Improvements in Theatrical Appliances.
Year: 1890

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Theatrical Appliances.
I, FRANK MONTILEOUES CHAPMAN, of 1193 Broadway New York, United
States of America, Theatrical Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention relates to that class of devices which are used to produce stage
effects in theatres and other places.
The object and nature of the invention will be more readily understood from the
following description.
In carrying the invention into practice a spindle is passed through the stage
floor and is secured below the said floor in any desired manner. Upon the stage
are placed circular grooved tracks made of sections for supporting a turntable
having trucks the wheels of which run upon the rails, preferably in the grooves
of the same.
The turntable is also provided with a central opening or hub through which the
spindle projects and prevents any lateral movement of the said turn-table. The
table is made up of sections or segments of a circle, preferably eight in number, cut
away, to reduce their weight and to form flanges having openings for the securing
bolts. On the outer ends of the section is a rim having teeth and projecting above
the outer supports of the blocks. These blocks extend inwardly toward the centre
of the turn-table and have inclined faces upon which are fixed cleats also inclined
like-the faces to form a track for a horse or horses to propel the table.
Fixed upon the stage at diametrically opposite points to each other are blocks
which carry a fixed spindle having an idle-wheel which meshes with and connects
the teeth on the turntable with the pinion on the rollers which carry an endless
panorama. The rollers are stepped at their lower ends upon the stage floor and
the upper ends are journalled in the frame which is guyed in place by any
suitable means.
It is provided with grooves through which the upper end of the
panorama is inserted. The said upper edge of the panorama is provided with a cord
or cable properly secured thereto to prevent the end from slipping out of the same
when the panorama is moved.
On one side of the stage, a post or other device is secured to the floor of the stage,
and from this post wires equal in number to the horses to be used on the turntable
are extended to a point in front of the panorama and over that part of the turntable
that happens to be in front of the panorama. These wires are secured to the horses
in any desired manner, but preferably to a singletree having a continuous trace
which passes around the breast of the horse, and held in place by a shoulder
strap. Each of the wires is passed through a block and the end secured by any
desired means.
If it is desired to draw one of the horses back or allow him to go forward,
the wire can be slackened or tightened, as the case may be, to produce the
desired result.
The operation of the device is as follows:-One or more horses are placed upon

page_text: the turntable at any desired point between the panorama and front of the stage and
started. As the horses are held back in the same manner as in the ordinary tread-
mill, the horses will not advance until the wire is slackened. In the meanwhile the
panorama is moved in the direction opposite to that in which the horses are supposed
to be moving. This operation is accomplished by means of the gear connection
between the turntable and the rollers of the panorama and the horses acting upon
the surface of the turntable.
Dated this 21st day of Anrust 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Theatrical Appliances.
I, FRANK MONTILEQUES CHAPMAN, of 1193 Broadway in the City and State
of New York, United States of America, Theatrical Manager 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 that class of devices which are used to produce stage
effects in theatres and other places.
The object and nature of the invention will be more readily understood from the
following description.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 represents a front elevation.
Figure 2 a plan of the turntable with parts broken away to show the trucks
and rails.
Figure 3 a vertical section, and
Figure 4 a transverse section of the device.
A represents the stage-floor, through which a spindle a projects. This spindle is
secured below the stage-floor in any desired manner. Upon the stage are placed
the circular grooved tracks A' and A², made of sections a' and a², for supporting
the turn-table A³, having trucks a³ the wheels of which run upon the rails preferably
in the grooves of the same. The turntable is also provided with a central opening
or hub through which the spindle a projects and prevents any lateral movement
of the turntable. This table is made up of sections or segments A* of a circle,
preferably eight in number, cut away, as shown in Figure 2, to reduce their weight
and to form flanges aⓇ, having openings for the securing-bolts a'. On the outer
ends of the section is a rim a, having teeth a³ and projecting above the outer
supports of the blocks a¹0. These blocks extend inwardly toward the centre of the
turntable and have inclined faces a" upon which are fixed cleats a¹ also inclined like
the faces a¹¹.
Fixed upon the stage at diametrically opposite points to each other are blocks a¹³
and a. These blocks carry a fixed spindle a" having the idle-wheel which
meshes with and connects the teeth on the turntable with the pinion a" on the
rollers A and A° which carry an endless panorama A'. The rollers A' and A® are
stepped at their lower ends upon the stage floor and the upper ends are journalled
in the frame A, which is guyed in place by any suitable means. It is provided
with grooves a¹ through which the upper end of the panorama is inserted. The upper
edge of the panorama is provided with a cord or cable properly secured thereto to
prevent the end from slipping out of the same when the panorama is moved.
On one side of the stage a post or other device is secured to the floor of the stage,
and from this post wires a¹, equal in number to the horses to be used on the turn-
table are extended to a point in front of the panorama and over that part of the
turntable that happens to be in front of the panorama. These wires are secured to
the horses in any desired manner, but preferably to a singletree a20, having a con-
tinuous trace a, which passes around the breast of the horse, and held in place by

page_text: a shoulder strap a" as shown in the drawings. Each of the wires a¹ is passed
through a block a23 and the end secured by any desired means.
If it be desired to draw one of the horses back or allow him to go forward,
the wire can be slackened or tightened, as the case may be, to produce the
desired result.
The operation of the device is as follows: One or more horses are placed upon
the turntable at any desired point between the panorama and front of the stage
and started. As the horses are held back in the same manner as in the ordinary
tread-mill, the horses will not advance until the wire is slackened: In the mean-
while the panorama is moving in the direction opposite to that in which the horses
are supposed to be moving. This operation is accomplished by means of the gear-
connection between the turntable and the rollers of the panorama and the horses
acting upon the surface of the turntable to turn the same.
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 :-
:-
First. The combination of a stage, a turntable having teeth in its periphery and
a track upon its upper face and a panorama mounted over the turntable and moving
on a line substantially parallel with the front of the stage, and having its rollers
geared with the turntable.
Second. The combination of a stage, a section turntable having teeth in its
periphery and a track upon its upper face, a sectional track for the turntable, a
panorama-frame above the turntable and a panorama mounted on the turntable and
moving on a line substantially parallel with the front of the stage, and having its
rollers geared with the turntable.
Third. The combination of a turntable and a panorama mounted on the turntable
on a line substantially parallel with the front of the stage.
Fourth. The combination of a turntable having teeth on its periphery and a
panorama mounted on the turntable on a line substantially parallel with the front of
the stage and having its rollers geared with turntable.
Fifth. The combination of the sectional turntable the sectional track on which
the turntable is mounted, the panorama and the panorama frame.
Dated this 15th day of December 1890
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.