Abstract: Cable driven racing boats compete in a simulated race including forward and return heats. In the forward heat, the racing boats are accelerated along parallel guide channels from a forward launch station into a shallow splash lake, and then hydroplane to a forward heat finish line. In the return heat, the racing boats are accelerated through the same guide channels from a return launch station located on the opposite end of the splash lake. Passengers continue to face the reverse launch station as the racing boats plunge into the shallow splash lake and hydroplane to the return heat finish line. The racing boats are stabilized by centering wheels and by guide rollers that travel along the guide channels. The racing boats are clamped onto the drive cables, and the guide rollers are mounted for rotation on tow bars that are pivotally coupled to the drive cables.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating an animated display with an ornamental object that incorporates a unique combination of motions and appearances which can be controlled and choreographed with the use of a computer or other control devices. One specific embodiment is a tree-like sculpture which can be instructed to move and dance along with selected music for purposes of entertainment. The apparatus is capable of making many different motions including linear movement, spinning, swaying, bobbing, expanding, and tumbling.

Abstract: Disclosed are improved, unpredictably tumbleable capsule structures that are loosely internally provided with weighty rollable spherical ball, whereby such improved capsule is adapted to unpredictably compete with identical tumbleable capsule structures along downwardly-inclined ramps. Such improved tumbleable capsule structures are preferably circularly symmetrical about a directionally longitudinally extending horizontal central-axis and also about a central vertical-plane, and having uniquely ratioed capsule housing and interior rollable sphere interdimensional parameter values. Ancillarily disclosed are improved topically-textured and judicially-inclined racing ramps and ramp starting gates, all devoted toward enhancing unpredictable racing capability for a plurality of identically constructed internally-weighted tumbleable capsule structures along downwardly-extending ramps.

Abstract: An apparatus and method in which a vehicle is guided along a path defined by a centerline and left and right boundaries parallel to and spaced laterally on opposite sides thereof and in which a passenger in the vehicle can steer it for lateral movement between the boundaries. The method and apparatus utilize an electrical conductor to define the center of the pathway and a sensor for sensing the position of the vehicle relative to the electrical conductor. Based on a comparison of the position of the vehicle and the steering command received from the passenger, as well as the steer angle position of the vehicle, the vehicle is confined to a predetermined envelope, while permitting the passenger to steer the vehicle within the envelope.

Abstract: A toy vehicle and track assembly includes an electrically operable vehicle for movement along an elongate flexible track of a predetermined length having flexible electrical conductors along the longitudinal extent thereof. The vehicle is configured for an actual direction of travel and an apparent direction of travel and includes an arrangement for maintaining the actual direction of travel coincident with the apparent direction of travel. Power is supplied to the vehicle through a hand-held controller wired to a power application device which clamps on the track. The track may be formed with one of several cross-sectional configurations providing additional surfaces for the placement of conductive electric strips which apply power to the vehicle and to optional auxiliary systems within the vehicle. A plurality of mounting tunnels are provided to allow the track to be erected in a number of predetermined circuit designs and, optionally, power may be applied to the track through one of the mounting tunnels.

Abstract: A dynamic ride vehicle for executing a sequence of distinct motion patterns and for providing unique ride experiences in an amusement park attraction or other environment includes a movable chassis and a body having a passenger seating area. A motion apparatus, including computer controlled actuators, imparts motion to the body along a plurality of axes independent of any motion of the chassis as it moves along a path. As the vehicle travels along the path, articulation of the body and appropriate steering of the vehicle enables the vehicle to execute, in cooperation with the motion apparatus, a sequence of distinct motion patterns. Execution of the motion patterns enhances the passengers' sensation of vehicle movement that is actually taking place, as well as the sensation of a realistic moving ride vehicle experience that is actually not happening.

Abstract: The present invention provides an amusement ride having a self-propelled electric powered ride vehicle capable of maximum acceleration of about 0.3 to as much as about 1.1 G's in either direction using a unique pinch wheel drive system, and including an on board vehicle controller and peripheral equipment for controlling the vehicle. The pinch wheel drive system, which compresses driven wheel motor packages against a tractive surface, generates compression using a system which is independent of the vehicle's weight and motion. A master controller is provided for ride systems having multiple self-propelled vehicles on the same track for communicating with and coordinating the movement of the ride vehicles. This allows precise control of multiple ride vehicles to allow faster dispatch and shorter intervehicular spacings by implementing a floating zone control.

Abstract: A transport system for moving along a track on a support surface. The system includes a body, a guide system and a powered self-steering caster assembly. The guide system cooperates with the track to apply lateral forces to the body to guide it along a predetermined path when a propulsive force is applied to the body. The powered self-steering caster assembly has a pivot joint and a wheel driven by a motor. The wheel has a center of rotation and is rotatably mounted to engage the support surface and roll in a forward direction. The pivot joint is mounted to the body to allow the wheel to pivot about a predetermined axis intersecting the support surface forward of the engagement between the wheel and the support surface. The wheel drives the body and pivots in response to frictional side slip forces between the wheel and the support surface without restraint from a steering linkage.

Abstract: A toy monorail system supports a shuttle craft chassis with a figurine attached. An electric motor picks up power from wire contacts for propelling the chassis along the monorail track. The shuttle craft is readily placed on and lifted from the monorail track. Stable positioning of the shuttle craft chassis is assured by a pair of guidebars and guide wheels extended from the body of the chassis against the rear side of the monorail. The track is supported by four one-piece bracing arms. The bracing arms slide into positioning recesses of a two-piece central mounting clamp which is supported alternately by a base or other support member.

Abstract: An inclined elevator compreses a traveling chain, rope or cable with one or more push devices fixed to it at intervals.The elevator is intended for bicyclists or similar manned vehicles and is designed for installation in inclined streets, pedes-trian tracks or in separate tracks specially designed for the purpose.The elevator chain, cable or rope is running in a conduit with a slot for extension of the push device. The conduit is permanently installed on the ground. The push device is either running hidden inside the conduit on the ground, or, when in use, running on top of the conduit.During operation the bicyclist is sitting on the bicycle, and the bicycle is rolled, pushed and guided on its own wheels.The push device of the elevator can easily be adapted to wheelchairs, wheel wagons or similar vehicle.

Abstract: To provide a railroad car design that allows the car to travel at high speeds over current roadbeds at very low fuel costs per mile a special rail is formed. This rail has the form of a wave shaped on its top with the troughs and crests of the wave repeating themselves every several feet apart continuously down both tracks for the whole distance of the railroad. When a wheel of this multi-wheeled car comes over the crest of a wave it has encountered as it moves down this wave formed track, the wheel immediately begins supporting its computer calculated portion of the weight of the car on a cushion of air pressure forced into its supporting air cylinder at that moment and rolls down the face of the wave in its desired direction of travel.

Abstract: An amusement ride for humans which is constructed to include a plurality of separate tracks located in a side-by-side relationship. On each track is located a vehicle, with this vehicle including a propulsion system which is activated and controlled by a human operator located within the vehicle. The vehicle is mounted in conjunction with a track which keeps each vehicle confined to its particular track and permits the vehicle to move between a Start position and Finish position on the track. Associated with each track is an automatic brake system to stop the vehicle. Each track is composed of a plurality of separate guide rail sections which are located in a spaced apart arrangement with the separate guide rail sections being mounted in an in-line manner within the track. A guide blade is mounted on each vehicle and is to connect with each of these guide rail sections as the vehicle moves along the track.

Abstract: This disclosure provides to a ride vehicle for used in an amusement attraction. The ride vehicle mounts a structure upon a hydraulically-actuated motion base, so that the passenger holding structure may be articulated about one or more axes as the vehicle moves. Thus, this "simulator ride" carries passengers through three-dimensional scenery and articulates the passenger holding structure in synchronism with motions of the ride vehicle, the motions of moving show sets, which are external to the vehicle, sound, projection and other effects. The ride vehicle is programmably-controlled, and derives electrical power from a track mounted power bus to drive vehicle hydraulics, which drive motion base actuation, steering and vehicle velocity.

Abstract: To provide a compact stiff structure for a roller coaster, main bearing posts (3) are coupled at one end to support elements (1, 35) and at other ends to a closed path track (4) on which passenger cars can move. The track is formed of successive sections which present a spatial figure of varying curvature. These sections form, selectively, passenger loading and unloading sections (22, 23, 24); a hoisting section (8), a descending section (10), in the direction of the travel of the car, downstream of a peak point (9), spiral, S-shaped, and turn sections (20, 21, 50, 51, 52) and, further, a closed loop (17) arranged in, essentially, a vertical plane. The peak (18) of the loop (17) is located below peaks (9, 15) of ascending and descending sections, and the track sections above the loop are coupled to the loop by additional stiff posts (19).

Abstract: A motorized amusement device especially designed for infants is provided. The device includes a truck assembly for securing a pre-existing infant support device such as a car seat. A reconfigurable track assembly is provided so that the device can be used without rearranging existing decor. The device can be operated by remote control and includes aumtomatic safety features.

Abstract: A track traveling system for enabling a two-wheeled vehicle to travel along a single rail of a railroad track has an elongated guide component (18) having vertically spaced apart guidance surfaces (24, 26) and a stabilizer component (20) that has a proximal end (28) releasably couplable to the axle and fork of a bicycle and a distal end (36) that has confronting rollers to movably bear against the vertically spaced apart guidance surfaces (24, 26) whereby the elongated guide component (18) and stabilizer component (20) cooperate to stabilize and guide the two-wheeled vehicle along a single rail of a railroad track.

Abstract: A lateral energy absorbing device for an amusement ride vehicle includes a vehicle chassis with a driver for moving the vehicle along a path, and a vehicle body having an area for holding one or more passengers. Appropriate steering mechanisms are provided to permit lateral motion of the vehicle with respect to the path. The lateral energy absorbing device comprises an actuator having one end pivotally connected to the chassis and another end pivotally connected to a follower apparatus adapted to follow a predetermined route along the path. The actuator includes an energy absorber for limiting the lateral travel of the vehicle and for absorbing lateral kinetic energy of the vehicle when its lateral motion with respect to the path reaches or exceeds a predetermined distance.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a playground carriage (10) is provided for moving people (100) from one play area to another. The playground carriage comprises a rotatable support pipe (12) having a first end (14) and a second end (16). The support pipe extends between a first vertical column (18) and a second vertical column (20). A manually-operated crank (22) having a first end (24) and a second end (26) is also included. The manually-operated crank extends between the first vertical column and a third vertical column (48). The first end of the crank is coupled to the first end of the support pipe so that manually turning the crank rotates the support pipe. A carriage (28) for carrying people is mounted to the support pipe. The carriage is advanced along the support pipe by a carrier (30).

Abstract: A spring-supported electric contact device including a track mounting sapce in a lower part of a vehicle body for a flexible track passing through, a seesaw plastic frame pivotably fastened in an open chamber in the vehicle body beneath the track mounting space and having one end supported on a conical spring, an electric contact assembly consisted of two spaced pairs of contact nails electrical connected to the motor drive by an electric wire and fastened to the seesaw plastic frame and constantly disposed in contact with respective metallic electrical conductor strips on the flexible track to connect DC electricity supplied by a DC adapted from city power to the motor drive.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for moving passengers in and out of an amusement ride of the type having a passenger cabin capable of movement in multiple degrees of freedom within an enclosure. The cabin includes ingress doors on one side of the cabin and egress doors on the other side to admit and discharge passengers from seats within the cabin. Another set of ingress and egress doors are provided on opposite sides of the enclosure in respective alignment with the ingress and egress doors of the cabin when the cabin is at rest in a loading position. A plurality of ingress and egress platforms, located outside the operating envelope of the cabin when the cabin is in motion, are adapted to be moved to a deployed position when the cabin is in the loading position to connect the ingress and egress doors of the enclosure with the ingress and egress doors of the cabin. In this way, movement of passengers in and out of the cabin, which is spaced from the enclosure, is provided in a rapid and orderly fashion.

Abstract: A diverse variety of high speed gravity cableway rides in which a rider on a pulley block car descends a mountainside and generally stops by frictional forces, due to the design of the cable arc, before hitting the lower cable support point. In some forms, the rider may control his speed with a braking device and use a ski-lift to return to the top of the hill. In all form suitably safe embarking and disembarking platforms or procedures are employed.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for moving passengers in and out of an amusement ride of the type having a passenger cabin capable of movement in multiple degrees of freedom within an enclosure. The cabin includes ingress doors on one side of the cabin and egress doors on the other side to admit and discharge passengers from seats within the cabin. Another set of ingress and egress doors are provided on opposite sides of the enclosure in respective alignment with the ingress and egress doors of the cabin when the cabin is at rest in a loading position. A plurality of ingress and egress platforms, located outside the operating envelope of the cabin when the cabin is in motion, are adapted to be moved to a deployed position when the cabin is in the loading position to connect the ingress and egress doors of the enclosure with the ingress and egress doors of the cabin. In this way, movement of passengers in and out of the cabin, which is spaced from the enclosure, is provided in a rapid and orderly fashion.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for moving passengers in and out of an amusement ride of the type having a passenger cabin capable of movement in multiple degrees of freedom within an enclosure. The cabin includes ingrees doors on one side of the cabin and egress doors on the other side to admit and discharge passengers from seats within the cabin. Another set of ingress and egress doors are provided on opposite sides of the enclosure in respective alignment with the ingress and egress doors of the cabin when the cabin is at rest in a loading position. A plurality of ingress and egress platforms, located outside the operating envelope of the cabin when the cabin is in motion, are adapted to be moved to a deployed position when the cabin is in the loading position to connect the ingress and egress doors of the enclosure with the ingress and egress doors of the cabin. In this way, movement of passengers in and out of the cabin, which is spaced from the enclosure, is provided in a rapid and orderly fashion.

Abstract: A portable amusement ride incorporates a multi-functional trailer which can serve for hauling the amusement ride, when disassembled, and serve as an elevated track portion of the ride, when assembled. Electrically powered vehicles are guided and powered over an electrified track having a main enclosed path, and an alternate loading area for discharge and pick up of passengers. Automatic launch and vehicle exit features between the main path and loading area prevent vehicle collisions, with minimum requisite operator activity. A pick-up assembly carried on the vehicle both guides and electrically powers the vehicle as it moves over the track. The track has an electrified pair of members also forming a guidance channel in which the pick-up assembly from the vehicle is received. The configuration of the pick-up assembly and its interaction with the electrified guidance channel causes proper electrical pick-up substantially regardless of the terrain formed by the track over which the vehicle travels.

Abstract: A bicycle monorail system is provided and consists of a series of bicycles which are to be peddled by riders to run about an elevated monorail track having an irregular continuous path. Each bicycle includes a structure thereon to prevent another bicycle from behind to bump into it.

Abstract: A portable amusement ride incorporates a multi-functional trailer which can serve for hauling the amusement ride, when disassembled, and serve as an elevated track portion of the ride, when assembled. Electrically powered vehicles are guided and powered over an electrified track having a main enclosed path, and an alternate loading area for discharge and pick up of passengers. Automatic launch and vehicle exit features between the main path and loading area prevent vehicle collisions, with minimum requisite operator activity. A pick-up assembly carried on the vehicle both guides and electrically powers the vehicle as it moves over the track. The track has an electrified pair of members also forming a guidance channel in which the pick-up assembly from the vehicle is received. The configuration of the pick-up assembly and its interaction with the electrified guidance channel causes proper electrical pick-up substantially regardless of the terrain formed by the track over which the vehicle travels.

Abstract: An educational amusement apparatus forms a large building structure having an external appearance simulating a man and a woman resting partially under a blanket, wherein riders are taken through a succession of cavities that simulate internal organs of the man and woman. Entrance to a head chamber simulating an oral cavity is achieved by a stairway supported by a simulated arm of the man, the oral cavity having displays of teeth in normal and abnormal conditions, and serving as a staging area for a train to carry the riders.

Abstract: The present invention is a toy vehicle upon which a child may ride and propel the vehicle forwardly by merely oscillating a swingable lever. The toy vehicle incorporates a drive operated by oscillating a swingable lever, and wherein forward propulsion is applied to the drive wheel by swinging the lever in both directions as the lever is being oscillated. The swingable oscillatable lever rotatably oscillates a drive pulley connected to an endless belt. When turned in one direction, the pulley tightens and drives the somewhat slack belt and propels the drive wheel forwardly. When the pulley is turned in the other direction, the pulley again tightens the belt and again propels the drive wheel forwardly.

Abstract: A therapeutic apparatus for relieving sexual frustrations in women without sex partners which includes a generally rectangular, substantially flat, platform with a pair of longitudinal rails mounted along the axis of the platform. A housing includes a lower flange for being operatively received within continuous slots formed at the lateral interior of the rails for constraining the movement of the housing to back and forth reciprocal motion between the tracks. An assembly is mounted to the front of the housing which includes an elongated, generally cylindrical artificial penis for simulating the look and feel of an erect human male's penis and an annular pad of relatively soft material disposed adjacent the front of the housing and about the base of the artificial penis for simulating the look and feel of a male's pubic hair.

Abstract: To enable a passenger to ride a "roller coaster" in a standing position, the inventive device includes a seat placed between the legs of the passenger, a back member with a headrest incorporated in it, and two harnesses which provide retention of the passenger from above as well as lateral retention of his head and good front and lateral retention of his body. One of the harnesses is movable and can be swung upwardly to enable easy access to the subject device by the passenger and to enable a ventral bar to be brought into tight contact with the passenger's abdomen before being locked shut in that position. Because the sliding carriage which bears the two harnesses, the back member and the seat are displaceable and lockable along the columns which have their base fixed to the chassis of the train, the present invention can accommodate passengers of different heights and sizes and reliably retain such passengers regardless of their orientation in space during the operation of the associated roller coaster.

Abstract: An amusement ride installation of a closed track figure eight configuration has passenger carriers suspended to swing from a plurality of support rods pivotally mounted to a single carriage. Each carriage has a frame made of transverse and longitudinal members with a lower longitudinal member having a raised middle part wherein the vehicle suspending support rods are pivotally mounted. U-shaped yokes affixed to the frame with universal joints, hold at least two wheel groups, which comprise running rollers and guide rollers riding on rails. Also connected to the frame are V-shaped struts which support drive spars having brake flanges, and damping cylinders which damp oscillations of the pivoting support rods using a toothed rack assembly. Elastic couplings are provided to connect adjacent carriages.

Abstract: A track having spaced, parallel edges, including a plurality of adjacent curves facing in different directions and connections between the curves, around which a frame carrying an object, such as simulating a racing car, a greyhound, a horse, a camel or the like, is moved by gravity when the track is tipped. An inner panel has an outer contour providing the inner edge of the track, while an outer panel has an inner contour providing the outer edge of the track. The frame on which the object is mounted carries a pair of wheels engaging both the bottom and the top of the track at each side. The frame also carries a pair of circular, rotatable ball bearings mounted for rotation in the plane of the track panels and engageable alternatively with the opposed edges of the track for guiding the object around the track. The spacing between the track edges is slightly greater than the diameter of the ball bearings, to provide clearance.

Abstract: A track-traveling four-wheel vehicle is arranged such that pedalling power of a passenger is transmitted to rear wheels as drive wheels through a chain, and the rear wheels and front wheels as driven wheels roll along two rails. The vehicle has: frames constituting a rectangular body; a swing frame arranged such that an L-shaped end portion is pivotally mounted in the middle portion of the rear frame through a vertical shaft and the other L-shaped end portion extends along the longitudinal direction of the body, the swing frame being supported to swing in a horizontal plane; and a driven wheel support frame pivotally supported at the distal end portion of said swing frame. The front frame is slidably supported in the vicinity of the distal end portion of the swing frame through a sliding support mechanism.

Abstract: An amusement ride loading terminal having a revolving circular platform is provided for continuous loading of passengers into a series of moving circular vehicles. The platform cooperates with an endless track conveyer to keep the vehicles revolving with the platform without individual vehicles spinning or rotating on their own axis. The conveyer has a vertically disposed conveying surface with an arcuate contact portion displaced from and concentric with the periphery of the circular platform. The track conveyer is operated to provide an arcuate velocity to the contact surface equal to the equivalent extended diameter of the circular platform, wherein the vehicles engage the periphery of the platform and the arcuate contact portion of the conveyer and are moved with the platform a portion of a revolution without roll or spin, for convenient loading of passengers into vehicles.

Abstract: The invention provides a standing position support apparatus having: a standing position support column for holding a passenger in an upright posture on a main body of a vehicle which rolls or orbits along a track; a height-adjusting frame which is disposed at the standing position support column to be vertically movable therealong and adjusted at a proper position in accordance with the height of the passenger and which has a locking mechanism for locking the height-adjusting frame; and a body safety support mechanism having a pair of right and left shoulder holders which are free to pivot and support the upper half of the body (e.g., surrounding of the shoulders) of the passenger, a saddle for supporting the pelvic portion of the body, and an abdominal support for supporting the lower torso of the passenger. With the standing room apparatus, the passenger can be safely held to stand on the main body while it is in motion and can enjoy thrilling excitement as if he were standing on the main body by himself.

Abstract: An amusement ride has an endless path defined by a rail from which the vehicle is suspended by a strut which, at its upper end, is swingable in a deformable frame on a yoke which is likewise pivotal on this frame and carries stirrups by which brackets are pivotally mounted in the carriage. The brackets carry the running and guide rollers. A pair of air springs in the form of bellows cylinders is braced between the strut and the yoke.

Abstract: A carousel and a small train are combined to form a ride system for amusement parks, landscape gardens, zoological gardens or exhibition grounds. The system comprises an automotive train consisting of a plurality of cars adapted to carry seats for the users and a device for periodically coupling the front end to the tail end of the train. The train travels on a composite route comprising a circular track joined to a complex path of travel.

Abstract: An amusement ride has rails defining a longitudinal travel direction along which a car is displaceable. A longitudinally extending drive member secured to this car is engageable by drive members which rotate to displace the car along the rails in the longitudinal direction. This member comprises at least two generally parallel, longitudinally extending, and vertically spaced chains each formed of a longitudinal succession of links and a plurality of longitudinally succeeding rigid segments each having a pair of transversely bolted-together halves flanking the chains. The halves of each segment are complementarily formed to and encase a respective plurality of the chain links.

Abstract: An electric motor driven toy train is disclosed which has a novel wheel and track assembly for minimizing slippage and avoiding binding between the train's wheels and the track as the train goes around a curve section of the track. The train's wheels are each stepped in cross-section with a small diameter rim and a large diameter rim, and the wheels ride on track sections with rails that are also stepped in cross-section. The inside rail of a curve track section is structured so that only the inside train wheels' small diameter rims ride thereover, and the outside rail is structured so that only the outside wheels' large diameter rims ride thereover. The train comprises multiple cars, each of which is articulated about a vertical axis and each of which has only a single axle so as to minimize the turning radius of the train set. A child sits upon the second car, the coal tender, and steers the first car, the locomotive of the set.

Abstract: A bumper car amusement ride includes a floor to which is adhesively bonded over their entire under surfaces a plurality of elongated electrically conductive plates separated by electrically non-conductive strips and with adjacent plates connected across a source of alternating current. A bumper car is supported for movement over the plates and strips by a pair of laterally spaced drive wheels and a pair of longitudinally spaced caster wheels, each of the drive wheels being coupled to the reversible, variable speed output of a hydrostatic transmission, the inputs of which are both coupled to the output of a direct current constant speed electric motor. The motor is connected through a rectifier to a plurality of contacts mounted on the car for sliding engagement with the floor plates.

Abstract: Apparatus for storing plate-like members in a compact volume in upright position, and for removing those members from storage and laying them in a horizontal series and returning the members to storage, is useful for example in the laying of a support for supporting amusement vehicles, for example in a traveling fair or circus. A vertically swinging assembly separates the members one by one from storage and swings them down to horizontal position and then pushes them so that each member pushes in front of it, along the trackway, the members previously deposited. The members are stored in pendant relationship on inclined tracks that terminate downwardly in an abutment, which ensure their sequential but groupwise feeding to the position at which the vertically swinging assembly engages them, lifts them out of contact with the abutment, and then lowers them.

Abstract: A track section for model vehicles adapted to be interconnected with like adjacent track sections includes a longitudinally extending body having a top wall, first and second end faces and first and second sides. First and second teeth extend transversely from the body proximate the sides and the end faces in transversely opposite directions away from the centers of the end faces. First and second receiving members are fixed relative to the body proximate the sides and the end faces, each receiving member defining a recess adapted to receive a corresponding tooth of a like adjacent track section. First and second transverse flexion stabilizing members project longitudinally outward relative to the respective first and second receiving members. First and second lugs are mounted to the sides of the body proximate the teeth, each lug defining a cavity adapted to receive a corresponding transverse flexion stabilizing member of a like adjacent track section.