AN IMPROVEMENT IN THEATRICAL APPLIANCES FOR PRODUCING ILLUSIONARY EFFECTS to be as follows:-
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, of 52 Chancery Lane,
London, in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature
of said invention for " AN IMPROVEMENT IN THEATRICAL APPLIANCES FOR
PRODUCING ILLUSIONARY EFFECTS to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to an improvement in that class of theatrical appliances for
producing illusionary effects, in which a plate of glass dividing the stage or a
portion of it, from the audience, is used in connection with reflected lights and
illuminated figures.
The purpose of the invention is to permit the display by reflection from the glass,
not only of inanimate objects but also of living figures standing or moving naturally
upon the level of the stage, at one side, where, concealed from the direct view of the
audience; they will be free to go through any movements desired to improve the
scenic effect, either singly or in groups; and also to produce startling transformation
scenes, dissolving views and other spectacular displays in connection with suitable
theatrical performances enacted upon the stage behind the plate of glass.
It consists in a novel arrangement and combination of lights and reflectors in
connection with a plate of glass extending across the stage, in a vertical plane at an
angle of about 45 degrees with the front of the stage so that its perpendicular
surface will reflect to the spectators, objects, figures or persons placed at one side of
the stage out of the direct line of sight of the audience sitting in front thereof;
whereby the reflecting glass is rendered invisible to the audience and a powerful
light may be easily and instantly directed and concentrated at will, either upon
that portion of the stage behind the glass or upon the figures at the side of the
stage which it is desired to display by reflection; and also in a novel arrangement
of gas-pipes for feeding said lights and of apparatus for controlling the same.
The plate of glass is supported upon the stage at about an angle of 45 degrees
with the front thereof so as to face directly a cabinet or recess at the side which is
concealed from the audience but open to the stage,

page_text: A powerful light is placed upon the opposite side of the stage so as to be con-
cealed from the spectators and is provided with a reflector by which its rays may
be thrown across the stage in front of the glass upon the objects or persons concealed
in the side cabinet or recess. By this means the portion or side of the object or
person in said cabinet or recess which is facing the glass, is brilliantly illuminated.
A second light is by preference, placed overhead in the side cabinet or recess, to
soften the glare of the first light; and a third light provided with a reflector, is
mounted upon a rotating stand at the inner end of the glass plate, where it is
concealed in position to adinit of the concentration of its rays, either upon the
objects or persons to be exhibited by reflection, or upon persons and scenes upon
the stage behind the glass. These persons or scenes will become clearly visible to
the spectators through the glass when the reflected images thereon are dispelled,
this effect being accomplished by obscuring the light thrown upon the concealed
scenes, objects or persons at the side, and illuminating the scenes, objects and
persons back of the glass on the stage.
To facilitate this change of illuminations from the one side of the glass to the
other, a row of properly concealed burners are placed above the glass one on each
side of it, and are supplied with gas from a main by two separate pipes each con-
trolled by a gas-cock, the two cocks being however connected by a coupling-bar so
as to move in unison, the movement of the bar to open one cock being made
simultaneously to close the other, and vice-versa. The key of each cock is grooved,
or a small open tube is made to couple the pipe below with the pipe above the
cock, to provide a direct open conduit independent of the valve, and permit a
constant flow of gas when the valve is closed sufficient to prevent an entire
extinguishment of the burners connected with the pipe, although they are left to
burn so low as to give-no-appreciable-light.
Hence, by a simple movement of this valve-connecting bar the stage upon the
one side or the other of the glass may be instantly illuminated and the opposite
side simultaneously darkened.
The rotating side light on the opposite side of the stage may be geared by a
concealed cord or band to the coupling-bar, so that when the rear of the stage is to
be illuminated, the movement of the bar to turn up the top burners on that side of
the glass will operate simultaneously to turn the side light so as to direct its rays
from the objects or persons in the side cabinet or recess, to the persons or objects
back of the glass, the remaining lights being also simultaneously turned low.
My improved apparatus admits of the ready manipulation of all the lights so
that they may be easily worked in unison to produce the desired stage effects, as
described.
01

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, of 52 Chancery
Lane, London, in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agents, do hereby declare the
nature of said invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THEATRICAL APPLIANCES FOR
PRODUCING ILLUSIONARY EFFECTS" and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to an improvement in that class of theatrical appliances
for producing illusionary effects, in which a plate of glass dividing the stage or a
portion of it, from the audience, is used in connection with reflected lights and
illuminated figures.
The purpose of the invention is to permit the display by reflection from the
glass, not only of inanimate objects but also of living figures standing or moving
naturally upon the level of the stage, at one side, where, concealed from the direct view
of the audience, they will be free to go through any movements desired to improve
the scenic effect, either singly or in groups; and also to produce startling trans-
formation scenes, dissolving views and other spectacular displays in connection
with suitable theatrical performances enacted upon the stage behind the plate of
glass.
It consists in a novel arrangement and combination of lights and reflectors in
connection with a plate of glass extending across the stage, or within a cabinet
placed thereon, in a vertical plane at such an angle horizontally with the front of
the stage, as that its perpendicular surface will reflect to the audience figures or
persons placed at one side of the stage out of the direct line of vision of the
audience, whereby the reflecting-glass is rendered invisible to the audience, and a
powerful light may be easily and instantly directed and concentrated at will, either
upon that portion of the stage behind the plate or upon the figures at the side of
the stage which it is desired to display by reflection; and also in a novel arrange-
ment of gas-pipes for feeding said lights, and an apparatus for controlling the same,
as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a cabinet placed upon
a stage, a portion on each side being broken away to show the arrangement of the
lights and position of figures; Fig. 2, a plan view. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective
view of the mechanism for manipulating the lights, and Fig. 4 is a detached view
of one of the reversable side lights and reflectors.
A is a stage or platform, upon which is placed or erected a cabinet, B, opened in
front and constructed with two lateral wings or compartments, C, D, closed in front,
which are opened toward the central cabinet. Across the front of the cabinet B is
placed a vertical plate of glass, E, Fig. 2, disposed at such an angle with one side
of the cabinet horizontally as that the image of a figure F, Fig. 1, placed in the
wing or lateral compartment C on that side, will be reflected upon the surface of
the glass, and so made visible by reflection to the audience or spectators in front of
the stage.
A powerful electric or calcium light, H, having a suitable reflector fixed behind
it, is mounted upon a rotating stand on a vertical spindle located at the side of the
cabinet in the rear of the compartment C, so that its rays may be thrown at
pleasure either upon the figures in the compartment or upon the figures on the
stage behind the glass E. A second calcium light and reflector, M, is placed in the
opposite wing or compartment D, to project its rays across the stage, in front of
the glass E, upon the figures in the compartment C, and a third powerful light, L

page_text: produced from gas-burners, is fixed immediately over the compartment C, and ntted
with a reflector to direct its rays down upon the figures in said compartment. A
row of gas lights, i, i, i, are also placed at the top of the stage, just above and in
the rear of the glass plate E, to extend its entire length, and are fitted with
reflectors to illuminate the stage behind the glass E.
The gas-burner at L is supplied by means of a pipe, G, and the jet-lights i, i, i,
by a pipe, J, (see Fig. 3,) and these pipes are arranged to branch from the main O
in the compartment D at a convenient point near to the calcium light M, and are
fitted with controlling cocks N, N, placed side by side in the same horizontal plane.
These cocks are actuated by cranks which are coupled by a connecting-rod, R, so as
to move together, the ports in each being so arranged, however, that when moved
together by the connecting-rod the one will open as the other closes, and vice
versa. To prevent the entire extinguishment of the lights controlled by either
cock when it is closed, a small " by-pass" or branch pipe, S, is made to connect
each main pipe from a point below the cock N therein to or point above it, so as to
allow a passage of gas through the branch pipe independently of the cock, this
independent supply being, however, controlled by a cock, T, in each by-pass. The
cocks T, T, when opened, will prevent the gas from being entirely cut off, and
may be so adjusted us to permit only a slight blue flame at each burner. From
each end of the connecting-rod R, coupling the cranks of the main cocks, a small
cord or wire, W, is led around suitable guide pulleys, V,.V, to a pulley on the
spindle of the rotating calcium light and reflector H, and is so adjusted as that when
the coupling-rod is moved in the direction to turn on the lights at L, for the purpose
of illuminating the side figures in the compartment C, the reflector H will be
simultaneously turned to throw the rays of the calcium light also upon said figures,
while the movement of the rod R to turn down the gas at L and turn up the 'gas-
jets i, i, i, will operate to turn the-reflector at H toward the stage, to illuminate
the objects thereon. While regulating with one hand the lights, controlled_as_
described by the rod R, the operator may with his other hand regulate the calcium
light M, as required. The inner surface of the side compartments, C and D, are
lined with a lustreless black fabric, to prevent any reflection of light therefrom to
the glass.
In the use of my invention the persons or objects whose images are to be
reflected from the glass are placed in the side compartment, C, and the actors upon
the stage take their places behind the glass at such a distance therefrom-indicated
to them by a floor-line or by a gauze curtain, Y, stretched between them and the
glass as that the reflection upon the glass of the objects at D shall appear to the
audience to be in the space occupied by the actors, and the reflected images and
the persons or objects seen direct shall be undistinguishable the one from the other
as to their reality or actual presence in said space. The lights being lit and the
small stop-cocks T, T, adjusted so that when the gas from either pipe G or J is
turned off by the larger stop-cock N enough gas will pass through its small
secondary pipe S to supply a small blue flame to each burner, and with the calcium
lamp H, also properly adjusted with reference to the other lights, as described, if,
by a movement of the rod R the jet-lights i, i, i, are turned up to illuminate the
stage, the calcium light H will be automatically turned also toward the stage, and
the light at L will burn low, the light M being also turned down. When it is
desired to introduce the illusionary display, the operator in the wing C may, by a
simple movement of the rod R in the proper direction with one hand, burn the
light H from the stage upon the figures in D, and simultaneously turn up the light
at L and turn down the jet-lights i, i, i, above. At the same time he may turn on
the light M with the other hand, so that the side figures shall instantly, by means
of the combined lights, become clearly reflected from the glass to the audience.
This change of lights may be made so suddenly as to produce an apparent
instantaneous transformation of the scene or tableaux upon the stage, a view of
the side figures being substituted for those upon the stage or the transformation
ntay be gradually produced as a dissolving.view.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination, with a theatrical stage or cabinet, a side exhibition-com-
partment open to the stage but closed at the front, and a vertical plate of glass so
fitted or adjusted in front of the stage at a horizontal angle as to face the side
compartment, of a light concealed upon the side of the stage opposite to the
exhibition-compartment in position to throw its rays across the front of the glass
into said compartiment, a second concealed light placed overhead in said compart-
ment, and a third concealed light placed in the rear of the compartment, and
adapted to be reflected either into said compartment or upon the stage in the rear
of the glass plate, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein
set forth.
2. The combination, with a theatrical stage or cabinet fitted with a glass reflecting-
plate, E, and with concealed illuminating-burners L, M, and i, i, on opposite sides
of said plate, of a gas-main, O, to supply said burners, branch pipes J, G,
connecting the main with the burners, stop-cocks N, N, in said branch pipes, a
coupling-rod, R, connecting the cock-levers, and side pipes S, S, connecting each
branch pipe above and below its controlling-cock, substantially in the manner and
for the purpose herein set forth.
3. The combination, with a gas-main supplying the burners illuminating a
vertical glass reflecting-plate upon a theatrical stage, the branch pipes connecting
said main with the burner, stop-cocks in said pipes, and a coupling-rod, R,
connecting the cock-levers, and with a rotating light and reflector, H, alapted to
illuminate either the stage in the rear of the glass or objects placed at the side
thereof in front of the plane of the glass, of cords W, W, extending from either
end of the coupling-rod R, or from the cocks connected thereby, to the device
upholding the rotating light, whereby the movement of the cocks in opening and
closing shall operate to reverse the position of said light and reflector, substantially
in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
.
Dated his 27ot ... of T100