Amusement device for simulating weightlessness

Claim 1

A device for simulating weightlessness comprising: a base; a ring supported for rotation on a horizontal axis; a frame supported by said ring for rotation on a second axis at right angles to said horizontal axis; a passenger seat so supported by said frame for rotation therewith that at least one of said axes will pass through the body of a passenger occupying said seat; said frame comprising portions that are gripable by a passenger occupying said seat; means for securing a passenger to said seat so confining the passenger's feet each within a different restricted area that a force may be directed against said frame in either of two directions by the passenger's feet whereby said portions being so disposed that reactive forces produced by movements of the passenger's body will be transmitted to said frame and ring; said portions include handles attached to adjoining parts of the frame at spaced positions; said frame comprises a pair of circular members coupled together at right angles surrounding said seat and pivotally connected to the inside of said ring as a unitary revolving cage; said seat is so located that both of said axes will pass through the body of the passenger or such person as may be occupying said seat; a pair of blocks are secured to said ring at diametrically opposite positions having said second axis passing therethrough; said cage comprises (a) a pair of hubs each having a stub shaft journaled in one of said blocks and (b) a pair of outwardly bowed bars constituting one of said pair of circular members each having one end rigidly affixed to one of said hubs and the other end rigidly affixed to the other of said hubs; a second pair of outwardly bowed bars constituting the other of said pair of circular members, each having one end rigidly affixed to one of said hubs and the other end rigidly affixed to the other of said hubs, the seat being mounted within said cage provided by said pairs of bars; said ring rotatably mounted on said base by means of a pair of supports located on opposite sides of said ring, each of said supports comprising an upright post and a bearing member secured thereto, said horizontal axis passing through said bearing members; brake mechanism operably coupled between said cage and said ring for manually controlling the speed of movement of said cage relative to said ring; and adjustable friction means interconnecting said ring with a selected one of said upright posts for selectively restricting the movement of said ring with respect to said upright posts.

Claim 2

A device for simulating weightlessness comprising: a base; a ring supported for rotation on a horizontal axis; a frame supported by said ring for rotation on a second axis at right angles to said horizontal axis; a passenger seat so supported by said frame for rotation therewith that at least one of said axes will pass through the body of a passenger occupying said seat; said frame comprising portions that are gripable by a passenger occupying said seat; means for securing a passenger to said seat so confining the passenger's feet each within a different restricted area that a force may be directed against said frame in either of two directions by the passenger's feet whereby said portions being so disposed that reactive forces produced by movements of the passenger's body will be transmitted to said frame and ring; said portions include handles attached to adjoining parts of the frame at spaced positions; said frame comprises a pair of circular members coupled together at right angles surrounding said seat and pivotally connected to the inside of said ring as a unitary revolving cage; said seat is so located that both of said axes will pass through the body of the passenger or such person as may be occupying said seat; a pair of blocks are secured to said ring at diametrically opposite positions having said second axis passing therethrough; said cage comprises (a) a pair of hubs each having a stub shaft journaled in one of said blocks and (b) a pair of outwardly bowed bars constituting one of said pair of circular members each having one end rigidly affixed to one of said hubs and the other end rigidly affixed to the other of said hubs; a second pair of outwardly bowed bars constituting the other of said pair of circular members, each having one end rigidly affixed to one of said hubs and the other end rigidly affixed to the other of said hubs, the seat being mounted within said cage provided by said pairs of bars; said ring rotatably mounted on said base by means of a pair of supports located on opposite sides of said ring, each of said supports comprising an upright post and a bearing member secured thereto, said horizontal axis passing through said bearing members; brake mechanism operably coupled between said cage and said ring for manually controlling the speed of movement of said cage relative to said ring; and adjustable friction means interconnecting said ring with a selected one of said upright posts for selectively restricting the movement of said ring with respect to said upright posts.