초록 ▼

A rail assembly is built from three parallel cylindrical members, wherein a first rail provides support for a large wheel. The large wheel has an axle protruding from each side, wherein the outbound side has a frame attached to the axle and a seat attached to the frame. The rail side of the axle co

A rail assembly is built from three parallel cylindrical members, wherein a first rail provides support for a large wheel. The large wheel has an axle protruding from each side, wherein the outbound side has a frame attached to the axle and a seat attached to the frame. The rail side of the axle connects to a second rail acting as a pilot/guide for the travel of the large wheel. A third rail and interconnections provide structural rigidity for the rail assembly. The riders fly through a roller coaster layout sitting only in a seat, facing the passing environment head on at high speeds, thereby experiencing a free flight sensation. A people mover embodiment adds a motor to the wheel to move the wheel along a relatively flat layout. An optional flip means functions to selectively engage the axle with the rotating large wheel (nominally via a reduction gear) to flip the riders 360°. Optionally a group of large wheels can be coupled together to form a train.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A roller coaster ride comprising: a conveyance rail assembly having a conveyance rail and a pilot rail; a wheel rollable over the conveyance rail; said wheel having a hub assembly supporting a rider frame on one side of the wheel and a steerage assembly on an opposite side of the wheel

We claim: 1. A roller coaster ride comprising: a conveyance rail assembly having a conveyance rail and a pilot rail; a wheel rollable over the conveyance rail; said wheel having a hub assembly supporting a rider frame on one side of the wheel and a steerage assembly on an opposite side of the wheel; said rider frame supporting a rider support means functioning to hold a rider during a ride; said steerage assembly having a connection to the pilot rail; wherein the wheel is raised to a high point of the conveyance rail assembly and released to ride along the conveyance rail as guided by the pilot rail; wherein the hub assembly further comprises an axle which provides the exclusive support for the rider frame and the steerage assembly; wherein the axle is the axle of the wheel; wherein the rider support means further comprises a seat which is suspended exclusively by the axle and has no support means beneath it; wherein the steerage assembly further comprises a base with a connection to the hub assembly, said base having a plurality of roller wheels riding on the pilot rail; and wherein the wheel has a diameter of at least about five feet. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hub assembly has a flip means functioning to selectively engage the wheel to the rider frame, thereby flipping the rider frame around the axle of the hub assembly. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a group of wheels coupled together to form a train, wherein each steerage assembly has a coupler. 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flip means further comprises a magnet assembly interlocking the frame to the wheel, wherein a variable distance mechanism moves the frame toward and away from the wheel. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the magnet assembly further comprises a magnet mounted to the frame and stator mounted to the wheel. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the steerage assembly base connection further comprises a plurality of transverse arms, each arm having a roller assembly at each of its ends, and each roller assembly having a plurality of rollers. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveyance assembly further comprises a structural support rail and a bracket interconnecting the structural support rail to the conveyance rail and the pilot rail. 8. An amusement ride comprising: a rail assembly comprising a conveyance rail mounted parallel to a pilot rail; a large wheel rollable on the conveyance rail; said large wheel having an axle supporting a rider frame on one side and a steerage assembly on an opposite side; said axle being the exclusive support for the rider frame; said steerage assembly having a connection to the pilot rail; wherein the rider frame supports a holder for a rider; wherein the steerage assembly further comprises a bracket from the axle to a base which has a plurality of wheels attached to the pilot rail; wherein the rail assembly has a roller coaster layout with a hoist means functioning to raise the large wheel to a high point and release it to travel down the roller coaster layout; and the rider frame having a flip means connected to the axle functioning to selectively engage the rider frame to the large wheel, thereby flipping the rider frame around. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a group of large wheels coupled together to form a train. 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the rail assembly further comprises a structural rail and an interconnection among the structural rail, the conveyance rail and the pilot rail. 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the base further comprises a transverse arm having a roller assembly at each of its ends, said plurality of wheels attached to the roller assemblies. 12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the flip means further comprises a rider operated controller that moves the frame a variable distance from the large wheel, the large wheel having a first member of a magnetic coupler, and the frame having a second member of the magnetic coupler. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first member is a stator, and the second member is a magnet. 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first member of the magnetic coupler further comprises a thrust plate having a cam assembly to move the first member toward and away from the second member of the magnetic coupler, wherein a rider operated controller controls the cam assembly. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the cam assembly further comprises a cam plate affixed to the thrust plate, and the rider operated controller moves an actuator rod through a cam slot in the cam plate. 16. An amusement ride comprising: a rail assembly means functioning to support a conveyance rail and a pilot rail running parallel to each other; a large wheel means functioning to run along the conveyance rail and support a rider conveyance on one side thereof and a steerage assembly means on an opposite side thereof; wherein the steerage assembly means functions to connect the wheel means to the pilot rail to provide guidance and balance for the wheel means; wherein the large wheel means further comprises an axle which supports the rider conveyance and the steerage assembly means and which is the axle of the large wheel means; said axle being the exclusive support for the rider conveyance; wherein the steerage assembly means further comprises a connection from the axle to a base which has a roller connection to the pilot rail; and wherein the rail assembly means further comprises a roller coaster layout with a hoist means functioning to lift the large wheel means to a high point of the layout and release the wheel means to travel down the layout. 17. An amusement ride comprising: a rail assembly means functioning to support a conveyance rail and a pilot rail running parallel to each other; a wheel means functioning to run along the conveyance rail on one side thereof and a steerage assembly means on an opposite side thereof; wherein the steerage assembly means functions to connect the wheel means to the pilot rail to provide guidance and balance for the wheel means; wherein the wheel means further comprises an axle which supports the rider conveyance and the steerage assembly means and about which said wheel means rotates; said axle being the exclusive support for the rider conveyance; wherein the steerage assembly means further comprises a connection from the axle to a base which has a roller connection to the pilot rail; and wherein the wheel means further comprises a motive force means functioning to propel the wheel means along the rail assembly. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the rail assembly means has a relatively flat layout. 19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the wheel means has a diameter of at least about five feet. 20. A conveyance comprising: a wheel having an axle; said axle supporting a rider frame means functioning to support a rider thereon on a first end; said axle being the exclusive support for the rider frame means; a second end of the axle having a wheel support means on the opposite side of the wheel functioning to stabilize the wheel against the weight of the rider frame means; wherein the wheel can travel along a path in an upright manner supporting the rider frame means outbound from the wheel; wherein the path further comprises a support track; and the track mounted wheel support means further comprises a powered steerage assembly means functioning to propel the conveyance around the circular support track; and wherein the wheel is in contact with at least a portion of the path. 21. The conveyance of claim 20, wherein the wheel has a diameter less than or equal to a height of the rider frame means. 22. The conveyance of claim 21, wherein the wheel further comprises an adjoining wheel sharing the same axle. 23. The conveyance of claim 20, wherein the support track further comprises a roller coaster layout. 24. The conveyance of claim 23, wherein the rider frame means further comprises a spin means functioning to controllably spin the rider frame means around in relation to the axle by using a rotational force of the wheel. 25. The conveyance of claim 24, wherein the spin means further comprises a magnetic coupler between the wheel and the rider frame means.