Formsprag FSO-900 Overrunning Clutch for Amusement Park Water Ride

October 17, 2022
Theme Park Amusement Park Ride

A popular Orlando Florida theme park needed a replacement overrunning clutch for use on one of its rides. The attraction features Viking-styled, flat-bottom boats that move passengers along a shallow water canal through a series of dramatic scenes with special effects.

Backstopping Clutch for Amusement Ride

The backstopping clutch is installed on the drive at the base of the boat conveyor lift near the beginning of the ride. The clutch automatically engages to prevent the inclined boat lift conveyor from rolling backwards in case of a power outage during the ride’s operation.

The problem was that the original competitor clutch was failing due to its age. Formsprag worked with a distribution partner as well as the ride maintenance engineers to ensure that the replacement clutch was suitably sized to meet the ride’s requirements.

Formsprag's Replacement Clutch Solution

Ultimately, Formsprag provided a special replacement FSO-900 clutch that featured nickel plating to withstand the heavily treated water containing chlorine and other corrosive chemicals. A food-grade grease was substituted to eliminate any oil lubrication from contaminating the water.

The 12” diameter FSO-900 clutch has a 18,000 lb.ft. (24,480 Nm) torque capacity. All FSO automatic backstopping clutches feature a high torque density and require no adjustments or controls.




Formsprag FSO 900 Clutch