# US 5,704,294 A · Waterfall ride attraction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,704,294 A - Document ID: US5704294A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/719,712 - Filed: 1996-09-27 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1996-03-12 - Assignees: Universal Studios, Inc. - Inventors: Ted W. Van Winkle; Benjamin Sheldon; Nicholas H. Drobnis; Barry Upson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704294A ## CPC - A63C 19/00: Design or layout of playing courts, rinks, bowling greens or areas for water-skiing; Covers therefor - A63G 3/02: with floating seats - A63G 21/18: Water-chutes - A63C: SKATES; SKIS; ROLLER SKATES; DESIGN OR LAYOUT OF COURTS, RINKS OR THE LIKE (water skis B63B32/00, B63B34/00) - A63G: MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT ## Abstract A theme park ride attraction includes a flume path having rafts floating on flowing water. The rafts are elevated and enter into a pipe. First and second pivoting ramps are attached to the pipe and supported by an actuator. As the rafts enter onto the first pivoting ramp, the actuator quickly drops the first ramp down, simulating a waterfall event. ## Claims ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The amusement ride attraction of claim 2 further comprising a fog generator in the pipe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The amusement ride attraction of claim 1 further comprising a runout chute adjacent to the second flume ramp. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The amusement ride attraction of claim 4 further comprising scenery adjacent to the second flume ramp and runout chute. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The amusement ride attraction of claim 1 further comprising an L-structure supporting the second flume ramp and connected to the actuator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The amusement ride attraction of claim 1 further comprising a water flume path connecting to the fixed flume section and second flume ramp. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The amusement ride attraction of claim 9 further comprising water in the flume path and pumps for pumping the water. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The amusement ride attraction of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of rafts adapted to float in the flume path. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The amusement ride attraction of claim 9 further comprising a conveyor lift in the flume path. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The ride attraction of claim 1 wherein the first flume ramp and second flume ramp are longer than the raft. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 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. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) 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. ### Claim 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.