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Title: Mobile amusement ride
Claims: I claim: 1. In an amusement ride of the type wherein a rotatable wheel that carries a plurality of passenger carrying units spaced about its periphery is power driven to rotate about its central axis, the improvement comprising a stationary and upstanding ground support having fixed thereto a gimbal means mounting therein an axle to which the wheel is fixedly secured with the axle acting as the central axis of the wheel for enabling both vertical tilting movement of the axle of the wheel between approximately horizontal and vertical positions and simultaneous limited horizontal turning movement of the axle in the gimbal means, said gimbal means including a first controlled power means longitudinally supporting the axle for rotating the axle on its longitudinal axis for driving the wheel to rotate about its axis, said gimbal means being fixed on the support at a vertical height above ground that is greater than is the spacing of passenger units from the axis of the wheel, whereby all the passenger units are relatively elevated when the axis of the wheel is vertical as compared to the lowermost of such units when the axis is horizontal, and a second controlled power means on said support including radially extending means operatively connected to the axle for effecting said simultaneous vertical tilting and horizontal turning movements of said axle of the wheel independently of rotation of the wheel about its axis. 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said second controlled power means is operatively connected to the axle through the radially extending means to cause the axis of the wheel axle to trace out a conical surface that is symmetrical about a straight line that is inclined at an acute angle to the vertical. 3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the line is inclined to the vertical approximately 45.degree. and wherein the conical surface has an apex angle of approximately 90.degree.. 4. The combination of claim 2, wherein said second controlled power means on said support includes a rotatable power shaft in alignment with said line of symmetry fixed to and for turning said radially extending means. 5. In an amusement ride of the type wherein a wheel that carries a plurality of passenger carrying units spaced about its periphery is mounted for powered rotation about its central axis, the improvement comprising a stationary and upstanding ground support having fixed thereto a gimbal means rotatably mounting therein an axle to which the wheel is fixedly secured with the axis acting as the central axis of the wheel for enabling both vertical tilting movement of the axle of the wheel between approximately horizontal and vertical positions and simultaneous limited horizontal turning movement of the axle in the gimbal means, said gimbal means being fixed to the support at a vertical height above ground that is greater than is the spacing of the passenger units from the axis of the wheel in an arrangement such that the lowermost of the passenger units is spaced above ground when the axle is horizontal, and a single power driven means fixed to the support at a position adjacent the gimbal means and operatively connected to said axle for driving the axle synchronously both to tilt vertically and to turn horizontally through a predetermined cyclic sequence, each of the passenger carrying units comprising a seat adapted to support a passenger seated thereon, and a seat supporting arm pivotally connected for free pivotal movement at spaced positions to both the wheel and the passenger seat, with the pivotal connection of the arm to the wheel being about an arm axis substantially parallel to the axle, and with the pivotal connection of the arm to the seat being about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the arm axis. 6. In an amusement ride of the type that includes a wheel having a rotatably mounted axle that is coincident with its central axis, means disposed at one side of the wheel for supporting and for tilting said axle between horizontal and vertical positions, and passenger carrying seats supported at spaced positions about the periphery of the wheel, the improvement wherein each of said seats is disposed on the side of the wheel opposite said one side thereof and is supported by means comprising an "L" shaped arm constituted of joined first and second legs having remote opposite ends, said first leg having its end pivoted to the wheel about an arm axis that is parallel to the axle, with said first leg being substantially perpendicular to the arm axis, said second leg extending from the wheel in a direction therefrom opposite said one side thereof and having its end pivotally connected to the seat about a seat axis substantially parallel to said first leg, the arrangement being such that the wheel is above the supporting and tilting means when the axle is vertical, with the seats being then disposed above the wheel. Other info: Inventors: Ottaway, Herbert J. (Wichita, KS, US) Application Number: 508160 Filing Date: 1974-09-23 Publication_date: 1977-02-15 Assignee: Primary Class(es): 472/29 472/1, 472/3, 472/44, 472/45, 472/47 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Oechsle, Anton O. Assistant Examiner: Kramer, Arnold W. Attorney: Breidenthal; Robert E. |
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