A Devil's wheel, Teufelsrad, Human Roulette Wheel or Joy Wheel[1] is an amusement ride at public festivals and fairs. Devil's wheels have been used at Oktoberfest celebrations since at least 1910.[2]
A Devil's wheel is a rotating circular platform upon which riders sit or lie. It begins by spinning slowly and increases its speed to make riders slide off the platform. Spectators stand around the platform, and the announcers often offer some satirical commentary.
Riders who slide off the platform usually hit a cushioned wall. Injuries are possible if riders collide with spectators or other objects. An operator controls the speed of the platform, sometimes slowing it down to give participants the opportunity to re-position themselves toward the center.
An added feature was the mild jolt of electricity transmitted through the metal screws holding the platform down. Riders had to contend with small electrical shocks while trying to hold on to the flat spinning surface.
Functionedit
A boy sliding to the edge of the wheel; a ball is seen.
The platform is a disc. It is not an inertial system because of its rotation. The riders' sense of balance is compromised by the rotating disk. This complicates movement towards or away from the center of the wheel. If one is moving radially outward, in addition to the expected centrifugal force (directed outward), the Coriolis force applies directed tangentially (i.e. laterally).
Versions and useedit
A smaller version of the Devil's Wheel was displayed at EXPERIMINTA Science Center FrankfurtRheinMain in December 2011.[3] Devil's wheels is still a part of the Munich Oktoberfest and in the Taunus Wunderland.[4]
Elements may be added to the Devil's Wheel to make it even more difficult for the riders to hold on. A ball attached to a chain may swing at them or the ride may shake.
In popular cultureedit
In Evelyn Waugh's first published novel, Decline and Fall, the character Otto Silenus describes a Devil's Wheel (referred to as the "big wheel at Luna Park") as a metaphor for life.
^. Experiminta ScienceCenter. 2012-01-05. Archived from the original on 2016-01-25. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
^Wunderland.de/attraktionen/action/teufelsrad/ Teufelsrad.[permanent dead link] Auf: Taunus Wunderland.de. Retrieved 10 May 2014
External linksedit
Abbildungen und Beschreibung eines Teufelsrades auf dem Oktoberfest
Spiele auf dem Teufelsrad, München
Video of Human Roulette Wheel at Steeplechase Park, Coney Island, early 1900s
April 11, 2024
devil, wheel, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, 2015, learn, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Devil s wheel news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message A Devil s wheel Teufelsrad Human Roulette Wheel or Joy Wheel 1 is an amusement ride at public festivals and fairs Devil s wheels have been used at Oktoberfest celebrations since at least 1910 2 Devil s wheel during the Oktoberfest in Munchen Contents 1 Overview 2 Function 3 Versions and use 4 In popular culture 5 References 6 External linksOverview editA Devil s wheel is a rotating circular platform upon which riders sit or lie It begins by spinning slowly and increases its speed to make riders slide off the platform Spectators stand around the platform and the announcers often offer some satirical commentary Riders who slide off the platform usually hit a cushioned wall Injuries are possible if riders collide with spectators or other objects An operator controls the speed of the platform sometimes slowing it down to give participants the opportunity to re position themselves toward the center An added feature was the mild jolt of electricity transmitted through the metal screws holding the platform down Riders had to contend with small electrical shocks while trying to hold on to the flat spinning surface Function edit nbsp A boy sliding to the edge of the wheel a ball is seen The platform is a disc It is not an inertial system because of its rotation The riders sense of balance is compromised by the rotating disk This complicates movement towards or away from the center of the wheel If one is moving radially outward in addition to the expected centrifugal force directed outward the Coriolis force applies directed tangentially i e laterally Versions and use editA smaller version of the Devil s Wheel was displayed at EXPERIMINTA Science Center FrankfurtRheinMain in December 2011 3 Devil s wheels is still a part of the Munich Oktoberfest and in the Taunus Wunderland 4 Elements may be added to the Devil s Wheel to make it even more difficult for the riders to hold on A ball attached to a chain may swing at them or the ride may shake In popular culture editIn Evelyn Waugh s first published novel Decline and Fall the character Otto Silenus describes a Devil s Wheel referred to as the big wheel at Luna Park as a metaphor for life References edit Joy Wheel Dingle s Fairground Heritage Centre Teufelsrad Oktoberfest Neue Experimentierstation Teufelsrad in der Experiminta in Frankfurt Experiminta ScienceCenter 2012 01 05 Archived from the original on 2016 01 25 Retrieved 2014 05 10 Wunderland de attraktionen action teufelsrad Teufelsrad permanent dead link Auf Taunus Wunderland de Retrieved 10 May 2014External links editAbbildungen und Beschreibung eines Teufelsrades auf dem Oktoberfest Spiele auf dem Teufelsrad Munchen Video of Human Roulette Wheel at Steeplechase Park Coney Island early 1900s Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Devil 27s wheel amp oldid 1200451343, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
