IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SCENIC EFFECTS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Callcott, of Park Village East, in the
County of Middlesex, Artist, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS
AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SCENIC EFFECTS."
Sealed the 3rd December 1861, and dated the 7th October 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Callcott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th
October 1861.
I, WILLIAM CALLCOTT, of Park Village East, in the County of Middlesex,
Artist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED
MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SCENIC EFFECTS," to be as follows:-
I propose to paint a piece or many pieces of glass, enclosing it or them in
a framing cf. metal latticework, so that both sides of the sheet or pieces of
glass may be protected from injury, and further supporting or strengthening
the whole by a lower or foot board, if required. I support the glass by
uprights, and place a lever or rack in such wise as to enable me to shew the
face of the glass at any required angle. Behind the glass (which may be of any
length or width desired) I propose to place a roller of wood, metal, or glass.
The face or outer periphery of this roller is spiraled, cut, or cast into shape
somewhat similar to an auger. (Or, in some cases I propose to use rayed
wheels, one or more to each glass framing, working horizontally.) Between
the framing of painted glass and the roller just mentioned, and the entire
length of both, light is imparted "ad libitum" by means of the ordinary gas
.

page_text: tube and jets, or in any other convenient manner. I use as many of these
glass frames and rollers (or wheels) as may be required for the scenic effect
I intend to produce, ranging them one behind the other on the stage of
a theatre (or other locality) in graduated heights; by these means and
apparatus I produce the appearance (when viewed from the front) of real
If I desire to produce the effect of an agitated sea or storm, I cause
the rollers (or wheels) to rotate with great rapidity, decreasing the speed as I
desire to shew the waters gradually subsiding. I work the levers and rollers
separately by hand, or, having set the glass frames in position, work the rollers
simultaneously by any mechanical contrivance. I arrange and work my
Invention either on the stage, or I arrange the glass and rollers on the stage,
and work it from below the stage. I either keep all the parts of the apparatus
separate, or I enclose them in a box or compartment, from and in which the
whole can be worked when the stage is of small dimensions, or the scenic
effect required is to be produced from only a part of the stage.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Callcott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CALLCOTT, of Park Village East, in the County of Middlesex, Artist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Callcott, Her special licence that I, the said William Callcott, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Callcott, 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 "IMPROVED MEANS AND
APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SCENIC EFFECTS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Callcott, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said

page_text: Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Callcott, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of Drawings hereto
annexed, and forming part of this my Specification, also to the letters of
reference placed on the Diagrams, serving to denote their signification,
similar letters being placed on the same objects in the Figures respectively.
The object of my Invention is to produce, by combinations of painted
glass, and other materials or substances, scenic effects, serving principally to
represent water in repose or agitation, frozen or dissolving. Many attempts
have been made to represent agitated waters, waterfalls, and other aqueous
effects on the stage of a theatre and other places, but hitherto such con-
trivances have failed to realize to the audience the presence of water. It
would be impossible to describe or illustrate the various scenic effects I
produce by using painted glass with (or without) gauze or other light textile,
woven, or metallic material, but in compliance with the proviso before recited,
I describe and illustrate the apparatus (and the working thereof) by which I
obtain certain herein-after explained results. I place any number of sheets
or pieces of straight or bent glass in a framing, or otherwise support them;
these I paint so as to represent water. I support the glass, whether used on
the stage or above (technically termed in the flies) in any convenient and safe
manner.
In the Drawing, Figure 1 represents a framing of latticework in metal
and in diamond cross, enclosing the glass, supported by short vertical supports
and a longitudinal girder or foot piece, which is to be of strength pro-
portioned to the weight of the glass and metal. In this Figure I also shew
two longitudinal wires (there are other two behind the glass, as is also the
case with the diamond cross wires), which serve to support the vertically-
placed pieces or sheets of glass, and are tightened up by the screws at each
end of the side framings. The glass within this framing, or thus supported,
is painted to represent water, and the whole is covered or not with gauze,
wire gauze (commonly called Scotch gauze), as the nature of the effect to be
produced may or may not require.
Figure 2 represents an appearance of ruffled water, such as would be
caused by the rapid revolution of a roller faced as represented by Figure 3,
when placed behind the painted glass.

page_text: Figure 4 is a longitudinal or face view of a roller or cylinder, which I also
use behind painted glass when I desire to represent a waterfall or other
similar effect.
Figure 5 denotes end view of wheels working at angle for roughened
surface below waterfall or cascade.
Figure 6 is an end view of a frame of glass A, supported by an upright,
and working on a pin a, passed through and near the top of the upright and
into the side frame of the glass, the lower portion of the glass frame being
supported and worked by a lever B, which serves-to set the design in the
framing to the angle required to produce with the glass the effect desired
behind the glass, and at any convenient distance is placed a roller C (faced
as at Figure 3), which roller C serves to produce the appearance of motion
of the waters (represented by the painted glass), as shewn at Figure 2, and
is worked by a lever and crank H, the whole being fixed on to or into a
framing D, which rests on the stage E; or the glass, supported in frame or
otherwise, may be worked by a bent lever (shewn at Figure 8), and this
arrangement I sometimes prefer to that shewn at Figure 6.
Figure 7 represents a side view of one of the ends of a series of five frames
of glass A, A, A, A, A, their attendant rollers C, C, C, C, C, being placed
behind, and each being furnished with levers and cranks, as described in
reference to Figure 6.
Figure 9 is an elevation of an iceberg. When the effect is to be dissolving
ice, a roller or cylinder (or pair, as at Figure 5,) is gently worked behind the
berg (which is made of painted glass). This gives the appearance of water
slowly flowing down the rifts in the berg; this latter descending slowly
through a slote made in the stage for that purpose, the effect of gradual
dissolution is produced.
Glass prepared, painted, and set on the stage of a theatre or other locality,
as shewn at Figure 7, represents water, and produces a liquid horizon
meeting with, but distinct from, the atmospheric horizon.
I will now proceed to describe one of the numerous effects produced by my
Invention, premising that between the framings of painted glass and the
rollers berein-before described, and running the entire length of both, light is
imparted ad libitum by means of the ordinary gas tubes and jets, or in any
other manner that may be found more convenient. The scene being set and
lighted up would represent a dead calm. Gradually a breeze stirs the surface
of the water; this is effected by gently moving or turning the rollers. A
vessel now appears upon the waters; (this is effected by passing the model
between the glass and rollers, sufficient space being left for that purpose, and,

page_text: if need be, to allow the vessel to yaw about, or apparantly change her course),
gently rising and falling to suit the apparant motion of the water. The
horizon is darkened (by lowering the lights), the rollers or cylinders revolve
with greater velocity, and the sea becomes agitated, the motion of the vessel
increasing. Finally, the usual accompaniments of a storm at sea are heard;
the waters now rage furiously (produced by the still more rapid revolution of
the rollers); the vessel strikes, goes to pieces, parts of the wreck floating
away, and the crew are to be seen sinking in the waters, this latter effect
being produced by the different depths of colouring of the glass used in the
scene; by gradually decreasing the movement of the rollers the agitated
waters subside into calm. Or the waters may be represented as reposing
under a tropical or atmospheric light, and water divinities, naids, or other
denizens of the deep (real or allegorical) may be seen pursuing their sports
or occupations in the ocean, as partly represented with my Invention by
myself at Covent Garden Theatre after Christmas One thousand eight hun-
dred and sixty-one.
I have shewn at Figure 7 a series of five of my prepared glass frames with
their attendant rollers, but I use as many of these glass frames and rollers
as may be required for the scenic effects I intend to produce, ranging them
one behind the other on the stage in graduated heights, and either using
the glass simply upright, or at any angle that may be desirable. The rollers
are worked either separately, by hand, or, the glass being in position, the
rollers are set in motion simultaneously by any of the known mechanical
contrivances.
The apparatus or mechanism as shewn in the Drawing is worked on the
stage, but, if preferred, the whole may be motived from below the stage by
allowing the lower parts of the uprights supporting A and B, as well as
those supporting C, to pass through slotes in the stage. All the parts of my
apparatus can be removed separately; or, if the apparatus be worked on the
stage, and there be sufficient room at the back, the whole may be retired by
means of slides, rollers, or otherwise until the apparatus is no longer required
to produce the effect for which it has been constructed. Where the stage (or
other locality where my Invention is to be used) is very small, I adapt the
rollers, frames, and other portions of mechanism in a box or compartment,
and by letting fall the front and sides (or the front only) thereof the Invention
can be so put in operation. When the apparatus for working my Invention
is taken to pieces and removed to be produced at another theatre or elsewhere,
the glass frames are packed together, and the rollers and other portions of the
mechanism in other cases or packages.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my Invention, and means by which
I carry it into practical effect, I would here observe that the means herein
described, and illustrated in and by the accompanying Drawing, may be, and
indeed must be, infinitely varied to suit the circumstances of particular cases,
and such modifications in details may be made without in anywise departing.
from the principle my improvements are intended to carry out, my invention
being to produce scenic effects with glass (of any description), such glass
being painted or distempered for that purpose, and arranged on the stage of
a theatre or other locality; nor do I confine myself to any particular kind
of framing for holding or supporting the glass, or to any particular form
of roller or cylinder to be placed and worked behind the glass, or to any
material for making or facing such roller or cylinder, or to any particular
means of causing the rollers to revolve, or other portions of the mechanism
to work; but what I do claim as of my Invention, and as secured to me by
the herein in part recited Letters Patent, is, the production of scenic effects
by means of a combination or combinations of glass (painted or distempered,
prepared and framed, or supported in position,) with rollers or cylinders
(constructed and faced in any required form, or of any substance), such rollers
being supported and worked behind the glass so painted, distempered, and
prepared, the whole essentially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Callcott, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
WILLIAM CALLCOTT. (L.S.)