FALL ATTRACTION FOR THEME PARKS AND FAIRGROUNDS

Abstract: A fall attraction for theme parks and fairgrounds comprises a seating carrier (7), a rail track (2) mounted on a tower or mast for guiding the seating carrier (7) and means (12, 13) for transporting the seating carrier to the uppermost section of the rail track. The rail track has a vertical or sloping fall section (8) over which the seating carrier is able to execute a free fall and a braking section, adjoining said vertical or sloping fall section, to bring the seating carrier to a standstill. In order to increase the attractive sensation and to improve safety, the braking section of the rail track has a safety section (9) which extends upwards and over which the seating carrier can be slowed down by an upward movement and can then fall back.

Description: Title: Fall attraction for theme parks and fairgrounds The invention relates to a fall attraction for theme parks and fairgrounds, comprising a seating carrier, a rail track, for guiding said seating carrier, mounted on at least one tower or mast, which rail track has at least one vertical or sloping fall section over which the seating carrier can execute a free fall and an adjoining braking section in order to bring the seating carrier to a stop, and means for transporting the seating carrier to the uppermost section of the rail track. A fall attraction of this type is described in US-A 3,885,503. Equipment in theme parks and fairgrounds in which people are brought into situations which suggest a lethal risk are becoming increasingly popular. The known fall attraction has an initial braking path at the lowermost part of the free fall section and a second, essentially horizontal, braking path that adjoins an essentially vertical section. The aim of the invention is to construct a fall attraction as indicated in the preamble in such a way that the attractive sensation is increased whilst, at the same time, safety is improved. According to the invention, the fall attraction is to this end characterised in that the braking section of the rail track has a safety section that extends upwards, over which the seating carrier can be slowed down by an upward movement and can then fall back. It is important that the seating carrier which has been subjected to a falling motion is braked making use of gravity, in that after the fall said seating carrier is brought via a bend into a path in which the seating carrier moves upwards. Braking can be intensified or controlled by other means. The rail track can form a closed loop or can be a finite, non-closed path. A closed loop will usually be preferred. In order to increase the amusement value, the seating carrier can be rotatably connected about at least one hinge pin to a vehicle that is movable over or along the rail. The various hinging movements about a vertical and/or horizontal axis of rotation could be controlled by hydraulic, mechanical or pneumatic facilities. However, free rocking and swinging movements about the hinge pins are not precluded. Apart from hydraulic cylinders, one or more auxiliary rails could also be used in order to control or to cause the hinging movements of the seating carrier. In that case, for example, rollers or other guide elements are mounted on the seating carrier, which rollers or guide elements are able to interact with the auxiliary rails in certain parts of the movement path. In order to transport the seating carrier up to the top section of the rail track use can be made of various facilities, such as a cable or chain in loop form which has one or more dogs, a drive unit added to the seating carrier or a magnetisable suspension track. The seating carrier can comprise one, two or more floors of seats. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the diagrammatic figures. Fig. 1 shows a side view of a fall attraction according to the invention. Fig. 2 shows a side view of the a fall attraction at an angle of 90° with respect to the side view in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a side view of part of an alternative embodiment. The theme park or fairground attraction shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a vertical mast 1 , on which a rail track 2 is mounted, said rail track 2 consisting of two closed rail loops 3 and 4 which are some distance apart and joined to one another. In the case of a mobile embodiment, the mast 1 is supported by a number of support legs 5. In the case of a permanent installation the support leg can be replaced by guy wires and the tower bears on a plate which is anchored into the ground by anchors. A vehicle 6 is provided with wheels, rollers, sliders or magnetisable elements, such that the vehicle is able to move over the rail track. An open or closed gondola 7, which in the illustrative embodiment shown has two floors on which a row of seats is mounted, is suspended from the vehicle 6. The vehicle 6 and the gondola 7 together form a seating carrier. The rail track 2 extends in the vertical plane (and can also be at a slight slope) and has two sections 8, 9, extending obliquely from top to bottom, two horizontal sections 10, 11 and bend sections which join the said sections to one another. The vehicle 6 with gondola 7 can be brought to the top over a sloping section 8 or 9 by means of a displacement mechanism. In the illustrative embodiment shown said displacement mechanism is a cable or chain loop 12 which is driven by rollers or sprockets and which is provided with one or more dogs 13 in order to be able to engage behind the vehicle 6. The people in the gondola 7 should be able to be given the opportunity to enjoy the view in the uppermost section of the rail track, but after some time the gondola is brought to the top edge of section 8 and the hook linkage is broken, as a result of which the seating carrier 6, 7 hurtles downwards in free fall. In the lowermost section of the rail track the vehicle shoots upwards, via the bend sections between sections 8 and 11, the straight section 11 and the bend sections between the sections 11 and 9, into the sloping section 9, slows down, falls back and, if no additional braking facilities are provided, comes to a stop after moving backwards and forwards a few times, suspended from the horizontal section 11. It is not precluded that the fall is somewhat retarded and controlled by means of brakes. The sections 8, 9 can also have a greater or lesser slope or be set up vertically and the bend sections between the sections 8 and 11 and between the sections 11 and 9 can have a much greater radius of curvature, with even the horizontal section 11 being dispensed with and replaced by tend sections merging into one another. Instead of the cable or chain loop 12 with dog 13, it is also possible to make use of a drive unit integrated in said seating carrier and/or track as the drive element for raising the seating carrier 6, 7, which integrated drive unit could also provide some braking, or a magnetic track as is used for modern trains. The gondola 7 is connected to said vehicle via a horizontal hinge pin 14 and the lower section of the vehicle 7 could also be connected via a vertical hinge pin to the upper section thereof. The rotation of the gondola about the said pins could be controlled with the aid of hydraulic cylinders, motors or other drive means, which are not shown. In the case of the embodiment according to Fig. 3, the rail track 2 is not in the shape of a loop but is open-ended and, moreover, the vehicle 6 with gondola 7 runs on the inside of the essentially L-shaped track. The fall path is vertical and the braking path is much broader. The mast has been omitted from the drawing for convenience. It will be clear that numerous modifications, alternatives and supplements are possible within the framework of the invention. The essential feature is a rail track having a fall section and a braking section, in which latter section the falling seating carrier, which may or may not be controlled, is slowed down, inter alia by an ascending movement.

Claims: Claims 1. Fall attraction for theme parks and fairgrounds, comprising a seating carrier (7), a rail track (2), for guiding said seating carrier (7), mounted on at least one tower or mast, which rail track has at least one vertical or sloping fall section (8) over which the seating carrier (7) can execute a free fall and an adjoining braking section in order to bring the seating carrier to a stop, and means (12, 13) for transporting the seating carrier (7) to the uppermost section of the rail track (2), characterised in that the braking section of the rail track has a safety section (9) that extends upwards, over which the seating carrier (7) can be slowed down by an upward movement and can then fall back. 2. Fall attraction according to Claim 1, characterised in that the rail track (2) forms a closed loop. 3. Fall attraction according to Claim 1, characterised in that the rail track (2) forms a finite, non-closed path. 4. Fall attraction according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the seating carrier (7) is rotatably connected about at least one hinge pin to a vehicle that is movable over or along the rail. 5. Fall attraction according to Claim 4, characterised in that one or more auxiliary rails are added which are able to force the seating carrier into certain hinged positions. 6. Fall attraction according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the means for raising the seating carrier consist of a cable or chain (12) in loop form with a dog. 7. Fall attraction according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the means for raising the seating carrier form a magnetisable suspension track. 8. Fall attraction according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the means for raising the seating carrier consist of a drive unit added to the seating carrier. 9. Fall attraction according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the seating carrier (7) comprises two or more floors of seats.

Inventors: BUSSINK RONALD ALEXANDER, BUSSINK, RONALD, ALEXANDER
Applicants: BUSSINK RONALD ALEXANDER, RONALD BUSSINK BEHEER B V, BUSSINK, RONALD, ALEXANDER, RONALD BUSSINK BEHEER B.V.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A63G31
IPC codes: A63G31