The sport of bungy jumping has in recent years become a popular recreational pastime. This sport involves a tethered free fall from a height of about 40 or 50 meters with the feet of the jumper tied with an elastic cord or rope and anchored so that the fall is arrested by the cord just short of the ground. The fall, once arrested results in a rebound of considerable distance and is followed by oscillations of decreasing magnitude.
Bungy jumping can be conducted from fixed structures such as buildings or bridges. This is considered undesirable and not condoned by authorities. Bungy jumping can also be conducted from cliffs or the like. It is usual for ramps or overhangs to be necessary as launching platforms to ensure that the jumper does not contact the rise of the cliff during the rebound and oscillation phase of the lump. For such jumping to be conducted on a commercial scale it was necessary to provide some means to enable the jumper to readily travel from where the jump terminates back to the ramp or overhang to conduct another jump. Stairs were typically provided and where the height of the jump was about 50 meters, climbing of the stairs was a strenuous and tedious exercise.
It is also known to bungy jump from hot air balloons. Balloons have not provided a commercially viable bungy jumping station, For each jump it was necessary to ground the balloon and then rise again into the air for the requisite height or to carry a number of jumpers on one flight. It was possible for multiple jumps to be carried out from a balloon without grounding but then ballasting the balloon to maintain a steady height became difficult to achieve.
It is known to employ cranes for bungy jumping. The jib of the crane was maintained at a constant inclination and a cage was employed to hoist the jumper and instructor or jump master and other personnel. The jumper would launch himself from the cage and the crane would be slewed and the cage lowered to enable the jumper to be lowered to the ground, released and another jumper collected and lifted to the requisite height for a jump. The use of cranes required skilled crane operators and typically unions specified that two such operators were to drive each crane for set periods of time to ensure that operator fatigue or stress did not result.
Cranes were either purchased outright and then dedicated to the bungy jumping operation or were simply leased or hired. In all of these situations the cost involved was considerable and this was reflected in the cost per jump levied by operators.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bungy jumping tower which at least minimises the disadvantages referred to above.