IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MACHINERY FOR ACTUATING THEATRICAL STAGE EFFECTS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO VENTILATING AND EXTINGUISHING FIRE."
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Betts Brown, of Rosebank Iron Works,
Edinburgh, in the County of Edinburghshire, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MACHINERY FOR ACTUATING THEATRICAL
STAGE EFFECTS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO VENTILATING AND
EXTINGUISHING FIRE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Betts Brown
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th October 1875.
I, ANDREW BETTS BROWN, of Rosebank Iron Works, Edinburgh,
in the County of Edinburghshire, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC MACHINERY FOR ACTUATING
THEATRICAL STAGE EFFECTS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO VENTILATING
AND EXTINGUISHING FIRE," to be as follows :—
In carrying out my Invention I lay pressure pipes throughout the
stage and other parts of a theatre, through which I convey water at

page_text: high pressure (by preference 800 lbs. per square inch) by means of a
boiler and pumping engine, which I place in a fireproof apartment
outside the theatre.
The pumping machinery which I prefer to employ is in accordance
with a Patent granted to me, dated 14 August 1874, No. 2805. In this
pumping machinery I described the piston of a steam accumulator,
which on being pumped up over the steam port leading to the steam-
pumping engines stopped them. This is however defective in respect
that the steam is not entirely shut off from the engines, and my
improvement (amongst others) in the pumping machinery consists of
the application of a valve and small piston, which is opened and shut
by the large piston of the steam accumulator, alternately admitting
steam and exhausting it as it passes a small port in the side of the
steam accumulator cylinder.
For the purpose of raising and lowering the scene cloths in the stage
of a theatre, as well as the sink scenes, paint frames, bridges, and other
appliances, I make use of the ordinary and well-known hydraulic hoist,
having multiplying pulleys on its ram and cylinder, and I place one of
such hoists at the side of each scene, cloth, or sink. This scene is
suspended by three or four ropes as may be necessary, which ropes are
carried over pulleys immediately above the points of attachment to the
scene, and are thereafter gathered into an iron ring. From the hoist
the lifting end of the rope is led over a pulley and attached to the
aforesaid ring. The ropes on the scenes or cloths are led through eye
bolts to belaying pins on the side of the scenes to adjust the stretching
of the ropes.
Having set the hoists in position at the side of their respective scenes
I place the valves for actuating the same (which are of the slide
description) in a group immediately under control of the prompter or
other person, the pipes leading from these valves to the hoists; con-
sequently, while the hoists are at the sides and back of the theatre all
the valves are in a row at the right-hand side of the stage, so that all
the effects of a transformation scene can be produced by one operator.
In producing artificial waterfalls or other water effects on the stage
I employ a nozzle, through which I convey a jet of high-pressure water.
This nozzle is placed inside a large pipe, which has one end attached to
a large tank of water; the other end is carried up over the scenery in

page_text: which the waterfall is to play. The nozzle has a series of larger
shrouding nozzles in the form of an injector. When the high-pressure
water is turned on it induces a powerful current in the large pipe,
throwing the water out of the tank over the scenery, where it is allowed
to run down and drain again into the tank.
An extension of the pipes from the stage machinery is led to the top
of the house, and there a hydraulic reciprocating engine, which I will
presently describe, is made to actuate a radial piston, wind sail, or
punkah, which vibrates to and fro inside a casing to the extent of a
quarter of a circle. On each side are placed inlet and outlet valves
formed of canvas working on perforated zinc. The suction valves of
such an exhauster are in communication with the various parts of the
theatre to be ventilated, while the delivery valves communicate with
the external atmosphere. The most convenient place for such hydraulic
ventilators is upon the roof of the theatre, and it is necessary that the
attendant should be able to command the action of such engines from
the locality requiring to be ventilated. For that purpose I lead pipes
from the pumping machinery, or from the mains on the stage, upwards
through the pit, boxes, or other part of the theatre, in which parts I
place a regulating valve in the pipe leading to the hydraulic engine.
Above this valve, which I prefer to place in that part of the theatre
where the heat is likely to collect, is fixed a thermometer, and as the
engine which works the ventilators is self-starting the attendant can at
once command the ventilation of the house by opening or shutting the
valve.
The hydraulic engine consists of a double-acting cylinder fitted with
a piston and rod similar to that of a common steam engine. A constant
water pressure exists at the front end, while a slide valve admits and
exhausts the water from the back of the cylinder. On each end of the
slide valve rod is fitted a piston, which works in a subsidiary cylinder,
having two extreme admission ports and a centre exhaust port. A small
slide valve is worked by a crank pin placed on the top of the shaft of
the wind sail, while a larger crank projects in the opposite direction, to
which the connecting rod of the hydraulic engine is connected.
The water in all the hoists, engines, &c. herein-before described after
having done duty is returned to the pumping engine tank by exhaust
mains laid alongside the pressure pipes.

page_text: In cold weather I employ the waste steam from the pumping engines
to heat the theatre by passing it through the ordinary and well-known
arrangement of pipes.
Having on this system a circuit of pressure pipes in the theatre with
a store of water and pumping engines capable of keeping it supplied, I
introduce fire hydrants in each side of the basement floor, the stage
floor, and in the flies, also on each gallery of the front of the house, and
I use in connection with these fire hydrants small india-rubber piping
of great strength with small directors, so that by the high-pressure of
water and the lightness of the hose I have a ready means of extinguishing
fire.
I make no claim to the hoist, water injector, or fire hydrants
individually, but my Invention consists in the combined arrangement of
hydraulic apparatus for doing the varied work of a theatre at present
effected by manual labour.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Andrew Betts Brown in the Great Seal Patcut
Office on the 13th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
BETTS BROWN, of Rosebank Iron Works, Edinburgh, in the County of
Edinburghshire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Andrew Betts Brown, Her special
license that I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Andrew Betts Brown,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical section of the engine which I employ to
maintain a constant pressure in the pressure mains which are led into
the theatre. a is the accumulator or cylinder, in which the high-
pressure water is stored; it is connected with the pressure mains at a¹.
b is the ram working in this cylinder, and it is loaded by the pressure of
steam or of water in an elevated cistern upon the piston c working in
the large cylinder d; e is the pipe by which the steam or water enters.
The pumping apparatus is built on the top of the accumulator, the
pumpf being placed on the hydraulic cylinder a, and the steam or
water engine upon the cylinder d. The slide valve gear is of the well-
known fluid moved type, and will be readily understood on inspecting
the Drawing. The steam or water pressure is admitted to the cylinder
by a piston valve g, having pistons at each end, to which the pressure is
admitted by a subsidiary slide valve h, which is actuated by tappets i
and j, against which the piston strikes. The apparatus has a wheel and
spindle, which controls the speed of the engine by limiting the lift of
the valve k, which is attached by a spindle to a piston immediately
underneath. This piston works in a cylinder, which has a pipe com-
munication with the hole or port on the side of the accumulator
cylinder at m. The piston having a greater area than the valve / will
permit it to rise freely when the pressure in the accumulator cylinder at
the port m is equal to that under the valve k, which will be the case in
the position of the accumulator piston shown in the Drawing. The
engine in such case will continue to work, but directly the piston c of the
accumulator is pumped up so as to expose the port m to the atmosphere,
which finds its way to the front of the cylinder through the atmospheric
hole n, the pressure is exhausted from the under side of the piston 1,
which at once closes the valve k. The water is sucked into the pump
at o, and is discharged through the delivery valve p into the accumulator
of the hydraulic cylinder, a constant pressure being on the annular area
in front of the pump bucket. This apparatus under steam or water
pressure is quite automatic, as when the piston c descends it exposes
the port m to pressure, which by communication with the piston / raiscs
the valve k and so starts the engine, which by its reciprocations charges
the hydraulic cylinder, pumping up the piston c against the pressuro
until it exposes the port m to the atmosphere, when the engine is
stopped.

page_text: In place of employing an engine with fluid moved valve an engine
with rotating shaft and fly wheel may be employed, as is shown at
Figure 2, it is provided with a self-acting valve k precisely similar to that
described in Figure 1, the water is sucked into the pumps from a tank
supply at o and discharged through the theatre at a¹. In both engines,
whether worked by water or steam, a small tank holding about 400 gallons
is placed in the engine room communicating with the suction valve by a
pipe into which the return or waste water from the various apparatus in
the theatre flows back.
The hydraulic hoist which I employ for the purposes of lifting in the
theatre is shewn in Figure 3. a is the hydraulic cylinder and a¹ are
pulleys turning on an axis carried by a frame attached to the end of the
cylinder a; is the ram and 6' are pulleys carried in a frame mounted
on its head. The hoist is adapted to suit the use of ropes which make
no noise, and it is provided with guide rods having variable stops to
limit the action of the hoist in an upward or downward direction. For
that purpose the guide rods c, c, are screwed throughout, and have nuts
and jam nuts d, d, by which the stroke of the ram and cross head can
be limited. The rope is led from the belaying pins e, e, round the first
pulley overhead, and to and fro in block and tackle fashion until it leads
off the last pulley underneath. The pressure is admitted at the
branch f.
The arrangement of valves and pipes is described further on.
Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section of the theatre. One of the
hoists, as described, is shewn at A, and again another of a larger size
at A, A. The rope is shewn rove round the hoist A in dot lining, one
end being attached to the belaying pins, while the other is attached to
the ring B. This ring however where found more convenient may be
replaced by the clamp, shown at Figure 5, which enables the ropes to
be taken up quickly. This clamp has a joint at C and a tightening
screw at D, the holes E, F, G, receiving the ropes belonging to the
pulleys marked E, F, G, Figure 4. These ropes, as shewn, run over the
pulleys and lay hold of the wooden beam H carrying the cloth. This
beam is grooved at the ends, as shown in Figure 6, and to prevent its
fouling the other cloths, as the cloths are necessarily placed close
together, it runs upon wire or other rope guides K, K, which enter the
notches, and which are attached and held by spiral springs at L, L, the

page_text: springs keep the rope guides quite tight. As many as 30 cloths may be
required to be hung in a theatre, and the rope guides are all taken up
by one roller M, M, having ratchet teeth and shaft with a square end so
that the rope guides may be tightened up or slackened at pleasure. The
tension springs at L, L, are for the purpose of compensating difference
in stretch of ropes, so many being all wound on one barrel. When the
cloths require to be changed in position it is only necessary to unwind
the barrel, when the guide cords K, K, all become slack, and then the
cloths may be changed and rearranged.
Although the hoists A are placed in the flies as close together as
possible, yet it may happen that the whole are required to be con-
centrated on cloths occupying a less space, and for that purpose the
sliding pulleys shown in Figure 7 are employed, they are shewn in
position at N in the flies. The grooved casting O is led along the floor
in front of the hoists, and a sufficient number of other castings P with
T headed bolts are placed upon it. These castings carry an angle
pulley Qwhich inclines towards the cloth pulley G. By such an
arrangement the rope from the hoist A. can be led laterally to any
distance by passing over one of the pulleys Q and under the next one in
position opposite the cloth to be raised, in this way a hoist, whatever its
position be, can be made available to work any one of the cloths. The
bridge hoist A, A, is placed in the basement, and has its rope (or chain
by preference) led to the further end of the bridge over the pulleys R
and S, laying hold of the foot of the bridge at T, while its other rope or
chain passes over the pulleys at the near end at U and V, laying hold of
the bridge again at T. These chains are gathered into a ring at W, to
which the hoist chain is attached.
The sink scenes, although not illustrated, are worked in the same
manner.
In Figure 4 the boiler is shewn at X, while the pumping engines are
at Y. The pressure pipes lead into the building in a way which will be
described in respect to Figure 8, but the fire mains are shewn in red
lining in Figure 4, the hydrants being shewn at 1, 2, 3, 4, the exhaust
mains from the engine passing into the building which they serve to
warm through the pipe Z. The exhaust steam pressure is delivered at
10 lbs. per square inch, a safety valve being placed under the smoke
box of the boiler to allow any excess of pressure to blow up the
chimney.

page_text: In Figure 8 a plan of the general arrangement of the stage is shewn.
A is the boiler house; B, the engine room; C, the painter's room;
D, the stage; E, the prompter's corner. Ten hoists are shewn in the
flies at F opposite the prompter's corner, and to these hoists ten lines of
pipes are led from the valves underneath the stage floor at the prompter's
corner at G. A similar set of ten hoists are placed in the basement.
Four heavy bridge hoists and six light sink hoists are also controlled
from another line of valves at G, each having its own individual pipe, as
shewn. Two hoists at H and I work the curtain and act drop scene,
also controlled from the position shewn at G. To show these pipes the
Figure shows the stage broken by a line exposing the basement. The
pressure pipe from the accumulator J passes into the building and com-
municates with the row of valves at K, while the exhaust main passes
back to the tank at L. A branch M leads to the paint room hoists at
N and O, which work the paint frames P and Q by ropes in a similar
manner to those already described in the flies. The valves, however, of
N and O are placed in that locality so as to be controlled by the artist
using the frames. The manner of reeving the ropes is as with the hoists
in the flies. The waste steam from the pumping engines passes by the
pipe R into the theatre to the various heating apparatus. The fire
hydrants are shewn at S and T near the centre of the stage. When
it is not convenient to use steam I place the pumping engine shewn in
Figure 1 either outside or inside the building, as shewn at U, the
pressure pipe passing into the theatre at V, and the water from the
large tank supplying the apparatus at W. The arrangement of pressure
and return pipes is the same as that shewn in engine and boiler house
A and B.
Figure 9 shews a sectional elevation of the apparatus for producing
artificial waterfalls on the stage in connection with the machinery
already described. A is the stage line; B, the water injector; C, the
upper overflow tank; and D the lower receptacle. The water passes
from the tank D in the direction of the arrow into the injector B, and
rises in the same direction into the tank C, flowing over again into the
tank D. The pipe E conveys the jet water back into the engine tank.
As this waterfall must be made portable, and be removed from the
stage in the intervals of scenery, I make the rising main pipe F of india-
rubber. It is coupled readily by the coupling G.
A larger section of the injector is shewn in Figure 10. The pressure

page_text: water is conveyed in at H, and issues from a nozzle I and annular
space J, which can be regulated by the screwed spindle K. It issues
through the throat L, which is 13 inches in diameter, the nozzle I being
one-quarter of an inch in diameter and the nozzle J one inch. The
suction water enters by L* and the delivery rises by M. In this way a
perpetual current can be kept up from the pumping engines.
For the purpose of ventilation I carry the pressure pipes forward to
the auditorium, terminating in the front of the theatre, a transverse
section of which is shown at Figure 11. Pressure pipes are represented
in heavy dark lines, and rise from a pressure main A by four pipes
B, C, D, E, to the roof, there to work the hydraulic engines to be
presently described; their passage to the roof is from each department,
namely, from the pit, circle, amphitheatre, and gallery. In each
department there is a fire hydrant F, a regulating valve G, and a
thermometer H. Each line of pipes is quite independent, and controls
the action of its own ventilator in the roof at B¹, C, D, E¹; G, G, G,
G,
are regulating valves. These ventilators draw the foul air from a flue
leading to B in the gallery to C₁ in the amphitheatre, to D" in the
circle, and to E" in the pit, while they discharge the foul air through
the roof into the atmosphere.
Figure 12 is a plan, Figure 13, a horizontal section, and Figure 14,
sectional clevation of the hydraulic ventilator or punkah. In Figure 13
a vibrating diaphragm or punkah is shown at A, which is made to move
to and fro by an hydraulic engine B. At each flat side of the ventilator
casing C and D are arranged valves E and F which are shewn in detail
Figures 15. These valves consist of slotted apertures covered with
perforated zinc, over which flaps of canvas arc secured. The valve F
being the suction valve has its canvas inside the casing, while the
valve E has the flaps outside, each hydraulic punkah having its own
suction conduit and delivery conduit, a sliding door however shown at G
being used to separate the conduits, so that when in winter the
differential temperature is sufficient to naturally ventilate the theatre
the slide G can be drawn, thus connecting the suction and the delivery
conduits, and dispensing with artificial ventilation.
The engine is shewn in sectional plan in Figure 16; G is the
hydraulic cylinder in which works the piston and rod H. Constant
pressure is admitted to the annular space by the pipe I, while the

page_text: intermittent pressure is admitted to the full diameter of the cylinder
by a slide valve J which is of the single-acting description. The valve
rod has pistons K, K, and cup leathers which work in small cylinders,
as shewn. Leading to these cylinders are two ports which terminate in a
subsidiary slide valve L. Between the ports is the usual exhaust cavity.
Pressure water is admitted by the branch M to this small valve casing,
and also by a pipe to the larger valve casing, which is however not
shown. The slide valve L is moved by a valve spindle N which is
jointed by a connecting rod O to a crank pin P on the top of the spindle
of the punkah. Motion is given to this spindle by a crank Q which
has a sliding crank pin R attached by a connecting rod S to the
hydraulic piston rod H, as shewn, the latter sliding in a guide T. The
stroke of the hydraulic piston H can thus be adjusted by the variable
crank to the work to be done in ventilating. This engine is at all times
self-starting, its main slide valve being shifted by the small crank pin P
admitting pressure water to and fro to the pistons K, K. The exhaust
water returns by pipes to the engine room tank, as shewn in Figure 11
in light lines.
In Figure 17 is shewn the front elevation of the valve box which
contains all the slide valves leading to the various hoists; Figure 18
is a cross section of the box, shewing the side elevation of valves; and
Figure 19 is a section of the slide valve. In Figure 17 the handles are
all arranged side by side, and are labelled with the particular bridge,
sink, cloth, or act drop which they control, as well as by numbers, so
that a plot of the scenery can be placed above them. In the cross
section, Figure 18, A, A, are the admission branches for pressure water;
B, B, the branches leading to the hoists by pipes, as already described,
while C, C, are the exhaust or return water branches, all leading into
one common main. The same letters of reference refer to the section,
Figure 19, which represents a single-acting slide valve of the ordinary
well-known description.
To control the speed with which the scenes will rise or fall, snugs
D, D, are formed on the top of the box; they are shewn in Figure 18,
although omitted in Figure 17. These snugs have adjustable screw
stops E, E, which limit the travel of the valve lever F. In this way
the speed of a transformation scene can be made to accord with the
music, and when once set the same speeds can be relied upon either in
heaving or lowering.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the exact details described and illustrated by the
Drawings; but I claim,―
The combination of hydraulic machinery for working theatrical scenery
and stage apparatus, substantially in the manner described, and also in
conjunction therewith I claim,—
The application of hydraulic mechanism, substantially as herein
described, for the purposes of ventilation, the extinction of fire, and the
production of hydraulic effects upon the stage.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Betts Brown, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Eleventh day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.