A Collapsible Bracket for Supporting Theatrical Scenery Attachments.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 21st Mar., 1899-Accepted, 27th May, 1899
A Collapsible Bracket for Supporting Theatrical Scenery
Attachments.
I, JOHN WATERS BOUGHTON, of The Arts Club, Portsmouth, in the County of
Hants. Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows;
-
My present invention relates to a device for fitting or hanging to theatrical
scenery curtain poles, pictures or other similar attachments.
Brackets or other devices hitherto employed for said purpose have been so con-
structed that it has been necessary to remove them entirely each time the scenery
is packed for transit otherwise they would project into the scenery and the same
could not be placed close one above the other.
The object therefore of my invention is to so construct the bracket or device
that it will automatically collapse or close flat against the scenery when not
required for use or when the attachments or hangings are removed, and can be
easily drawn out or extended in any convenient form to suit the article to be
supported or when in use, and by this means each bracket may be safely and
conveniently used as a permanent fitting to the scenery and may be readily and
effectively extended to position required thereby saving wear and tear on the
scenery as well as enabling the attachments or hangings to be more expedi-
tiously placed in position or removed.
To attain these objects therefore I arrange a plate or back support which may
be screwed nailed or otherwise secured to the face of scenery permanently in
position required and to this plate I hinge or pivot a toggle arm or bracket. The
lower end of which arm has a tongue which comes in contact with the plate when
extended to horizontal or oblique position, and the lower end of upper part of
said toggle has a similar tongue or projection which comes in contact with hori-
zontal part when extended so as to support this upper part in a vertical or oblique
position or at any suitable angle with the lower part of extended bracket.
A suitable spring is connected to the lower part of bracket or to the plate of
sufficient strength to force the whole of toggle flat against the plate when not in
use and also to overcome a similar or other spring which is connected with the
toggle to keep the upper part thereof in position when in use.
Where preferred instead of a toggle bracket as described simply a single hinged
bracket may be connected to the plate, and this may be kept to a flat or closed
position when not in use by either a spiral or flat spring, or if so preferred a spring
bracket per se may be attached to said plate direct as will be well understood.
I do not confine my invention to any particular shape of plate or bracket neither
to any particular form of hinged toggle or spring inasmuch as the collapsible-
ness of the bracket which is the essential particular of my invention and attains
the object specified may obviously be arranged in a variety of ways.
Dated this 18th day of June 1898.

page_text: A Collapsible Bracket for Supporting Theatrical Scenery
Attachments.
I, JOHN WATERS BOUGHTON, of The Arts Club, Portsmouth, in the County of
Hants., Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement; -
My present invention relates to a device for fitting or hanging to theatrical
scenery; curtain poles, pictures or other similar attachments.
Hitherto brackets or other devices generally used for this purpose have been
constructed in such a manner that it has been necessary either to entirely remove
them each time previously to packing the scenes one above the other for transit,
or they project and so damage the scenes, or if removed each time the frequent
removal and refixing of the same not only takes up considerable time but obviously
also damages the scenes. Or other devices which may have hitherto been employed
for this purpose have had to be so clumsily manipulated that they likewise damage
the scenes whether they be removed each time or remain.
The object therefore of my invention is to so construct the bracket or device
that it will either automatically or by pressure collapse or close flat to the scenery
when not required for use, or when the attachments or hangings are removed,
and can be easily drawn out or extended in any convenient form to suit the
article to be supported when in use, and by this means each bracket may be safely
and conveniently used as a permanent fitting to the scenery and may be readily
and effectively extended to position required thereby saving the wear and tear
on the scenery as well as enabling the attachments or hangings to be more ex-
peditiously placed in position or removed.
It will be obvious also, that my hereinafter fully described collapsible bracket
may be advantageously used for a variety of other purposes than scenery attach-
ments, for instance for wardrobes, hat pegs, shop window fittings, box, drawer,
or cupboard handles or for supporting any kind of removable or portable attach-
ments to walls, partitions, frames, furniture or the like.
To attain the before described objects therefore I arrange and construct my
improved collapsible bracket or device substanteously in the manner hereinafter
set forth and described by the aid of the accompanying sheet of drawings in
which Fig. 1 is a cross section of my said collapsible bracket with collapsible
parts extended in horizontally and vertically locked positions. Fig. 2 is a front
view of my said device with extendable parts closed or collapsed within the plate,
fixed to scene.
Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line a a of said Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a side view showing extendable parts in the act of closing or being
collapsed by the pressure of the thumb, and Fig. 5 is a side view of bracket when
the scene is in horizontal position showing the extendable parts in the act of
closing by their own weight.
Fig. 6 is a side view of my collapsible bracket fixed to a drawer or other
article and in inverted position with the extendable parts gripped by the hand.
Fig. 7 is a similar view with the extendable parts released and in the act
of automatically closing and Fig. S is a similar view showing the bracket com-
pletely closed within itself.
Fig. 9 is an enlarged isometric perspective view of my collapsible bracket with
parts extended ready for use and
Fig. 10 is a similar view, with the parts closed or collapsed.

page_text: Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view.
My improved bracket is composed of a plate or back support A which may be
fastened or secured to the scene S, or draw or other article K (Figs. 6 to 8) per-
manently either by screws a² or other convenient means. The said plate A has
a central recess a¹ and I pivot a toggle arm or plate B within this recess a¹ to the
plate A and to the under or outer side of said arm or plate B I connect or
attach a tongue b₁ by means of rivets or pins 6 and in such a manner that it is
free to move, slide or reciprocate slightly for the purpose hereinafter mentioned.
The outer end of the toggle arni or plate B has hinged or pivotted to it an
upper part of toggle or plate C, the lower end or end near the pivot or hinge
being extended or made in the form of a tongue or projection so as to come in
contact with the outer end of tongue or plate 6' when extended whereby it is
supported in a vertical or oblique position or at any suitable angle as may be
arranged, the inner end of the tongue or plate b¹ bearing against the face of plate A
and being made wider than the recess a¹ for the purpose.
Near the free end of plate B and on its inner face I either make with or secure
to it a projection or check plate 63 and near the free end of upper part of toggle
or plate C I form two projections or pins c¹ which bear in suitable slides or
under cuts a³ formed in the plate A. when the extendable parts are collapsed.
Suitable thumb and finger recesses and a* are formed respectively in the
plates A and B.
By gripping the plates B when closed by the thumb and finger and pulling
it outwards from the fixed plate A the slides a³ and pins c¹ therein retain the
free end of plate C within the plate A until it gets to required angle with the
arm of plate B, when the pins c' leave the slides a3 and the plates B and C or toggle
become extended as at Figs. 1 and 9, the plate B simultaneously becoming locked
in a vertical or angular direction by its inner end bearing against the plate A
and the plate or upper part of toggle C becoming locked in both lateral directions
by its lower end or tongue bearing against the outer end of tongue (the
opposite end of latter bearing against the face of plate A) and another part of
said plate C bearing against the projection or plate 63. By this means the
toggle B, C, is extended in the form of a bracket the part B becoming vertically
and the part C laterally rigid and ready for use.
A flat or other spring D is fixed within the recess a¹ of plate A or it may be
stamped out of said plate itself as will be obvious.
In order to collapse the bracket the thumb may be pressed against the plate 6¹
as shown at Fig. 4, when the end of part C closes against the spring D and the
pins crun in the slides a³.
In this closing movement of the collapsible parts of the bracket, as soon as
the plate B is elevated as shown at Fig. 4, the tongue or plate 6 is free to be
moved by the tongue or under end of part of plate C pressing against the same
thereby allowing the toggle or parts B and C to collapse within the plate A as
shown at Figs. 2 and 3, the spring D retaining the same in said position until
drawn out as before described.
Should the scenes S be placed in a horizontal position as shown at Fig. 5 and
the spring D be made sufficiently light the collapsible parts of bracket will when
in said position close with the plate A by their own weight.
Or should the bracket be fixed to a draw or other article in an inverted
position to that shown at Fig. 1, for instance as shown at Figs. 6 to 8 it will be
obvious that the collapsible parts will also close (when released by the hand) by
their own weight.
I would here point out that I do not confine my invention to any particular
shape of plate A nither to any particular shape of hinge or toggle B, C, or
spring D inasmuch as the collapsibleness of the bracket which is the essential
particular of my invention, and attains the objects specified, may obviously be
arranged with plates shaped in a variety of designs or shaped to suit require-
ments; therefore

page_text: Having now particularly described as ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a collapsible bracket the combination of a recessed plate having a slide
or undercuts with spring and pivotted horizontal plate or toggle with free tongue
and vertical part pivotted in such a manner that when the horizontal plate or
part of toggle is extended the vertical plate or upper part of toggle moves to a
right or other angle thereto and becomes locked by the free plate or tongue
substantially as described.
(2) In a collapsible bracket the combination of three plates pivotted together
and a free plate or tongue so connected to the middle plate that when the two
outer plates are extended apart the free plate or tongue acts as a stay between
the same so as to lock them in said position, and when the plates or drawn together
the free plate moves so as to allow the plates to close flat upon or within one of
said pivotted plates substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of March 1899.
H. F. BOUGHTON,
Patent Agent, Barnsley.