Abstract: An amusement ride system includes a chair assembly within which an occupant is seated during the course of a ride and a pair of upstanding towers fixedly secured to the ground in a spaced relationship. Bungee cords are joined to each side of the chair assembly and have ends which extend toward the upper portions of the tower. By securing the chair assembly to the ground at a ready position and tensioning the bungee cords to a stretched condition, the chair assembly is biased upwardly by the stretched condition of the bungee cords. The system also includes guide rails which cooperate with the chair assembly so that upon release of the chair assembly from its release position, the chair assembly is guided along a preselected path for at least a short period of time following release of the chair assembly to prevent the chair assembly from being thrown through the air by the bungee cords until the chair assembly has been guided along the preselected path.

Abstract: A chair assembly for an amusement ride including a cage and at least one seat mounted within the cage utilizes a five-point harness assembly for securing an occupant within the seat of the chair assembly. The five-point harness assembly includes a release buckle, two strap sections which drape across the shoulders of a seat occupant, two strap sections for extending around the hips of the seat occupant from opposite sides thereof, and a strap section which extends between the legs of the seat occupant. The ends of the strap sections are adapted to cooperatively interlock with the release buckle in a manner which prevents the release of the strap sections therefrom without the aid of a special tool. In addition, the chair assembly includes bearing assemblies mounted on each side of the cage which accommodate the rotation of the cage relative to the remainder of the amusement ride.

Abstract: An amusement ride system includes a chair assembly within which an occupant is seated during the course of a ride and first, second and third upstanding towers fixedly secured to the ground in a spaced and triangular relationship. A first pair of bungee cords are joined to one side of the chair assembly and have ends which extend toward the upper portion of the first tower, and a second pair of bungee cords are joined to the opposite side of the chair assembly and have ends which extend toward the upper portion of the second tower, and a windable cable which is joined to each of the extending ends of the first and second pair of bungee cords for tensioning the bungee cords to a stretched condition.