A New Arrangement and Construction of Metallic Screen or Curtain for Use in Theatres and other like Places.
Year: 1888

page_text: A New Arrangement and Construction of Metallic Screen or Curtain
for Use in Theatres and other like Places.
I, THOMAS WILLIAM STEAD, of the firm of Elkanah Hoyle and Sons, Limited, of
Waterside Works, Halifax, in the County of York, Ironfounders and Machine Makers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in a new arrangement and construction of metallic screens or
curtains, specially adapted for use in theatres and other places of amusement, which
screens are so arranged that in case of fire on the stage or other part of the building,
the metallic screen, on the operation of a lever or other device, will be automatically
closed so as to prevent the fire spreading from the stage into the body of the building,
or vice versa.
In carrying out my invention I employ two metal screens or doors the size of
which is sufficient to cover the opening of the stage. These screens or doors when
opened out are arranged for one to be below the level of the stage floor and the lower
edge of the upper screen to be above the top of the stage. The two screens or doors
are connected together by steel ropes or chains passing over suitable guide pulleys.
The lower screen is of less weight than the upper screen, but the lower screen is con-
nected by a steel rope to a water cistern suspended to one end of the said steel rope,
the weight of which water cistern, together with the bottom screen, acts as a
counterpoise and keeps the top screen elevated; therefore, when the metallic screens
are open they are kept so by the counterpoising water cistern, but should a fire occur,
a lever is operated which opens a valve in the bottom of the cistern, allowing the
water therein to escape into a drain or other mode of exit, and as the water escapes
from the cistern the weight thereof is reduced sufficiently to cause the upper screen
to descend, in doing which the lower one, through the intervention of the steel ropes
and pulleys, is caused to ascend, whereby the two metallic curtains meet halfway across
the opening of the stage, which is consequently shut off from the body of the theatre,
thus preventing the fire spreading from the-stage- to-the rest of the theatre, allowing
time for the audience to escape.
1 1
2011
CM 1928

page_text: for Use in Theatres and other like Places.
I, THOMAS WILLIAM STEAD, of the firm of Elkanah Hoyle and Sons, Limited, of
Waterside Works, Halifax, in the County of York, Ironfounders and Machine Makers,
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 invention consists in a new arrangement and construction of metallic screens
or curtains, specially adapted for use in theatres and other places of amusement,
which-screens are so arranged that in case of fire on the stage or other part of the
building, the metallic screen, on the operation of a lever or other-device, will be
automatically closed so as to prevent the fire spreading from the stage into the body
of the hall, or vice versa.
In carrying out my invention I employ two metal screens or doors, the size of
which is sufficient to cover the proscenium or opening of the stage. These screens or
doors when opened out are arranged for one to be below the level of the stage floor,
and the lower edge of the upper screen to be above the top of the stage. The two
screens or doors are connected together by steel ropes or chains passing over suitable
guide pulleys. The lower screen is of less weight than the upper screen, but the
lower screen is connected to a water cistern, the weight of which water cistern,"
together with the bottom screen, acts as a counterpoise and keeps the top screen
elevated; therefore when the metallic screens are open they are kept so by the counter-
poising water cistern, but should a fire occur, a lever is operated which opens a valve
in the bottom of the cistern, allowing the water therein to escape into a drain or other
mode of exit, and as the water escapes from the cistern the weight thereof is reduced,
sufficiently to cause the upper screen to descend, in doing which the lower one, through
the intervention of the steel ropes and pulleys, is caused to ascend, whereby the two
metallic curtains meet half way across the proscenium or opening of the stage, which
is consequently shut off from the body of the theatre.
Such being the nature and object of my invention, I will now proceed to describe
the same more fully, and for that purpose make reference to the accompanying sheet
of drawings illustrative thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is elevation of my improvements
shewn applied to the opening of a stage, and Fig. 2 cross section of the same.
A and B are two hollow metallic doors connected together by steel wire ropes C
passing over guide pulleys D, the said ropes passing down between the cavity of the
curtains. These doors are capable of advancing towards each other so as to entirely
close the proscenium or opening of the stage; the said doors are also capable of
receding from each other, so as to leave the opening of the stage clear and free from
obstruction, such doors being guided in their up and down movements by angle iron
slides E bolted to the brickwork; such slides E also keep the curtain in position.

page_text: The bottom door. B is of less weight than the upper door A, but they are made of
equal weight or counterpoised by means of a water tank G connected to the bottom
of the door B. This tank is supplied with water through valve H and pipes I, the
latter of which are flexible, or they can be made with elbows, having joints at a, b,
and c, so that as the door and tank rise upwards the said pipes will bend to permit
the said tank to rise. The water tank is provided with an outlet valve J so that when
required the valve can be opened, permitting the water in the tank to escape into the
drain K.
In order to prevent the lower curtain banging when it has been lowered to the
bottom, I employ buffers or springs L which are made adjustable by screws so that
the upper edge of the loose curtain can always be brought level with the floor of the
stage. In cases where there are no side entrances to the stage 1 form a door M in
the middle of the lower curtain. so that persons may get out of the stage without
opening the curtains.
The modus operandi is as follows:-The drawings shew the metal doors separated
from each other, but when the opening of the stage is required to be closed for the
purpose of preventing a fire spreading either from the stage into the hall or from the
hall to the stage, or for other requirements, the handle N is operated in such manner
as to actuate the rods O and lover P for the purpose of opening the valve J, when
water will escape therefrom, consequently immediately reducing the weight of the
tank, whereupon the heavier door A will commence to descend, automatically causing
the doors to meet and communication between the stage and hall to be cut off, thus
preventing the spread of fire, allowing time for the audience to escape.
Having now particularly described and 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 :-
Firstly. The employment of metallic doors or screens in combination with a water
tank, so arranged that on the escape of water therefrom the doors are automatically
closed.
Secondly. In making doors or screens of unequal weights, so arranged that when
the lighter door is released, the beavier door will draw the two together, substantially
as described.