Amusement Activity Station

Abstract

An amusement activity station enables a user participant to move, manipulate, reposition or pick-up and release machine-movable objects to entertain or effect amusement among user participants. The activity station includes an object mover apparatus and an operator station. The mover apparatus includes a pedestal portion, a movable boom apparatus, and an operator extension. The pedestal portion is anchored to at least one support surface, and the boom apparatus extends away from the pedestal portion on a first side thereof. The operator extension extends into the operator station as spaced from the pedestal portion and supports a control station for controlling the boom apparatus and mover arrangement. The mover arrangement is operably configured to selectively move at least one object at the first side within an object movement space via the control station. The boom apparatus is variously movable within the object movement space for repositioning objects.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An amusement activity station, the amusement activity station for enabling a user to move machine-movable objects, the amusement activity station comprising:
 an object mover apparatus comprising a pedestal portion, a movable boom apparatus, and an operator extension, the pedestal portion extending in a pedestal plane and being anchored to at least one support surface, the movable boom apparatus extending away from the pedestal plane on a first side thereof and comprising a pedestal interface and object mover arrangement, the pedestal interface being adjacent the pedestal plane and the object mover arrangement being positioned in spaced relation relative to the pedestal plane, the pedestal interface being anchored to the pedestal portion; and   an operator station, the operator extension extending into the operator station in spaced relation relative to the object mover apparatus and supporting a control station for controlling the movable boom apparatus and object mover arrangement, the object mover arrangement being operably configured to selectively move at least one object at the first side within an object movement space via the control station, the movable boom apparatus being pivotal about at least one horizontal pivot axis and at least one vertical pivot axis for vertically and horizontally moving within the object movement space on the first side of the pedestal plane via the control station, the user, via the control station at the operator station, thereby being enabled to move machine-movable objects within the object movement space.   
     
     
         2 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 1  wherein the object mover arrangement is characterized by a pincher mechanism, the pincher mechanism being configured to selectively pinch and release at least one object at the first side within the object movement space. 
     
     
         3 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 2  wherein the pincher mechanism is operably configured to pinch and release the at least one object via a pincher hydraulic mechanism. 
     
     
         4 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 3  wherein the pincher mechanism is rotatable about a pincher axis of rotation as enabled by a rotary actuator hydraulic mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 1  wherein the pedestal portion comprises an upright member, the pedestal interface comprising a lower attachment point and an upper attachment point, the lower and upper attachment points being attached to the upright member. 
     
     
         6 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 5  wherein the pedestal portion comprises a pair of laterally opposed stabilizer legs at the pedestal plane, the pair of laterally opposed stabilizer legs extending downwardly from the upright member to a ground support surface. 
     
     
         7 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 6  wherein the pair of laterally opposed stabilizer legs extend obliquely relative to the upright member. 
     
     
         8 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 7  wherein the pair of laterally opposed stabilizer legs are each configured to pivot about a leg pivot axis of rotation for supporting the pedestal portion on opposite sides of the upright member at the ground support surface. 
     
     
         9 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 6  wherein the upright member is anchored to a raised pedestal support structure, the raised pedestal support structure extending upwardly from the ground support surface intermediate the stabilizer legs in spaced relation thereto. 
     
     
         10 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 9  wherein the upright member is configured to pivot about a vertical pivot axis by way of a rotary actuator hydraulic mechanism supported by the raised pedestal support structure and controlled by the control station. 
     
     
         11 . An amusement activity station for enabling a user to move machine-movable objects comprising:
 an object mover apparatus comprising a pedestal portion, a movable boom apparatus, and an operator extension, the pedestal portion being anchored to at least one support surface, the movable boom apparatus extending away from the pedestal portion in spaced relation relative to the operator extension and comprising an object mover arrangement at a distal end thereof; and   an operator station, the operator extension extending into the operator station and supporting a control station for controlling the movable boom apparatus and object mover arrangement, the object mover arrangement being operably configured to selectively move at least one object, the movable boom apparatus being movable in at least one of a horizontal and vertical direction within an object movement space via the control station, the user, via the control station at the operator station, thereby being enabled to move machine-movable objects within the object movement space.   
     
     
         12 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 11  wherein the object mover arrangement is characterized by a pincher mechanism, the pincher mechanism being configured to selectively pinch and release at least one object within the object movement space. 
     
     
         13 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 12  wherein the pincher mechanism is operably configured to pinch and release the at least one object via a pincher hydraulic mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 13  wherein the pincher mechanism is rotatable about a pincher axis of rotation as enabled by a rotary actuator hydraulic mechanism. 
     
     
         15 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 11  wherein the pedestal portion comprises at least two stabilizer legs, the at least two stabilizer legs extending downwardly from the pedestal portion to a ground support surface. 
     
     
         16 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 15  wherein the stabilizer legs extend obliquely relative to the pedestal portion. 
     
     
         17 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 16  wherein the stabilizer legs are each configured to pivot about a leg pivot axis of rotation for supporting the pedestal portion on opposite sides of the pedestal portion at the ground support surface. 
     
     
         18 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 11  wherein the pedestal portion is anchored to a raised pedestal support structure, the raised pedestal support structure extending upwardly from the ground support surface intermediate the stabilizer legs in spaced relation thereto. 
     
     
         19 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 18  wherein an upright member of the pedestal portion is configured to pivot about a vertical pivot axis as supported by the raised pedestal support structure and controlled by the control station. 
     
     
         20 . The amusement activity station according to  claim 19  wherein the upright member is configured to pivot about the vertical pivot axis by way of a rotary actuator hydraulic mechanism.