Who invented Ferris wheel?
The Ferris wheel was invented by George Washington Gale Ferris in 1893. Originally a bridge builder he designed and constructed the first Ferris wheel as a landmark for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. A Ferris wheel which is also called as a big wheel or an observation wheel, consists of an upright wheel which keeps rotating and has passenger cars attached to its rim. It works in such a way that as the wheel keeps turning the cars remain upright with the help of gravity.
Since the invention of the original Ferris wheel, there have been eight subsequent inventions, the latest being the Singapore Flyer which is 541 ft high and was opened for the public in March 2008. These wheels are usually used at carnival fairs across the world.
The original Ferris wheel rotated on a 71-ton, 45.5 foot axle and was manufactured at Pittsburg. 36 cars were fitted into it with 40 chairs revolving in it and at any point of time 2,160 people could be accommodated. On a daily basis, it carried about 38,000 passengers and two revolutions on the Ferris wheel would take about 20 minutes.
After the exposition came to an end in 1893, the wheel was dismantled and stored to be used the next year and was eventually destroyed in 1906. Today there are different types of Ferris wheels available such as transportable wheels that can be used in multiple locations, double and triple wheels and eccentric wheels.
