Does anyone know EXACTLY how S&S towers work?
I know that the towers consist of a main air tank, and releases air into the smaller tanks on each side of the tower. This air that is released powers a piston of some sort up and down through valves at the very top and very bottom of the tanks. This allows the passenger cart to slow down towards the top and bottom (because while the air is pushing the cart down, air is filtering through the bottom, which slows the cart and acts like a cushion. But for this to work the piston has to be a small block-like object that moves inside the tower, yet somehow, gravity can't control it, because if it did, the pistons would fall to the bottom of the cylinders by themselves. Does anyone know more about how these towers work?
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SROS at SFNE, the #1 steelie
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SROS at SFNE, the #1 steelie
I believe the official S&S site gives technical details. But, I haven't visited it in a while.
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- Peabody *** This post was edited by Peabody on 5/6/2001. ***
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- Peabody *** This post was edited by Peabody on 5/6/2001. ***
What I want to know is where exactly does the car connect to the air launch that pulls up and/or shoots down?
There are cables that run up and down the four sides of each tower that are permanetely connected to the 'carts'. When the piston(s) are fired up or down, the cables are moved up or down depending on the cycle type and the carts move along with the cables.
yes, but how does that piston work? It obviosuly isn't connected to the top or bottom of the cylinders. It must have to run in a friction track in order for gravity not being able to pull it down.
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SROS at SFNE, the #1 steelie
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SROS at SFNE, the #1 steelie
The pistons slide through the tubes, that's it. A cable is connected to each side of the piston which goes around a pulley at the top or bottom then to the carriage. The piston is moved by flooding the tube with air above or below the piston, forcing it to move and therefore pulling the carriage up or pulling it down.
It's actually pretty simple, and I don't know why someone didn't think of it sooner.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
It's actually pretty simple, and I don't know why someone didn't think of it sooner.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
How do they prevent the air from escaping from the point where the cables exit the tube? Or is the air pressure so great that the escaping air is negligible?
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Decisions determine destiny; Destiny determines decisions.
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Decisions determine destiny; Destiny determines decisions.
I would say it's negligible & perhaps they have some sort of seal. This same system is used on Hypersonic, only it's horizontal not vertical!
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The Buzzer Formerly Known As CoasterG-d
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The Buzzer Formerly Known As CoasterG-d
yea, if you look at the bottom of an S&S tower, you see the seal where the cable goes into the tower. I am just wondering how the piston inside the cylinders don't fall to the grond by gravity.
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SROS at SFNE, the #1 steelie
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SROS at SFNE, the #1 steelie
According to Jeff, the piston is pushed towards the ground by air pressure to bring the coach to the top of the tower, then air pressure is added to the other side of the piston to make it go down (either that or they simply let it freefall).
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Decisions determine destiny; Destiny determines decisions.
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Decisions determine destiny; Destiny determines decisions.
janfrederick said:
"According to Jeff, the piston is pushed towards the ground by air pressure to bring the coach to the top of the tower, then air pressure is added to the other side of the piston to make it go down (either that or they simply let it freefall).
Actually, S & S towers don't 'free-fall' at any point of the ride. The Turbo Drops have a forced drop controlled by the cables and in fact causes the drop to be more forceful than the gravity powered free-fall rides. The descent of a Turbo Drop hits a full (and over) -1.5 G forces while your Intamin AG Gyro & Giant drops subject riders to a 0 G drop. That's why S & S labels the 'TB' "Faster Than Freefall" although nearly all TB towers never exceed 45-55 MPH. The reason why many people like the gravity powered free-fall towers is because the cars actually accelerate as it drops farther to the ground, whilst the TB maintains the 50 MPH speed but has a more forceful and air packed drop.
Thanx for that last remark, I used to work at Lagoon Amsument Park In Framington Utah, Home of a 200' Space Shot/ Turbo Drop Combo and one of my biggest pet peves was when guest would refer to it as a free fall, You are SHOT down, not dropped...
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- http://CHZ.8m.com
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