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AssigneeDisney Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsMichael G. Kilbert, Larry S. McAfee, David W. Crawford, James H. Shull
Estimating the term…
A whip ride is provided for amusement parks. A platform is provided with a guide slot extending through the platform. A drive assembly is positioned beneath the platform and includes a drive member (e.g., drive cable) moving on a constrained path. A track follows a path horizontally offset from the drive path. The drive assembly includes a bogie or drive truck mounted on the track and pivotably linked to the drive member to be driven by the drive member. A passenger whip vehicle is provided on the platform upper surface and pivotably attached via a connector extending through the guide slot to the bogie. The bogie path includes inside and outside curves, and the bogie track is vertically offset from the drive member such that its path may crossover the drive member to vary the horizontal offset and to locate the bogie track on either side of the drive member.
A whip ride system for use amusement parks and other settings, comprising:
The ride system of claim 17 wherein the drive member is flexible and wherein the drive assembly comprises a plurality of pulleys contacting and supporting the flexible drive member and rotating at a rate to move the flexible drive member at an input velocity and wherein at least some of pulleys rotate in a plane that is substantially parallel to the upper surface, the track being positioned between the plane and the upper surface.
An assembly for use in providing a ride for an amusement park, comprising:
An amusement park ride comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.