Water-ride facility

• US 7,437,998 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mack Rides Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Mack Rides Gmbh & Co. Kg
• Inventors: Sornik, Frank, Burger, Guenter, Gessner, Jens, Koebele, Thorsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver; J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith; Jason C
• Application Number:
  US11/305,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 104/23, 104/23.1, 104/23.2, 104/73, 104/72, 104/70, 104/59, 104/139, 104/154, 104/161, 104/60, 104/243, 472/117, 472/129, 472/135, 472/128, 472/127, 472/134
• US Class Current: 104/73
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 3/00 Water roundabouts, e.g. freely floating

Abstract

A water ride containing at least one watercraft is described, having at least a floating body and a chassis which is connected thereto in an articulated manner and which serves as a guide unit, and a guide for the chassis which runs in the water, and a drive for the watercraft, wherein the floating body is connected to the chassis via a connection unit which comprises flexible elements and which allows relative movements of the floating body with respect to the chassis, wherein arranged on the floating body and on the chassis are associated coupling elements which serve for rigidly connecting the floating body and the chassis in at least one relative position, and in that the coupling elements are designed in such a way that the floating body is fixed on the chassis after being lowered.

Claims

1. A water ride containing at least one watercraft, comprising:

a floating body and a chassis which is connected thereto in an articulated manner and which serves as a guide unit;

a guide for the chassis which runs in the water; and

a drive for the watercraft, wherein the floating body is connected to the chassis via a connection unit which comprises flexible elements and which allows relative movements of the floating body with respect to the chassis, wherein arranged on the floating body and on the chassis are associated coupling elements which serve for rigidly connecting the floating body and the chassis in at least one relative position, and in that the coupling elements are designed in such a way that the floating body is fixed on the chassis after being lowered.

2. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the coupling elements can be locked, and wherein the locked coupling elements can be released in a controlled manner.

3. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit is at least one of articulated rods which form transverse and longitudinal control arms, and of telescopic rods, linear guides, and rotation assemblies.

4. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the flexible elements are at least one of cables, chains, belts and air cushions.

5. The water ride according to claim 3, wherein the connection unit is connected to at least one of a hydraulic, pneumatic cylinders, and cable feeds, which can be controlled.

6. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the coupling elements have a redundant locking mechanism and/or a dead-centre locking mechanism or are designed as a king pin and a king pin bearing.

7. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the floating body is a single-hulled or multi-hulled boat or a raft.

8. The water ride according to claim 7, wherein the boat is a sailing boat, a motorboat or a rowing boat.

9. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein drives are at least one of a cable drive and conveyor belt drive, which is mechanically connected to the craft.

10. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the drive is at least one of a friction wheel drive and a toothed wheel drive.

11. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the drive is a flow drive, comprising a pumped flow drive, with controllable outlet nozzles arranged in the water close to the guide.

12. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the drive is an inductive motor drive.

13. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the guide has downhill sections in which the watercraft is driven by gravity.

14. The water ride according claim 1, wherein the guide comprises at least one or more rails.

15. The water ride according to claim 1, further comprising running wheels or support wheels provided on the chassis, the running or support wheels resting on the guide rails in a rolling manner.

16. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein brake devices are arranged on the chassis and/or on the guide.