Monorail mountain slide

• US 4,221,170 A
• Filed: 05/30/1978
• Issued: 09/09/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Slavos Koudelka
• Original Assignee: Slavos Koudelka
• Inventors: Koudelka, Slavos
• Primary Examiner(s): Reese, Randolph A.
• Application Number:
  US05/910,469
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 104/53, 104/59, 104/63, 104/64, 104/69, 104/118, 104/119, 104/120, 104/125, 104/126, 104/134, 104/245, 104/246, 105/141, 105/144, 105/145, 188/5, 188/8, 248/169, 248/171, 248/653, 248/656, 280/11, 280/12 AB, 272/56.5 R, 272/56.5 SS
• US Class Current: 104/63
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/04 with fixed rails

Abstract

A monorail mountain coaster for recreational transportation along an inclined path on a hill or mountain comprising a channel disposed on and spaced from the path, a chassis frame moveable along the channel, a coaster shell resiliently mounted on the chassis frame, riding wheels rotatably mounted on the chassis frame and engaged with the channel for movement of the frame along the channel, retainer wheels rotatably mounted to the frame disposed about and engaged with the channel to retain the frame on the channel and a brake pivotally mounted to the frame and engageable with the channel to stop the movement of the frame on the channel. The channel is suspended above the inclined path on, for example, the side of a hill, by suspension brackets which securely prevent the channel from moving. The frame with pivotally mounted shell is then allowed to roll along the channel on its wheels and provide entertaining and recreational transportation along the path. The brackets and channel are easily removeable to change the location of the slide run.

Claims

1. A monorail mountain slide including a mountain coaster and a monorail for recreational transportation along an inclined path on a hill, comprising:

a monorail channel track disposed along and spaced from the path said channel having a bottom portion and side portions;

a chassis frame movable along said channel and comprising a central elongate longitudinal support member and front and rear transverse support members at the respective ends of the longitudinal member and extending beyond the respective said sides of said channel;

a coaster shell resiliently mounted on said chassis frame;

first roller means mounted on said rear transverse support member engaging said channel bottom portion;

a bracket pivotally mounted on said longitudinal member rearwardly of said front transverse support member;

second roller means mounted to one end of said bracket and arranged to selectively engage said channel bottom portion;

first brake means mounted to an end of said bracket opposite said one end and positioned to selectively engage said channel bottom portion;

drag brake means affixed to the bottom of said front transverse support member;

lever actuating means mounted on said bracket and movable from a first normal, neutral rest position, wherein both said first brake means and said drag brake means are engaged with said channel bottom portion, to a second position, wherein said first brake means are forcefully engaged with said channel bottom portion, and to a third position wherein both said brake means are disengaged from said channel bottom portion and said second roller means are engaged therewith so that said chassis frame and coaster may move along said track; and

retaining means depending from the respective ends of both said transverse support members, said retaining means being engaged with said channel to restrain lateral and vertical movement of said chassis frame with respect to said track.

2. A monorail mountain slide according to claim 1 wherein said track sides comprise vertically extended flanges and said retaining means include side wheels horizontally rotatably mounted to said transverse support member ends and are engageable with said flanges of said track to thereby restrain the coaster on the track from lateral motion.

3. A monorail mountain slide according to claim 1 wherein said retaining means further include lower wheels vertically rotatably mounted to said transverse support member ends and abut against an under surface of the channel to thereby prevent the coaster from leaving the track in a vertical direction.

4. A monorail mountain slide according to claim 1 wherein said channel further includes support members connected between said channel and the predetermined path, said support members comprising pairs of angled support arms connected between said channel and the path.

5. A monorail mountain slide according to claim 1 further including a leg assembly connected between said channel and the path comprising a plurality of pairs of support plates connected to the underside of said channel, a pair of legs extending at an angle from each other from each of said pairs of support plates, each of said legs comprising a cylindrical section and a telescopic section slideable within said cylindrical section, a pair of angled support feet connected to each cylindrical section and anchorable to the path, and a turnbuckle connected between telescopic sections of said leg pair.

6. A monorail mountain slide according to claim 1 further including a leg assembly connected between a banked portion of said channel and the path, said leg assembly comprising a plurality of pairs of support plates extending from the underside of said channel, a pair of legs connected to each of said pairs of support plates at a common point thereon, each of said legs comprising an outer cylindrical section and and inner telescopic section slideable within said outer cylindrical section, anchoring means connected between said cylindrical sections and the path for anchoring said channel to the path, and at least one turnbuckle connected between one of said cylindrical sections and said support plate at a location spaced from the connection between said support legs and said pairs of support plates.

7. A monorail mountain slide according to claim 1 further including a leg assembly connected between a curved portion of said channel and the path, said leg assembly comprising a plurality of support plates connected to the underside of said channel, at least one leg connected between said support plate and extending at an acute angle toward the outside of the curve, said at least one leg being anchorable to the path, a turnbuckle connected between said leg and said support plate, said connection between said turnbuckle and and support plate being spaced from the connection between said leg and said support leg, and at least one additional leg connected between said support leg and the path.