Improvements in and Connected with Fire-proof Curtains for Use in Theatres and other similar Buildings, and in the Construction of such Buildings for Preventing the Spreading of Fire and Smoke therein.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 11th July, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 24th Aug., 1888
Improvements in and Connected with Fire-proof Curtains for Use
in Theatres and other similar Buildings, and in the Construction
of such Buildings for Preventing the Spreading of Fire and
Smoke therein.
I, CLAUDE MARIUS DUPLANY, of 57, Wellington Road, St. John's Wood, London,
Middlesex, Theatrical Manager and Actor, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in and connected with fire-proof
curtains for use in theatres and other similar buildings and in the construction of such
buildings for preventing the spreading of fire and smoke therein, and the objects of
this invention are to provide a fire-proof curtain between the stage and the auditorium
which in case of fire on the stage can be instantly lowered from any particular part or
parts of the house and when so lowered will be kept comparatively cool and, in
combination with the construction of the proscenium and adjoining parts as herein-
after described, will effectually prevent any flames or smoke spreading from the stage
to the auditorium; and a further object of this invention is to so construct the roof of
the stage as hereinafter described that when a fire is burning on the stage the flames
and smoke will pass through a special shaft or chimney in the roof instead of filling
the auditorium as is now the case when a fire takes place.
My said invention is carried into practice as follows:-I make a double fire-proof
curtain of woven asbestos sheeting this curtain consisting of as it were two curtains
one forming the back and the other the front and connected together so as to leave a
space of about six inches more or less between them. This curtain is wider than the
proscenium opening and long enough to reach from above the proscenium opening to
the bottom of the space below the stage. The back and the front of the curtain are
connected together by strips of asbestos sheeting arranged vertically in pairs from
top to bottom, the pairs of strips being a convenient distance apart according to the
size of the curtain. The top of the curtain is fixed preferably to a wrought iron girder

page_text: extending across the proscenium from side to side and above this girder is a roller or
barrel also running across from side to side and supported in suitable bearings. A
weighted bar is fixed along the bottom of the curtain, and from this bar wires or cords
pass up between the said pairs of strips to the said barrel or roller to which their
upper ends are connected. By turning the barrel or roller in one direction the wires
or cords are wound thereon and the curtain is raised from the bottom, arranging
itself in folds on each side of the row of wires or cords. The lower ends of the
wires or cords are not permanently connected to the lower bar of the curtain but
are formed in loops and held to the bar by lever catches fixed thereon so that,
when the curtain has by the roller been raised above the top of the opening in
the proscenium, the tail ends of these lever catches come into contact with stops
which cause them to open and to release the cords which will then be entirely
disconnected from the curtain, the latter being supported by the releasing mechanism
hereinafter described.
The fire-proof curtain above described is additional to the drop scene and is
intended to be used only in case of fire and instead of being situated behind the
proscenium as is ordinarily done it is placed in front of the drop scene and between it
and the footlights. For this purpose the proscenium which is fire-proof and built of
brick is made double that is to say there is a front wall and a back wall and between
these two walls a space of about six inches more or less for the curtain this space
being closed at the top by the girder which carries the curtain, the side spaces
forming guides for the sides of the curtain. The back and front walls of the
proscenium are bonded together at each side beyond the sides of the curtain. The
front wall is preferably stopped off just above the said barrel or roller and connected
to the back wall by iron plates or sheets rivetted together and covering the barrel or
roller. At each side of the proscenium is an iron fire-proof door giving access to the
barrel or roller from the flies, which doors under ordinary circumstances are kept.
locked.
The said fire-proof curtain is, according to my invention, maintained in its raised
position or instantly dropped from the flies, promp corner, stage door or any other
particular part of the house by the holding and releasing mechanism which is
preferably constructed as follows:-About on a level with the bottom bar of the
curtain when the curtain is raised to its highest position as above described are a pair
of bolts one on either side of the curtain and free to slide horizontally in guides fixed
to the proscenium between its front and back walls. These bolts are pushed towards
each other by balance weights or by springs so that when the curtain is raised to its
bighest position the bolts shoot under the ends of the bottom bar, just before the
cords or wires by which it has been raised are detached therefrom as above described,
and so form a support at each end of the bottom bar and maintain the curtain in its
raised position. The said bolts can be withdrawn together by an arrangement of bell-
crank levers and rods which are led to the flies, prompt corner, stage door and other
parts of the house as may be desired and there connected to hand levers so that by
pulling any one or more of these hand levers the said bolts will be withdrawn and as
the bottom bar is then unsupported the curtain will instantly drop.
In the stage beneath the said curtain and extending right across from side to side
is a trap or hole through which the lower bar and a certain part of the curtain pass
when the curtain is dropped as above described, and below the stage the bottom space
between the front and back walls of the proscenium is preferably filled with moist clay
on to which the bottom bar of the curtain falls so as to provent its rebounding. This
trap or hole is normally closed by a flap door which is hinged at one side and
connected by rods and levers or by other means to the said hand levers by which the
curtain is released so as to be opened on releasing the curtain and leave the said trap
or hole perfectly free for the descending curtain. At each side of the curtain at the
back of the proscenium is a water main pipe, which pipes are carried above the
curtain and provided with a lot of jets pointing towards the curtain. In the side
water pipes near the hinged flap door are stop cocks, the lever handles of which are
connected to the flap door so that when the curtain is dropped as above described the

page_text: flap door in opening turns on the said water cocks and causes streams of water to play
through the jets upon the curtain to assist in keeping it cool.
The construction of the proscenium and adjoining parts and the curtain maintaining
and releasing mechanism above described can severally or jointly be employed in
combination with fire-proof curtains other than that above described, such for instance
as sheet iron curtains.
In the roof and preferably at the back of the stage I provide a shaft or chimney
supported at its base by iron girders and lined with fire bricks or otherwise con-
structed so as to be fire-proof. The base of the chimney is in the form of a hood of
large area and connected with the flies and stage so that when a fire is burning
behind the proscenium the heated air and smoke will pass up this chimney instead of
filling the auditorium as is now the case when a fire takes place. This chimney is
preferably provided with a flap shutter to prevent down draughts which is hinged on
a cross shaft connected by levers and rods to the hand levers above mentioned so that
this shutter will be simultaneously opened on the curtain being released.
Several smaller hooded chimneys may if preferred be similarly employed instead of
the one large chimney above described.
The whole of the brick and ironwork above mentioned is preferably covered with
asbestos in the form of paint or solution.
Dated this 8th day of October 1887.,
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in and Connected with Fire Proof Curtains for Use
in Theatres and other similar Buildings, and in the Construction
of such Buildings for Preventing the Spreading of Fire and
Smoke therein.
I, CLAUDE MARIUS DUPLANY, of 57, Wellington Road, St. John's Wood, London,
Middlesex, Theatrical Manager and Actor, 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 has reference to improvements in and connected with fire-proof
curtains for use in theatres and other similar buildings and in the construction of
such buildings for preventing the spreading of fire and smoke therein, and the objects
of this invention are to provide a fire-proof curtain between the stage and the
auditorium which in case of fire on the stage can be instantly lowered from any
particular part or parts of the house and when so lowered will be kept comparatively
cool and, in combination with the construction of the proscenium and adjoining parts
as hereinafter described, will effectually prevent any flames or smoke spreading from
the stage to the auditorium; and a further object of this invention is to so construct
the roof of the stage as hereinafter described that when a fire is burning on the
stage the flames and smoke will pass through a special shaft or chinney in the roof
instead of filling the auditorium as is now the case when a fire takes place.
My said invention is carried into practice as follows:-I make a double fire-proof
curtain of woven asbestos sheeting this curtain consisting of as it were two curtains
one forming the back and the other the front and connected together so as to leave a
space of preferably about three inches more or less between them. This curtain is
wider than the proscenium opening and long enough to reach from above the
proscenium opening to the stage or in some cases to the bottom of the space below the
stage. The back and the front of the curtain are connected together by strips of
asbestos sheeting arranged vertically in pairs from top to bottom, the pairs of strips
being a convenient distance apart according to the size of the curtain. The top of
the curtain is fixed preferably to a wrought iron girder extending across the
roscenium from side to side. A weighted bar is fixed along the bottom of the
curtain, and from this bar wires or cords pass up between the said pairs of strips for
the purpose of raising the curtain. As the curtain is raised from the bottom it
arranges itself in folds on each side of the row of wires or cords.
The fire-proof curtain above described is additional to the drop scene and is
intended to be used only in case of fire and it is by preference placed in front of the
drop scene and between it and the footlights. The sides of the curtain are guided
by sliding in vertical troughs in the proscenium walls. These troughs are by preference
made of iron plates or they may be formed by building the proscenium walls double
so as to leave a space of about six inches more or less for the curtain to slide in.

page_text: The said fire-proof curtain is, according to my invention, maintained in its raised
position or instantly dropped from the flies, prompt corner, stage door or any other
particular part of the house by the holding and releasing mechanism which is
preferably constructed as follows:-About on a level with the bottom bar of the
curtain when the curtain is raised to its highest position as above described are a pair
of lever bolts one on either side of the curtain. These lever bolts are pushed towards
each other by balance weights or by springs so that when the curtain is raised to its
highest position the bolts shoots under the ends of the bottom bar and so form a
support at each end of the bottom bar and maintain the curtain in its raised position.
The said lever bolts can be withdrawn together by an arrangement of bell-crank
levers and rods which are led to the flies, prompt corner, stage door and other parts of
the house as may be desired and there connected to hand levers so that by pulling any
one or more of these hand levers the said lever bolts will be withdrawn and as the
bottom bar is then unsupported the curtain will instantly drop. The curtain is by
preference provided with suitable balance weights and cords to prevent its falling too
quickly.
In the stage beneath the said curtain and extending right across from side to side
I sometimes provide a trap or hole through which the lower bar and a certain part of
the curtain pass when the curtain is dropped as above described and below the stage
I provide any suitable kind of buffer on to which the bottom bar of the curtain falls
so as to prevent its rebounding. This trap or hole is normally closed by a flap door
which is hinged at one side and connected by rods and levers or by other means to the
said hand levers by which the curtain is released so as to be opened on releasing the
curtain and leave the said trap or hole perfectly free for the descending curtain.
In the roof and preferably at the back of the stage I provide a shaft or chimney
supported at its base by iron girders and lined with fire bricks or otherwise constructed
so as to be fire-proof. The base of the chimney is in the form of a hood of large
area and connected with the flies and stage so that when a fire is burning behind the
proscenium the heated air and smoke will pass up this chimney instead of filling the
auditorium as is now the case when a fire takes place. This chimney is preferably
provided with a flap shutter to prevent down draughts which is hinged on a cross
shaft connected by levers and rods to the hand levers above mentioned so that this
shutter will be simultaneously opened on the curtain being released.
Several smaller hooded chimneys may if preferred be similarly employed instead of
the one large chimney above described.
The whole of the brick and ironwork above mentioned is preferably covered with
asbestos in the form of paint or solution.
The accompanying drawings illustrate how my said Invention is carried into practice.
Fig. 1 represents in elevation and Fig. 2 in plan both partly in section an arrange-
ment of curtain and apparatus constructed according to this invention the curtain
being shewn in its raised position and Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 represent details of the
curtain and adjacent parts on an enlarged scale.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures.
The double fire-proof curtain consists of the two curtains marked respectively a', a²
formed of asbestos sheeting or other fire-proof material secured at the top by means
of the plates 6 and screws c to the light wrought iron girder d extending across the
proscenium. The girder d is carried by screws e from the brackets f. g is the bar
which is fixed to the bottom of the curtain in a similar manner to the top girder d.
1, 2, h³, 1, h are the wire ropes or cords which are fixed by the eyes i to the
bottom bar and which pass upwardly between the back and front of the curtain.
The ropes, 2 pass over guide pulleys j to balance weights k on one side of the
curtain and the ropes h, pass to balance weights k on the other side. The curtain
and lower bar are slightly heavier than the balance weights k so as to descend when
unsupported and the balance weights are made in separate pieces fitting on one
another so that they can be adjusted to make the curtain descend either slowly or
quickly. To facilitate adjusting the balance weights, doors ² are provided in the
balance weight casings k³. The centre rope ³ passes over the guide pulleys / for

page_text: lifting the curtain by and for this purpose a small windlass m may be employed where
the curtain is too heavy to raise by hand. When the curtain has been raised the rope
13
is disconnected at h¹ so as to be free for the curtain to fall.
The front a and back a² of the curtain are connected the proper distance apart (by
preference about three inches more or less) by the rings through which the wire
ropes or cords, h², h³, 1ª, 15 pass, the rings n being secured by strips of asbestos or
by sewing or other means to the back and front of the curtain at regular intervals so
as to lie in the folds of the curtain when raised and ensure its arranging itself in
uniform folds on each side of the said wire ropes or cords (see Fig. 5).
o, o are the troughs which guide the sides of the curtain and which are by
preference formed of wrought iron plates as shewn, rivetted together and bolted to the
proscenium walls by bolts o² and brackets o³.
p, p are the two lever bolts one on either side of the curtain which support the lower
bar g of the curtain when raised to its highest position. The levers p, p work through
slots in the troughs o, o and turn on fulcrum pins p², p2 carried by brackets secured
thereto and each lever p, p is provided with a roller at that end on which the bar
rests so as to diminish friction. The outer ends of the levers p, p are connected
together by any convenient means so that they will move together to release or hold
the lower bar of the curtain. For instance such an arrangement of rods and levers
shewn may be employed consisting of the rods q¹, q³, jointed to the levers p, p and to
bell-crank levers q2, 92, which latter are connected together by the bar . The
balance weight acting through the lever q jointed to one of the rods g¹ causes the
lever bolts p, p to tend to turn inwardly so that directly the curtain has been raised
the lever bolts p, p turn under the bar g and support it. By pulling the rod or wire
rope connected to one of the levers p, p the lovers p, p will be removed from the
lower bar g (as shewn by the dotted lines) and the curtain being then unsupported
will gradually descend. The rod or wire rope is connected by rods and levers or
other suitable means so as to be pulled to release the curtain from the flies, prompt
corner, stage door or other parts of the house. When the curtain has fallen the
troughs o, o prevent any flames passing round to the front of the curtain. The lower
bar g is by preference padded with asbestos underneath at g2 to form a buffer and
diminish the concussion when it reaches its lowest position.
Fig. 7 shews how the trap in the stage and the flap for closing it are arranged
where the curtain is desired to descend through the stage to the floor below. The
stage floor is marked s and the floor below is marked s'. t is the flap which closes the
trap and extends right across the proscenium opening and is hinged at one side t².
The flap is maintained closed by lever bolts u¹ which are arranged under the flap at
short intervals fixed on the shaft u² carried by the girder u³. At one end of the
shaft u² is fixed the lever ut which is connected by the rod u to the wire rope or rod »
which releases the curtain, as above described, so that the flap t will be turned down 4
as shewn by the dotted lines, for the curtain to pass through the trap, simultaneously
with the releasing of the curtain.
Fig. 8 illustrates the shaft or chimney which with a fire-proof curtain I sometimes
employ at the back of the stage for carrying away heated air and smoke in case of a
fire on the stage. vis the shaft or chimney which is of large area at the base and by
preference rectangular in plan and is provided with the flap shutter w¹ turning on a
central shaft w on which is fixed the counterbalanced lever w³ which is connected to
the same hand levers by which the wire rope or rod r is operated so that the flap or
shutter w¹ will be opened for the escape of smoke and heat as shewn by the dotted
lines simultaneously with the fall of the fire-proof curtain. The balance weight w by
swinging on either side of the vertical centre line of the shaft w keeps the flap w¹
either open or closed. When the flap is opened a stop such as the bar w prevents its
swinging too far.
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings as the same may be varied!
without departing from the nature of my Invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to he performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1st. A double fire-proof curtain for use in theatres and other similar buildings for
separating the stage from the auditorium consisting of a back and a front curtain of
asbestos or other flexible fire-proof material arranged a short distance apart and
connected together at regular intervals as described so as to fold evenly when drawn
up and between the said two curtains furnished with ropes or wires for supporting and
raising the curtain substantially as set forth.
2nd. In combination with a fire-proof curtain which on being released automatically.
falls and divides the stage of a theatre or other similar building from the auditorium
the counterbalanced bolts p arranged to act together and to retain or release the lower
bar of the curtain substantially as herein before set forth.
3rd. The combination and arrangment of parts forming the fire-proof curtain and
means for raising it and allowing it to automatically descend as herein before described
and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
4th. In combination with a falling fire-proof curtain for the purpose described the
flap w¹ arranged to automatically open on the curtain being released substantially as
described and for the purposes set forth.
5th. In combination with a fire-proof curtain for the purpose described the use of
an air shaft or shafts in the roof of the stage which shaft or shafts is or are provided
with a flap door or doors so connected to the releasing mechanism of the said curtain
as to open when the curtain is released substantially as set forth and for the purpose
stated.
Dated this 10th day of July 1888
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.