Horseback Riding Apparatus for Amusement Parks

Abstract

A horseback riding apparatus for amusement parks includes at least one riding unit including front and rear wheels rotatable through front and rear axles and arranged to make rolling movement along a road surface, a horse-shaped body seated by a rider and a rocking mechanism for causing the horse-shaped body to make rocking movement; and a traction unit connected to the riding unit and configured to pull or push the riding unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A horseback riding apparatus for amusement parks, comprising:
 at least one riding unit including front and rear wheels rotatable through front and rear axles and arranged to make rolling movement along a road surface, a horse-shaped body seated by a rider and a rocking mechanism for causing the horse-shaped body to make rocking movement; and   a traction unit connected to the riding unit and configured to pull or push the riding unit.   
     
     
         2 . The horseback riding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rocking mechanism includes a pair of crank arms eccentrically fixed to the both rear wheels and configured to convert rotation of the rear wheels to rocking movement of the horse-shaped body, and a shock absorber arranged between the crank arms and the horse-shaped body to absorb impacts applied to the horse-shaped body. 
     
     
         3 . The horseback riding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the traction unit includes a traction bogie, front and rear wheels rotatably attached to the traction bogie, a drive motor mounted to the traction bogie to rotationally drive at least one of the front and rear wheels of the traction unit and a power transfer device configured to transfer torque of the drive motor to at least one of the front and rear wheels of the traction unit. 
     
     
         4 . The horseback riding apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the traction unit further includes a steering mechanism configured to steer the traction unit, the steering mechanism including a steering wheel, a steering shaft connected to the steering wheel, a tie rod, a gear set for operatively interconnecting the steering shaft and the tie rod, a knuckle arm fixedly secured to the tie rod and a knuckle pivotally attached to the knuckle arm and fixed to one of the front and rear wheels of the traction unit. 
     
     
         5 . The horseback riding apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the traction bogie is formed of a horse shape. 
     
     
         6 . The horseback riding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the riding unit includes a pair of riding units arranged side by side and interconnected to each other. 
     
     
         7 . The horseback riding apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an auxiliary unit connected to the riding unit and configured to have a carriage shape.   
     
     
         8 . The horseback riding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the traction unit is arranged at a front side of the riding unit to pull the riding unit. 
     
     
         9 . The horseback riding apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the traction unit is arranged at a rear side of the riding unit to push the riding unit.