Improvements in Apparatus for Working Theatrical Scenery.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Theatrical Scenery.
I, JOHN WILLIAM CAWDERY, Theatrical Machinist, 166, Great Titchfield
Street, London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
My invention has for its object the easy and prompt placing in position of the.
wings upon the side of a theatrical stage. The present means is to hold the
wings perpendicular by means of iron rods or stays one end of which is hooked into
an eye bolt on the wing and the other end is temporarily secured to the stage floor
by a special screw. By these means the wooden flooring is rapidly worn out and
the iron stays making an angle of about 60% with the floor are very much in the
way. My invention dispenses with these iron rods and all appurtenances upon the
stage floor thus effecting considerable economy. My apparatus consists of a long
perpendicular frame of woodwork which is firmly bolted or secured to the fly floors.
This is grooved on both sides for its entire length. Within this grooved frame runs
a ladder capable of extending down to within such a distance of the stage floor as
the lowest wing might require. This ladder is provided with rungs some distance
apart which answer the purpose of strengthening this sliding portion as well as
virtually forming the same into a ladder. The tongued sides of the ladder run in
the groove formed in frame and this ladder forms a quick means of communication
between the fly floors. At the foot of this ladder is hinged a square framed flap or
framing capable of being let down until it reaches a horizontal place, and is thus
extending over the space to be occupied by the wings below. It is also capable of
being folded up close against the sliding ladder so as to occupy as little space as
possible. When the hinged flap is extended out over the wings forming a platform
it is held in this position by iron rods on both sides which may have a hinged joint
to allow them to fold in. These rods are provided with ratchets or catches or
suitable means for securely holding out the platform. The underneath side of this
platform is provided with rows of wooden pegs or pins which serves to hold the tip
of the wing in the required position i. either obliquely or straight and at any
distance either backward or forward. These pegs or pins are capable of revolving
upon their own centres so as to cause as little damage as possible to the wings
passing backward and forwards, and they form guides between which the wings
can slide. The hinged platform also forms an excellent position from which to
work a lime light.
My apparatus can be adjusted to any height of wing required from 16' 0" to 24' 0"
for instance, but I do not limit myself to these figures. This adjustment is obtained
by sliding the ladder up or down to the required height when it is firmly fixed in
position by suitable means.
As my improvements are capable of some modifications without departing from
the principle thereof, I do not restrict myself to materials, dimensions, or to the
precise form or placement of the several parts thereof.
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Theatrical Scenery.
I, JOHN WILLIAM CAWDERY, Theatrical Machinist, 166, Great Titchfield
Street, London, 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 has for its object the easy and prompt placing in position of the
wings upon the side of a theatrical stage. The present means is to hold the wings
perpendicular by means of iron rods or stays one end of which is hooked into an
eye bolt on the wing and the other end is temporarily secured to the stage floor by
a special screw.
By these means the wooden flooring rapidly worn out, and the iron stays
making an angle of about 60 degrees with the floor are very much in the way. My
invention dispenses with these iron rods and all appurtenances upon the stage floor
thus effecting considerable economy.
My apparatus consists of a long perpendicular frame of woodwork which is
firmly bolted or secured to the fly floors. This is grooved on both sides for its
entire length. Within this grooved frame runs a ladder capable of extending down
to within such a distance of the stage floor as the lowest wing might require. This
ladder is provided with rungs some distance apart which answer the purpose of
strengthening this sliding portion as well as virtually forming the same into a
ladder. The tongued sides of the ladder run on the groove formed in frame and
this ladder forms a quick means of communication between the fly floors. At the
foot of this ladder is hinged a square framed flap or framing capable of being let
down until it reaches a horizontal place, and is thus extending over the space to be
occupied by the wings below. It is also capable of being folded up close against
the sliding ladder so as to occupy as little space as possible.
When the hinged flap is extended out over the wings forming a platform, it is
held in this position by iron rods on both sides which may have a hinged joint to
allow them to fold in. These rods are provided with ratchets or catches or suitable
means for securely holding out the platform. The underneath side of this platform
is provided with rows of wooden pegs or pins which serve to hold the top of the
wing in the required position vicither obliquely or straight and at any distance
either backward or forward. These pegs or pins are capable of revolving upon
their own centres so as to cause as little damage as possible to the wings passing
backwards and forwards and they form guides between which the wings can slide.
The hinged platform also forms an excellent position from which to work a lime
light.
My apparatus can be adjusted to any height of wing required from 16′ 0″ to 24′ 0″
for instance, but I do not limit myself to these figures. This adjustment is obtained
by sliding the ladder up or down to the required height when it is firmly fixed in
position by suitable means.
I am aware that what is called "forks" has been used for retaining wings in
position and that sometimes they are arranged to be raised and lowered--they
however are clumsy and get in the way of other parts of the scenery.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus as erected on and viewed
from a theatrical stage,
Fig. 2 being a front view of the same detached.
Fig. 3 is a front view of the apparatus folded up and out of use or intended to
hold minor wings only.
Fig. 4 is a side view to a reduced scale of the view-shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a detail.
Fig. 6 is a cross section on line az of Fig. 2.
My apparatus consists of a frame a fixed in the wings to a platform b. This

page_text: frame is provided with vertical grooves or recesses c within which slide the pro-
jecting edges d of the vertical barse of the ladder f. This ladder is hinged at e¹ to
the platform or holder g furnished underneath with three rows of guide rolls /
arranged at suitable intervals.
These rolls which are equidistant in each row, are arranged in a line from one
end of the platform g to the other so that the wings may be slid within the
intervals between these rolls in order to be either parallel to the front edge of the
stage or arranged obliquely according as desired. In the position shown in Figs. 1
and 2 the vertical ladder f is secured to the platform g by means of iron rods or
stays hinged at their lower ends to the said platform while their upper ends are
provided with a block sliding within a groove m formed in the bars e of the
ladder and engaging within an ordinary spring catch k when the platform is to be
fixed in a horizontal position as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6 when the platform is.
folded up as shown in Fig. 4 the spring catch k is pulled back to release the
block . I may in some cases extend the platform g by means of an additional
piece g' hinged thereto and held by chains n n¹ as shewn in dotted lines Fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent the platform g folded up against the ladder the
apparatus being out of use and hence unable to support large and heavy wings such
as i. It may however still be used in this position for supporting wings of small
dimensions, a row of guide rolls being fixed for this purpose to the under side of
the bottom bar of the platform g. The guide rolls h¹ turn upon pins shown in
dotted lines in Fig. 1.
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 :-
1. The improved apparatus for holding the wings used in theatrical scenery
arranged, constructed, and operating, substantially as herein described and shown.
and for the purpose set forth.
2. In improved apparatus for working theatrical scenery the platform g hinged
about its centre so as to fold parallel to a frame or ladder and provided with pro-
jecting guide rolls or pins arranged to revolve upon spindles all as shewn in the
accompanying drawings and described in this Specification.
Dated this 16th don af Wahnuo 1901
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..