AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR FAIRS OR THE LIKE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an amusement device for fairs or the like according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] In such a device, two parallel support beams are arranged on the ground or on a base, coupled at their upper ends via a horizontal rotating shaft. The rotating shaft contains one or more pairs of support arms extending radially to the rotating shaft, between whose free ends pivoting passenger gondolas are arranged. When such devices are designed as Ferris wheels, the support arms are merely spokes of parallel wheel structures.

[0003] The passenger gondolas used are usually designed as cabins with a few seats that can be swiveled back and forth in a vertical plane. It is also known to equip cabins with a handwheel so that the cabins can be rotated circumferentially by hand.

[0004] The special feature of Ferris wheels is that the loading and unloading of the cabins can only be carried out for a small number of the circulating cabins at a time, while the remaining cabins are in a rest state during unloading and loading.

[0005] Amusement devices of this type are also known in which the free ends of the support arms each carry one or more passenger seats that can swivel in different directions.

[0006] EP1055437A3 shows such a device in which the passenger seats can be pivoted or rotated in a plane that is parallel to the direction of rotation of the support arms.

[0007] EP3388122A1 shows an arrangement in which the passenger gondolas are gimbal-mounted and can therefore move in several directions.

[0008] EP2754472A1 discloses an amusement device.

[0009] The invention is based on the object of specifying an amusement device for fairs or the like, which allows the movement of a passenger gondola with a plurality of passenger seats to be controlled in such a way that, despite a harmonious course of travel, a rhythmic interplay of accelerations and decelerations can nevertheless be experienced by the passengers.

[0010] This object is achieved by the invention defined in claim 1.

[0011] Further embodiments of the invention are specified in subclaims.

[0012] The invention is based on an amusement device for fairs or the like, comprising at least two substantially vertically directed support beams, the upper end regions of which are connected via a horizontally extending rotating shaft to which at least two support arms extending radially parallel to the rotating shaft are attached. Two parallel ends of the support arms are coupled to one another by means of a connecting shaft. According to the invention, the connecting shaft is connected to the ends of the support arms in a rotatable or pivotable manner. The connecting shaft carries a passenger gondola, which is connected to the connecting shaft via a holding arm. The passenger gondola is thus freely pivotable. In a further embodiment, the connecting shaft is motor-rotatable, so that the passenger gondola attached to the holding shaft can perform a controlled pivoting movement or, if the passenger seats are appropriately secured, also a rotational movement with rollover.

[0013] The passenger gondola is preferably designed as a wheel-shaped or polygonal support frame, which is connected to the support arm via spoke supports and is rotatable by a motor. It contains a plurality of passenger seats arranged around the circumference of the support frame. Depending on the diameter of the support frame, a varying number of passenger seats can be arranged around the circumference of the support frame. The support frame preferably contains 12–42 passenger seats.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the invention, only one support beam is used, at the upper end of which a rotating shaft protrudes from the support beam on one side. This rotating shaft has a support arm that is angled at the free end and supports a passenger gondola via a connecting shaft and a support arm. The passenger gondola can be motor-rotatable relative to the support arm. The passenger gondola can be designed in the same way as the one in the first embodiment and perform the same movement sequences.

[0015] For high stability, the support beam(s) are preferably each formed from a pair of trestle supports running at an angle to each other, the lower ends of which are anchored at a distance from each other to a base or to the ground and the upper ends of which are connected to each other.

[0016] If the support arms are designed symmetrically to the rotating shaft and support a passenger gondola at their first end, a mass body is preferably arranged at the second end of each support arm to achieve weight compensation with respect to the rotating shaft. Weight compensation is not required if a second passenger gondola is arranged at the second end of the support arms. The use of two passenger gondolas can also be advantageously used in a corresponding manner in the further embodiment.

[0017] To rotate the rotating shaft, the support beam(s) are preferably provided with a motor drive at their upper end.

[0018] The connecting shaft can be freely rotatable but can also be motor-driven to enable controlled pivoting or rotational movements of the passenger gondola.

[0019] The support arms preferably consist of two parallel support tubes, each curved and connected at their ends. This results in weight savings despite the support arms' high stability. Similarly, the holding arm can also be formed from two parallel support tubes.

[0020] The passenger seats are preferably arranged on the support frame so that their view is directed outward. However, the seats can also be arranged facing the support arm. The invention also encompasses the design of the passenger seats as standing places.

[0021] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to three exemplary embodiments. Figure 1 A isometric view of a first embodiment Figure 1 Legs front view of the first embodiment Figure 2 A isometric view of a second embodiment Figure 2 Legs top view of the second embodiment Figure 3 A isometric view of a third embodiment Figure 3 Legs side view of the third embodiment Figure 4 a detailed view of Figure 1 A of the first embodiment

[0022] The Figure 1The amusement device shown in Figure A is constructed on a base 1 or a floor surface. It comprises four support beams 2, 3, 4, 5 in the form of A-shaped trestles that converge at an angle to one another at the top. At the upper end of each of the support beams 2, 3 and 4, 5, a work platform and an electric drive 16 are provided, which drives a rotating shaft 6 connecting the support beams 2, 3 and 4, 5. A support arm 7, 8 is attached to each end of the rotating shaft. The two support arms 7, 8 are symmetrical and have an upper end that supports a mass body 15. The support arms are formed from parallel support tubes that are attached approximately centrally to opposite sides of the rotating shaft 6 and each converge at their ends.

[0023] The Figure 1The support arms 7, 8 shown in Figure A are curved at their lower ends and extend to the ends of a horizontally extending connecting shaft 9. The connecting shaft 9 is freely rotatably connected to the ends of the support arms 7, 8. Attached to the side of the connecting shaft at right angles to the shaft is a support arm 11 which is short in relation to the length of the support arms 7, 8 and, like the support arms 7, 8, is formed from parallel support tubes. At its lower end, the support arm 11 carries a passenger gondola 10 which is motor-driven and rotatable relative to the support arm 11. The passenger gondola 10 is designed as a support ring 12 which is rotatably attached to the lower end of the support arm 11 via spoke supports 13.

[0024] The passenger gondola 10 has a plurality of passenger seats 14 around the circumference of the support ring 12. In a preferred embodiment, depending on the size of the amusement device, 10–40 passenger seats are arranged on the support ring. These seats can be oriented facing outward or inward toward the support arm 11. Instead of fixed seating arrangements, standing areas can also be provided on the support ring. All passenger seats or spaces are equipped with restraint devices.

[0025] The amusement device is operated in such a way that the rotating shaft 6 is rotated or pivoted by the drive 16, and the support arms 7, 8 are rotated or pivoted accordingly. The passenger gondola 10, attached to the lower end of the support arms 7, 8 via the holding arm 11, is thus raised and can be pivoted forwards and backwards thanks to the freely rotatable connecting shaft 9. The degree of pivoting depends essentially on the rotational speed and the acceleration or deceleration of the rotation of the rotating shaft 9. At a constant, slow rotational speed of the rotating shaft 9, the passenger gondola essentially moves in a suspended position in orbit around the rotating shaft. At higher rotational speeds, the passenger gondola will also move forwards and backwards with each rotation of the rotating shaft, so that corresponding acceleration forces act on the passengers.

[0026] Since the passenger gondola is pivotally mounted on the support arm, and the passenger seats thus allow a variety of different motion patterns for each passenger during the ride, this results in a high level of enjoyment, while the motion patterns remain harmonious. Depending on the degree of control of the rotational speed and acceleration of the rotating shaft 6 and the rotational speed of the passenger gondola 10 relative to the support arm 11, a variety of motion patterns are possible.

[0027] If the bearing of the connecting shaft 9 at the lower end of the support arms 7, 8 is designed as a motor-controlled bearing as an alternative to a free rotation, it is also possible to carry out forward and backward pivoting movements of the passenger gondola 10, even if the rotating shaft 6 and the support arms 7, 8 are in the rest position.

[0028] Figure 1B shows a view of the amusement device from Figure 1A, in which the passenger gondola 10 is in an upper position. In a rest position, it can be seen that a motorized pivoting of the connecting shaft 9 enables a forward and backward movement of the passenger gondola 10. Depending on the respective location of a passenger seat during the pivoting, different movement paths result for each passenger.

[0029] If the gondola is equipped with suitable safety devices, it is also technically possible to allow the connecting shaft 9 to rotate 360° so that rollovers can be carried out.

[0030] Figure 2Ashows an embodiment of the invention in which the support arms 17 and 18 are designed symmetrically to the rotating shaft 6. In this embodiment, the two lower ends of the support arms 17, 18 are coupled to a connecting shaft 9, and the upper ends of the support arms are coupled to a connecting shaft 19. A support arm 20 is attached to the upper connecting shaft 19 for rotatable connection to a passenger gondola 21. The passenger gondola 21 is designed as a support ring, similar to the passenger gondola 10, and is rotatably connected to the support arm 20 via spoke supports 22.

[0031] In this second embodiment, twice the number of passengers can be accommodated on each ride of the amusement device compared to the first embodiment, without the movement paths of the passenger gondolas 10 and 21 mutually influencing each other.

[0032] It is advantageous if the pivoting movements of the gondolas 10 and 21 occur synchronously via the connecting shafts 9 and 19, by allowing the bearings of the connecting shafts 9, 10 at the ends of the support arms to be motorized instead of freely mounted. This allows for improved weight balance with respect to the rotating shaft 6, even with asymmetric pivoting movements of the passenger gondolas 10 and 21, especially when the passenger gondolas are unevenly loaded.

[0033] Figure 2B shows a plan view of the second embodiment to illustrate the arrangement of the support beams 2, 3, 4, 5, the design of the support arms 17 and 18 as well as the suspension of the passenger gondola 21 on the connecting shaft 19.

[0034] The Figure 3 A and 3 Bshow a third embodiment of the invention, which, as in the first and second embodiments, carries a passenger gondola 30 of the same design, which is fastened to a connecting shaft 28 via a holding arm 29.

[0035] In this case, however, only one support arm 23 is used, which is connected to the drive 16 via a short, cantilevered rotary shaft 26. The rotation of the passenger gondola with respect to the support arm 29 is achieved by a motor drive, just as in the first and second embodiments.

[0036] In the Figure 3 A and 3B In the embodiment shown, a mass body 27 for weight compensation is located at the end of the support arm 31 opposite the passenger gondola 30.

[0037] The third embodiment of the invention can be equipped with a second passenger gondola and corresponding suspension instead of the mass body, just as in the second embodiment.

[0038] The third embodiment allows for a smaller footprint compared to the first and second embodiments and is particularly suitable for smaller throughput capacities. However, the asymmetrical arrangement requires an adapted support arrangement with three support beams 23, 24, and 25 to compensate for tilting forces.

[0039] Figure 4 shows an enlarged section Figure 1A. This clearly shows how the supporting frame 12, with the passenger seats 14 attached to it, is attached to a wheel hub 32 via the spoke supports 22. The wheel hub 32 is connected via an axial bearing to a rotating disk 33, which is attached to the lower end of the double-armed support arm 11.

[0040] The invention also includes further embodiments, in particular embodiments with more than one straight support arm on each side of the device, in particular as star-shaped support arms with preferably three or four arms, which can also have different lengths, which according to the first or second embodiment each carry passenger gondolas in pairs at the ends of the arms or individually according to the third embodiment a passenger gondola. Reference symbol

[0041] 1Base 2Support beam 3Support beam 4Support beam 5Support beam 6Rotating shaft 7Support arm 8Support arm 9Connecting shaft 10Passenger gondola 11Support arm 12Support ring 13Spoke support 14Passenger seat 15Mass body 16Drive 17Support arm 18Support arm 19Connecting shaft 20Support arm 21Passenger gondola 22Spoke support 23Support beam 24Support beam 25Support beam 26Rotating shaft 27Mass body 28Connecting shaft 29Support arm 30Passenger gondola 31Support arm 32Wheel hub 33Turntable

Claims

1. An amusement ride for funfairs or the like, having at least two substantially vertically directed support beams (2 - 5), the upper end regions of which are connected via a horizontally running rotation shaft (6), to which at least two carrier arms (7, 8, 17, 18) running parallel radially to the rotation shaft (6) are fastened, wherein two parallel ends of the carrier arms (7, 8, 17, 18) are coupled to one another by means of a connection shaft (9, 19), wherein the connection shaft (9, 19) is rotatably or pivotably connected to the ends of the carrier arms (7, 8, 17, 18), and wherein the connection shaft (9, 19) carries a passenger gondola (10, 21) which is rotatably connected by motor to the connection shaft (9, 19) via a retaining arm (11, 20), characterised in that - the passenger gondola (10, 21) is configured as a wheel-shaped support ring (12) which is connected via spoke supports (13, 22) to the retaining arm (11, 20) and is provided with a multiplicity of passenger seats arranged on the circumference of the support ring (12), and - in that the carrier arms (7, 8) are formed from supporting tubes running parallel to one another, the ends of which are connected to one another.

2. The amusement ride according to Claim 1, characterised in that the support beams (2 - 5) are each formed from a pair of trestle supports running obliquely to one another, the lower ends of which are anchored at a distance from one another to a base (1) or to the ground and the upper ends of which are connected to one another.

3. The amusement ride according to Claim 1, characterised in that the carrier arms (7, 8) are configured radially symmetrically to the rotation shaft (6) and each have a first and a second end, wherein the passenger gondola (10) is connected via the connection shaft (9) to the first parallel running ends of the carrier arms (7, 8) and the second ends of the carrier arms are provided with mass bodies (15).

4. The amusement ride according to Claim 1, characterised in that the carrier arms (7, 8, 17, 18) run radially symmetrically to the rotation shaft (6) and each have a first and a second end, wherein passenger gondolas (10, 21) are arranged via connection shafts (9, 19) on the first and on the second parallel running ends of the carrier arms (7, 8).

5. The amusement ride according to Claim 1, characterised in that the support beams (2 - 5) are provided at their upper ends with a motor drive for rotating the rotation shaft (6).

6. The amusement ride according to Claim 1, characterised in that the connection shaft (9, 19) is pivoted or rotated by motor.

7. The amusement ride according to Claim 1, characterised in that the retaining arm (11, 20) is formed from supporting tubes running parallel and in an arc, the first ends of which are connected to the passenger gondola (10, 21, 30) and the second ends of which are connected to the connection shaft (9, 19).

8. The amusement ride according to Claim 1, characterised in that the passenger gondolas (10, 21) have at least 12 passenger seats (14) arranged in parallel on the circumference of the support ring (12), the viewing direction of which is directed outwardly or towards the retaining arm (11, 20).

9. The amusement ride according to Claim 1, characterised in that the lower ends of the carrier arms (7, 8) are brought up to the front sides of the connection shaft (9, 19) in an arc shape.