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EP-4501426-B1 - IMPROVED MOBILE FERRIS WHEEL WITHOUT MAIN SHAFT AND METHOD FOR BUILDING THE FERRIS WHEEL

EP4501426B1EP 4501426 B1EP4501426 B1EP 4501426B1EP-4501426-B1

Inventors

  • KNIJPSTRA, HETTE

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240724

Claims (12)

  1. Ferris wheel (1), comprising two pairs of masts (11, 12; 21, 22), wherein the masts in each pair are hingedly interconnected and wherein each pair of masts is moveable between a folded position and a stretched position, wherein the Ferris wheel is further provided with multiple spokes (10), two spoke rings (14, 24) for mounting the spokes and multiple ring segments (3, 4, 5) for interconnection of the spokes, wherein the Ferris wheel comprises a first shaft (13) which is mounted fixedly on the top of the first pair of masts (11, 12), wherein a first (14) of the two spoke rings is arranged rotatably around the first shaft by means of a first self-adjusting bearing (141), wherein the Ferris wheel further comprises a second shaft (23) which is mounted fixedly on the top of the second pair of masts (21, 22), wherein a second (24) of the two spoke rings is arranged rotatably around the second shaft by means of a second self-adjusting bearing (141), wherein the spokes and the spoke rings are arranged for realizing a fixed moment connection, characterized in that, when the Ferris wheel is in use, the second shaft is substantially in line with the first shaft at a distance from the first shaft.
  2. Ferris wheel (1) according to claim 1, wherein each spoke (10) has two legs (9) which substantially run parallel, which are interconnected by means of a number of rods (7,8), of which a first mounting element (91) on an outer end of a first leg is arranged for mounting in the first spoke ring (14), wherein the first spoke ring has a number of first mounting openings (15), which are each arranged for accommodating a first mounting element, and a second mounting element (91) on an outer end of a second leg is arranged for mounting in the second spoke ring (24), wherein the second spoke ring has a number of second mounting openings (25), which are each arranged for accommodating a second mounting element.
  3. Ferris wheel (1) according to claim 2, wherein the shape of the first mounting element (91) is at least partially complementary to the shape of the first spoke ring (14) near the first mounting openings (15), and wherein the shape of the second mounting element (91) is at least partially complementary to the shape of the second spoke ring (24) near the second mounting openings (25).
  4. Ferris wheel (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein at least one moveable first clamping element (151) is arranged near each first mounting opening (15), and wherein the first spoke ring (14) comprises first operating means (152) for moving the first clamping element, and wherein at least one moveable second clamping element (151) is arranged near each second mounting opening (25), and wherein the second spoke ring (24) comprises second operating means (152) for moving the second clamping element (151).
  5. Ferris wheel (1) according to claim 4, wherein the first clamping element (151) is generally wedge-shaped, and wherein the second clamping element (151) is generally wedge-shaped.
  6. Ferris wheel (1) according to claim 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein the shape of the first mounting element (91) is at least partially tapered, and wherein the shape of the second mounting element (91) is at least partially tapered.
  7. Ferris wheel (1) according to one of the preceding claims 2-6, wherein the first mounting element (91) is provided with an additional connecting element (92), and wherein the second mounting element (91) is provided with an additional connecting element (92).
  8. Ferris wheel (1) according to one of the preceding claims 2-7, wherein the spoke (10) is provided with a first crossbar (18) which connects the legs (9) near the outer ends.
  9. Ferris wheel (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spoke rings (14, 24) are mounted on outer ends of the first (13) and second shaft (23) which are facing each other.
  10. Ferris wheel (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first shaft (13) comprises a first stub axle, and wherein the second shaft (23) comprises a second stub axle.
  11. Method for building the Ferris wheel according to one of the preceding claims, whereby the method comprises the following steps a) jointly raising the first pair of masts (11, 12) with the first shaft (13) to the stretched position; b) jointly raising the second pair of masts (21, 22) with the second shaft (23) to the stretched position; c) outlining the first and second shaft on a common rotational centreline (R1); d) mounting the spokes (10) in the first spoke ring (14) and in the second spoke ring (24) by means of a fixed moment connection; and e) connecting the spokes with the ring segments (3, 4, 5).
  12. Method according to claim 11 for building the Ferris wheel according to claim 4, whereby step d) comprises the following partial steps for each spoke (10) d1) moving the first clamping element (151) by means of the first operating means (152) near the respective first mounting opening (15) of the first spoke ring (14) for fixed moment connection of the respective first mounting element (91); and d2) moving the second clamping element (151) by means of the second operating means (152) near the respective second mounting opening (25) of the second spoke ring (24) for fixed moment connection of the respective second mounting element (91).

Description

The present invention relates to a Ferris wheel comprising two pairs of masts, wherein the masts in each pair are hingedly interconnected and wherein each pair of masts is moveable between a folded position and a stretched position, wherein the Ferris wheel is further provided with multiple spokes, two spoke rings for mounting the spokes and multiple ring segments for interconnection of the spokes. Such a mobile Ferris wheel is known in the relevant technical field. The European patent EP2055362 of the same applicant for example describes a support structure for a mobile Ferris wheel. The known mobile Ferris wheel is intended to be a moveable (fairground) attraction and can be assembled and disassembled in a fast and safe manner. The present invention aims to provide an improved mobile Ferris wheel that can be assembled and disassembled even faster and safer. The Ferris wheel according to the present invention is thereto characterized in that the Ferris wheel comprises a first shaft, which is mounted fixedly on the top of the first pair of masts, wherein a first of the two spoke rings is arranged rotatably around the first shaft, that the Ferris wheel further comprises a second shaft, which is mounted fixedly on the top of the second pair of masts, wherein a second of the two spoke rings is arranged rotatably around the second shaft, wherein, when the Ferris wheel is in use, the second shaft is substantially in line with the first shaft at a distance from the first shaft. The Ferris wheel according to the invention has the advantage that it no longer comprises a main shaft. Consequently, the use of a crane when assembling and disassembling the Ferris wheel is no longer needed. For the known Ferris wheels with main shaft, a crane is used when assembling in order to place the main shaft on the masts, and when disassembling in order to remove the main shaft from the masts. A crane takes up a lot of space and, when driving onto the site, one often has to wait for this space to be available. Assembling and disassembling the Ferris wheel according to the invention therefore costs less time and is cheaper. It is also safer, since there no longer has to be lifted a heavy main shaft onto the masts. Furthermore, a main shaft is generally custom made in a separate production step, which can now be omitted. The production of the Ferris wheel according to the invention is therefore cheaper than that of a Ferris wheel with main shaft. Such a Ferris wheel without main shaft is described in the Dutch patent NL 2030798 of the same applicant which was not previously published. US 2003/162596 discloses a Ferris wheel according to the preamble of claim 1. The Ferris wheel according to the present invention distinguishes itself from this by comprising self-adjusting bearings for the spoke rings, and by the spokes and spoke rings being arranged for realising a fixed moment connection. These new technical measures provide a degree of stiffness to the Ferris wheel without main shaft according to the present invention that is similar to the stiffness of a traditional Ferris wheel with a main shaft. In a first preferred embodiment each spoke has two legs, which substantially run parallel, which are interconnected by means of a number of rods, of which a first mounting element on an outer end of the one leg is arranged for mounting in the first spoke ring, wherein the first spoke ring has a number of first mounting openings, which are each arranged for accommodating a first mounting element, and a second mounting element on an outer end of the other leg is arranged for mounting in the second spoke ring, wherein the second spoke ring has a number of second mounting openings, which are each arranged for accommodating a second mounting element. The use of these double spokes attributes to the stiffness of the Ferris wheel according to the invention. Moreover, the assembly and disassembly happen faster when using double spokes. The stiffness can further be improved by providing the spoke with a first crossbar, which connects the legs near the outer ends. In a further preferred embodiment the shape of the first mounting element is at least partially complementary to the shape of the first spoke ring near the first mounting openings, and the shape of the second mounting element is at least partially complementary to the shape of the second spoke ring near the second mounting openings. The complementary shapes guarantee the intended fixed moment connection in an effective manner. In an even further preferred embodiment at least one moveable first clamping element is arranged near each first mounting opening, and the first spoke ring comprises first operating means for moving the first clamping element, and at least one moveable second clamping element is arranged near each second mounting opening, and the second spoke ring comprises second operating means for moving the second clamping element. By means of these inventive connecting means,