Variably curved track-mounted amusement ride

Abstract

A variably curved track-mounted amusement ride having, in a first embodiment, at least one outside curve and at least one inside curve, each lying substantially within a vertical plane and each having an axis of symmetry which is substantially horizontal. The vertical distance occupied by an outside curve is less than that occupied by an inside curve. The track can retain a cart which runs on the track no matter what the orientation of the body of the cart is with respect to the track. Any means that is well known in the art can be used to raise the cart to the beginning of the track. No portion of the track, except optionally the lowest level, lies directly below at least the farthest outside portion of an outside curve. A second embodiment has only outside curves.

1 . A variably curved track-mounted amusement ride, which comprises: 
 a cart having wheels, a body, and a restraint for one or more passengers;    a track having a beginning, at least one inside curve with such inside curve having a beginning and an end, and at least one outside curve with such outside curve having a beginning, an end, and a farthest outside portion with no portion of said track being directly below at least such farthest outside portion of such outside curve and wherein each inside and outside curve lies substantially within a vertical plane and has an axis of symmetry which is substantially horizontal, said track being capable of retaining said cart no matter what the orientation of the body of said cart is with respect to said track and said track having the beginning and end of each outside curve vertically closer to each other than are the beginning and end of each inside curve; and    a means for raising said cart to the beginning of said track.    
   
   
       2 . A variably curved track-mounted amusement ride, which comprises: 
 a cart having wheels, a body, and a restraint for one or more passengers;    a track having a lowest level, a beginning, at least one inside curve with such inside curve having a beginning and an end, and at least one outside curve with such outside curve having a beginning, an end, and a farthest outside portion with no portion of said track except the lowest level being directly below at least such farthest outside portion of such outside curve and wherein each inside and outside curve lies substantially within a vertical plane and has an axis of symmetry which is substantially horizontal, said track being capable of retaining said cart no matter what the orientation of the body of said cart is with respect to said track and said track having the beginning and end of each outside curve vertically closer to each other than are the beginning and end of each inside curve; and    a means for raising said cart to the beginning of said track.    
   
   
       3 . A variably curved track-mounted amusement ride, which comprises: 
 a cart having wheels, a body, and a restraint for one or more passengers;    a track having a beginning, at least one inside curve with such inside curve having a beginning and an end, and at least one outside curve with such outside curve having a beginning and an end with no portion of said track being directly below such outside curve and wherein each inside and outside curve lies substantially within a vertical plane and has an axis of symmetry which is substantially horizontal, said track being capable of retaining said cart no matter what the orientation of the body of said cart is with respect to said track and said track having the beginning and end of each outside curve vertically closer to each other than are the beginning and end of each inside curve; and    a means for raising said cart to the beginning of said track.    
   
   
       4 . A variably curved track-mounted amusement ride, which comprises: 
 a cart having wheels, a body, and a restraint for one or more passengers;    a track having a lowest level, a beginning, at least one inside curve with such inside curve having a beginning and an end, and at least one outside curve with such outside curve having a beginning and an end with no portion of said track except the lowest level being directly below such outside curve and wherein each inside and outside curve lies substantially within a vertical plane and has an axis of symmetry which is substantially horizontal, said track being capable of retaining said cart no matter what the orientation of the body of said cart is with respect to said track and said track having the beginning and end of each outside curve vertically closer to each other than are the beginning and end of each inside curve; and    a means for raising said cart to the beginning of said track.    
   
   
       5 . A variably curved track-mounted amusement ride, which comprises: 
 a cart having wheels, a body, and a restraint for one or more passengers;    a track having a beginning, an orientation, and at least one outside curve with such outside curve having a beginning, an end, and a farthest outside portion with no portion of said track being directly below at least such farthest outside portion of such outside curve and wherein each outside curve lies substantially within a vertical plane and has an axis of symmetry which is substantially horizontal, said track being capable of retaining said cart no matter what the orientation of the body of said cart is with respect to said track and wherein said track rolls to invert its orientation after each such outside curve; and    a means for raising said cart to the beginning of said track.    
   
   
       6 . A variably curved track-mounted amusement ride, which comprises: 
 a cart having wheels, a body, and a restraint for one or more passengers;    a track having a lowest level, a beginning, an orientation, and at least one outside curve with such outside curve having a beginning, an end, and a farthest outside portion with no portion of said track except the lowest level being directly below at least such farthest outside portion of such outside curve and wherein each outside curve lies substantially within a vertical plane and has an axis of symmetry which is substantially horizontal, said track being capable of retaining said cart no matter what the orientation of the body of said cart is with respect to said track and wherein said track rolls to invert its orientation after each such outside curve; and    a means for raising said cart to the beginning of said track.    
   
   
       7 . A variably curved track-mounted amusement ride, which comprises: 
 a cart having wheels, a body, and a restraint for one or more passengers;    a track having a beginning, an orientation, and at least one outside curve with such outside curve having a beginning and an end with no portion of said track being directly below such outside curve and wherein each outside curve lies substantially within a vertical plane and has an axis of symmetry which is substantially horizontal, said track being capable of retaining said cart no matter what the orientation of the body of said cart is with respect to said track and wherein said track rolls to invert its orientation after each such outside curve; and    a means for raising said cart to the beginning of said track.    
   
   
       8 . A variably curved track-mounted amusement ride, which comprises: 
 a cart having wheels, a body, and a restraint for one or more passengers;    a track having a lowest level, a beginning, an orientation, and at least one outside curve with such outside curve having a beginning and an end with no portion of said track except the lowest level being directly below such outside curve and wherein each outside curve lies substantially within a vertical plane and has an axis of symmetry which is substantially horizontal, said track being capable of retaining said cart no matter what the orientation of the body of said cart is with respect to said track and wherein said track rolls to invert its orientation after each such outside curve; and    a means for raising said cart to the beginning of said track.