An amusement ride of the roundabout type with a plurality of radiating arms each having an inner end connected to a central support for vertical swinging movement and a passenger carrier at the outer end. The passenger carrier is supported from a circular pathway by a wheel and cushioning assembly with the pathway including a curved jump ramp, safety bridge and landing ramp to simulate the action of a ski jump and provide a pathway closely underlying the wheel of the passenger carrier but spaced therefrom as it moves from the jump ramp to the landing ramp.
A roundabout having a substantially vertical mast, means forming a support for a gondola mounted to move in a straight line along the mast, driving means for moving the means forming a support along the mast between a low position and a high position and vice-versa, a gondola mounted such that it is mobile with respect to said means forming a support, and wherein there is provided a hub-shaft pair of which one end is integral with the means forming a support and of which the other end is integral with the side surface of a cylindrical drum, the shaft being mounted such that it rotates about a substantially horizontal axis, driving means to rotate the shaft about its substantially horizontal axis, and wherein the gondola includes at least one cylindrical part housed inside the drum, and guiding in rotation to the drum about a substantially vertical axis, and in that the driving means is provided to rotate the cylindrical part of the gondola in the drum, which makes it possible to subject the passengers seated in the gondola to a complete revolution about a substantially vertical axis and to a complete revolution about a substantially horizontal axis.
Apparatus for imparting an undulating motion to an amusement car unit travelling in a circular path is disclosed which includes an upper rotary hub (28) and a lower track rail (D) both of which are carried concentric about a rotary axis (X). The track rail (D) is carried adjacent the ground and supports a carrier arm (C) having a generally L-shaped configuration with one arm (48) pivotably attached to the rotating hub (28). A second cantilevered arm (50) joins the pivotably connected arm (48) at the elbow portion (52). The track rail (D) is formed by a closed perimeter rail (60) having varying radii of curvature. A lower glide bracket assembly (E) pivotably supports the carrier arm (C) above the track rail and by which the carrier arm travels around the rail. A car unit (B) carried on the cantilevered arm (50) is thus caused to move in a circular undulating motion as supported by the above described underneath structure.
An amusement ride comprises a horizontal ferris wheel, having an upright shaft with a circular member rotatably mounted near the top thereof. Passenger compartments, such as gondolas, are suspended from the circular member. One or more rotatable propellers also supported on the circular member drive the circular member about the upright shaft, instead of using driven rotation of the central shaft itself through various gear or drive belt arrangements. As compared with gears and drive belts, the propeller-driven arrangement provides relatively smooth acceleration and deceleration. A flyball governor mechanism closes louvers over the propeller to control air flow therefrom, and slow rotation of the amusement ride whenever predetermined rotational speeds are reached. Relatively smaller embodiments of the invention are adapted for rapid and convenient alternate assembly and disassembly, and for transport on a trailered base thereof, for use at a desired location such as fair grounds or the like.
