Crazy Cups (Seabreeze)

Ride
Crazy Cups
Courtesy National Amusement Park Historical Association
Seabreeze Amusement Park
Location Rochester, New York, USA
Status Defunct
Operated 1958 to 2010
Theme Tea cup ride vehicles on saucers
Height restriction 48 inches (122 cm)
Replaced by Twirlin Cups
Statistics
Manufacturer Philadelphia Toboggan Company
Product Crazy Daisy
Capacity 6 ride vehicles
HELP

Crazy Cups, a Philadelphia Toboggan Company Crazy Daisy (Also known as Crazy Dazy) ride, was added to Seabreeze Amusement Park in Rochester, New York for the 1958 operating season.[1] This double platform teacup style ride operated at the park until the 2010 season when it was removed citing growing maintenance and operational costs and replaced with a smaller modern adaptation featuring a singular rotating platform known as Twirlin Cups. Although removed and scrapped, the iconic blue and white teacups were auctioned off and can be found around Rochester and beyond (including internationally!) as the ride lives on (albeit in pieces).

Design

Crazy Cups featured six teacup shaped ride vehicles that traversed two 14 ft. rotating platform wheels in a figure 8 formation. One platform wheel spins clockwise, while the other wheel, known as the mating wheel, spins counterclockwise. They are synchronized together via interlocking teeth along the edges of the platform wheels essentially creating two large gears. While revolving, the teacups spin freely on a center bearing while they are carried around the revolving wheels. When they approach the meeting point between the two wheels, the cars engage a switch track underneath the platform where they switch over to the opposite wheel to create the figure 8 pattern.[1][2]

The spinning of the individual teacups occurs independently of the main platform wheels. This ensures each ride vehicle has its own center of gravity creating what is known as "a circle within a circle". Unbalanced loads, or differences in weight, create the forces needed to spin the car in clockwise or counterclockwise combinations. This results in each ride being unique with no two cars spinning exactly the same.[2]

Construction

The base of the ride is made of a combination of wood and steel. 10 inch steel beams fastened with 15/16" pins at hinged joints to create a grid-like structure that forms the base of the ride. Then, two 4X6 wooden radial pieces are secured to the base via pin and hinge connections to form the base for the two rotating platform wheels. Once in place, the center hub, carrier wheels, guide rail brackets are secured to the radials via bolts. The use of anti-friction bearings at the wheel hubs, and shuttles below the car plates ensure sliding friction is restricted to only the cross over section where the cars switch between the two platform wheels.

A wooden floor consisting of 2X6 joists is then laid over the remaining portions of the base and secured to allow for riders to access the ride vehicles safely. As an added bonus, these planks also absorb vibrations and reduce noise from the mechanics of the ride.[2]

Ride Vehicles

The ride vehicles consist of six to eight individual reinforced fiberglass teacups atop of their own individual saucer plates. A stationary circular stainless steel handrail sits at the center of each car and the seat is a bench style that wraps around the diameter of the interior of each cup. There are no individual restraints. Each car is closed via a chain-linked across the cut out opening on the side of the cup. Contrary to popular belief, pulling or pushing against the rail does not have any effect on the speed of the car spin. Rather, it is the shift in a person's weight when they lean into or out of the center of gravity, along with the shift in balance from one side of the car to the other, that propel the cars rotations.

The capacity of each cup is 4 adults or 6 children; or 2 adults and 3 children (or in most operational cases, as many people as can safely fill the bench seats together).[2]

Ride Control System

The control system for the ride is a basic lock and key type dual push-button control panel. A clock timer with a ringing bell is optionally activated by the operator via a separate switch that allows it to be automatically engaged when the start button is pressed. The ride timer can be set for any time up to a total of 5 minutes per ride cycle. The average ride cycle generally varies between 0:01:30 to 0:02:30 and occasionally 0:03:00 depending on how busy the attraction is.[2]

Motor

Two three-horsepower polyphase constant horsepower motors utilizing a fluid drive, spur gear shift mounted reducer, and rubber drive tire are required to power the ride. One motor and drive is utilized per platform to ensure each platform revolves at the same rate as the other to prevent jams in the cross-over section. High-speed ends of the motors are driven via the fluid drive, while the low-speed ends are synchronized via the interlocking gear teeth along the edges of the two rotating platforms. A combination disconnect breaker and magnetic starter with overload protection form the motor switch.[2]

Electrical Requirements

The ride requires grounded delta or star connected 3 phase, 220 volt electrical input. Full load current ratings for each motor is 9 amperes with thermal overload protection rated at 13 amperes per motor. Wiring recommendation for input service is four-conductor 10 TW with the primary end fused at 25 amperes. An additional 25ampere circuit breaker allows for service connections.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Futrell, Jim (2018). Seabreeze Park. Images of America (Hardcover ed.). Rochester, New York, USA: Arcadia Publishing. pp. 65, 74, 81. ISBN 9781540235206.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Philadelphia Toboggan Co. Crazy Dazy Brochure. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: Philadelphia Toboggan Co. 1955.