Amusement ride

An amusement ride, comprising:

• a hollow launch tube having an inner surface, and first and second ends, the first end being open;
• a passenger vehicle having an outer peripheral surface which forms a substantial seal with the inner surface of the launch tube so as to form a substantially sealed space inside said launch tube from said passenger vehicle to the second end of the launch tube;
• guidance means for guiding said passenger vehicle along a pre-determined path to exit the launch tube, said guidance means being self-rigid and extending through said open first end along said pre-determined path;
• and
• a pressurized gas source for introducing pressurized gas into the substantially sealed space inside said launch tube sufficient to launch the passenger vehicle along said guidance means and out of the launch tube;
• wherein the guidance means comprises rigid track means extending along said pre-determined path, the track means having an inner portion extending along, and in close proximity to, the inner surface of the launch tube, and an outer portion extending outwardly of the first open end of the launch tube;
• and
• wherein said track means comprises a guide tube having a cross-sectional area less than that of the launch tube, said guide tube extending along the inner surface of the launch tube.

An amusement ride, comprising:

• a hollow launch tube having an inner surface, and first and second ends, the first end being open;
• a passenger vehicle having an outer peripheral surface which forms a substantial seal with the inner surface of the launch tube so as to form a substantially sealed space inside said launch tube from said passenger vehicle to the second end of the launch tube;
• guidance means for guiding said passenger vehicle along a pre-determined path to exit the launch tube, said guidance means being self-rigid and extending through said open first end along said pre-determined path;
• and
• a pressurized gas source for introducing pressurized gas into the substantially sealed space inside said launch tube sufficient to launch the passenger vehicle along said guidance means and out of the launch tube;
• wherein the guidance means comprises rigid track means extending along said pre-determined path, the track means having an inner portion extending along, and in close proximity to, the inner surface of the launch tube, and an outer portion extending outwardly of the first open end of the launch tube;
• and
• wherein the outer portion of the track means is supported by a substantially vertically extending support tower, the track means extending along an outer surface of the support tower.

An amusement ride, comprising:

• a hollow launch tube having an inner surface, and first and second ends, the first end being open;
• a passenger vehicle having an outer peripheral surface which forms a substantial seal with the inner surface of the launch tube so as to form a substantially sealed space inside said launch tube from said passenger vehicle to the second end of the launch tube;
• guidance means for guiding said passenger vehicle along a pre-determined path to exit the launch tube, said guidance means being self-rigid and extending through said open first end along said pre-determined path;
• and
• a pressurized gas source for introducing pressurized gas into the substantially sealed space inside said launch tube sufficient to launch the passenger vehicle along said guidance means and out of the launch tube;
• wherein said guidance means comprises a rigid track means extending along the predetermined path from the first end of the tube, said ride further comprising a plug member extending parallel to said launch tube such that an annular space of constant cross-section is formed between the plug member and the tube, and wherein the passenger vehicle comprises an annular body adapted to be received in said annular space.

An amusement ride, comprising:

• a hollow launch tube having an inner surface, and first and second ends, the first end being open;
• a passenger vehicle having an outer peripheral surface which forms a substantial seal with the inner surface of the launch tube so as to form a substantially sealed space inside said launch tube from said passenger vehicle to the second end of the launch tube;
• guidance means for guiding said passenger vehicle along a pre-determined path to exit the launch tube, said guidance means being self-rigid and extending through said open first end along said pre-determined path;
• and
• a pressurized gas source for introducing pressurized gas into the substantially sealed space inside said launch tube sufficient to launch the passenger vehicle along said guidance means and out of the launch tube;
• wherein the guidance means comprises rigid track means extending along said pre-determined path, the track means having an inner portion extending along, and in close proximity to, the inner surface of the launch tube, and an outer portion extending outwardly of the first open end of the launch tube;
• wherein the passenger vehicle is provided with at least one pressure wall against which a launching force generated by said pressurized gas is exerted, with said substantial seal between the passenger vehicle and the inner surface of the launch tube being formed by an outer periphery of the pressure wall;
• and
• wherein said pressure wall is provided with at least one aperture located inwardly of its outer periphery, said aperture communicating with the outer periphery of the pressure wall, the track means being received in said at least one aperture.

An amusement ride, comprising:

• a hollow launch tube having an inner surface, and first and second ends, the first end being open;
• a passenger vehicle having an outer peripheral surface which forms a substantial seal with the inner surface of the launch tube so as to form a substantially sealed space inside said launch tube from said passenger vehicle to the second end of the launch tube;
• guidance means for guiding said passenger vehicle along a pre-determined path to exit the launch tube, said guidance means being self-rigid and extending through said open first end along said pre-determined path;
• and
• a pressurized gas source for introducing pressurized gas into the substantially sealed space inside said launch tube sufficient to launch the passenger vehicle along said guidance means and out of the launch tube;
• wherein the guidance means comprises rigid track means extending along said pre-determined path, the track means having an inner portion extending along, and in close proximity to, the inner surface of the launch tube, and an outer portion extending outwardly of the first open end of the launch tube;
• wherein the passenger vehicle is provided with at least one pressure wall against which a launching force generated by said pressurized gas is exerted, with said substantial seal between the passenger vehicle and the inner surface of the launch tube being formed by an outer periphery of the pressure wall;
• and
• wherein the passenger vehicle comprises a pressure wall stage and a passenger vehicle stage which are releasably connected to one another, the amusement ride additionally comprising pressure wall stage braking means located proximate the first end of the tube to cause separation of the pressure wall stage and the passenger vehicle stage during launch of the passenger vehicle.

An amusement ride, comprising:

• a hollow launch tube having an inner surface, and first and second ends, the first end being open;
• a passenger vehicle having an outer peripheral surface which forms a substantial seal with the inner surface of the launch tube so as to form a substantially sealed space inside said launch tube from said passenger vehicle to the second end of the launch tube;
• guidance means for guiding said passenger vehicle along a pre-determined path to exit the launch tube, said guidance means being self-rigid and extending through said open first end along said pre-determined path;
• a pressurized gas source for introducing pressurized gas into the substantially sealed space inside said launch tube sufficient to launch the passenger vehicle along said guidance means and out of the launch tube;
• and
• one or both of stop means and releasable latch means located proximate the second end of the tube, the stop means positioning the passenger vehicle at its home position, and the latch means retaining the vehicle in its home position.

An amusement ride, comprising:

• a hollow launch tube having an inner surface, and first and second ends, the first end being open;
• a passenger vehicle having an outer peripheral surface which forms a substantial seal with the inner surface of the launch tube so as to form a substantially sealed space inside said launch tube from said passenger vehicle to the second end of the launch tube;
• guidance means for guiding said passenger vehicle along a pre-determined path to exit the launch tube, said guidance means being self-rigid and extending through said open first end along said pre-determined path;
• and
• a pressurized gas source for introducing pressurized gas into the substantially sealed space inside said launch tube sufficient to launch the passenger vehicle along said guidance means and out of the launch tube;
• wherein said launch tube is provided with a passenger vehicle exchange opening of sufficient size to allow the passenger vehicle to be removed or inserted into the launch tube, said passenger vehicle exchange opening being provided with a door adapted to seal said passenger vehicle exchange opening,
• said amusement ride further comprising means for removing and inserting said passenger vehicle from said launch tube.

An amusement ride, comprising:

• a hollow launch tube having an inner surface, and first and second ends, and at least one door;
• a passenger vehicle having an outer peripheral surface which forms a substantial seal with the inner surface of the launch tube so as to form a substantially sealed space inside said launch tube from said passenger vehicle to one said door with said door in a closed position;
• guidance means for guiding said passenger vehicle along a pre-determined path to exit the launch tube, said guidance means being self-rigid and extending through said first and second ends along said pre-determined path;
• and
• a pressurized gas source for introducing pressurized gas into the substantially sealed space inside said launch tube sufficient to launch the passenger vehicle along said guidance means and out of the launch tube;
• wherein the guidance means comprises rigid track means extending along said pre-determined path, the track means having an inner portion extending along, and in close proximity to, the inner surface of the launch tube, and an outer portion extending outwardly of the first and second ends of the launch tube;
• and
• wherein said pre-determined path along which said track means extends through said tube, and wherein the vehicle is launched from the first end of the tube, re-enters the first end of the tube and is then launched from the second end of the tube in the opposite direction, the vehicle subsequently re-entering the second end of the tube.