Roller coaster assembly

• US 4,170,943 A
• Filed: 08/01/1977
• Issued: 10/16/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prakash M. Achrekar
• Original Assignee: Prakash M. Achrekar
• Inventors: Achrekar, Prakash M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blix, Trygve M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weaver, Ross
• Application Number:
  US05/820,766
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 104/56, 104/57, 104/63, 104/74-76, 104/118, 104/167, 46/216, 46/260, 105/156
• US Class Current: 104/56
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/04 with fixed rails
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/08 with additional rotation of cars

Abstract

An improved roller coaster system is provided having a track in the shape of a mobius band and a carriage assembly mounted for movement thereon. Passenger seating means are provided which are rotated and translated in a multiplanar manner as the carriage assembly proceeds along the helical portion of the track.

Claims

1. A roller coaster system comprising:

a carriage assembly including a central cross member;

at least one rotatable shaft depending from said central cross member and in mechanical communication therewith;

a track of mobius configuration;

housing and gear means for mechanically coupling the central cross member to said rotatable shaft;

means for translating said carriage assembly including said central cross member along said track, the axis of said central cross member being substantially perpendicular to the axis of the track;

passenger seating means connected to said rotatable shaft;

whereby as the carriage assembly advances along the mobius track, and the central cross member is caused to rotate about the axis of the track from its initial position, the passenger seating means coupled to said rotatable shaft are also caused to translate about said track axis until their centers of gravity are located above the center of gravity of the central cross member thereby causing the passenger seating means to swing from the axis of the central cross member as well as to rotate axially.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 including means for holding said seating means in a fixed relationship with said central cross member and means for disengaging said seating means from said central cross member when the carriage assembly is in the helical portion of the track.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for translating said carriage assembly along said track includes at least one end housing assembly connected to said central cross member, said end housing having wheel means which roll upon said track.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein the said seating means are held in a fixed relationship with said central cross member by means of a clutch comprised of a spring loaded armature within said end housing, said clutch being disengaged by a track activating means as it enters the helical portion of the track.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein the track is supported by circular support means which are in turn held in place by A-frame supports on either side thereof.

6. A roller coaster system comprising

a track of mobius configuration;

a carriage assembly movably coupled to the track;

passenger seating means connected to said carriage assembly;

said carriage assembly comprised of a central cross member;

an axle housing rotatably surrounding said central cross member and having at least one gear box;

each gear box supporting a passenger seating means by means of a rotatable shaft coupled thereto and depending from said central cross member;

means for mechanically coupling said central cross member to said rotatable shaft;

whereby as the carriage assembly proceeds along the helical portion of the track, and said cross member is thereby rotated about the axis of the track from an initially substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position, the rotatable shafts coupled thereto are in turn caused to translate from substantially initially vertical positions to substantially horizontal positions until a gravitational imbalance is reached which causes said axle housing to rotate about said central cross member in turn causing the rotatable shafts and the passenger seating means connected thereto to rotate around their respective axis.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein the central cross member is connected to end housing assemblies having at least one wheel mounted thereon engaging the track.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 wherein at least one of said housing assemblies is held in a fixed relationship with said central cross member by means of a clutch comprised of a spring-loaded armature within said end housing assemblies which is released when said armature becomes disengaged as the roller coaster assembly is within the helical portion of the mobius track.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein the clutch is comprised of a spring loaded armature within at least one of said end housings, said clutch being disengaged by a track activating means when it is within the mobius or helical portion of the track.

10. A roller coaster system comprising a track in the form of a mobius band having at least a one-half twist, a carriage assembly mounted on said track for movement thereon, guide means for cooperatively connecting said carriage and said track and for maintaining said carriage assembly on said track, passenger seating means connected to said carriage, wherein said carriage assembly is comprised of a central cross member, support means rotatably coupled to said central cross member, said support means coupled to the passenger seating means by means of a rotatable shaft dependent from said central cross member and mechanically coupled thereto;

said central cross member being in mechanical communication with the rotatable shaft so that as the carriage assembly proceeds on the helical portion of the track, and is thus caused to rotate from its initially horizontal position, the gravitational imbalance caused by the position of the passenger seating means causes said support means to rotate around said central cross member and by virtue of this rotation the rotatable shaft and the passenger seating means connected thereto are caused to rotate about their axis.

11. The combination set forth in claim 10 including means for holding the seating means in a fixed orientation when the carriage assembly is travelling in that portion of the track which is not helical in configuration and means for releasing said seating means when the carriage assembly is in the helical portion of the track.