Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Theatrical Stage Effects:
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
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[Communicated from abroad by JAMES WILLIAM KNELL; of Navesink Avenue,™
Highlands, New Jersey, United States of America, Actor.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Theatrical Stage Effects:
I, HENRY HARRIS' LAKE, of the firiii of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 within described improvement relates to the class' of stage' apparatus in which
certain mechanism is employed to enable the effect of races between moving'objects to
be simulated, and the object of my within described improvements is to so combine
certain mechanisms as to enable the appearance of rapid movement on the part of the
object to be increased beyond that actually given to it.
My invention consists in the combination with the stage, the scenery and the
device for supporting the moving object, of a fence, wall or like dovico movably
mounted in operative relation to the surroundings; and it further consists in details
of the several parts of the devices and apparatus, and in their combination, as more
particularly heroinafter described and pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the drawings:.
Figure I is a view in front elevation of the stage set to display a racing scone,
with part of the scenery at the wings broken away to show the stage floor in vertical
section and part of the apparatus in side view.
Figure 2 is a top or plan view of the stage in front of the background scene.
Figure 3 is detail view in vertical cross-section of the stage and part of the
apparatus.
In the accompanying drawings the letter a denotes a stage floor, b the background,
that may be of any convenient arrangement of scenes, or formed of a combination of
flats and wing pieces or flies. The background b may be a panoramic_scene, and in
depicting some races is preferably of that form. In case the object, with relation to
the movement of which the stage and scene is prepared; is to be represented as
engaged in a race, it is mounted preferably on an endless path d that may be fixed
with relation to the stage, or it may be placed on an endless path borne on a
carriage c. In any event, however, the path of movement of the object is across the
stage inore or less parallel to the front.
In front of the path of movement of this object' there is arranged a fence or wall e,
preferably the former. The fence is made up of a series of slats or palings e¹ that
are each supported at the base on a belt f, the pickets being preferably arranged
with broad bases so that their edges are in contact while the upper parts of the
slats or pickets are narrower than the base parts showing the usual space between
the slats or pickets where the latter project above the level of the stage floor.
An opening 9, usually a long narrow one, is made through the stage floor to
allow the slats to be brought up into view from below the stage and move rapidly
across it by the movement of the belt fon which the slats are supported. The edges
of this opening g may form supports to guide the slats near their bottom ends and
guides h extend along the stage over the opening so that the slats rising through the
floor pass between the guides and are held in a vertical position as long as they
remain in view. The ends of the guides are preferably bent downward and secured
to the stage, and they may extend below the stage in a V-form, the apex turned
upward so that the slats may be caused to certainly enter between the somewhat
narrow opening between the guides h. The belt f to which the slats or pickets are
secured at their lower end, is made of a flexible material, as leather, canvas or the
like, or the slats may be linked together so that their bottom edges, in combination

page_text: with the links, form a chain. In any event, the belt or its equivalent is supported
on pulleys that are mounted in hangers and provided with means for turning the
pulleys at any desired rate of speed.
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A single moving object may be placed upon the stage and caused to move at any
desired rate of speed across it, while at the same time the. fence e, or a series of
panels forming a wall; may be caused to move in the opposite direction by driving
the belt; or two or more objects or figures may be caused to so move in relation
to each other that the illusory effect of a race between them is produced, the number
of the moving objects, or the means or manner of their movement not being
material to my within described invention, although some form of endless path as
the immediate support of moving figure is preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In combination with the stage, the scenery and the device for supporting a
moving object, the fence mounted on a movable belt or like flexible part supported in
operative relation to the stage and scenery, all substantially as described.
.
2. In combination with a stage, the scenery and the endloss path for supporting
the moving object, a fence made up of a number of slats or palings mounted upon a
movable belt or like flexible connection, the movable belt supporting the pickets,
and the guides arranged to hold the pickets in an upright position, all substantially
as described.
3. In combination with a stage, the scenery, and an endless belt for supporting a
moving object mounted. thereon, a fence made up of a number of pickets secured to a
flexible belt or like part with the edges of their bases in contact when in an upright
position, the flexible belt bearing the fence and supported on pulleys, and means for
rotating the pulleys, all substantially as described.
4. In combination with a stage, the scenery, and a device for supporting a
moving object, an opening through the stage floor, a fence arranged to pass through
and along the opening and composed of a series of slats secured to a belt, the moving
belt supported below the stage floor, and the guides extending along the path of
movement of the pickets above the level of the floor, all substantially as described.
Dated this 11th day of March 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.