Amusement apparatus

An amusement apparatus comprising an elongated flume which has a fluid medium provided therein. A plurality of passenger vehicles are carried in the flume. Lifting mechanisms are provided for selectively raising and lowering various areas of the flume causing the fluid medium to travel as a wave in a continuous path around the flume and propel passenger vehicles floated thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an amusement apparatus wherein patrons are loaded 
into vehicles in the form of circular tubs and are propelled around a 
flume by a wave of water responsive to tilting the flume in a circular 
motion. 
There are many amusement rides incorporating vehicles which are transported 
around a predetermined path responsive either to self-propulsion as is the 
case when using small boats or by mechanical mechanisms. On many children 
rides, vehicles such as small boats are attached to a track which has a 
chain running therethrough for pulling the boats around a circular path. 
There have been attempts to create wave motions in the amusement apparatus 
and one such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 694,447 granted on Mar. 
4, 1902. Another type of roundabout sailing apparatus is disclosed in U.S. 
Pat. 1,357,995 wherein sailboats are caused to travel over a body of water 
and are adapted for sailing on an elongated course in a manner simulating 
the passing of boats up and down a stream instead of in a circular path as 
is usual in the practical application of aquatic carousals. Still other 
amusement apparatuses are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 871,744 and 953,724. 
Apparatuses and methods for generating waves in a body of water are 
disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,976,570, 586,983, and 4,062,192. 
Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide 
an amusement apparatus wherein vehicles such as floatable carriers are 
propelled around a mote by a moving wave. 
Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an 
amusement apparatus wherein by imparting a circular wobbling motion to a 
flume, a body of water is moved continuously around the flume in the form 
of a wave to propel passenger vehicles. 
Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a 
simple and enjoyable amusement apparatus wherein patrons can be readily 
loaded into carriers and removed from carriers and transported around a 
flume by a moving body of water. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the present invention, the above objects are accomplished by 
utilizing an endless flume defined by opposed side walls which are joined 
by a bottom wall that has a fluid medium provided therein. A plurality of 
passenger vehicles are carried on the flume. A lifting device is operably 
connected to the flume for selectively raising and lowering consecutive 
areas of the flume. Activating mechanisms are connected to the lifting 
devices for raising and lowering the areas of the flume, causing the fluid 
medium to travel as a wave in a continuous path around the flume. The wave 
engages the carriers positioned within the flume and transports the 
carriers around the flume.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated an amusement 
apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention. The 
apparatus includes a substantially rectangular shaped flume 10 that is 
defined by a pair of opposed side walls 12 and 14 that are joined by a 
rigid bottom 16. The flume is supported on pistons 18 extending out of the 
end of three spaced hydraulic cylinders 20, 22 and 24. The lower ends of 
the hydraulic cylinders 20, 22 and 24 are anchored in a rigid structure 
such as the ground or a concrete base 26. If the amusement apparatus is 
designed to be a portable apparatus, then the base could be constructed of 
any suitable rigid material so that it could be removed and transported. 
The important thing is to provide sufficient strength in the base 26 to 
support the hydraulic cylinders 20, 22 and 24 along with the flume 10. 
As can be seen in FIG. 2, the flume has an expanded metal floor 28 carried 
therein which is spaced a predetermined distance from the bottom wall 16 
of the flume. Water 30 is positioned in the flume and the level of water 
is such to cause waves to be moved around the flume when the flume is 
moved in a wobbling, circular motion. As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the 
level of the water extends above the expanded metal floor 28 to float 
carriers 32 when the flume 10 is tilted. When the entire flume is held in 
a level position, the water just barely extends above the expanded floor 
28 and as a result, there is not sufficient bounce to support the 
passenger vehicles 32 and they rest on the expanded metal floor. 
This level position of the flume is desirable when loading and unloading 
passengers from the carriers 32. 
It is to be understood, of course, that the expanded floor 28 is not 
necessary and if desired, it can be removed and the water level within the 
flume can be lowered. The carriers would then rest on the bottom of the 
flume when the flume is held in the level position. 
FIG. 8 discloses the tilting devices for the flume 10 which include the 
hydraulically operated cylinders 20, 22 and 24. The hydraulic cylinders 
20, 22 and 24 are double-acting cylinders and any suitable conventional 
control system 21 which includes hydraulic pumps can be used for 
selectively supplying hydraulic fluid to the bottom ends of the cylinders 
20, 22 and 24 for extending the pistons 18 from the cylinders in a 
predetermined sequence. By sequentially supplying fluid to the bottoms of 
each of the cylinders 20, 22 and 24 and sequentially supplying hydraulic 
fluid to the upper ports of the cylinders 20, 22 and 24, the flume can 
produce a continuous wobbling motion as a result of a moving raised area 
of the flume being positioned above the rest of the flume. This raised 
area progresses around the flume so that the water in the flume will be 
displaced to the lower portion of the flume. 
As can be seen in FIG. 2, as the hydraulic cylinders are sequentially 
activated to shift the high spot of the flume around the periphery of the 
flume such causes the water to move in the form of a wave 30 to the lowest 
part of the flume. The moving wave 30a lifts the carriers 32 with its 
leading edge to float the carrier 32 forward around the flume. The carrier 
is floated by the leading edge of the wave until it strikes a carrier 
resting on the expanded metal floor 28. At this point in time, the wave 
then lifts the carrier being struck onto the leading edge of the wave, and 
the carrier that was on the leading edge of the wave is displaced 
rearwardly on the moving body of water. The vehicles carried on the 
trailing edge of the moving body of water will be deposited on the 
expanded metal floor 28 as a result of the body of water moving forward 
faster than the movement of the vehicle and also as a result of the 
vehicles striking each other as the body of water moves forward around the 
flume. 
As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the outer ends of the pistons 18 are 
connected to a cradle-like structure 36. The cradle-like structure 36 may 
be constructed of any suitable material such as steel as long as it has 
sufficient strength to support the flume. The bottom surface 16 of the 
flume rests on the cradle-like structure 36 so that when the cradle 36 is 
raised, it will raise the flume therewith. 
The various areas of the flume can be raised and lowered to produce a 
wobbling motion to the flume with mechanisms other than the hydraulically 
operated cylinder. As shown in FIG. 5, the flume can be supported by 
cables 38 carried on the end of a wench 40 that is driven by a motor 42. 
By selectively rotating the motor 42 in one direction and then in the 
opposite direction, the area of the flume located directly therebelow, 
that is supported on the cradle 36, can be raised and lowered. It would 
require at least three of such motors and wenches 42 and 40 strategically 
positioned around the flume for raising and lowering the flume. The 
sequence in which the areas of the flume would be raised and lowered would 
be under control of any suitable conventional control system for 
activating the motors. The motors 42 and the wenches 40 are supported on 
an overhead beam 44. 
In FIG. 6, there is illustrated still another device that can be used for 
raising and lowering the flume. A channel member 46 is secured to the 
bottom surface 16 of the flume. Rollers 48 carried within a bearing 50 are 
driven by means of an elongated chain 52 in a path along the bottom 
surface of the flume. The area of the flume 16 directly above the rollers 
48 is raised by the rollers passing therebeneath while the area on the 
opposite side of the flume is lowered. 
If the chain driven rollers 48 are used on a flume such as shown in FIG. 1, 
then its path would be more or less rectangular rather than circular. The 
chains could be driven by any suitable mechanisms such as a motor. Several 
sets of rollers 48 could be positioned on the chain, each one projecting 
above the run of the chain a predetermined height so that as the chain is 
rotated, the bottom of the flume is raised and lowered according to the 
heights of the rollers 48 which would in turn impart a wobbling motion to 
the flume to produce the moving wave 30a which would travel in a circular 
motion around the flume. The rollers 48 are supported for rotation in a 
U-shaped bracket 50a. The U-shaped bracket 50a is in turn supported on a 
shaft 50b that has its lower end attached to the chain 52. The bracket 50a 
has fixed to it angles 50d which have bearings 50c attached thereto. 
Bearings 50c are also attached to shaft 50b. Bearings 50 c ride a top 
surface of channel member 50g. At the lower end of the channel members 50d 
are flanges 50e which support rollers 50f that prevent sideward motion of 
the rollers 48 as they are propelled by the chain. 
FIG. 7 discloses still another mechanism for raising and lowering the flume 
to impart a wobbling motion thereto. In FIG. 7, there is disclosed a 
bladder 54 that is carried within a channel 56 supported on a base member 
58. An upper surface of the bladder 60 engages the bottom wall 16 of the 
flume. There would be at least three bladders equally spaced about the 
bottom surface of the flume for imparting the wobbling motion to the 
flume. The bladders 60 in one particular embodiment would be pneumatic 
bladders and air would be supplied to and removed from the bladders in 
sequence so as to raise the flume in one area and lower it in another in a 
cyclic pattern so as to produce a wobbling action. The wobbling action 
would be the same as described above in connection with the device of 
FIGS. 1 through 4. Such in turn would shift water carried within the flume 
to move as a surging wave continuously around the flume for lifting and 
propelling passenger vehicles thereabove. 
While the preferred embodiments and the invention has been described using 
specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it 
is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without 
departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.