Chaise (amusement ride)
A chaise (pronunciation: ʃɛːz ; from French chaise , to German "chair", "sedan chair") is a term used at fairs and amusement parks to refer to small, mobile seating wagons that drive on and through various rides . Chaises are especially known from bumper cars , ghost trains and carousels .
definition
Normally, all seated carriages in amusement rides and on carousels are referred to as “chaise”, which are mobile and down-to-earth and whose carriages are clearly separated from each other. Seating that is attached to floor panels is only rarely referred to as a “chaise”. If the seats hang down or are attached to gripping arms, they are no longer regarded as “chaise”, but as gondolas . Chaises are mostly single wagons, but there can also be groups of wagons (usually three or four). Generally they are two-seaters; but four-seaters are also popular. The basic design and the technical structure of the chaise mimics those of real vehicles, especially cars , wagons and lorries. The passengers should be given the feeling of freedom of movement and independence. This works particularly well with the bumper car chaise, because the passenger can control the vehicle himself. This not only results in mutual touching, but also in collisions through to (not harmless) unbraked frontal collision actions, which is why the bumper cars are protected all around by very thick rubber upholstery.
Technical details
Classic chaises are operated electrically. Either they are fed via a long, antenna-like connection to live wire grids above the passengers (for example on bumper cars) or via a live rail (for example on ghost trains). The bumper cars (also known colloquially as "bumper cars" or "speedsters") can be set in motion or stopped at any time using a pedal . A separate steering wheel allows the passenger to steer the chaise in any conceivable direction. The cars then drive in a large open area. The chaises of ghost trains, on the other hand, run on fixed rail routes. In the case of ghost trains, electricity-free rail sections can be found where the cars start or stop (i.e. in the entry and exit zone). In the entry area, this means that an employee can independently set the front car in motion at any time by pressing a button. In the exit area, on the other hand, de-energized rail sections should prevent the cars from colliding with each other without braking. The remainder of the rail line is continuously energized while the ride is in operation. In a few classic carousels, the chaises are mounted on floor plates and are moved forward with them.
literature
- Sacha Szabo: Culture of fun: funfairs and amusement parks - showmen and rides. Facets of non-everyday places . Transcript-Verlag, Bielefeld 2015, ISBN 9783839410707 , pp. 279 & 280.
- Stefan Poser: Machines of luck and machine luck: Basics of a technical and cultural history of the technical game . Transcript-Verlag, Bielefeld 2017, ISBN 9783839436103 , pp. 219 & 244.
- Florian Dering: Popular amusements: a richly pictorial cultural history of the driving, amusement and skill deals of the showmen from the 18th century to the present. Verlag Kupfergraben, Berlin 1986, ISBN 978-3-89190005-5 , pp. 132-134, 198-200.