Improved Magnetic Apparatus for Gymnastic and Theatrical Performances.
Year: 1898

page_text: LITICATION.
Improved Magnetic Apparatus for Gymnastic and Theatrical
Performances.
I, CHARLES HORACE Cox, of 4, Hargreaves Road, Liverpool, Commercial Traveller,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to magnetic apparatus by which a performer or gymnast
may be suspended in air. Powerful electro-magnets are employed for this purpose
and the current which energises the magnets is controlled by switches, whereby
the performer may be suspended and released at will.
In carrying out my invention I suspend three or more magnets from the ceiling
or from the flies of a theatre. Such magnets are spaced a few feet apart. The
magnets are preferably of horse-shoe form and each one is contained in a hollow
brass sphere, the means of suspension being the leads which convey current to
the magnet, which leads are preferably of braided steel wire. All that is seen
therefore by the spectator are a series of brass spheres depending from the ceiling
or flies. Each magnet has a separate circuit and switch, whilst all the magnets
are energised from a live electric lead upon which is disposed an ammeter which
indicates to the operator that the magnets are being energised, or not, as the
case may be.
The gymnast or performer wears boots whose soles are well provided with iron.
Therefore when the gymnast places his foot upon a sphere whose magnet is excited
his foot will be attracted with a force sufficient to hold him suspended head down-
wards. The gymnast may then swing towards the next sphere of the series
against which he places his other foot. The operator instantly energises the second
magnet and de-energises the first magnet, whereby the gymnast may swing from
the first to the second magnet. The gymnast may thus step from sphere
to sphere, the magnet of the sphere which he is quitting being de-energised
simultaneously with the energising of the magnet of the sphere on to which he
steps. The exciting current of the magnets is preferably derived from storage
batteries or some similarly reliable source, and when it is derived from a service
main a storage battery is arranged in parallel with such service main, so that in
the event of the main failing, the storage battery will afford the necessary
current to energise the magnets.
It will be understood that other methods of performing may be elaborated by
the performer.

page_text: '
Improved Magnetic Apparatus for Gymnastic and Theatrical
Performances.
I, CHARLES HORACE Cox, of 4, Hargreaves Road, Liverpool, Commercial Traveller,
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:-
This invention relates to magnetic apparatus by which a performer or gymnast
may be suspended in air. Powerful electro-magnets are employed for this purpose,
and the current which energises the magnets is controlled by switches, whereby
the performer may be suspended and released at will.
manner.
In carrying out my invention I suspend three or more magnets from, the ceiling,
or from the flies of a theatre. Such magnets are spaced a few feet apart. The
magnets are preferably of horse-shoe form, and each one is contained in a hollow
brass sphere, the means of suspension being the leads which convey current to
the magnet, which leads are preferably of braided steel wire, all that is seen
therefore by the spectators are a series of brass spheres depending from the ceiling
or flies. Each magnet has a separate circut and switch, and the magnets are
energised from a live electric lead upon which is disposed an ammeter which indicates
to the operator, that the magnets are being energised, or not, as the case may be.
The drawing hereto annexed illustrates my invention in a diagrammatic
A indicates the electro magnets; B the spheres; C the suspending leads;
I the ammeter; and E the switches by which the supply of current to the
electro-magnets is controlled. The spheres B will be made in two halves, to admit
the magnet, and such halves will be brazed, or otherwise secured together. The
lower half is somewhat flattened to allow of the performer obtaining a good foot-
hold, whilst the upper half is formed with an aperture for the leads of the magnet,
and this aperture is preferably strengthened by means of a stuffing box or the
like. The magnets may be wound in any suitable and known manner, and the leads
will be so secured to their magnet-either by taking some turns around the
central part thereof or by threading them through an aperture therein and forming
a knot in the leads on the under side thereof or otherwise that they will bear the
weight of the magnet and of the performer, the metal sphere serving to cover and
disguise the magnet only.
The gymnast or performer wears boots whose soles are well provided with iron.
Therefore when the gymnast places one foot upon a sphere whose magnet is excited
his foot will be attracted with a force sufficient to hold him suspended, head down-
wards. The gymnast may then swing towards the next sphere of the series,
against which he places his other foot. The operator instantly energises the second
and de-energises the first magnet, whereby the gymnast may swing from
the first to the second magnet. The gymnast may thus step from sphere
to sphere, the magnet of the sphere which he is quitting being de-energised
simultaneously with the energising of the magnet of the sphere on to which he
steps. The exciting current of the magnets is preferably derived from storage
batteries or some similarly reliable source, and when it is derived from a service
main, a storage battery is arranged in parallel with such service main, so that in
the event of the main failing, the storage batteries will afford the necessary
current to energise the magnets.
The performer may also wear gloves or other hand coverings, in the palm of
which is provided an iron plate, whereby he may, upon placing his hand or hands

page_text: upon either of the spheres in which the magnet is excited, be suspended by his
hands. In this way a diversified performance may be given by the performer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
The employment for the purpose of supporting the performer in acrobatic or
gymnastic performances, of suspended electro-magnets, the leads of separate
magnets having separate switches, whereby said magnets are energised and de-
energised as the performer passes from one to the other, substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1898
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Chartered Patent Agent,
10, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicant.