US 4,903,959 A · Horizontal ferris wheel

Abstract

An amusement ride comprises a horizontal ferris wheel, having an upright shaft with a circular member rotatably mounted near the top thereof. Passenger compartments, such as gondolas, are suspended from the circular member. One or more rotatable propellers also supported on the circular member drive the circular member about the upright shaft, instead of using driven rotation of the central shaft itself through various gear or drive belt arrangements. As compared with gears and drive belts, the propeller-driven arrangement provides relatively smooth acceleration and deceleration. A flyball governor mechanism closes louvers over the propeller to control air flow therefrom, and slow rotation of the amusement ride whenever predetermined rotational speeds are reached. Relatively smaller embodiments of the invention are adapted for rapid and convenient alternate assembly and disassembly, and for transport on a trailered base thereof, for use at a desired location such as fair grounds or the like.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An amusement ride, comprising:

a central, upright support mast;
support structure, rotatably mounted on the top of said upright support mast, and projecting axially outward from said mast, for free rotation thereabout generally in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said mast;
passenger compartments suspended from said support structure generally near the periphery thereof;
at least one rotatably drivable propeller supported on said support structure, such that rotation of said propeller generates a flow of air creating a driving force acting generally tangentially at said support structure periphery, whereby said passenger compartments may be rotated about said central mast for forming a horizontal ferris wheel-type amusement ride having relatively smooth acceleration and deceleration characteristics;
and
a speed responsive safety means for automatically limiting the rotational speed of said amusement ride.

3 more elements

A horizontal ferris wheel, comprising:

a relatively flat horizontal support surface and means for supporting a fixed vertical shaft thereon;
a vertical shaft supported on and extending upwardly from said support surface;
a hub assembly rotatably attached to the upper end of said vertical shaft;
an upper support portion of said ferris wheel situated generally about said hub assembly;
means for connecting said hub assembly to said upper support portion of said ferris wheel, with said upper support portion being rotatable about said vertical shaft on said hub assembly;
a plurality or passenger-carrying gondolas supported on said ferris wheel upper support portion;
a first support beam extending generally from said vertical shaft in a direction parallel to that of said ferris wheel upper support portion, said support beam having attached thereto a rotatable propeller;
and
means for rotating said propeller, whereby the force generated by a flow of air from the rotating propeller will cause the ferris wheel upper support portion and the gondolas supported thereon to rotate about said vertical shaft.

6 more elements

A collapsible horizontal ferris wheel, comprising:

a movable platform defining a relatively flat horizontal upper support surface;
a fixed vertical shaft supported on, and extending upwardly from, said upper support surface, said shaft having a free upper end;
a hub assembly attached to said vertical shaft upper end, and including studs extending upwardly therefrom;
a cylindrical housing, having respective upper and lower ends, and rotatably mounted about said vertical shaft on said hub assembly, and further defining an inner bore having therein an insert plate adapted to matingly engage said studs;
rigid and continuous circular gondola support means, situated about said vertical shaft;
a plurality of first cables attached to said cylindrical housing upper end spaced about the circumference thereof, and extending respectively to said gondola support means;
a plurality of second cables attached to a said cylindrical housing lower end spaced about the circumference thereof, and respectively extending to said circular gondola support means, such that said first and second plurality of cables cooperate to suspend said circular support means on said vertical shaft at a generally predetermined elevation above said movable platform upper support surface;
a plurality of gondolas, suspended from said circular gondola support means and spaced thereabout, said gondolas being adapted for carrying passengers;
at least one support beam, having an outer end extending outwardly from said cylindrical housing in a direction generally parallel to said movable platform upper support surface;
fan means attached to said support beam outer end, said fan means including a rotatable propeller and a protective shroud generally thereabout;
and
power means for supplying power to said fan means propeller for rotation thereof, whereby the force generated by such fan means propeller rotation causes said cylindrical housing, said gondola support means, and said plurality of gondolas supported thereon, to rotate about said vertical shaft.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Horizontal ferris wheel

Life of this patent

Horizontal ferris wheel

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21