The slingshot ride is a popular amusement attraction
that can be found at major theme parks and small fairgrounds all over the world.
It consists a two-person ride vehicle which is suspended between two gantry towers, and
is launched into the air using elastic potential energy.
The first slingshot rides were popularized in the early 1990s, and relied on reverse-bungee
technology to propel passengers upwards.
These rides used elastic ropes to connect the ride vehicle to the towers.
The ropes would be tensioned with the vehicle being held in place on the ground, and the
vehicle would then be released, launching riders in a similar fashion to an actual slingshot.
These reverse bungee rides can still be found in operation today, and they are popular among
travelling carnivals due to their simple technology and ease of transportation.
The safety of these rides can be questionable, however, and a number of accidents have been
reported over the years, some of which resulted in the deaths of passengers.
In recent years, safer and more reliable slingshot rides have been developed which use spring
propulsion systems and steel cables instead of elastic ropes.
An example of this modern propulsion technology can be found in Cedar Point’s Slingshot,
which launches riders to a height of 110 metres at a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour.
In today’s video, we take a look at how a modern slingshot ride works.
To begin, let’s take a look at the main components of the ride.
First, we have two steel gantry towers which are angled outward from the central launch
platform.
The towers are angled in this way to help transfer horizontal forces from the cables
to the ground.
Next, we have the ride vehicle and docking station which are located at ground level
between the two gantries.
Two steel cables connect to each side of the vehicle, for a total of four cables supporting
the vehicle and passengers.
The cables pass over pulleys at the top of the gantry towers, and extend towards the
ground inside the towers.
The cables then connect to the spring propulsion system which is housed inside a 5-meter tall
steel frame.
Let’s take a closer look at the components of the propulsion system, and then we’ll
see how it works.
Inside the frame, there are two large steel plates, as shown here in red.
These plates can be moved up or down using hydraulic cylinders.
The plates are connected together using as many as 720 extension springs.
Only four springs have been shown here for simplicity.
A series of reduction pulleys are attached to the underside of the bottom plate as well
as to the bottom of the frame.
Only 5 pulleys have been shown here, but in reality, the ride would have around 64 pulleys,
with half of them being used for each pair of cables connected to the ride vehicle.
The exact number of pulleys depends on the height of the ride as we will see later.
The steel cables enter the frame, either from above or below, and weave through the pulleys
before being fastened to the frame.
Now let’s see how this propulsion system works by examining the launch process.
First, passengers board the vehicle which is securely locked to the docking station.
During this time, both steel plates are at their lowest positions and the springs are
relaxed with no force being transferred to the steel cables.
Once the vehicle is ready for launch, a hydraulic cylinder lifts the top plate to the top of
the frame.
This stretches the springs which pull upwards on the bottom plate with a force exceeding
355 kN, or 40 tons.
The bottom plate maintains its position, however, since it is being held down by the steel cables
which are connected to the ride vehicle.
The tensile force in the steel cables is much less than the force being exerted on the plate
because of the reduction pulley system.
The force in each pair of cables can be calculated as approximately 5.4 kN, or 1,200 lbs, just
prior to launch.
I will cover the force calculations in more detail in another video.
When the ride is cleared for launch, the operator hits the launch button which releases the
vehicle from the docking station.
The vehicle is accelerated upwards by the cables as the bottom plate is now free to
move and pulls the steel cables through the pulley system.
Because of the pulley system, the plate only needs to travel about 1.2 meters in order
to launch the vehicle to the top of the towers.
Following the initial launch, the vehicle bounces up and down in synch with the motion
of the bottom plate as energy is lost from the system and the ride vehicle moves towards
an equilibrium point with the springs.
Once the speed of the vehicle is low enough, the top and bottom plates are lowered back
to their initial positions and the vehicle is returned to the docking station.
The passengers exit the vehicle and the whole process begins again.
The slingshot ride is one of the most thrilling attractions that you can find at an amusement
park today, and with new propulsion technology, it is also much safer than the previous reverse-bungee
designs.
It has a small footprint which makes it a popular choice for parks with limited space,
and the experience is unmatched by any other attraction.
Now that you know how a modern slingshot ride works, would you ever consider riding one?
Let us know in the comments below.
Or if you’ve already been on one, tell us about your experience.
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