Water raft amusement ride including a device for spinning a circular water raft
First Claim
1. A spin mechanism for use with an amusement ride including one or more circular water rafts constrained within a water course having a floor and upstanding walls for containing and directing a flow of water for carrying said water rafts, the spin mechanism comprising:
- a movement retarding means adapted to be interactive with a surface of the water raft for retarding the movement past of said water raft, said movement retarding means mounted to a first wall of the watercourse; and
,a movement expediting means adapted to be interactive with the surface of the water raft for permitting free movement past of the water raft, the movement expediting means mounted to a second wall of the watercourse opposite said first wall;
said movement retarding means adapted to be extended a sufficient distance into the watercourse towards said movement expediting means to force a passing water raft into contact with the movement expediting means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An amusement water ride is provided including a water course for carrying one or more circular water rafts. The water course is provided with at least one downhill section for accelerating the water rafts into a splash point. A spin mechanism is provided near the top of the downhill section for imparting a spin to the water rafts as they move past the spin mechanism. The spin mechanism includes a movement retarding surface along one wall of the water course and a movement expediting surface along an opposite wall of the water course. The movement retarding surface is provided with a high friction coating which retards sliding movement in a downstream direction of the surface of the raft which contacts the movement retarding surface, and induces rotation of the raft and movement towards the opposite wall. As the raft rotates into contact with the movement expediting surface it encounters no frictional resistance, and the spin is accelerated by the force of gravity acting on the mass of the raft as it moves downhill. The spinning raft increases thrill and introduces uncertainty among the passengers regarding who will be in a position to be splashed when the raft hits the splash zone.
66 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A spin mechanism for use with an amusement ride including one or more circular water rafts constrained within a water course having a floor and upstanding walls for containing and directing a flow of water for carrying said water rafts, the spin mechanism comprising:
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a movement retarding means adapted to be interactive with a surface of the water raft for retarding the movement past of said water raft, said movement retarding means mounted to a first wall of the watercourse; and
,a movement expediting means adapted to be interactive with the surface of the water raft for permitting free movement past of the water raft, the movement expediting means mounted to a second wall of the watercourse opposite said first wall; said movement retarding means adapted to be extended a sufficient distance into the watercourse towards said movement expediting means to force a passing water raft into contact with the movement expediting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An amusement ride comprising:
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a water course including a floor and two upstanding walls on either side of said floor for containing and directing a flow of water; at least one circular water raft having a surface for contacting said walls, and carried along said water course in a downstream direction; a spin mechanism mounted along said water course, said spin mechanism including a movement retarding means interactive with said surface of said water raft for retarding the movement downstream of said water raft, said movement retarding means mounted to a first wall of the watercourse, a movement expediting means interactive with said surface of said water raft for permitting free movement downstream of the water raft, the movement expediting means mounted to a second wall of the watercourse opposite said first wall, and wherein the movement retarding means extends a sufficient distance into the watercourse towards said movement expediting means to force a passing water raft into contact with the movement expediting means. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An amusement ride comprising:
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a water course including a loading station, an unloading station, and a channel between said loading and unloading zone, said channel including a floor and two upstanding walls on either side of said floor for containing and directing a flow of water, and at least one inclined section located downstream of said loading station, and in which the elevation of said floor inclines downwardly in a downstream direction; at least one circular water raft having a surface for contacting said walls, and carried along said water course in a downstream direction from said loading station to said unloading station; a spin mechanism mounted along said water course, said spin mechanism including a movement retarding means interactive with said surface of said water raft for slowing the movement downstream of said water raft, said movement retarding means mounted to a first wall of the watercourse, a movement expediting means interactive with said surface of said water raft for permitting free movement downstream of the water raft, the movement expediting means mounted to a second wall of the watercourse opposite said first wall, and wherein the movement retarding means extends a sufficient distance into the watercourse towards said movement expediting means to force a passing water raft into contact with the movement expediting means. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification