U.S. patent application number 10/971879 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-14 for roller-coaster with a vertical climb.
This patent application is currently assigned to Maurer Sohne GmbH & Co. KG. Invention is credited to Beutler, Jorg, Muller, Alfred.
Application Number | 20050150415 10/971879 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32115704 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050150415 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Beutler, Jorg ; et
al. |
July 14, 2005 |
Roller-coaster with a vertical climb
Abstract
An amusement apparatus and more particularly a roller-coaster
has a more particularly closed travel path (1) which comprises
guide means for guiding and/or holding a vehicle (11) on the travel
path, the vehicle (11) and the travel path (1) being so adapted to
each other that the passengers are aligned essentially
perpendicularly to the travel path during travel and in the travel
path a climb section (2) is provided, in which the travel path
rises and at its top end (5) is so curved that the vehicle leaves
the climb section (2) upside down and the vehicle is conveyed by a
conveying means provided on the travel path, the climb section (2)
extending at least partly essentially vertically or vertically with
an overhang, the conveying means being so designed that the speed
of the vehicle is able to be controlled at any time during said
climb and/or the upside down exit has a radius of curvature of
.ltoreq.7 m, more particularly .ltoreq.5 m and even more
selectively .ltoreq.3 m.
Inventors: |
Beutler, Jorg; (Holzkirchen,
DE) ; Muller, Alfred; (Grobenzell, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WELSH & KATZ, LTD
120 S RIVERSIDE PLAZA
22ND FLOOR
CHICAGO
IL
60606
US
|
Assignee: |
Maurer Sohne GmbH & Co.
KG
Munchen
DE
|
Family ID: |
32115704 |
Appl. No.: |
10/971879 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
104/53 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63G 7/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
104/053 |
International
Class: |
A63G 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 24, 2003 |
DE |
203 16 345.1 |
Claims
1. An amusement apparatus and more particularly a roller-coaster
having a more particularly closed travel path which comprises guide
means for guiding and/or holding a vehicle on the travel path, the
vehicle and the travel path being so adapted to each other that the
passengers are aligned essentially perpendicularly to the travel
path during travel and in the travel path a climb section is
provided, in which the travel path rises and at its top end is so
curved that the vehicle leaves the climb section upside down and
the vehicle is conveyed by a conveying means provided on the travel
path, the climb section extending at least partly essentially
vertically or vertically with an overhang, characterized in that
the conveying means is so designed that the speed of the vehicle is
able to be controlled at any time during said climb.
2. The amusement apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized
in that the conveying means is designed in the form of an elevator
and more particularly a chain elevator or lift.
3. The amusement apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized
in that the curvature at the end of the climb section has a radius
of 7 m, preferably and more particularly 3 m.
4. The amusement apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized
in that the climb section is designed in the form of part of a
vertical loop.
5. The amusement apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized
in that a descent section adjoins the climb section, and the travel
path provides smooth transition from the descent section to the
climb section.
6. The amusement apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized
in that the conveying means extends over the full climb section and
more particularly as far as the center of curvature of the exit
point and/or a horizontal entry at the foot of the climb
section.
7. An amusement apparatus and more particularly a roller-coaster
having a more particularly closed travel path which comprises guide
means for guiding and/or holding a vehicle on the travel path, the
vehicle and the travel path being so adapted to each other that the
passengers are aligned essentially perpendicularly to the travel
path during travel and in the travel path a climb section is
provided, in which the travel path rises and at its top end is so
curved that the vehicle leaves the climb section upside down and
the vehicle is conveyed by a conveying means provided on the travel
path, the climb section extending at least partly essentially
vertically or vertically with an overhang, characterized in that
the upside down exit has a radius of curvature of .ltoreq.7 in,
more particularly .ltoreq.5 m and even more selectively .ltoreq.3
m.
8. The amusement apparatus as set forth in claim 7, characterized
in that the conveying means is designed in the form of an elevator
and more particularly a chain elevator or lift.
9. The amusement apparatus as set forth in 8, characterized in that
the curvature at the end of the climb section has a radius of 7 m,
preferably and more particularly 3 m.
10. The amusement apparatus as set forth in claim 7, characterized
in that the climb section is designed in the form of part of a
vertical loop.
11. The amusement apparatus as set forth claim 7, characterized in
that a descent section adjoins the climb section, and the travel
path provides smooth transition from the descent section to the
climb section.
12. The amusement apparatus as set forth in claim 7, characterized
in that the conveying means extends over the full climb section and
more particularly as far as the center of curvature of the exit
point and/or a horizontal entry at the foot of the climb section.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to German application
number 203 16 345.1 filed Oct. 24, 2003.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to an amusement apparatus and
more particularly to a roller-coaster in accordance with the
preamble of claim 1 herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Amusement apparatus and more particularly roller-coasters
have long been known and enjoy a high degree of popularity at
festivals, funfairs and in amusement parks. Although there is
already a large number of so-called fun rides with the most various
ride effects, there is a need for continuous further development of
the equipment. On the one hand this is to meet the passengers'
desire for more and move novel attractions and on the other hand to
render the manufacture and operation of such systems more effective
by making corresponding developments.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Accordingly one object of the of the invention is to provide
an amusement apparatus and more particularly a roller-coaster,
which provides the passengers with a novel exciting feeling during
the ride and furthermore offers technical and economic advantages
during operation and during the manufacture of the system. More
particularly, a roller-coaster is to be provided, which generally
requires only a small amount of space and renders possible rational
drive technology for its vehicles.
[0005] This aim is to be attained by an amusement apparatus having
the feature of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the apparatus
are recited in the dependent claims.
[0006] Conventionally roller-coasters are so designed that a closed
circuit travel path is present in the case of which the passengers
alight and get off in a station a ground level. After alighting the
vehicles are moved upward by means of a conveying means along an
oblique ramp to then complete the remaining travel path with its
steep descents, curves, vertical loops or the like under the action
of gravity.
[0007] Such a structure involves a high space requirement, which
leads to a generally very large size of the apparatus. Admittedly
roller-coasters are known in which the vehicle travel along a tower
vertically upward in order to economize in space. Such systems do
however suffer from other problems, since more particularly the
descent must be designed projecting out to the side or involved
engineering work are required to keep to reasonable dimensions as
in the case of a system in which the descent takes place on the
same mast in a downward direction like the climb, it the being
necessary for the transfer at the mast end to be suitably
engineered.
[0008] The inventors have now recognized that technically as
regards the space requirement and also as regards the sensations of
a ride and as regards the impression left it is advantageous for
the climb to be terminated with the passengers standing on their
heads since for the one part the thrill is increased and the
further layout of the travel path may be optimized. Accordingly the
amusement apparatus in accordance with the invention possesses a
climb section which at least partly runs essentially vertically, in
which however the passengers are not placed as in an elevator or
lift in parallelism to the direction of movement, but athwart the
travel path. This is possible in the case of roller-coasters
without difficulties, since the passenger are normally so held that
even in the case of steep climbs or a vertical loop they cannot be
slung out of the vehicle. Accordingly the passengers are conveyed
in the vertical climb section with their backs on the seat backs in
a prone position, i. e. lying, something which additionally leads
to a special feeling of dynamic movement and increases the
attraction of the amusement apparatus. This may all be enhanced if
the climb section is partly so designed that the passengers have a
rearwardly directed overhang and inclined slightly toward the
upside down position (out of the horizontal position) during the
ascent of the vehicles.
[0009] The vertical form of the climb section means that the
substantial space requirement otherwise necessary for inclined
climb ramps is considerably reduced. It is in this manner that it
is possible to provide a respective amusement apparatus with a
constant travel path length and accordingly approximately constant
circuit time on a substantially smaller area or base, something
which in view of the high site rentals for transportable
roller-coasters at funfairs and carnivals or the high purchase
prices for land for permanent amusement parks which renders
possible substantially more profitable operation. There is an even
greater advantage to be obtained here if in accordance with the
invention the climb section is so curved at its top end that the
vehicles leave the climb section while tilted back, that is to say
in an upside down position. This will provide a substantial
additional thrill and an additional fun experience for the
passengers, since during the normally relatively slow climb
excitement about the coming descent will constantly increase and
the passengers will however be unable to recognize when the
downhill run actually starts. A source of particular excitement
will also be that the vehicle may be seen to be irrevocably
approaching the top rail arch as a point of no return.
[0010] The vertical setting of the climb section also makes it
possible to employ various new drive technologies as utilized in
the elevator and lift arts and more particularly technologies using
counter weights for upward movement of vehicles, such weights
moving downward in order to reduce the load on the drive. Naturally
conventional drives are also possible such as a chain drive or a
chain lift. In accordance with a first aspect it is important for
the drive preferably to be exactly controlled or monitored over an
entire climb length, that is to say the speed is able to be exactly
controlled or regulated. It is in this manner that the exit speed,
which is important for leaving the climb upside down, is able to be
exactly set or able to be changed in accordance with predetermined
criteria.
[0011] Accordingly in a further aspect of the invention, for which
independent preemption is claimed, it is possible for the inverted
or upside down exit to have a radius of curvature of .ltoreq.7 m,
more particularly .ltoreq.5 m and even more selectively .ltoreq.3
m.
[0012] Since the device of the invention is suitable for
conventional vehicles, which during horizontal travel are over the
travel path and for so-called inverted vehicles, which during
horizontal travel are underneath the travel path, the vehicle, on
leaving the climb section upside down may be either on the inner
side of the curved travel path or on the outer side of the curved
travel path.
[0013] Preferably the climb section and the descent section
following the climb section together constitute a vertical loop so
that owing to the return of the travel path toward the climb
section the space requirement for the amusement apparatus is
substantially reduced, there simultaneously being the guarantee of
abundant thrills and fun specifically owing to the arrangement of
the travel path in a vertical loop. The vertical climb section and
the descent section merge continuously with one another without a
switch or any other means being necessary for the rearrangement of
the vehicle. A substantial aspect for effective and economic
operation is that the vehicle is able to continuously move from the
climb section directly into the descent section.
[0014] Further advantages, characteristic and features of the
present invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of a plurality of working examples with reference to
the accompanying purely diagrammatic drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 shows a part of a roller-coaster with a climb in
accordance with the invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 shows a for the part of a roller-coaster in the
different embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 3 shows a part of a roller-coaster according to a
further embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a view of part of a roller-coaster in accordance
with a different embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 5 is view of part of a further roller-coaster.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective elevation of an embodiment of a
roller-coaster in accordance with the invention.
[0021] FIG. 7 shows a detail of the design of FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] Although the present invention is susceptible of embodiment
in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will
hereinafter be described presently preferred embodiments with the
understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an
exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the
invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.
[0023] It is to be further understood that the title of this
section of the specification, namely, "Detailed Description of the
Invention" relates to a rule of the United States Patent and
Trademark Office, and is not intended to, does not imply, nor
should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein or
the scope of the invention.
[0024] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a part of a
travel path 1 of a roller-coaster. In the represented part of the
travel path 1 there is a substantially vertical climb 2 with a
slight overhang, the vehicles, which are present in the bottom part
of the figure, being conventional vehicles (not illustrated), in
the case of which in the horizontal direction the vehicles are
arranged above the travel path. Accordingly in the climb 2 the
vehicles are to the right of the travel path 1 so that at the end
of the climb section they are turned upside down in the curved part
5.
[0025] At the end of the climb section 2, which is referenced 4,
the travel path 1 smoothly merges with the descent 3, the climb
section 2 and the descent 3 constituting a vertical loop.
[0026] The drive in the form of a chain elevator is in the present
case arranged to extend from the entry point (position E) or,
respectively, the horizontal part, as far as the exit point
(position A) or, respectively, the point of inflection of the
upward curvature or arch at 4, the endless chain extending for
example underneath or in the rail.
[0027] A similar embodiment of part of a travel path 1 of a
roller-coaster is represented in FIG. 2, this working embodiment
only differing from FIG. 1 in that the descent 3 has a different
configuration. The vertical loop, which is jointly constituted by
the climb section 2 and the descent 3 together, is made somewhat
wider in the working example of FIG. 2, there being a straight
oblique part adjacent to the exit point 3, which only merges with a
curved part in the middle or, respectively, bottom part of the
descent 3.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows a further working example, which is similar to
those of FIGS. 1 and 2. This design in FIG. 3 differs from those of
FIGS. 1 and 2 merely because as regards the climb section 2 there
is no vertical loop formed by the descent 3 in relation to the
climb section and in fact the descent 3 extends substantially
obliquely downward, there being a twist of the travel path along
the axis of the travel path at 6 so that the passengers are changed
over from the inverted position approximately in the middle of the
descent 4 into the normal position.
[0029] The section of the travel path 1, which is illustrated in
FIG. 4 for a further design of a roller-coaster, is similar to the
embodiment of FIG. 3. It only differs because the climb section 2
is characterized not only by essentially two portions, namely by a
straight, long substantially vertical section 7 and a curved
section 5 at the end of the climb section 2 but by essentially
three portions
[0030] At the top end of the climb section 2 there is, as already
mentioned, a curve part 5 so that vehicles moving in a normal
position on the travel path 1,(that is to say in the horizontal
part above the travel path, unlike the inverted vehicles, which are
located in the horizontal position underneath the vehicle) are
moved upside down from the climb section 2 into the descent section
3. Moreover there is also a provision, as already mentioned, of a
substantially vertical climb section 7, which is located in a
middle part of the climb section 2. At the start of the climb
section 2 a portion 8 with an overhang is provided in the case of
which the travel path 1 is inclined from the vertical so that the
passenger are already inclined toward an inverted position, that is
to say they are in a sort of overhang.
[0031] In FIG. 5 a roller-coaster in accordance with the invention
is illustrated in a perspective representation in the case of which
the climb section 2 again consists essentially of a bottom vertical
portion and a curved top portion 5 and furthermore a bottom entry
curved part 12. However in the case of this working embodiment the
descent section 3 is designed differently to the previous working
example. The descent section 3 is namely twisted in a spiral
fashion about the vertical part 7 of the descent section 2 and thus
constitutes a helix. This is a particularly space saving design,
since both the climb and also the descent can be arranged on a very
small area without the length of the travel path and the pleasure
of travelling being excessively reduced.
[0032] FIG. 6 shows a perspective representation as an overall view
of a roller-coaster 13 in accordance with the invention, in the
case of which an descent section 2 with a vertical 7 and a curved
portion 5 and provided so that the vehicles leave the descent
section 2 upside down. The roller-coaster 13 of FIG. 6 furthermore
has an elevated station 10, which is not located at the lowest
point of the roller-coaster, but at a medium height. From this
station 10 the vehicles are moved upward by way of the climb
section 2 to the highest point of the roller-coaster at 4, at which
there is also the connection between the climb section 2 and the
descent section 3.
[0033] FIG. 7 is a detailed view as part of FIG. 6 with the exit
point of a conventional roller-coaster vehicle, which is located in
the horizontal part above the travel path on leaving the exit point
from the climb section 2 or, respectively, the entry point to the
descent section 3. As is clearly to be seen the vehicle 11 leaves
the climb section 2 upside down so that the passengers, after being
conveyed during the climb with their backs on the seat backs in a
horizontal position, leave the vertical position while being tilted
to the rear. This produces a particularly thrilling dynamic
feeling, since the passengers may on the one hand realize that they
are just to start the downhill portion without however being able
to see the part of the travel path owing to being tilted
backward.
[0034] From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous
modifications and variations can be effectuated without departing
from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present
invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect
to the specific embodiment illustrated is intended or should be
inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover by the appended
claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the
claims.
* * * * *