Patent ID: 9011197
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: A63F,A63J

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for suspending and positioning a show component such as a marionette, comprising: a support membrane; a tender vehicle positioned proximate to a first side of the support membrane, the tender vehicle comprising a drive mechanism selectively positioning the tender vehicle relative to the support membrane; and a puppeteer vehicle supporting a show component and positioned proximate to a second side of the support membrane opposite the tender vehicle, wherein at least one of the tender vehicle and the puppeteer vehicle comprises one or more rotatable magnetic elements providing a magnetic field maintaining the puppeteer vehicle proximate to the support membrane, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a pair of magnetic wheels each placed with a peripheral edge in contact with the first side of the support membrane and driven to rotate relative to a body of the tender vehicle on one or more axles supported on the body and wherein the puppeteer vehicle comprises a pair of magnetic wheels mounted for free spinning and each positioned with a peripheral edge in contact with the second side of the support membrane opposite the magnetic wheels of the drive mechanism of the tender vehicle, whereby the puppeteer vehicle passively follows the tender vehicle.