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Teacups is an amusement ride characterized by cup-shaped spinning vehicles atop a turntable-like floor. Typically, each set of six teacups has a center bearing mounted underneath, similar to a car wheel bearing mounted on a circular floor capable of turning 360°. The circular floor of the cup sits on a larger turntable-like floor. This is driven by a motor through a starting device; the ride when started spins slowly and then speeds up as the operator applies more power. When in operation, the ride operator spins each cup while the turntable spins the entire ride base. They are driven by a motor fixed to the base in either the middle or the outside. The motor fixed in the middle has a gearbox which changes direction as well as the correct ratio for the desired speed. The motor fixed on the outside again has a gearbox but is attached to a small rubber wheel which sits along the rim under the platform. Either way, the end result is achieved and under modern health and safety guidelines, children's rides should not spin faster than 8 rpm.
See also
- Mad Tea Party - The best known Disney version in five of the company's global theme parks
- Marauder's Mayhem - a similar kind of ride at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England