Rotatable passenger carrying apparatus

Abstract

 Rotatable passenger carrying amusement apparatus of the type in which freely rotatable chairs (10a) are carried on a rotating deck (7,9) the apparatus having means (62,64-70) for braking the chairs in such a way that they are brought to rest facing in a particular pre-determined direction, the deck (7,9) being constituted by comparatively rigid main platforms (7) carrying the chairs (10a) and comparatively flexible platforms (9) arranged intermediate the main platforms (7), and a folding support structure (15-20, 26), the whole apparatus being coupled to and carried upon a chassis (1) (2) and being readily transportable.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to rotatable apparatus upon which it is possible for passengers to ride for the purpose of entertainment.

[0002] In its preferred embodiment, the apparatus is readily transportable and has a plurality of main platforms, each main platform constituting a part of a segment of a circle and carrying a chair able to seat a plurality of people, usually five in number, side by side. Each chair is able to rotate about an axis which is at right-angles to the surface of its respective platform. The main platforms are linked together by secondary platforms, which each constitute a part of a segment of a circle, to form a complete rotatable floor, known as a deck.

[0003] The deck is supported near to its periphery by running wheels which are attached to the underside of the main platforms and run upon a so-called fixed rail which, in plan view, extends in a circle, while, in elevation, its height above ground alternately rises and falls around the circle. As a result of this arrangement of the fixed rail, the deck is caused to rise and fall as it is rotated. The fixed rail is assembled from a plurality of separate lengths in a simple manner in order to form the circle.

[0004] At the inner end of the segment, each main platform is supported via a ball and socket joint upon an annular member which is rotatable about a central vertical pillar.

[0005] The main platforms are comparatively rigid and the secondary platforms, which are comparatively flexible, are linked to the main platforms in such a way that they are able to flex, experience a degree of twisting and pivot relative to the main platforms, thereby enabling the main platforms to remain flat.

[0006] The deck is rotated about the central vertical pillar by means of a pair of drive wheels arranged in tandem beneath the periphery of the deck. The drive wheels are arranged at such a height that the periphery of the deck is raised as it passes over them to a height which is a little above that which it would normally be. In this way the deck rests firmly upon and is driven reliably by the drive wheels.

[0007] Each chair is pivoted with respect to the main platform upon which it is mounted about an axis which is spaced from the seats in the chair and, during the rotation of the deck, forces are applied to the chair which give it rotational acceleration about the axis in a random manner. Rides which incorporate such a feature are known, but the embodiments to be described herein disclose an improved mounting of the chair on the deck and a method of stopping the rotation of the chair in such a way that it faces in a particular direction.

[0008] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a cut-away plan view of a part of a rotatable apparatus;

Figure 2 is a side view, part sectioned, of certain elements of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an underneath plan view of a main platform used in constructing a deck shown in Figure 1;

Figure q is a side view of a nose portion part of the platform shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a part-sectioned side view of a chair mounting and bearing arrangement;

Figure 6 is a plan view from above of the arrangement shown in Figure 5, together with a brake operating mechanism;

Figure 7 is a plan view from beneath of a secondary platform used in constructing a deck shown in Figure 1, together with a part sectioned cut-away view of a part of the main platform;

Figure 8 is a side view of a support rail separated in two parts; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a bracket arrangement for coupling together the rail parts shown in Figure 8.

[0009] Referring to Figure 1, there are shown two longitudinally extending chassis members 1 and 2 which support a cylindrical vertically-extending pillar 3 which carries a lower platform 4. The platform 4 is freely rotatable about the pillar 3 by means of an upper bearing ring 5 which cooperates with bearings carried by a lower bearing plate 30, the bearing plate 30 being located on top of the chassis members 1 and 2. The rotatable platform 4 carries a plurality of main platform bearings in the form of spherical heads or balls 6 which are bolted to the rotatable platform 4 and cooperate with a respective socket on the underside of each main platform 7. The main platforms 7 are relatively rigid and each carries near to its periphery two wheels (not shown) which run on the upper surface of an undulating fixed rail or track 8, the track 8 extending, in plan view, in a circle.

[0010] The main platforms 7 are linked together by secondary platforms 9 which are relatively flexible and which are loosely connected to the main platforms 7 in such a way that, although the coupling between the main and secondary platforms is maintained as the deck rotates and undulates, relative movement between the adjacent main and secondary platforms is possible causing small variations in the spacing between them. The effect is also noticeable as a twist in the secondary platforms. A chair, one of which is shown at 10, is carried on each platform 7. Each chair 10 is rotatable about a pivot point 10a. The main and secondary platforms constitute a deck 11 which is rotated about the pillar 3 by means of a pair of driven wheels, one of which is shown at 12, arranged one on each side of the chassis 1 and 2 and driven via gearing from a common motive unit. Thedrive wheels, as can be seen at 12, are arranged beneath a drive track which runs beneath the edge of the deck 11 and forms a part of the frame of the main platforms 7, the main platform parts of the drive track being linked together by sections of the drive track which are arranged beneath the secondary platforms 9 and which are independent of the secondary platforms 9. The drive wheels 12 are arranged to lift the edge of the deck 11 slightly as the deck 11 passes over the wheels 12, thereby providing a good grip on the drive track.

[0011] It will be noted that above the lower rotatable platform 4, there is a platform 14, referred to as a "dancing board" which is fixed relative to the pillar 3 and which carries fixed equipment, including a pay box, not shown. The dancing board 14 has two sectors, each of which is hinged along a respective parallel line, one of which is shown at 14a, in such a way that the sectors can be raised about the hinge lines to a vertical position and be brought within the maximum width within which the apparatus must be contained during transport.

[0012] The apparatus also includes a support structure for both the fixed rail or track 8 and a fixed platform (not shown) which surrounds the rotatable deck 11. This support structure is constituted by a plurality of members, for example 15-20, which are hingedly connected to the chassis members 1 and 2, either directly or indirectly, and which can be folded to the chassis by means, for example, of hinges arranged at 21-25. It will be appreciated that, although in Figure 1 there is shown only a part of the apparatus extending from the chassis member 2, for convenience, a similar structure extends from the chassis member 1 in order to complete the circle. The support structure will be more fully described later.

[0013] Referring to Figure 2, the lower bearing plate 30 is shown supported upon the chassis members 1 and 2 with the platform 4 supported upon the upper bearing ring 5 which rotates upon the bearing plate 30 by means of bearings indicated at 31. Struts 32 are arranged between the pillar 3 and the bearing plate 30. It will be noted that the platform or dancing board 14 is constituted by an inner part 33 fixed to the pillar and an outer part 34 which is located on the inner part 33 by means of angle brackets 35 which locate on frame members 36 of the inner part 33. Near to the top of the pillar 3 there are mountings 37 for struts 38 (shown in Figure 1) for a roof. The roof can be stationary or it can be arranged to rotate in the opposite direction to the deck in a well known manner. At the top of the pillar 3, there is a platform 39, which is used to carry a winch (not shown), the winch being employed during the erection and dismantling of the apparatus in cooperation with the roof struts 38 to move pieces of the apparatus between the positions which they occupy during transport and use.

[0014] Referring to Figure 3, there is shown a plan view from beneath of a main platform 7 which comprises a sheet metal deck 41 and a rigid iron frame which includes outer channel section members 42 and inner deck-supporting box section members 43. At the outer end of the frame there is a part of the drive track 44 with which the drive wheels cooperate during the operation of the apparatus. At the other end of the platform 7, there is a nose member 45 which carries a socket 46 (Fig.4) for a ball on a plate 47. The socket 46 cooperates with a respective ball 6 on the lower platform 4 shown in Figure 1. The socket 46 rests freely on its respective ball 6 and an adjustable stop (not shown) is provided above the plate 47 to prevent the socket 46 from leaving the ball 6, although allowing the socket 46 freedom of movement on the ball 6. At the end of each of the frame members 42 adjacent the track 44, there is a bracket (not shown) carrying a rubber- tyred running wheel (also not shown) which, in operation, runs on the undulating fixed rail or track 8 and supports the deck near to its periphery. It will be noted that the platform 7 extends beyond the track 8 by at least the width of the drive track 44. The drive track 44 incorporates at its ends hinge sections (not shown) which cooperate with hinge sections on the corresponding length of the drive track beneath the secondary platforms 9 in order to provide a complete drive track, the hinge sections being coupled together by means of hinge pins.

[0015] Within the outer frame members 42 there are . arranged four channel section members 49 between which there are positioned box section members 51. Welded to the underside of the members 49 is a plate 52 from which there are four upstanding brackets 53 which cooperate with the respective adjacent members 49 to form a mounting for the base of a chair. A cut-out bounded by a line 54 in the deck 41 enables a mounting for a chair 10 to pass through the deck into the spaces between the brackets 53 and the members 49.

[0016] Referring to Figure 5, there are shown four radially extending box section members 56 attached to a mounting plate 57. The box section members 56 locate in the spaces between respective brackets 53 and the members 49 and are locked into position by means of clamps which pass through the members 49, 56 and 53. A part of the base frame of a chair 10, made of channel sections 58, is shown attached to a base plate 59. Between the mounting plate 57 and the base plate 59 there is a bearing assembly 61 having an upper flange bolted to the base plate 59 and a lower flange bolted to the mounting plate 57, thereby enabling the base plate 59 and the base frame for the chair formed from the members 58 to rotate relative to the mounting plate 57.

[0017] With reference to Figure ⁶ there is shown in plan view from above a part of the base frame assembly formed of the members 58, together with the base plate 59 and mounted upon the base plate 59 and upstanding therefrom a steel band 62 which is arranged in a circle and attached to the members 58 in such a way that it forms a circle which is off-set from a central hole 63 in the mounting plate 57. The band 62 forms a part of a brake assembly and mounted upon the mounting plate 57 there is a brake operating cylinder 64 which operates a brake operating lever 65 via a rod 66. The lever 65 is pivoted at 67 and carries a brake shoe 68 upon a mounting 69 which is pivotally attached to the brake operating lever 65 at 70. It will be appreciated that since the band 62 is off-set in relation to the central hole 63 about which the chair frame and base plate 59 rotate, the operation of the brake operating cylinder 64 to bring the brake pad or shoe 68 into contact with the band 62 will result in a particular portion of the brake band 62 being engaged first and cause the rotation of the chair to be stopped with the chair 10 always pointing in the same direction. This facility is of considerable value in the operation of the apparatus. It will be appreciated that a similar effect could be obtained in other ways. For example, instead of the brake operating shoe being arranged within a band 62, it would be possible for the band 62 to be arranged so that the brake shoe 68 operated upon the outer surface of the band 62 instead of the inner surface.

[0018] Referring now to Figure 7, there is shown a plan view from below of a secondary platform 9 having a deck comprising a plywood sheet 72 clad on its upper surface with a metal sheet which matches the decks of the main platforms 7. Attached to the plywood sheet 72 there are a number of strengtheners 73 made from lengths of angle iron and projecting from the sides of the platform 9 and fixed to the transversely extending ones of the strengtheners 73, there are support members 74 made, in the particular embodiment, of a tough, resilient, reinforced material having characteristics similar to those of brake lining material. When the apparatus is in use, the support members 74 are located between guides in the channel section members 42 of the associated main platforms 7 arranged on either side of the secondary platform 9. In Figure 7, there is shown a part of a platform 7 and of a horizontally cross-sectioned channel member 42. The sectioning of the channel member 42 discloses the upper one of each of a pair of guides 75 between which the respective associated support members 74 are located. Also shown in Figure 7 is a part 44 of the drive track which forms a part of the main platform 7 and clearly shown in this Figure is a hinge portion 76 which pivotally connects together by means of a hinge pin, the part 44 and a part 77 of the drive track which extends beneath and is associated with the secondary platform 9. Extending from the part 77 of the drive track there are shown two plates 78 between which there is located a pin 79 which extends from the platform 9. The platform 9 is thus pivotally located by means of the pin 79 with respect to the part of the drive track 77 and it is able to move longitudinally with respect to the plates 78 and to pivot about the pin 79 by virtue of the fact that the support members 74 can slide freely between the pairs of guides 75. It will be appreciated that there are a number of practical features of detail that are not illustrated. For example, latching mechanisms (not shown), are incorporated to ensure that the hinge pins that couple together with drive track sections 44 and 77 are held securely in place during the operation of the apparatus.

[0019] Referring now to Figures 8 and g, there will now be described the way in which the fixed rail or track 8 is assembled from comparatively short lengths, in order to provide the continuous undulating rail. Figure 8 shows a side view of two sections of the rail 8, which consists of an upper horizontal part 81 and a lower vertically extending part 82. The rail 8 is supported throughout its length by means of a number of box section posts 83 which abut the underside of the upper portion 81. In the particular method of manufacture of the apparatus described the rail 8 was first constructed as a continuous undulating length supported upon a plurality of posts 83 spaced apart along its length. In the next stage of construction, best illustrated by reference to Figure 9, channel section U-shaped brackets 84 were welded to the posts 83. The arm of the U-shaped bracket adjacent the post 83 incorporates a taper bearing indicated at 85 and accessible via a hole 86. In the other arm of the bracket 84 there is a threaded block 87. The rail 8 is then cut as indicated at 88 to provide two tapered ends which match exactly. Plates 90 and 91 are then welded to the respective parts of the rail 8 so formed. Holes 92 and 93 are drilled through the plates 90 and 91 to correspond with the threaded hole in the block 87 and the taper bearing which is accessible through the hole 86 in the U-shaped bracket 84. In assembling the rail 8 the two parts are brought together so that the tapered ends 88 are in contact and the holes 92 and 93 line up with the threaded hole in the block 87 and the taper bearing 85. The two parts of the rail 8 are then locked together by means of a threaded bolt (not shown) having a tapered end which is passed through the hole in the block 87 and the holes 92 and 93 to locate in the taper bearing 85. A lock nut on the bolt which is tightened against the block 87 locks the assembly firmly in place and the taper bearing ensures that the assembly is lined-up in a simple manner. Instead of the taper bearing 85 being arranged within the channel section bracket 84, it could, of course, be positioned on the outer face of the bracket 84.

[0020] Referring generally to the Figures, although particularly to Figure 1, the operation of the apparatus and the way in which it is assembled for use and packed for transport will now be described.

[0021] It will be appreciated that, for simplicity, Figure 1 illustrates only a part of the apparatus extending on one side of the chassis member 2 and that a corresponding structure exists on the other side of the chassis.

[0022] In operation, the deck 11, constituted by the platforms 7 and 9, is supported at its periphery by the rubber tyred running wheels (not shown), one of which is mounted upon and beneath each of the channel section members 42 of the main platforms 7, the wheels running upon the undulating circular track 8. The inner end of each platform 7 is located by means of the socket 46, shown in Figure 4_s which rests upon a respective ball 6 mounted upon the lower platform 4 which is freely rotatable about the pillar 3. The platforms 9 are supported between the platforms 7 by the support members 74, shown in Figure 7, which are located in a freely slidable manner between pairs of guides 75 and are also located for pivotal movement about their respective drive track parts 77 by means of pin 79 which locates between the plates 78 on the parts 77.

[0023] The deck 11 is rotatably driven about the pillar 3 by the action of a pair of drive wheels 12 which are in engagement with the track constituted by the parts 44 and 77 arranged beneath the deck 11. As has been explained, the rail 8 is undulating and the deck 11 therefore rotates in an undulating manner around the pillar 3. Since the chairs 10 are mounted eccentrically with respect to their pivot points 10a, forces are exerted upon the chair 10 which cause them to rotate about the points 10a in a random manner upon the bearings 61. The mounting of the chairs 10 via their respective base frames 58, the bearing 61 and the box section members 56 to their respective platforms 7 provides an arrangement in which the chairs are freely rotatable, able to be locked securely to their respective platforms 7 and removed comparatively easily from the platforms 7 for transport purposes. The chairs 10 when released from the platforms 7 can easily be hoisted above the platforms by means of a winch mounted upon the platform 39 at the top of the pillar 3 which cooperates by means of pulleys with the roof struts 38 to provide a gangtry which is capable of raising the seats 10 and being slewed in such a way that it carries them to a point above the chassis members 1 and 2 upon which they can easily be deposited. The gangtry can also be used to raise the platforms 7 and 9 individually and be slewed about the pillar 3 in order to bring the platforms 7 and 9 one by one to a point above the chassis upon which they are deposited. It is then possible to uncouple the sections of rail 8 by releasing the bolts from the U-shaped brackets 84 shown in figure 9 and withdrawing the bolts from the plates 90 and 91. The individual sections of the rail 8 can then be raised and carried in a similar way to that in which the chairs and deck have been carried for packing on the chassis. It is then possible to raise the support members 15-20 and 26. Again the gangtry arrangement is used first to lift the support member 26 which is pivotally connected at 23 to the members 19 and 20. The members 19 and 20, being pivotally connected at 21 and 22 to the chassis, are raised towards the vertical position and at the same time the member 26 rotates about the pivots at its end to allow the members 17 and 18 to hang downwards towards a vertical position. Similarly the members 15 and 16 are raised from the ground and pivot about the members 19, by means of the hinges indicated at 24 so that as they are raised from the ground they also tend to assume a vertical position. It will be noted that along the lengths of the support arms there are hinge points, as indicated at 25, which enable the arms to be folded along their length should this be necessary.

[0024] Finally roof strut members 38 are pivoted about the pillar 3 so that they are brought into line above the chassis and the chassis is raised by means of its own hydraulic cylinders (not shown) and self-contained hydraulic fluid pump arrangement to enable road wheels to be brought in and positioned under the chassis. The whole apparatus is then in a condition for carrying and can easily be transported to a new site.

[0025] At the new site the procedure is reversed and the structure is supported by the hydraulic cylinders while the road wheels are removed, the roof struts are employed as a gangtry to lower the support structure 15-20 and 26 until it rests on the ground, members (not shown) associated with and hingedly connected to the support structure are either raised to their required vertical positions for supporting the rail 8 or unfolded in other ways to support a surrounding platform and structure for access steps (not shown), the rail 8 is assembled, the deck 11 is assembled, the dancing board lh, a part of which has been raised vertically about the hinge lines 14a during transport, is positioned horizontally and its outer part 34 is located upon its inner part 33 as required with a pay-box (not shown) positioned as required, the roof struts 38 are arranged radially extending from the pillar 3 and the apparatus is brought into an operating condition in a comparatively simple manner.

[0026] It will be appreciated that the apparatus provides a high degree of safety and reliability. The mechanism shown in Figure 6, which enables the chairs to be brought to a stationary position facing in a required direction, for example inwardly, provides a safety feature in that the passengers are held firmly against the back of the seats during the slowing down and braking operation.

[0027] The use of a peripheral drive for the deck enables the power employed to be kept to a minimum and for a degree of control to be exercised that would not be available if the apparatus were driven from the centre.

[0028] It will also be appreciated that by employing secondary intermediate platforms 9 that are flexible and movable relative to the platforms 7, it is possible to employ comparatively rigid platforms 7 which can accept the ring bearings 61 and enable the chair 10 to be firmly coupled to the platform 7 and to be pivotally mounted in an off-set manner. The use of the bearings 61 enables the chair to be rotatable freely.

[0029] Although the invention has been described, by way of example, with reference to a particular embodiment, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications, including other combinations of the arrangements shown can be employed. For example, the particular drive arrangement for the deck 11 employing a pair of rubber tyred wheels 12 could be arranged differently. It will also be understood that the support structure 15-20 and 26 which rests on the ground during the operation of the apparatus could be constructed in a different configuration from that shown in Figure 1. It has already been mentioned during the description of the braking mechanism for the chairs shown in Figure 6 that the brake shoe 68 could be arranged to act upon the outer surface of the brake band 62. Other forms of braking could, of course be used. It is not intended that the present invention should be limited to the use of drum-type brakes. It would be possible to use other forms of braking including disc brakes or electromagnetic braking.

[0030] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the secondary platform 9, instead of employing two plates 78 to guide the pin 79, in the way shown in Figure 7, a bracket having an eye is provided on the upper surface of the track part 77 and the pin 79 is passed from above through the platform 9 to extend into the eye of the bracket, where it is located, in order to provide a pivot point for the platform.

[0031] It will be appreciated that, in addition to the safety factor resulting from the ability to stop each chair so that it faces in a predetermined direction, for example facing inwardly towards the centre of the apparatus, there is a considerable commercial advantage to be gained from the features of being able to brake all of the chairs at the same time and of being able to hold them in the predetermined braked position while passengers either alight or take their seats. These features are achieved by employing hydraulically operated brake operating cylinders 64, for each chair, each cylinder 64 being coupled via a hydraulic fluid coupling to a master control unit arranged for example on the relatively stationary platform 14, where an operator is able to control the rotation of all of the chairs simultaneously by means of the master control unit.

[0032] It will also be understood, for example, that although in the particular embodiment described, the support members 74 are arranged to extend from the relatively flexible secondary platforms 9and the pairs of guides 75 are provided on the main platforms 7, it would alternatively be possible to provide the guides 75 on the secondary platforms 9 and the support members 74 on the main platforms 7.

[0033] It will also be understood the plan view of the support structure 15-20 and 26 shown in Fig. 1 illustrates the parts of the structure which rest on the ground when the apparatus is in use and that members, for example posts 83 shown in Fig. 8, extend vertically from the structure 15-20 and 26 when the apparatus is in use to support for example the track 8 and a fixed platform, (not shown) which extends around the rotatable deck and enables passengers to obtain access to the deck 11.

[0034] It will also be understood that although the various features of the invention have been described with reference to a particular type of rotatable passenger-carrying amusement apparatus many of the features are applicable to other types of rotatable passenger-carrying amusement apparatus.

[0035] In one embodiment of the invention, the brake operating cylinder 64 is pneumatically operated and each cylinder 64 is coupled via a pneumatic coupling to a master control unit arranged, for example, on the relatively stationary platform 14, in a similar way to that described above with reference to the hydraulically operated arrangement.

Claims

1. Rotatable passenger-carrying apparatus which includes a plurality of platforms (7) coupled together for rotation about a common axis, a chair (10) adapted to be rotatably mounted upon one of the platforms (7) and a brake arrangement (62) (64-70) associated with the chair (10), characterised in that the brake arrangement is such that, when the brake (62) (64-70) is operated in order to stop the rotation of the chair (10) with respect to the platform (7), the chair (10) is brought to a stationary position which has been predetermined.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that there are provided a brake band (62) coupled to and arranged to rotate with the chair (10), a portion of the brake band being arranged on an arc of a circle which is off-set with respect to the axis of rotation (63) of the chair (10) with respect to the platform (7) and a brake operating shoe (68) arranged to engage the brake band (62).

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that there are provided a pneumatically operated brake operating cylinder (64), a piston co-operating with the cylinder, a mechanical linkage (65) (66) between the piston and the brake operating shoe (68) and a pneumatic fluid coupling between the brake operating cylinder (64) and a master control unit.

4. Rotatable passenger carrying apparatus which includes a plurality of platforms coupled together for rotation about a common axis characterised in that there are provided a plurality of rigid main platforms (7), and a plurality of flexible intermediate platforms (9), the intermediate platforms (9) linking the main platforms (7) and being able to flex and pivot relative to the main platforms (7).

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that there are provided a plurality of guide members (75) and a plurality of support members (74) arranged to co-operate with the guide members (75), the guide members (75) and the support members (74) being arranged to link a main platform (7) and an intermediate platform (9) and to be slidable relative to one another, whereby an intermediate platform (9) is able to slide freely relative to its associated main platforms (7).

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that there are provided first (44) and second (77) parts of a drive track, the first parts (44) of the drive track forming a part of a respective main platform (7) and the second parts (77) of the drive track being associated with a respective intermediate platform (9), hinge means (76) pivotally interconnecting the said first (44) and second (77) parts of the drive track and pivot means (78) (79) pivotally locating the intermediate platforms (9) with respect to the respective second parts (77) of the drive track.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that there are provided running wheels near to the periphery of the main platforms (7) and a supporting bearing (46) on the underside of each main platform (7) at or near to its inner end.

8. Rotatable passenger carrying apparatus characterised in that there are provided a longitudinally extending chassis (1) (2), a pillar (3) extending vertically therefrom, a support structure (15-20) (26) for a fixed rail or track (8), a deck (7) (9) rotatable about the pillar (3) and a fixed platform which extends around the rotatable deck (7) (9), the support structure (15-20) (26) including side (19) (20) and longitudinal (26) members constituting a rectangular frame, and members (16=18) which extend substantially radially from the pillar when in use, first pivotal connections (21) (22) being arranged between the side members (19) (20) and the chassis (1) (2), and second pivotal connections (23) being arranged between the longitudinal member (26) and the radially extending members (16-18), whereby, when the longitudinal member (26) is raised for transportation, the side members (19) (20) extend substantially vertically from the chassis (1) (2) and the members (16-18) which extend substantially radially when in use hang downwards from the raised longitudinally extending member (26).

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 including hinge members (25) intermediate the ends of the radially extending members (16-18).

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that there are provided a plurality of curved sections (8) constituting the fixed rail or track upon which the rotatable deck (7) (9) runs, support posts (83), brackets (84) for supporting and locating the rail or track (8) arranged on the support posts (83), locating members (90) (91) arranged at the ends of the curved sections and means for coupling together the respective ends of the curved sections and the brackets.

Drawing