A RIDE FOR FUN FAIRS

Technical Field.

The invention relates to a ride for fun fairs. In particular the invention relates to a ride comprising an upright to which two arms are associated with ability to perform a pendular oscillation. Each of the two arms oscillates on a respective oscillation plane, the two oscillation planes being located on opposite sides of the upright. A capsule, capable of containing a plurality of passengers, is associated to each arm and is solid in rotation therewith.

Background Art.

A ride of this type is present in the prior art, in which each capsule is constituted by a closed cockpit inferiorly provided with a floor and inside which there are seats for passengers. When the ride is stationary and in boarding position, the passengers enter the cockpit and on sitting down are rendered secure in their seats, resting their feet on the floor of the cockpit.

During the ride, the arms are commanded to oscillate with growing amplitude up until the cockpits are upside-down; these movements afford the passengers pleasurable sensations.

US-A-2 328 852 shows an amusement ride apparatus comprising two arms each of which is able to perform pendular oscillations on oscillation planes located on opposite sides of the upright. A part of the upright is able to rotate about an axis of rotation and the oscillation planes are able to rotate solidly with the part thereof. The apparatus comprises means for commanding a rotation of the rotatable part of the upright. Passenger carriages, each equipped with suitable seats, are made to pass along a complex orbit which is a combination of rotary movements about both horizontal and vertical axes. FR-A-927 088 discloses a ride for fun fairs having an upright to which two arms are associated with ability to perform a pendular oscillation and providing a part of the upright which is able to rotate.

DE-U-94 20 530 discloses a swing-type fairground amusement ride having spoke-type rotor rotatably driven by a motor around a horizontal shaft, with a passenger carrier formed as circular arc segment at an end of a spoke. The passenger carrier is equipped with seats which are arranged in a radial direction on the under side of the passenger carrier and provide the passengers with freely hanging foot positions. The passengers during rotation are pressed against their seats by centrifugal force.

WO-A-9113661 relates to a roundabout which comprises a vertical mast with two tubular gondolas associated thereto, wherein the passengers are subjected to a complete revolution about a vertical axis and a complete revolution about a horizontal axis.

Disclosure of Invention.

The main aim of the present invention is to provide a ride of the above-mentioned type which can offer the passengers new sensations with respect to the prior art.

This aim is achieved by the ride of the invention, as it is characterised in the claims.

An advantage of the present invention is that it attains the set aim while being constructionally simple and economical.

A further advantage is that the ride is extremely safe for the passengers.

A still further advantage is that the ride can carry a high number of passengers as well as rapid and easy boarding and alighting.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will better emerge from the detailed description that follows of an embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of example and not to be considered limiting in the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

• figure 1 shows a schematic vertical-elevation perspective view of the ride;
• figure 2 shows a schematic lateral view of a detail of the ride.

With reference to the figures, 1 denotes in its entirety a ride for a fun fair, comprising an upright 2, or vertical column, provided with a base 3 which can rest on the ground or can be mounted on a frame, such as for example a transporter truck.

The ride further comprises a pair of first arms 4 and 5, each of which is associated to the upright 2 and can perform pendular oscillations there-about. Each of the first arms 4 and 5 oscillates on a respective vertical oscillation plane. The oscillation planes are distanced one from another and located on opposite sides of the upright 2. Each first arm 4 and 5 can perform oscillations of a growing amplitude up to a limit of a complete rotation, leading to the upturning of the first arms and, as will become clearer hereinbelow, an upturning also of the passengers travelling on the ride.

The two first arms 4 and 5 oscillate about a horizontal axis x-x common to both. The oscillation pivots, which are coaxial, of the first arms are situated at the upper end of the upright 2. The first arms 4 and 5 are commanded to oscillate in opposing directions: when one arm oscillates in a given direction, the other will oscillate in the opposite direction. Figure 1 shows a configuration assumed by the ride 1 during use. 8 and 9 denote the swinging directions of the first arms 4 and 5.

A capsule 6 is associated to each of the first arms 4 and 5 and is solid in oscillation thereto. Each capsule 6 affords seating for a plurality of passengers, and is fixed to an end of a relative first arm 4 or 5, while a counterweight 7 is arranged at the other end of the relative first arm 4 or 5. The motor for commanding the oscillations of the first arms 4 and 5 is of known type and not represented in the figure.

According to the invention, the upright 2 can rotate about an axis y-y which is preferably vertical and located in the space comprised between the two oscillation planes, so that during operation the oscillation planes of the first arms 4 and 5 both rotate about the rotation axis y-y, solidly with the upright.

For this reason the upright 2, in the example in figure 1, is rotatably mounted by means of a fifth wheel of known type and not shown in the figure on the base 3, and can rotate about axis y-y on command of a motor of known type and not shown in the figures.

Preferably the upright 2 is mounted on the base 3 in such a way that the vertical rotation axis y-y corresponds to the geometric axis of the upright 2 itself and is arranged halfway between the two first arms 4 and 5 and is normally incident to their common rotation axis x-x.

The upright 2 can also, selectively, assume a first configuration, lowered, for loading and unloading passengers, in which configuration the capsules 6 are relatively close to the base 3 of the upright 2, and a second configuration, raised, which is a working configuration, in which the lowest point reached by the capsules 6 in their oscillating motion is relatively distant from the base 3 of the upright 2. For this purpose the upright 2 can be, for example, of a telescopic type. Each capsule 6 comprises a second arm 10, solid to a relative first arm 4 or 5 and situated at a peripheral end thereof. The second arm 10 extends prevalently along the oscillation plane of the relative first arm 4 or 5 and is practically perpendicular to the first arm 4 or 5.

According to the invention, a plurality of support elements 11 are associated each to one of the second arms 10. Each of the support elements 11 can receive one passenger, leaving the passenger's legs free and suspended. The support elements 11 are arranged in a line parallel to the relative second arm 10.

Each support element 11 comprises, solid to the second arm 10, a bar 12, more or less perpendicular to the second arm 10 and developing in a direction which is radial and external-facing with respect to the second arm 10. At least one seat 13, also more or less perpendicular to the bar 12, is associated thereto. In the example each bar 12 solidly bears four seats 13 arranged two by two in such a way that a passenger seated on a seat 13 can be sitting next to another passenger with a further passenger seated back-to-back.

The functioning of the ride is as follows: first, in the initial configuration, the passengers can board or alight and the arms are stationary in the vertical position with the capsules 6 in lowered position; then the upright is raised into the second configuration. Figure 2 shows (in a broken line) some support elements 11 with the upright 2 in the first, lowered configuration.

Then the upright 2 is rotated about the vertical axis y-y and the first arms 4 and 5 are caused to oscillate with growing amplitude up to a maximum oscillation in which the passengers are upturned completely and the arm proceeds to make a complete rotation.

In a further embodiment of the invention, not illustrated, the upright comprises a first, lower part, rigidly fixed to the base, and a second, superior part, rotatably coupled to the first part by means of a thrust bearing rotatable about the axis y-y of the upright. The first arms are oscillatably pivoted (at either side of the upright) so that during operation, as in the first embodiment, the capsule motion comprises a composition of two movements constituted by a pendular oscillation with an upturning followed by a complete rotation about vertical axis y-y. The thrust bearing can be located, on the upright, in any intermediate position between the base and the upper end bearing the pivots of the first arms. The most important factor is that the first arms 4 and 5 and consequently the capsules can rotate about axis y-y and add this rotation to their other, pendular, motion.

The raising and lowering movement of the upright of the ride guarantees both ease of boarding and alighting on the part of the passengers and the operational safety of the ride. With the upright in the raised configuration, the passengers do not run the risk of bumping their feet against the base of the ride. Alternatively, a boarding footplate could be used at the boarding and alighting stage. The footplate would then be distanced so that the passengers would not risk bumping against them with their feet.

The ride affords the passengers special sensations, due primarily to the combination of the above-mentioned motions, that is, the first arms' rotation about axis y-y and swinging about axis x-x. There is thus a sequence of normally unattainable positions.

Further, the passengers on the ride draw enjoyment from the experience of oscillating on vertical planes while having their feet free, suspended and swinging.

A still different sensation is experienced by the passengers due to the fact of having their legs free and suspended and of having the impression of being on board a capsule subjected to motion comprising both rotation and swinging.

All the above-described rides with pendular-swinging arms have two arms, for reasons of stability and balance of the ride itself. It is obvious that the invention could be applied to a ride (not in existence) provided with one arm alone. Also obvious are the operative modalities of such a one-armed ride and the constructional differences that would be required.