An amusement ride for catapulting a human rider, enclosed within a capsule, into the air in much the same fashion as ancient armies would hurl large boulders over the walls of castles. The ride provides many of the sensations and thrills encountered by fighter pilots launching from the decks of aircraft carriers without the requirement for flight training or the associated dangers. The ride essentially consists of a siege type catapult and a releasably connected launch pod. When in the launch position, a release mechanism is triggered by the operator and the rider is catapulted into the air at a physiologically safe rate of acceleration along a predictable free-flight arc. When an acceptable elevation is reached, the rider is separated from the capsule and gently brought back to earth using an automatically deploying parachute or similar device. An alternate embodiment envisions the use of a similar device to project a conveyance vehicle along a horizontal track similar to a stone skipping across the water.
A beach sling-jump amusement device for ejecting occupants into the air, featuring a pair of bows intersected by a brace secured on a support frame. An ejection seat having portions defining a trampoline for receiving an occupant. The trampoline is supported centrally in place by drawstrings laced to the bow arching arms. Unlike a conventional bow, the drawstrings with the seat are retracted to a drawn position in opposite direction toward the bow arch, enabling unobstructed ejection of an occupant into a free-flight and safe landing in water. The seat is retracted into a ready position by a winch mounted on the frame. An optional projectile capsule is provided, which is essentially a hollow ball made from a resilient material having a receiving cavity for an occupant. The capsule, adapted and sized for accommodating an occupant, is loosely positioned on the trampoline ring.
An amusement ride and fall apparatus includes a track having a discharge point below which there is a substantial drop. A passenger is propelled along the track to the discharge point and discharged therefrom with a horizontal component of motion. The passenger then free falls. An elastic tie having a second first end and free second end connected directly or indirectly to the passenger limits the free fall and, together with the horizontal component of motion imparted to the passenger, causes the passenger to swing and bounce for a period of time at the end of the free fall. At the end of the ride and fall the passenger is released safely. The invention therefore provides a trill similar to that of a bungee jump but with enhancements.
A combined human catapult and safety landing apparatus which is a pneumatically controlled human catapult for launching a person in a repeatable flight path in conjunction with a cooperating safety landing apparatus that eliminates the need for less safe water, net or mat landings. An air cylinder that is supplied with a predetermined quantity of gas based upon the passenger's weight is the controllable energy means for launching a passenger a predetermined distance. Having the throw distance controllable allows a safe, repeatable landing within the parameters of the safety landing apparatus. Within the landing apparatus area, the passenger is seated in the catapult that is positioned between an elongate pair of post elevated wires encircled by slidable rings. In flight, the rings which are tethered to the passenger, slide along the wires being pulled by the passenger which, at the same time, provides a controlled flight path and landing similar to sport skydiving but at much lower speeds and heights.
