Patent ID: 8176853

Claim:
An amusement park ride adapted for rotating a passenger compartment on a vehicle support in response to movement relative to a guide track defining a ride path for the amusement park ride, comprising: a vehicle chassis engaging the guide track to travel along the ride path during operation of the amusement park ride; and a cam-based positioning assembly supported by the vehicle chassis, wherein the cam-based positioning assembly is connected to the vehicle support and operates in response the travel of the vehicle chassis to rotate the passenger compartment, wherein the cam-based positioning assembly comprises a cam shaft pivotally mounted within the vehicle chassis and having an end extending into the vehicle platform to provide a rotating output to rotate the passenger compartment, and wherein the cam-based positioning assembly includes first, second and third cam followers connected to the cam shaft and extending outward from the cam shaft at angular offsets of about 60 degrees from an adjacent one of the cam followers.