Patent ID: 8132514

Claim:
A lap bar assembly for use in ride vehicles used in theme and amusement park rides, comprising: a locking mechanism; and a lap bar pivotally mounted to the locking mechanism via a support axle, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a ratchet wheel affixed to the lap bar support axle, a pawl pivotally supported within the locking mechanism on a pawl support axle that is parallel and spaced apart from the lap bar support axle, a trip cam attached to the lap bar support axle, and a cam follower assembly that selectively engages the pawl, wherein the locking mechanism components are configured to automatically first lock in a ride position with the pawl engaging teeth of the ratchet wheel and second lock in a released position with the pawl engaging the ratchet wheel on a surface spaced apart from the teeth, wherein the cam follower assembly comprises a cam wheel rotatably supported upon a cam follower, and wherein the cam follower is pivotally supported within the locking mechanism, whereby the cam follower rotates about an axis when the cam wheel abuts a curved surface of a station cam to apply a releasing force on the pawl to disengage the first lock by spacing the pawl from the teeth of the ratchet wheel during the rotating about the axis as the cam wheel contacts the station cam.