Roller coaster with articulable seat backs

• Main Authors: CRAWFORD DAVID W, FITZGERALD THOMAS, HOWARD DEREK, SHULL JAMES H, DURHAM DAVID A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 23.07.2013
• Subjects: AMUSEMENTS; CHUTES; GAMES; HUMAN NECESSITIES; MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; ROCKING-HORSES; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT; SPORTS; SWINGS; SWITCHBACKS

A roller coaster with seats articulated between vertical and reclined positions. The roller coaster includes a track with a load/unload portion and a ride portion. The coaster includes a vehicle with a body supported on the track and a passenger seat positioned in the body mounted for articulation between a first position and a second position. The roller coaster includes a seat positioning mechanism coupled to the passenger seat operating while the vehicle is in the load/unload portion to articulate the seat into the first position and operating, prior to the vehicle traveling into the ride portion of the ride path, to articulate the seat into the second position. The passenger seat includes a seat back that is substantially vertical in the first position and is at an obtuse angle in the second position or horizontal position, such that a passenger has an upward point of view during the ride.