Park ride with drop swing propulsion

Abstract

A park ride for use in theme parks, amusement parks, and other settings. The new ride includes a track defining a ride path for a passenger vehicle (or multiple vehicles that may be linked in a train). The vehicle is configured, such as with a bogie assembly with two to four or more wheels, to roll upon and engage the track. The ride includes a drop swing propulsion system that is adapted to drop a section of track upon which the passenger vehicle is supported from a first elevation to a second elevation that is lower than the first elevation. The dropping motion involves swinging the track with a linkage assembly, which with other components of the system may form a four-bar linkage, so as to impart a propelling force on the vehicle to move it along an exit track section provided at the second, lower elevation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of propelling a vehicle along a ride having different track levels, the method comprising:
 receiving a vehicle on a linkage track section under a perceived motion of the vehicle, the linkage track section coupled to a linkage assembly and configured to move between the different track levels; and   causing a movement of the linkage assembly to move the vehicle between the different track levels, wherein the movement is configured to continue the perceived motion of the vehicle without stopping a motion of the vehicle along the ride.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising capturing, by a retention mechanism, the vehicle on the linkage track section, wherein the retention mechanism holds the vehicle on the linkage track section such that relative motion between the vehicle and the linkage track section is zero. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the causing the movement of the linkage assembly occurs before or while the vehicle decelerates on the linkage track section. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the causing the movement of the linkage assembly comprises dropping and swinging the linkage track section between the different track levels. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the dropping and swinging is initiated to avoid halting motion of the vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the causing the movement of the linkage assembly comprises:
 rotating the linkage assembly through a rotation angle; and   retaining the linkage track section in a horizontal plane during the movement.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising releasing the vehicle from the linkage track section to propel the vehicle along the ride. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the causing the movement of the linkage assembly comprises imparting an energy to the vehicle to propel the vehicle along the ride. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the imparting the energy comprises transferring a potential energy of the vehicle at a higher elevation into kinetic energy of the vehicle at a lower elevation. 
     
     
         10 . A method of propelling a vehicle along a ride path having an upper track level and a lower track level, the method comprising:
 receiving, at the upper track level, a vehicle on a linkage track section, the linkage track section configured to move between the upper and lower track levels;   moving the linkage track section from the upper track level to the lower track level, wherein the moving generates an energy for the vehicle; and   releasing, at the lower track level, the vehicle to travel upon the ride path using, for propulsion, the energy generated by the moving the linkage track section from the upper track level to the lower track level.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the moving the linkage track section comprises dropping the linkage track section from the upper track level to the lower track level. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the dropping comprises swinging the linkage track section with a swing arm assembly to provide a propelling force to the vehicle to move along the lower track level. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the swing arm assembly comprises a four-bar linkage. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the moving the linkage track section is configured to transfer a potential energy of the vehicle at the upper track level into a kinetic energy at the lower track level. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the vehicle enters the linkage track section at the upper track level at a first speed;   the vehicle leaves the linkage track section at the lower track level at a second speed; and   the second speed is greater than the first speed.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the moving the linkage track section continues a perceived motion of the vehicle without stopping a motion of the vehicle along the ride path. 
     
     
         17 . A method of propelling a vehicle along a ride having an upper track level and a lower track level, the method comprising:
 receiving, at the upper track level, a vehicle on a linkage track section under a perceived motion of the vehicle, the linkage track section coupled to a linkage assembly and configured to move between the upper and lower track levels;   causing a movement of the linkage assembly to move the linkage track section from the upper track level to the lower track level, wherein the movement is configured to:
 continue the perceived motion of the vehicle without stopping a motion of the vehicle along the ride, and 
 generate an energy for the vehicle; and 
   releasing, at the lower track level, the vehicle to travel off the linkage track section using, for propulsion, the energy generated by the movement of the linkage track section from the upper track level to the lower track level.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the causing the movement of the linkage assembly comprises dropping and swinging the linkage track section from the upper track level to the lower track level. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising retaining the linkage track section in a horizontal plane during the movement. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising holding the vehicle on the linkage track section such that relative motion between the vehicle and the linkage track section is zero during the movement.