US361893A - Ments - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. A. MESTAYER 8v; H'. PINCUS.

THBATRIGAL APPARATUS.

Patented Apg.

FIG,2,

D Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W'ILLIAM A. MESTAYER, OF NEW YORK', N. Y., AND HENRY PINOUS, OF

PHILADELPHIA, PA., ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THERFSA VAUGHN MESTAYER, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

TH EATRICAL APPARATUS.

EPECIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,893, dated April 26, 1887.

Application filed March 1, 1887. Serial No. 229,271. (No model.) i

To all 'LU/1,0771, it may concern.-

Beit known that we, lWILLIAM A. MEsTAY- ER, of New York, N. Y., and HENRY PINoUs, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Theatrical Apparatus, of4

scend, and stop in full view of the audience. It may then be drawn up again by the actorsto the top of the slide and the operation repeated. On account of the limited space given upon a stage it is necessary, by means of peculiar mechanism, to control the motion of the toboggan or its slide or carriage, so that, although a great apparent Velocity may be given in descending the inclined plane, the speed may be slackened and the toboggan stopped in any desired position or part of the stage in the line of its travel. This we accomplish by means of an inclined plane or slide, which may vary in length or inclination to snit the characteristics of the stage upon which it is to be used. The top of this trough may be made level in imitation of an ordinary tobogganslide and to give a resting-place for the toboggan before it is started. The inclined plane is also continued on a substantial level with the stage at the end of the incline. Fitting upon this incline is a slide orcarriage adapted to receive the toboggan, which slide or carriage and inclined plane are concealed from the view of the audience bythe scene which is infront, and are made to conform to the inclined plane on the sides. This slide or carriage may be provided with runners or rollers, and the bottom of the inclined plane may be made of polished wood or soapstone, or soapstone may be sprinkled on the wooden rails, or any other means may be employed to reduce the friction between the slide and the surface of the inclined plane. The Slide or carriage may be fastened by a rope'or cable to a windlass, which is provided with a crank and brake. By means of the windlass the toboggan or supporting slide or carriage may be drawn up to the top of the inclined plane. By means of the brake the velocity of descent may be controlled and the slide or carriage stopped at the proper instantA without the least care on the part of the actors thereon. This is particularly advantageous, as it would be more or less dangerous to rely on the actors on the descending toboggan to operate a brake or other contrivance to arrest their travel. The slide or carriage may be made to automatically run up the inclined i plane by a suitable counter-balance after the toboggan and its load have been removed from it, and in its upward travel or ascent it is hidden from view of the audience by the scene, and all parts being painted white, detection is not readily accomplished. The tobogganists,'

after leaving the slide, come to the front of the stage and occupy the attention of the audience while the carriage or slide is ascending.

` There is a large number of ways of accomplishing the result-,and we do not limit ourselves to any specific construction, except so much as is necessary to adapt the apparatus to scenic effects upon a theatrical stage.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation on line x x of Fig. 4, looking from the rear of the stage. Fig. 2 is afront view of the apparatus from the auditorium of the theatre, showing the actors playing. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the toboggan removed from its slide. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the apparatus on line y y of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modification, showing the toboggan and slide incorporated into one structure and disconnectable from the rope. Fig. 6 is a side view of a modified system for controlling the descent of the toboggan. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of a portion of same, showing how the slide is supported by the rope and yet disconnectable therefrom; and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a toboggan on rollers and provided with hand-brakes to arrest its travel.

A is the inclined plane, having an upper horizontal part, B, and a lower horizontal or slightly inclined part, O, the incline in which part C is the inverse of that of part A. These IOO . Fig. 6.

`\ ready removal of the slide or toboggan.

parts are made in sections D, detachably secured together,whereby the structure may be dismantled for shipment. The inclined plane is provided with two rails, A A, having side guards, a a, between which and upon the rails the slide or carriage G-rnns. The slide G is preferably made of a flat board or frame having runners g g, which rest upon rails A', and to reduce the friction on the inclined part A soapstone may be used, or the rails or iioor of the inclined plane may be made entirely of soapstone. The slide G is connected to a rope, II, which is wound upon a windlass, I,having a shaft, i, to which a hand-crank, J, is secured. The windlass isalso provided with a brake,V K, which may be controlledby the hand-lever 7c to arrest the rotation of the Windlass when the slide G is descending the incline. Rollers L may be used to support the rope as it is drawn out by the descending `slide.

The slide is allowed to descend by gravity without resistance, accelerating its speed in a most natural manner; but when it reaches the bottom the operator appliesthe brake K and arrests the vpaying out of the cable or rope,and consequently the slide and its living burden also. The upward incline, C, is designed to impart to the audience the idea that the stopping of the traveling toboggan or its slide is due to this cause. l

The slide G may havev pins G upon it,which t into holes m in the toboggan M when the latter is made separable from the slide or carrage; or. any other suitable connection may be made to hold the toboggan to the slide or carriage in its descent. When the bottom of the incline isreached the toboggan is lifted up, leaving the slide G, which is pulled up again by turning the crank J or automatically by a weight, h, acting directly upon the cord H or 'upon the windlass.-

The frameD andincline plane audits slide are shielded from view of the audience by a scene, E, having its upper edge substantially conforming to the inclined plane. The scene E is between the audience and inclined plane, and scene F is behind the inclined plane, an effect substantially as indicated in Fig. 2 being produced.

Y In place of the slide upon runners a carriage may b e used upon rollers g, as indicated in Fig. 5, and such carriage may be made in the form of a toboggan and be disconnectable with the rope H by a link, H3, and couplingpin N.

an endless rope may be used, as indicated in In this case it would be provided with stops or knots II', (see Fig. 7,) against which the descending slide or carriage rests through the mediation of catches H2. This enables the The cable or rope would have its travel controlled as in the other case, but it would always travel in the same direction.

In place of using a. rope the toboggan or carriage may have rollers g, and be provided with brake-shoes 0,7 cont-rolled by a togglejoint, I), 'and handle p by the actors on the same, as indicated in Fig. 8. In this case the actors must look out for their own safety, the stoppingof the carriage being accomplished by applying the brakes O. These various de-v vices are shown and described to indicate a number of ways in which our invention may be pnt into practice; but we prefer that shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, owing to their simplicity and dnrability,as well as being capable of producing amore realistic effect.

It is evident that while it is our object to arrest the travel of the toboggan inrfull view of the audience, we may, however, allow the toboggan to travel across the stage and disappear from View among the scenes on the opposite side of the stage from where it started. This would be accomplished by inaking'the side wings to shield the part C up to the lowermost roller, L, in Fig. I.

The apparatus may be modified in various ways without departing from Vour invention.

Having now described our invention,what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isx 1. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, a slide or carriage tolrun down said incline, and a scene having its upper edge made to substantially conform to the incline of the plane.

2. vIn theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, a slideor carriage to Irun down said incline, a rope, chain, or cable to control the descent of the slide or carriage, and a scene having its upper edge made to substantially conform to the incline of the plane. f

3. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, a slide or carriage to run down said incline, a rope, chain, or cable to control the descent of the slide or carriage, a windlass to wind up said cable to bring its end to the top of the incline, and a scene having its upper edge made to substantially conform to the incline of the plane.

4. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, aslide or carriage to run down said incline, a rope, chain, or cable to control the descent of the slide or carriage, a windlass to wind up said cable to bring its end to the top of the incline, a brake to control the unwinding of the cable, and a scene having its upper edge made to substantially In place of the rope shown in Figs. l and 4' conform to the incline of the plane.

5. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, a slide or carriage to run down said incline, a rope, chain, or cable to control the descent of the slide or carriage, a brake to regulate the travel of the cable, and

a scene having its upper edge made to sub-` stantially conform to the incline of the plane.

6. In theatrical apparatus, the combinationY of an inclined plane, a slide or carriage to run down said incline, a toboggan removably at- IOO IIO

IIS

IZO

tached to the slide or carriage, and a scene having its upper edge made to substantially conform to the incline of the plane.

7. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, a slide or carriage to run down said incline, and a scene having its upper edge made to substantially conform to the inoline of the plane and projecting sufficiently high above the inclined plane and its carriage or slide to shield it from the audience.

8. A toboggan-slide for theatrical purposes, consisting of an inclined plane having a steep grade and terminating in full view of the audience, in combination with a slide or carriage adapted to run upon said incline, means, substantially as set forth, to arrest the slide at the foot of the incline, and a scene having its upper edge made to substantially conform to the incline of the plane.

9. A toboggan-slide for theatrical purposes,

consisting of an inclined plane having a steep grade and terminating in a slight upward in eline at the bottom, which is in full vieW of the audience, in combination With a slide or carriage adapted to run upon said incline, means, substantially as set forth, to arrest the slide at the foot of the incline, and a scene having its upper edge made to substantially conform to the incline of the plane.

10. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane having a substantiallyhorizontal part both at top and bottom, a scene to screen the inclined-plane structure, and a slide or carriage to run upon said. inclined plane.

11. In theatrical apparatus, the combination of an inclined plane, a slide or carriage to run down said incline, a suitable braking device, substantially as set forth, to arrest the slide or carriage at the foot of the inclined plane, and a scene having its upper edge made to substantially conform to the incline of the plane.

12. In theatrical apparatus, a toboggan-slide or inclined plane, in combination with a slide or carriage adapted to slide or run down said inclined plane, and a toboggan detachably se` cured to said slide or carriage.`

13. In theatrical apparatus, a toboggan-slide or inclined plane, inA combination With a slide 'or carriage adapted to slide or run down said inclined plane, suitable means, as set forth, to elevate the carriage or slide to the top of the incline, and a toboggan detachabl y secured to said slide or carriage.

14. In theatrical apparatus, a toboggan-slide or inclined plane, in combination with a slide or carriage adapted to slide or run down said inclined plane, suitable means, as set forth, to automatically elevate the carriage or slide to the top of the incline, and a toboggan detachably secured to said slide or carriage.

15. In theatrical apparatus, a tobogganslide or inclined plane formed in sections and connected together to form one complete structure, in combination with a scene which conforms to the side elevation of the inclined plane structure.

16. The combination of the two slide-rails A A, set on an incline, with the slide G, having runners g to run upon said side rails, and a detachable toboggan, M, substantially as and tor the purpose specified.

In testimony ofwhichinvention I hereunto set my hand.

VILLIAM A. MESTAYER. Vitnesses:

Jos. A. OTT,- CHAs. W. SUMNER. In testimony of Which invention I hereunto set my hand.

HENRY PINCUS.

Witnesses:

RIOHD. S. CHILD, J r., '1%. M. HUNTER.

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