IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ORCHESTRAS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Kingsbury, of Cecil Street, in the City of
Westminster, Professor of Singing, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ORCHESTRAS."
Sealed the 20th November 1863, and dated the 23rd May 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Kingsbury at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd May 1863.
I, FREDERICK KINGSBURY, of Cecil Street, in the City of Westminster,
Professor of Singing, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ORCHESTRAS," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to construct movable orchestras or frames of
seats for holding musicians capable of being drawn on and off any stage or
floor.
In most places where orchestras are required they have hitherto been
fixtures, which for many reasons is objectionable. Now my Invention consists
in constructing frames of seats or platforms for holding seats in two, three,
or more gradated tiers, and in making them to slide one within or under the
other. I mount the movable orchestra upon wheels or rollers or otherwise,
so that it may be readily propelled forward and withdrawn as may be required;
one platform only or two or more may be protruded, according to the number
of performers to be accommodated. I lodge the orchestra when not required
in some convenient recess, say at the back of the stage, for instance, for which

page_text: purpose it is shut up to its narrowest compass. In some cases I also divide
the orchestra across its length, and connect it when required for use by hooks
or otherwise. When the parts are disconnected I slide them from each other
and stow them in lateral recesses.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Kingsbury in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd November 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
KINGSBURY, of Cecil Street, in the City of Westminster, Professor of Singing,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Frederick Kingsbury, Her special licence that I, the said Frederick
Kingsbury, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Frederick Kingsbury, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ORCHESTRAS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Frederick Kingsbury, 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 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 Frederick Kingsbury, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
The object of my Invention is to construct movable orchestras or frames of
seats for holding musicians capable of being drawn on and off any stage or
floor.
.

page_text: In most places where orchestras are required they have hitherto been
fixtures, which for many reasons is objectionable. Now my Invention consists
in constructing frames of seats or platforms for holding seats in two, three, or
'more gradated tiers, and in making them to slide one within or under the
other. I mount the movable orchestra upon wheels or rollers or otherwise,
so that it may be readily propelled forward and withdrawn as may be required;
one platform only or two or more may be protruded, according to the number
of performers to be accommodated. I lodge the orchestra when not required
in some convenient recess, say at the back of the stage for instance, for which
purpose it is shut up to its narrowest compass. In some cases I also divide
the orchestra across its length, and connect it when required for use by hooks
or otherwise. When the parts are disconnected I slide them from each other
'and stow them in lateral recesses.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a section and Figure 2 a plan
of an orchestra constructed according to my Invention, and shewing it
drawn out; Figure 3 is a section of the orchestra when shut up to its
-narrowest compass.
A, A, A, are three platforms for holding seats arranged in gradated tiers,
and mounted upon wheels B, in order that they may easily be made to slide
one under the other; C is the conductor's stand, which is hinged to the front
platform, so that when the platforms are drawn in it may be raised into a
perpendicular position and lie flush with them, or it may be made to slide into
a recess in the foremost platform of the orchestra, and have two wheels
attached to the front, so that it may be easily drawn out and in as required;
D is a chain or rope, the two ends. of which are connected to a lug E on a
carriage F, which travels in a groove or slide G; this chain passes round the
drum H of a windlass, situated below or at the back of the stage, or in any
other convenient position; the chain also passes over a grooved disc I on a
sectional drum J under the floor of the stage in front of the orchestra; K is a
series of plates running in front of the travelling carriage F in the groove G,
for the purpose of filling up the groove in front of the carriage, and making
the floor of the stage even. The foremost plate of the series is connected to
the chain D, and when the platforms A are run out the plates pass over the
sectional drum J, as seen in Figure 1. Wheels a are fitted horizontally to
the carriage F, and bear against grooved bars b. When it is desired to shut
up the orchestra or draw it off the stage, the winch L is turned in the direction
indicated by the arrow, when the chain D will draw back the travelling carriage
and the foremost platform to which it is connected under the second platform
until the foremost platform comes against an abutment M thereon, when these

page_text: two platforms will both be drawn back, and so on for any number of platforms.
The carriage F will draw the series of plates K. with it, so that the groove G
is filled up, and no hole is left in the floor of the stage.
I do not limit myself to any particular arrangement for drawing the
orchestra in and out; for instance, instead of a windlass and chain connected
to a travelling carriage, a screw, worked by a winch at the back of the
orchestra, may be made to gear into a toothed wheel connected to the foremost
platform.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, constructing orchestras of frames of seats or platforms for holding
seats in two, three, or more gradated tiers, made to slide one within or under
the other, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Second, dividing orchestras across their length, and connecting the parts
when required for use by hooks or otherwise, as herein-before described.
Third, mounting orchestras on wheels, so that they may be drawn on and
off a stage or floor.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Kingsbury, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-three.
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