Improvement in Stage Lighting.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 30th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 1st Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Stage Lighting.
I MAUD BEATRICE CRESSWELL of 30 Paddington Green London W. Spinster
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in illuminating a transparent stage from below. For this
purpose I construct the floor of my stage either wholly or in part of glass.or some
other transparent material, either in one piece or in sections mounted in suitable
framework.
The transparent stage may either be laid so as to form the ordinary floor of the
stage, or may be portable and placed above the ordinary floor.
Under the transparent stage at a suitable distance I place electric or other lights
so that the performers are illuminated. To obtain coloured effects I either use
lamps with glasses of various colours or place variously coloured mediums between
the lamps and the transparent floor of the stage.
Dated this Thirteenth day of December 1893.
MAUD BEATRICE CRESSWELL.
Improvement in Stage Lighting.
I, MAUD BEATRICE CRESSWELL, of 20 Paddington Green, in the County of
Middlesex, Spinster, 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 relates to improvements in stage lighting. The object of my said
invention is to construct a stage which can be lighted from below.
According to my invention I make the stage of transparent or translucent material,
below which I place electric lights or other illuminating apparatus. Or I can
construct my improved stage in easily-movable sections to be supported on the main
or ordinary stage. I preferably screen the direct rays of light from the view of
persons in front of the stage, and I may employ reflectors, coloured glasses or screens,
or other devices, in conjunction or combination with my improvements.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a plan view of part of a stage constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is a section on the line X X of Figure 1, and
Figure 3 is a vertical central section of a device hereinafter particularly
described.
Like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A A are frames divided into cells by partitions B, and mounted on castors C for con-
venience of transport. These frames can be used singly, or can be placed together
as shown in the drawing, and connected by any suitable coupling devices if desired.
DD are panes of glass forming the upper face of the stage. EE are incandescence
lamps which throw light through the panes D on to the performer; the said lamps
are placed between the partitions B in order that the rays from the lamps may to a
certain extent be screened from the front and from each other. FF are reflectors,

page_text: placed so as to throw the light from the lamps upward through the panes D.
These reflectors may be dispensed with, if desired, and the lamps used without them.
The interiors of the cells formed by the partition may be painted white or other-
wise suitably treated.
As an alternative I can employ such a device as is illustrated in Figure 3,
wherein the frame A containing a lamp E is of small size and preferably circular,
with a circular wall B¹ round it for screening the light; such a device is useful, for
example, for a single performer, and can be received in a recess or opening in the
ordinary stage G. Two, three, or more lamps can be placed in each cell, with
suitable coloured screens or glasses for each lamp or group.
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 :-
1. The combination with readily-movable stage-sections of transparent or
translucent material, with or without castors, wheels, or the like appliances for
facilitating their transport, of means for lighting each section from below,
substantially as herein before described, for the purposes specified.
2. A stage or portion of a stage of transparent or translucent material with a
series of partitions below the same, to form cells to contain electric lamps or other
illuminating devices, for the purposes specified.
3. The improvements in apparatus for stage lighting substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or to Figure 3 of the accompanying
drawings, for the purposes specified.
Dated this 30th day of Janver 1004
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.