Amusement Apparatus
First Claim
1. An amusement apparatus, comprising:
- a platform with a slot that follows a continuous course including both clockwise turns and counterclockwise turns;
a plurality of cars each supported by respective wheels that ride on the platform;
an elongate flexible drive member that translates along a path corresponding to said slot;
a plurality of couplers corresponding to said plurality of cars, each respective coupler including a member which couples a corresponding car to said drive member, said respective coupler allowing the corresponding car to move away from said slot in opposite directions in response to whipping forces resulting from translational movement of the drive member in clockwise and counterclockwise turns of the path; and
at least one spring for each car that acts on the corresponding car to move the corresponding car toward said slot in order to counteract the movement of the corresponding car away from the slot as caused by the whipping forces.
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Abstract
An amusement apparatus has a platform with a slot that follows a continuous course including both clockwise and counterclockwise turns, a plurality of cars each supported by respective wheels that ride on the platform, an elongate flexible drive member that translates along a path corresponding to the slot, a plurality of couplers corresponding to the plurality of cars, each respective coupler including a member which couples a corresponding car to the drive member with the couplers allowing the corresponding cars to move away from the slot in opposite directions in response to whipping forces resulting from translational movement of the drive member in clockwise and counterclockwise turns of the path, and springs for the cars that act on the cars to move the cars toward the slot in order to counteract the movement of the car away from the slot as caused by the whipping forces.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An amusement apparatus, comprising:
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a platform with a slot that follows a continuous course including both clockwise turns and counterclockwise turns; a plurality of cars each supported by respective wheels that ride on the platform; an elongate flexible drive member that translates along a path corresponding to said slot; a plurality of couplers corresponding to said plurality of cars, each respective coupler including a member which couples a corresponding car to said drive member, said respective coupler allowing the corresponding car to move away from said slot in opposite directions in response to whipping forces resulting from translational movement of the drive member in clockwise and counterclockwise turns of the path; and at least one spring for each car that acts on the corresponding car to move the corresponding car toward said slot in order to counteract the movement of the corresponding car away from the slot as caused by the whipping forces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An amusement apparatus, comprising:
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a platform defining a slot that follows a continuous course including both clockwise turns and counterclockwise turns; a plurality of cars each supported by respective wheels that ride on the platform; an elongate flexible drive member that translates along a path corresponding to said slot; a plurality of couplers corresponding to said plurality of cars, each respective coupler including a member which couples a corresponding car to said drive member; and a plurality of segments that are coupled to said flexible elongate drive member and move in conjunction with said drive member along said continuous course, wherein at least a portion of said slot is covered by said plurality of segments. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. An amusement apparatus, comprising:
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a platform defining a slot that follows a continuous course including both clockwise turns and counterclockwise turns; a plurality of cars each supported by respective wheels that ride on the platform; an elongate flexible drive member that translates along a path corresponding to said slot; a plurality of couplers corresponding to said plurality of cars, each respective coupler including a member which couples a corresponding car to said drive member; and a plurality of segments that are coupled to said flexible elongate drive member and move in conjunction with said drive member along said continuous course, wherein at least a portion of said slot is covered by said plurality of segments, and wherein said wheels of said plurality of cars traverse over said plurality of segments as said car travel over said platform.
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Specification