Rapid river ride boat

• US 4,696,251 A
• Filed: 07/07/1986
• Issued: 09/29/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intamin AG Freienbach Switzerland Gehrenstrasse
• Original Assignee: Alfons Saiko, Reinhold Spieldiener, Robert Spieldiener
• Inventors: Saiko, Alfons, Spieldiener, Robert, Spieldiener, Reinhold
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Swinehart, Edwin L.
• Application Number:
  US06/882,505
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 114/346, 114/345, 114/363, 114/361, 114/362, D12/316, D21/249, D21/250, 441/40, 272/32, 272/1 B
• US Class Current: 114/346
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/041 with disk-shaped hull

Abstract

A circular floatation vehicle, particularly for rafting as an amusement ride, the vehicle having an annular tube with a circular platform inset, wherein the platform inset is constructed with a central contoured core to seat a plurality of occupants around the core, whereby the core provides a common back rest and seat, allowing the occupants to be seated around the core facing outward from the center of the floatation vehicle for improved visibility and safety.

Claims

1. A circular flotation vehicle constructed to uniformly seat a plurality of passengers for an amusement ride, comprising:

an annular deformable float and an inner substantially rigid inset with a circular flotation platform and a coupled passenger shell, the passenger shell having a central core with a plurality of integral fixed seats uniformly arranged in a single concentric course around the periphery of the core and with a raised center structure forming backrests for said seats, said substantially rigid inset being constructed with a concentric floor and a raised contoured outer rim which abuts the annular float, said inset being arranged to seat a plurality of passengers around the central core with the passengers'"'"'feet positioned on the floor or outer rim and the passengers'"'"' backs positioned against the raised structure of the core wherein the passengers face outward for improved visibility, safety and centralized location of aggregate passenger weight and wherein the outer rim of the inset has a raised splashguard portion in front of the seats and a low entry portion between the splashguard portions.

2. The circular floatation vehicle of claim 1 wherein the circular floatation platform has a periphery which is functionally engaged by the deformable float.

3. The circular floatation vehicle of claim 1 wherein the annular float is an air inflated tube.

4. The circular floatation vehicle of claim 1 wherein the inset has at least one step in said low entry portion of the rim for convenient entry and egress.

5. The circular floatation vehicle of claim 1 wherein the inset includes guard rails disposed in front of the passenger seats.