An Improved Apparatus for Manipulating Lime and Electric Lights, and the Boxes used therewith.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1895-Accepted, 27th July, 1895
An Improved Apparatus for Manipulating Lime and Electric Lights,
and the Boxes used therewith.
I, HENRY TAYLOR, of The "Lyceum" Theatre, Crewe, in the County of
Cheshire, Theatrical Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus used in connection with lime and electric
lights, such as are employed in theatres, concert halls, and other places for the
purposes of entertainment or instruction; and consists in providing mechanism
whereby one or more lime, or electric light boxes situate at any part of the stage,
platform, or room, may be conveniently and easily manipulated by one person
standing at any other part of the stage, platform, or room.
For this purpose I employ devices or mechanism consisting generally of either
levers, shafts, rods, wires, bell-cranks, or of a combination of any or all of these,
by the proper arrangement of which the light may be steered, or directed
at the will of the operator; and if necessary the supply of gas, or electric current
may be controlled from any convenient position.
In a simple form of the apparatus necessary to the steering of a lime or electric
light box by a person situate at a different part of the stage, I pivot the box so
that it can move freely in any direction, and attach an arm to the pivot or to the
box itself, and joint to this a rod or link by the longitudinal motion of which a
movement of the box upon its pivot is produced. The other end of this rod or link
is attached to a lever or slide which is placed close to the operator and by means
of this the rod or link can be moved longitudinally and moves with the arm, and
consequently the box, upon its pivot.
If it be necessary to change the direction of motion a number of rods can be
connected by means of bell-cranks, or equivalent devices, one to another. If the
box moves on a universal joint two sets of rods, links, or bell-cranks are provided,
and by their combined use the box may be steered in any direction.
Either a rocking shaft or shafts, wires or pistons working in tubes containing air
or water under pressure may be substituted for the rods.
Although I generally construct my apparatus of the before mentioned levers,
shafts rods, wires or bell-cranks, I do not confine myself to these particular
devices, but may use air or water pressure for the purpose of my invention.
Dated this 5th day of September 1894.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
Consulting Engineer,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for Manipulating Lime and Electric Lights,
and the Boxes used therewith.
I, HENRY TAYLOR of The Lyceum Theatre, Crewe, in the County of Cheshire,
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 apparatus used in connection with lime and electric
lights, such as are employed in theatres, concert halls, and other places, for the
purposes of entertainment, recreation, or instruction; and consists in providing
mechanism whereby one or more lime or electric light boxes, situate at any part of
the stage, platform, or room, may be conveniently and easily manipulated and
operated by one person standing at any other part of the stage, platform,
or room.
For this purpose I employ devices, or mechanism consisting generally, of either
levers, shafts, rods, wires, bell-cranks, or of a combination of any or all of these, by
the proper arrangement of which the light may be steered, or directed at the will
of the operator, and if necessary the supply of gas, or of electric current may be
controlled from any convenient position.
Although I generally construct my apparatus of the before mentioned levers,
shafts, rods, wires, or bell cranks, I do not confine myself to these particular
devices, but may use air or water-pressure for the purpose of my invention.
In a simple form of apparatus necessary to the steering of a lime or electric
light box, by a person situate at a different part of the stage, I pivot the box
so that it can move freely in any direction, and attach an arm to the pivot or
to the box itself, and join to this a rod or link by the longitudinal motion of
which a movement of the box on its pivot is produced. The other end of this rod
or link is attached to a lever or slide which is placed close to the operator, and by
means of this the rod or link can be moved longitudinally, and moves with it the
arm and consequently the box upon its pivot.
If
If it be necessary to change the direction of motion a number of rods can
he connected by means of bell-cranks or equivalent devices one to another.
the box moves on a universal joint two sets of rods, links, and bell-cranks are
provided and by their combined use the box may be steered in any direction.
Either a rocking shaft or shafts, wires, or pistons working in tubes containing air
or water under pressure may be substituted for the rods.
It is obvious that modifications to suit particular cases are generally necessary
when my invention is applied to the stage of a theatre or other place of entertain-
ment; but in the accompanying drawings, one method only of arranging and
operating it is shewn, it being understood that I do not confine myself to the
particular mechanism shewn and described, but use that most suitable and
convenient for carrying my invention into effect. The essential feature of my
invention consists in so connecting and arranging a lime or electric light box situate
at one part of a stage, platform or room, that it can be operated by a person located
at another part of the stage by means of levers, shafts, rods, wires, bell-cranks and
the like.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the proscenium, (looking towards the auditorium) shewing
the general arrangement of parts according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the operating mechanism and the "prompt side" light
box.
Fig. 3 is a plan of rod and cranks.

page_text: Fig. 7 is an elevation of same.
Fig. 8 is a plan,
Fig. 9 a front elevation, and
Fig. 10 a side elevation of a light box, frames, colour slides, shutter and lens.
Fig. 11 is a front elevation, and
Fig. 12 a side elevation of apparatus for the same.
Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail.
Fig. 13 is a horizontal section on line 1-1.
Fig. 14 is a plan of levers.
Fig. 15 is a bell-crank.
Fig. 16 shows a mode of connecting the two handles.
Fig. 17 is an elevation of the actuating levers.
Fig. 18 is an elevation of a modified apparatus.
A designates the light box (having a lens a) which is situate at the " prompt
side" and A¹ the other box situate at the "O.P." side. Each of these is attached
to the upper part of an inner frame B, which is pivoted at 6 to an outer frame C;
and the pivots forming a horizontal axis, the inner frame and the light box can
be inclined at any angle in a vertical plane so as to throw the light either in a
horizontal or inclined direction. The outer frame itself is pivoted at c on a vertical
axis, which enables it to be horizontally swung so as to command any part of the
stage.
The box and inner frame being pivoted to the outer frame in such manner as
to rotate in a vertical plane, and the outer frame being revoluble on its pivots in a
horizontal plane, it is obvious that by combining these two movements any part of
the stage can be swept by a ❝ focussed " light, or the whole stage can be
" flooded." The lower pivot c is extended downward as a vertical shaft c',
and a handle 2 is attached to its lower end in such manner that the operator can,
by moving such handle through a portion of a circle turn the shaft c', the frames C
and B, and the light box A so as to direct the light to any part of one horizontal
plane.
In Fig. 2 the shaft c' is not carried down as far as the handle, but has an arm c³
fixed to it and to this arm is attached a rod c, the other end of which is attached to
a second arm c, which is fixed to a short length of vertical shaft c, and to the lower
end of this shaft the handle is fixed.
Rigidly attached to or formed integral with the inner frame B is an arm b', to
which is pivoted a vertical rod 62, the upper end of which has a roller 63 attached
to it which rests upon the upper side of a semicircular arm 6. This arm b* forms
part of a slide which moves in a frame 66 fixed to the wall; and depending from
this slide is a rod 67, to the lower end of which is attached one or more friction
rollers 68, the upper one of which rests upon an arın or semicircular projection c*
which forms part of the handle c². Upon the shaft c (or c¹ as shewn in Fig. 1) is
formed a feather c', and the boss of the handle 2 fits over this and the shaft loosely,
so that it can slide vertically on the shaft, but cannot turn without rotating the
shaft. When the handle is caused to slide upward, its attached arm moves the
rollers and shaft 67 likewise upward (sliding the latter through the socket 6³), and
pushing with it the slide 65 and semicircular arm . When this latter rises it pulls
upward the roller 63, rod 62, and arm b', and the inner frame B is caused to rock
upon its pivots b, until it assumes the degree of inclination required to direct the
light to any part of the stage. The semicircular arm is shaped so as to have
the axis of the pivot c for its centre, so that when the frames are rotated by the
shaft c¹ the roller always rests upon some part of the semicircle 6*.
The light box A¹ upon the "O.P." side has exactly similar frames, B and C,
and their attached and co-operating parts, but the shaft c¹ and the rod 67 run
upwards; and the shaft c' is attached to a crank d to the other end of which is
pivoted a rod d' which slides longitudinally above the opening of the stage, and

page_text: which has its other end pivoted to a similar crank which is fixed upon a
vertical shaft D. This is carried downward to a point closely adjacent to the
handle, and itself has an exactly similar handle d² fixed to it at this
point. The horizontal movement of this handle rotates the shaft, moves the
Frank d³, rod d', crank d, and shaft c', thus giving the light box A¹ its horizontal
movement.
The rod on this, the "O.P." side, of the stage is carried to the end of a
crank e fixed upon a shaft el rocking in bearings e, and which has at its other end
a similar crank e³ from which depends a rod E (similar in every respect to the
rod 6). To the lower end of this rod E, is attached one or more rollers e³, and
under the upper one of these works the semicircular arm e (which forms an
integral part of the handle d2) and which, when the handle is caused to slide upon
the shaft D, and feather d', lifts the rod E, sliding it through e, and moves the
crank, thereby rocking the shaft e¹, the crank e, and the rod b' which moves the
slide and arm, and thereby rocks the frames, and the light box A' upon
the "O.P." side. c and d are shaft bearings.
It will be seen that by manipulating the two handles and d², a single operator
can cause the two lights to be directed, simultaneously or otherwise, to any part of
the stage, from the floor upwards.
Figs. 3 and 4 shew the manner in which the rods and shafts are carried across
the top of the stage and connected for the purpose of working the light box A¹ on
the "O.P." side.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew an improved method of connecting the handles e² and d² to
their shafts and rods. In this case a clip c* is used which is held tightly on
the shaft by a bolt cº, on which the handle c² is pivoted, and can thus turn
the shaft ² as well as slide the rod ', the latter being connected to the handle.
g
In the preceding Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, devices have been shewn and
described which serve only to move the light box on a universal joint so as to
project the light in any direction; but I find it necessary also to use mechanism by
means of which I am enabled to change the colours, to operate a shutter, to move
the lens, and to slide the burner or jet. For this purpose I employ frames B and C
similarly suspended and operated as herein before described, but I place the light
box A (or A¹) far enough back to allow of the introduction of a sufficient number
of light frames G, each of which carries a glass or other differently coloured
medium. Five are here shewn but any convenient number may be used including
one each for a shutter and a lens slide. These slide upwards on rods
which are
fixed in the frame B each in a different vertical plane. In the frame C slide an
equal number of rods g', each having an eye g² at its upper end to which a wire is
attached by means of which the slides are operated; and to each of these rods gl
at a point in the same horizontal plane as the pivot b, is pivoted another rod g³
which at its lower end is fastened to one of a number of projecting arms g³ which
form part of one of the frames G. It will be seen that as the frames G and the
rods g' are in different vertical planes, it is necessary to bend the arms go as shewn in
Fig. 8. By this arrangement, at whatever angle the frame B stands relatively
to the frame C, the lifting of one of the rods g¹ pulls up its corresponding frame G
into position. In addition to the five colour frames one frame has a shutter which
closes the opening of the light box, and another slides the lens frame with the lens a
into or out of its normal position.
For the purpose of enabling the operator to move the jet or burner nearer to or
farther from the lens, the burner is mounted upon a carriage H which slides ou
two rods h attached to the frame B at right angles. A rod h¹ operated by a wire
is attached to a lever which is bent downwards to form a pivotted end h³,
to which one end of a link is connected, the other end of which is attached
to the barner carriage H. The raising of the rod rotates the lever on a pivot
at band by means of the link h* pushes out the burner carriage H, to any required
distance.
1
The wires which are attached to and by means of which the rods g' and h¹ are

page_text: raised and their movements controlled may all be carried over pulleys and brought
down to a position convenient to the hand of the operator at or near the handles c², d²;
but I preferably bring down only two rods and operate the whole of the wires by
means of these as follows:-
Referring to Figs. 11, 12, 12, 13, 14 and 15.
The wires from gl and on the "prompt side" are carried upward each to the
end k of a different lever K, each of which levers is pivoted at k' to different points,
and to the other end k² of each of these is fastened a wire k³ from which depends
one of a number of weighted rods k. Formed integrally with or rigidly attached
to the lower end of each of these is an arm k, and the whole of these arms (being
each of a different length horizontally) are arranged as shewn in Fig. 13 in such,
manner that a catch 1, mounted upon and moving (with a vertical rod L) through
an are of a circle can be caused by the operator to engage with and pull down.
either of the seven projecting arms without moving the others. A is a guide
plate which retains the whole of the rods k* in position. The rod L slides and
rotates in guides 7, and has a handle 12 at its lower end by means of which the
operator works it, first rotating it so as to bring the catch over the required lever
arm k (in which he is guided by a semicircle k having the colours painted upon
it); and then pulling down the handle, the short end 2 of the corresponding
lever K is depressed slightly and its longer end raised a much greater distance,
and sufficiently far to raise one of the colour frames G to such a height that it
covers the lens a. The ends of the lever K are bent each to a different length as
shewn so as to bring the whole of the ends into one line at a convenient distance
from the wall.
For operating the colour frames used with the light box A¹ on the "O.P." side,
the levers K are not used but an exactly similar set of rods k, shaft L, and
handle, are used and the wires are each attached to one of a number of
bell-crank levers K as shewn in Fig. 15. The wires are attached to the short
ends so that the longer ends k move through a much greater distance and
consequently the wires from these passing along over the opening of the stage
and being attached to bell-cranks on the "O.P." side operate the colour slides,
shutter and lens frame there situate in a corresponding manner to that on the
prompt side."
Fig. 124 shews a detail view of part of one of the weighted rods k, passing along
the back of all these is a strip / kept by springs in contact with the rods k
each of which has a wedge shaped piece k formed upon it which when the rod is
depressed pushes back the strip 8, and when this returns to its original position it
retains the rod k depressed by means of the piece k'. The strip acting on the
whole of the rods & upon a fresh one being pulled down it pushes back the strip and
liberates the whole of the other rods which may be depressed.
>>
Fig. 17 shews the general arrangement of handles as before. The same letters
apply to similar parts and in addition shews how the two light boxes "prompt
and O.P." sides may be connected by links M and N so as to be worked by one
handle. The two colour rods L, L, may likewise be connected by links O. O. for
the same purpose; or the shaft L may be continued downwards and be operated by
foot, P being a pedal for that purpose.
Fig. 16 shew's a different method; here a rod m connects c² with a special
lever R from the other end of which a rod n runs to d2, by which means the two
are connected.
In Fig. 18 is shewn a modification in which the light box is suspended from a rod S
which stretches across the wings. The colours are arranged on a disc T which
pivoted at t can be rotated by the operator at will.
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 :-
1st. Operating lime and electric light boxes, as used in theatres and like places

page_text: from a distant position by means of rods, levers shafts, bell-cranks, and the like,
substantially as described and shewn.
2nd. An apparatus for operating lime and electric light boxes from a distance
consisting of frames pivoted to each other in different planes so as to form a
universal joint, and operated by rods and levers, substantially as shewn and
described.
3rd. In an apparatus for operating lime and electric light boxes, the colour frames
and the mechanism for operating the same from a distance, substantially as described
and shewn with reference to Figs. 8, 9, and 10.
4th. In an apparatus for operating the colour frames of lime and electric light
boxes, the mechanism substantially as shewn and described with reference to
Figs. 11, 12, 124, 13 14, and 15.
5th. In an apparatus for operating lime and electric light boxes the combination
of a lime light box mounted in a double frame pivoted so as to form a universal
joint, means for inclining the same to any angle, a number of colour slides, and
jointed rods for moving the same, all arranged and operating, substantially as
described and shewn.
Dated this 5th day of June 1895.
WILLIAM J. MUNDEN,
106 Priory Park Road, Kilburn, London, N.W.,
Agent for the Applicant.