective first position thereof, and
• wherein the mechanism is further configured such that the magnitude of the provided force increases with increasing separation between the second lateral wheel on one side of the vertical center plane and the second lateral wheel on the other side of the vertical center plane, and
• further comprising an additional second lateral wheel rotatably mounted on each side of the vertical center plane, each additional second lateral wheel being movable along an arcuate path or along a direction that is generally perpendicular to the vertical center plane, between a first position that is proximate the vertical center plane and a second position that is spaced-away from the vertical center plane, and wherein, on each side of the vertical center plane, the two first lateral wheels are disposed between the second lateral wheel and the additional second lateral wheel along a length of the bogie.