Amusement ride raft

• US 4,516,943 A
• Filed: 06/24/1983
• Issued: 05/14/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfons Saiko, Reinhold Spieldiener, Robert Spieldiener
• Original Assignee: Alfons Saiko, Reinhold Spieldiener, Robert Spieldiener
• Inventors: Spieldiener, Robert, Spieldiener, Reinhold, Saiko, Alfons
• Primary Examiner(s): Blix, Trygve M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Avila, Stephen P.
• Application Number:
  US06/507,993
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 441/35, 441/39, 441/40, 441/65, 441/66, 441/67, 114/62, 114/63, 114/123, 114/197, 114/264, 114/267, 114/292, 114/343, 114/345, 114/346, 114/348, 114/357, 114/360, 114/362, 114/363, 114/364, D21/71, D21/130, D21/242, D21/247, D21/250, D12/316, 272/1 R, 272/32, 272/33 A
• US Class Current: 441/35
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/041 with disk-shaped hull

Abstract

A raft for a rapid flow water course amusement ride having a generally circular shaped hull fabricated in two sections with a surrounding floatation bumper and separate redundant floatation material in the bottom of the hull. A multiplicity of inwardly facing high-backed seats are disposed around the inner periphery of the hull with a circular hand-hold in the center. The circular construction and seat distribution and arrangement, coupled with the redundant floatation feature, provides a stable and safe floatation device which is especially adapted to endure abuse from collisions with the water course banks and obstructions disposed in the water course while carrying a plurality of raft riders.

Claims

1. A raft for carrying a plurality of raft riders on a rapid flow water course amusement ride having water course banks and objects disposed in said water course with which said raft is intended to collide and bounce off of, said raft comprising

a generally circular shaped unitary raft hull formed by two mating inner and outer hull sections formed to provide a circular hull bottom and perimeter sides,

a multiplicity of pairs of inwardly facing, high-back seats substantially evenly distributed around the inner periphery of said hull,

an outer peripheral deck and a floor board area formed in said inner hull section,

entrance and exit steps formed in the inner hull section between said pairs of seats, said steps extending from said peripheral deck to said floor boards,

a cushion means surrounding the outer periphery of hull substantially in the plane of the bottom of said hull and extending radially of said hull periphery to act as a bumper which will absorb the shock of collisions with said water course banks and objects, said cushion means being so constructed as to provide floatation to said raft,

a hand-hold mount formed in the center of the inner hull section of said raft for a circular hand-hold secured to said hand-hold mount which can be grasped for balance by all the raft riders seated in said inwardly facing high backed seats, and

redundant safety floatation material disposed substantially throughout the bottom of said outer hull section between said inner and outer sections to provide buoyancy to said raft in addition to the buoyancy provided by said cushion means.

2. A raft for carrying a plurality of raft riders on a rapid flow water course amusement ride having water course banks and objects disposed in said water course with which said raft is intended to collide and bounce off of, said raft comprising

a generally circular shape unitary raft hull formed by two mating inner and outer hull sections formed to provide a circular hull bottom and perimeter sides,

a multiplicity of pairs of inwardly facing, high-back seats substantially evenly disposed around the inner periphery of said hull,

an outer peripheral deck and a floor board area formed in said inner hull section,

entrance and exit steps formed in the inner hull section between said pairs of seats, said steps extending from said peripheral deck to said floor boards,

a hand-hold mount formed in the center of said inner hull section and a circular hand rail secured to said hand-hold mount,

an inflated circular bumper surrounding the outer periphery of said hull substantially in the plane of the bottom of said hull and extending radially of said hull periphery to act as a bumper which will absorb the shock of collisions with said water course banks and objects, said inflated bumper having multiple chambers defined by telescoping end walls whereby if a chamber is punctured and loses air, the end walls of adjacent chambers will extend partially into the deflated chamber to provide buoyancy to it, said inflatable bumper being provided with a flat internal peripheral wall where it engages the lower hull section,

redundant safety floatation foam material disposed between said hull sections, and

self-bailing means in the bottom of said hull which permits water to drain from said hull.