IMPROVEMENTS IN THE. CON- STRUCTION EC OF CURTAINS AND DROP SCENES FOR THEATRES AND OTHER PLACES OF PUBLIC AMUSEMENT APPLICABLE ALSO TO PARTITIONS FOR CHECKING THE SPREAD OF FIRE IN BUILDINGS
Year: 1883

page_text: =
LETTERS PATENT to Francis Napier Soyde of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Gentleman, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE. CON-
STRUCTION
EC
OF CURTAINS AND DROP SCENES FOR THEATRES AND OTHER
PLACES OF PUBLIC AMUSEMENT APPLICABLE ALSO TO PARTITIONS FOR
CHECKING THE SPREAD OF FIRE IN BUILDINGS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Napier Soyde at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd November 1883.
FRANCIS NAPIER SEYDE of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Gentleman
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CURTAINS AND DROP SCENES FOR
THEATRES AND OTHER PLACES OF PUBLIC AMUSEMENT APPLICABLE ALSO. TO
PARTITIONS FOR CHECKING THE SPREAD OF FIRE IN BUILDINGS,"
This Invention consists in constructing the curtains or drop scenes in Theatres
and other places of amusement and the doors of corridors and passages of wire
gauze either alone and exposed to view or concealed between the thicknesses of any
other suitable material or attached to one or both sides of curtains or screens
formed of another material.
It is well known that wire gauze prevents the passage of flamo and I propose to
carry out this principle so as to prevent or impede the communication of fire from
one part of a building to another. In the case of Theatres or other Buildings
similar where a stage is employed the curtain or drop scone slides in grooves in
each side of the proscenium, and to avoid the possibility of flames communicating
with the auditorium through these grooves, in addition to a wire gauze curtain or
screen I protect these grooves by flaps of wire gauze attached to the sides of the
proscenium and closely clipping the sides and edges of the curtain or screen tightly,
but with sufficient freedom to allow the curtain or screen to rise and fall freely;
the foot of the curtain or screen is in like manner received into a groove in the
stage floor which groove is closed by a falling trap when not in use.
The doors for corridors I form of the same wire gauze fitted in light metal frames
so that whilst light and ventilation are not impeded the closing of such doors
prevents the passage of flame and thus one part of a building may be cut off from
another which may be on fire, and if not eventually preserved, time may be gained
for the escape of the occupants and life saved.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Francis Napier Seyde in the Patent Office on the 30th April
1884.
FRANCIS NAPIER SEYDE of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Gentleman
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CURTAINS AND DROP SCENES FOR
THEATRES AND OTHER PLACES OF PUBLIC AMUSEMENT APPLICABLE ALSO TO
PARTITIONS FOR CHECKING THE SPREAD OF FIRE IN BUILDINGS
This invention consists in constructing the curtain or drop scene in Theatres and
other places of amusement the doors of corridors and passages of wire gauge either
alone and exposed to view or concealed between thicknesses of any other suitable
material or attached to one or both sides of curtains or screens formed of another
material.
It is well known that wire gauge prevents the passage of flame and I propose to
carry out this principle so as to prevent or impede the communication of fire from
one part of a building to another. In the case of Theatres or other similar
buildings where a stage is employed the curtain or drop scene slides in grooves in
each side of the proscenium and to avoid the possibility of flames communicating
with the auditorium through these grooves in addition to a wire gauge curtain or
screen I protect these grooves by flaps of wire gauge attached to the sides of the
proscenium and closely clipping the side edges of the curtain or screen tightly
but with sufficient freedom to allow the curtain or screen to rise and fall freely the
foot of the curtain or screen is in like manner received into a groove in the stage
floor which groove is closed by a falling trap when not in uso.
"
The doors for corridors I form of the same wire gauge fitted in light metal frames
so that whilst light and ventilation are not impeded the closing of such doors
prevent the passage of flame and thus one part of a building may be cut off from
another which may be on fire and if not eventually preserved, time may be
gained for the escape of the occupants and life saved.
I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully by the aid of the
accompanying drawings which are intended to represent the invention as it
may be applied to curtains for Theatres or screens for closing openings in
galleries or between apartments shops or warehouses.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a part elevation of the proscenium of a Theatre
Figure 2 a vertical section at the back of the frontispiece of the same and
Figure 3 a plan upon a large scale of the groove in which the curtain works and
the appliances for preventing twisting in coiling (A) in all the ficures

page_text: Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed I do not confine myself to the precise details herein
specified and illustrated but
I claim Improvements in the combination of curtains and drop scenes for
Theatres and other places of public amusement by making such curtains of wire
gauge and either alone or in combination with other material such improvements
being applicable also to partitions for checking the spread of fire in buildings
substantially as herein more fully set forth and specified
In witness whereof I the said Francis Napier Seyde have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty second day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
FRANCIS. NAPIER SEYDE (L.S.)