Abstract:
A Ferris wheel amusement ride has a main wheel supported by a shaft secured on top of two towers. A plurality of subwheels is mounted on the periphery of the main wheel and a plurality of passenger cabs is pivotally mounted on and with their longitudinal axes along, the periphery of the subwheels. A hydraulic system is provided for independently driving the main wheel and the subwheels. The passenger cabs are manually rotated by the passengers about the longitudinal axes thereof.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an amusement ride and more specifically to a Ferris wheel with three independent rotating movements of a main wheel, subwheels and passenger cabs. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Amusement rides of the Ferris wheel type have long been in use for entertainment. Generally, a main wheel is supported via its shaft by a frame. Along the periphery of the main wheel, there is suspended a plurality of seat carriages which are in their upright position at all times. The Ferris wheel is driven either electrically or hydraulically. A brake system is provided for stopping the main wheel for loading and unloading passengers. 
     More elaborate amusement rides of this general type have come into use in the course of time. U.S. Pat. No. 853,155 shows a plurality of smaller wheels rotatably mounted on a main wheel, passenger carriages being mounted along the periphery of the smaller wheels. U.S. Pat. No. 2,800,328 discloses a foldable Ferris wheel with two wheels rotatably mounted at the ends of two rotating arms and a plurality of passenger seats suspended from the ends of the spokes of each wheel. U.S. Pat. No. 2,934,341 discloses a ride having four radial spokes connected to a hub supported by a shaft and support structure. At the end of each of the spokes, there are mounted wheels along whose periphery there is suspended a plurality of passenger Carriages which remain in their upright position at all times. There has not thus far been an amusement ride with a main wheel and a plurality of subwheels which affords the ride the added thrill of being able to rotate the passenger cab sideways and upside down under the driver&#39;s own control. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The amusement ride in accordance with this invention is directed to a Ferris wheel having a main wheel rotatably mounted on a shaft supported by two towers. The main wheel has along its periphery a plurality of subwheels, which in turn have mounted along their peripheries a plurality of passenger cabs which do not remain in an upright position and which can be rotated by the passenger via a steering wheel. 
     The main objective of this invention is to provide a ride having a main wheel, subwheels and passenger cabs with three independent rotations and speeds. Another objective of this invention is to provide a hydraulic system for transmitting independent rotary motions to the main wheel and subwheels. A still further objective is to provide a trailer-portable amusement ride. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the amusement ride of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an end view of the amusement ride. 
     FIG. 3a illustrates the details of a single hydraulic commutator used for delivering hydraulic fluid from the stationary to the rotating part of the hydraulic piping system. 
     FIG. 4 shows the general structure of the passenger cab and its longitudinal axis of rotation. 
     FIG. 5 shows a detailed side view of the passenger cab with details of the cab closure. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The above objectives and advantages should become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the drawings. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the amusement ride in accordance with the present invention comprises a platform 1 which supports two towers, 2 and 3. The tops of these towers are connected by a horizontal shaft 4 whose ends are rigidly connected to the towers 2 and 3. A main wheel assembly 5, hereinafter referred to as main wheel consisting of two parallel wheels 5a and 5b spaced some distance apart rotates on this shaft between the two parallel towers wheels. The two wheels 5a and 5b are crossconnected along their peripheries by cross braces (not shown) which maintain the wheels parallel and synchronized. The main wheel is generally circular, with spokes radiating from the hubs 5d,5e of the wheels 5a and 5b, said hubs being rotatably mounted on the ends of the shaft 4. 
     Also cross-connecting the two wheels 5a and 5b along their peripheries are three shafts 6a,6b and 6c, spaced equal distance from each other or 120° apart along the circumference of the main wheel. There are three subwheels, 7a,7b  and 7c rotatably mounted on the three corresponding shafts 6a,6b and 6c. Three such shafts and subswheels are here described and illustrated in FIG. 1. For the sake of clarity, FIG. 2 shows only two subwheels. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited as to he number of subwheels. 
     The tower, main wheel and subwheels are stiffened and cross-braced by known means which are not described nor illustrated. 
     The structure of these subwheels is generally similar to that of the main wheel; their diameter, however, is smaller. The spokes 8 of the subwheels similarly radiate from their hubs, 19 and extend beyond the rims, 20 of the subwheels. As shown in FIG. 2, each pair of the opposing spokes, 8 converges to a point, free end of spokes 8 of subwheels. Between the ends of adjacent spokes, there are mounted alternately passenger cabs 9 and spreader bars 10. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the passenger cabs 9 are supported by shafts 9a at the front and 9b at the rear of the passenger cab, these shafts being transversely connected to the ends of the spokes 8 of the subwheels and allowing rotation by each passenger cab around its own longitudinal axis. It is apparent that the passenger cabs&#39; axes of rotation themselves rotate with the subwheels&#39; and main wheel&#39;s rotation, allowing a greater variety motions than has ever been offered by any Ferris wheel amusement ride known theretofore. 
     The main wheel and the subwheels are driven hydraulically by two independent systems. The main wheel 5 is driven by at least one hydraulic motor 11 via a gear drive engaging a gear along the periphery 21 of the main wheel 5. The details of such a gear drive are described in U.S. Pat. No. 853,155 and are incorporated herewith by reference. The speed and direction of rotation of the main wheel is controlled by the flow rate and flow direction of hydraulic fluid circulated through the hydraulic motor 11 via a supply pipe 12 and a return pipe 13. The pressure, flow rate and flow direction of the hydraulic fluid is controlled by an electrically-driven pump 14, mounted on the platform 1. 
     The subwheels are similarly driven by hydraulic motors 15a, 15b, and 15c which are correspondingly mounted on the spokes of the main wheel and which rotate the subwheels via gear drives provided at rims, 20 thereof as described in U.S. Pat. No. 853,155. The speed and direction of rotation of the subwheels may be controlled indepedently of the speed and direction of rotation of the main wheel. The subwheel hydraulic motors 15a,15b, and 15c are connected via hydraulic fluid pipes 18a and 18b to an electrically-driven pump 16 mounted on the platform 1, via commutators 17a and 17b, to be described as follows: 
     Referring to FIGS. 3a and 3b, the hydraulic fluid pipes 19a,19b, 18a and 18b connecting the hydraulic motors 15a, 15b, and 15c with the pump 16 are in fluid communication with a pair of hydraulic commutators 17a and 17b in sequence. The commutators are mounted on shaft 4 and provide means for transmitting hydraulic fluid from the stationary pipe 18a connected to the pump 16 to the rotating pipe 19a  connected to the hydraulic motors 15a, 15b and 15c and for returning hydraulic fluid via the rotating pipe 19b and the stationary return pipe 18b back to the pump 16. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 3b, the hydraulic motors 15a, 15b and 15c are connected in series. It is to be understood that the hydraulic motors may also be connected in parallel. 
     As shown in FIG. 3a, the hydraulic commutator 17a comprises two rotating bodies 31 and 32 connected by two flanges 33 and 33a which preferably are bolted together in conventional manner (bolts not shown). The hydraulic commutator further comprises two stationary sleeves 30 and 30a which are fixed to the main shaft 4 by conventional means such as keys or set screw (details not shown). These elements 31, 32, 30, 30a enclose an annular space, in fluid communication with pipe 18a via an aperture 36 on the shaft 4. It is noted that stationary pipe 18a transmits hydraulic fluid through shaft 4, and into the annular space of rotary commutator 17a and then to rotating pipe 19a. The rotating and stationary elements are maintained in proper alignment by two sets of ball bearings 35 and 35a which are held in place by conventional means. Leakage of hydraulic fluid is prevented by self-sealing seal rings 34 and 34a. The commutators rotate about shaft 4, thus enabling pipes 19 to rotate. 
     A second commutator 17b, being a mirror image of the commutator 17a is also mounted on the shaft 4 in the same manner as commutator 17a, for returning hydraulic fluid to the pump 16. 
     A pneumatic brake system (not shown) is provided to brake the motion of the main wheel. The subwheels are braked hydraulically; no pneumatic commutators are required. As the brake systems either pneumatic or hydraulic are known, there is no discussion necessary. 
     The passenger cabs 9, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, are completely enclosed for the sake of passenger safety. They are supported by shafts 9a at the front of the cab and 9b at the rear of the cab, these shafts being rigidly connected to the ends of the spokes 8 of the subwheels. The passenger cabs are able to rotate about their longitudinal axes as defined by the shafts 9a and 9b. On shaft 9a, inside the passenger cab, there is provided a gear 25a which engages or meshes with another gear 25b on a steering column 22 which is supported from walls of the passenger cab by brackets 23a and 23b. At the end of the steering column 22, there is provided a steering wheel 24. As the rider in the passenger cab turns the steering wheel, the gears 25a and 25b cause the passenger cab to rotate on its longitudinal axis. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, access to the passenger cabs is from the top. After the passenger has climbed into the cab and sat down on seat, a three-sided cover 26 is swung shut and latched and the passenger is kept in safe position by a padded bar 27, transversely secured at the base of the cover 26. The cover 26, which may be made of wire mesh or transparent plastic, pivots on 26a and 26b. A latch 28 is secured on the top of the cover 26, said latch consisting of a bracket 28, connected to a steel leaf spring 28b and a hook 28c with a handle 28d attached to the leaf spring 28b. On the roof of the passenger cab 9, there is provided a matching hook 28e. When the cover is closed, hook 28c engages hook 28e, thereby securing the cover 26. The handle 28d facilitates engaging and disengaging the hook 28c and 28e. The detailed construction of the passenger cabs is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,456,943, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     The Ferris wheel amusement ride in accordance with the present invention may be constructed with telescopes extentions, detachably interconnected shafts which are foldable and are transported in collapsed position by a trailer as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,517, the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and therefore, within the scope of the appended claims; the invention may be practiced otherwise than as particularly described.