Improved Apparatus for Projecting Gymnasts through the Air.
Year: 1894

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Projecting Gymnasts through the Air.
JOHN ZEDORA Aerial Gymnast 32 Darnley Road Hackney London do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An aerial apparatus, in the form of a bow for the purpose of shooting a person
(to be called the Human Arrow) into space, catching a trapeze or being caught by
another person or merely into net.
The apparatus is a plank 9 ft. long 18 in. wide & across the top a bow to make
it as near as possible in appearance to a bow.
It is worked by means of rubber springs stretched from the point underneath
the plank to a foot rest which slides along the plank when released, by means of a
slip hook attached to the bottom end of the plank.
The apparatus is suspended & guyed off at an angle by means of steel wires.
Dated this 15th day of November 1894.
I, JOHN ZEDORA of 32 Darnley Road, Hackney, London N.E. Aerial Gymnast
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 a new or improved apparatus for projecting gymnasts
through the air or space in the same manner as an arrow is projected from the bow
of an archer, and with such velocity and force that the performer may be shot
forward therefrom a sufficient distance to enable him or her to catch the bar of a
stationary or swinging trapeze, or be caught by another person, or alight upon a
net situated a distance away from the apparatus, and my invention is so designed,
that the performer takes the place of the arrow, while the construction of the
apparatus is such, as to as near as possible, (consistent with its necessary structural
stability) resemble a bow, and it is intended that the performance of, and with the
apparatus shall convey to the audience the action of such a bow and arrow, for
which purpose it is my intention that the performer of the said performance shall
be known as and called "The Human Arrow."
In order that my invention and the manner of its operation may be fully
understood I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings in which :-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the entire apparatus as it would appear when in
use at the last moment preceding the ejection of the performer therefrom.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the under surface of the apparatus as it would appear
immediately after the performer had been projected therefrom.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus when in the position shewn by
Fig. 1, in which the bow is shown broken off to facilitate the clearness of the
illustration.
My invention consists of a flat plank or board A, perfectly smooth upon its

page_text: upper surface, and preferably, pointed at its front end, and upon this I mount a
foot rest B, free to slide longitudinally thereon, and upon the under surface of this
I provide a row of any number of studs, pins or hooks C, and upon the under
surface of A, at or near the head thereof, I fix a corresponding row, consisting of
a like number of similar studs, pins or hooks D, and with these two rows I cause
to engage the ends of a like number of elastic cords E, preferably of rubber or
rubber composition. Upon the under surface of A, in front of and near to the
row D, I fix by cleats, clamps, screws, pins, dowells or their equivalents F, the
centre of a spring bow F1, which, with the exception of being of larger dimensions
and greater tensional strength, may be of the same material, and like in construction
to that of an archers bow, having at each end an eye, loop, hook, or their
equivalent F and F, to which are connected the one ends of a pair of cords,
wires or guts G G¹, the opposite ends of which are connected to a pair of eyes,
loops or hooks H H at the sides of or other convenient parts of the foot rest B.
The apparatus when fixed in position for use may be suspended at any desired
angle approaching the horizontal, with the front or pointed end of A the highest,
such angle being governed, to some extent, by the distance to, and the direction
in which, the performer may desire to be projected, and this having been decided
upon, the apparatus would be held rigid in that position by the aid of any guy
ropes or wires J, for the reception of which, any number of hooks, screw-eyes,
loops,. slotted plates or their equivalents, such as K, may be screwed into or
otherwise permanently or portably fixed upon the board A, in such positions as
may be most convenient. The back end of the board A may be provided with a
revolving roller L, carried in plates M fixed upon A, and to this is attached one
end of a cord, wire or the like N, the opposite end of which has an eye or loop
by which it may be attached to a hook or stud O, upon the foot rest B. The
roller L would be provided with a suitable number of holes P (Fig. 2) for the
reception of lever rods such as R for rotating L and winding N thereon.
To set the apparatus for use, the foot board B would be slid along A from its
position in Fig. 2, to that shewn in Figs. 1 and 3, to effect which, a force would
be needed in excess of the combined tensional strength of the springs E and the
bow F, and to attain this the end of the cord wire or the like N would be
connected to the hook or the like O in B, when, by the aid of the levers R
engaging with the holes P, the roller L would be rotated and the cord N wound
thereon, and by this means the foot rest B would be brought to the position shewn
in Figs. 1 and 3, when the cords E and the bow F1 would all be in tension as
therein shewn, in which position it would be retained by a hook or the like B¹
upon B engaging with an eye or the like upon A, or vice versa, or a slip hook,
leash, strap and buckle, or other device, easily and quickly disengaged, may be
employed for this purpose, and when B is thus retained the cord N may be
released from the device O at any moment prior to the projection of the artist.
The performer would then place himself as flat and as rigid as possible upon the
board A with his feet firmly set against the rest B, as shewn at Fig. 1, when,
at a given signal, the attendant would release the said leash, hook or its
equivalent B, and the artist would be immediately thrust forward and off the
board A by the combined tensions of the rubber springs E and the bow F¹, as
would be an arrow from a bow, and he or her may be either caught by some
other artist, or by grasping some swinging or stationary object such as the bar
of a trapeze, or may fall into a net or otherwise as may be arranged.
A curtain or other device may be suspended to and below the apparatus if
desired, to hide from the audience the rubbers E and the foot rest B and the
manner of their operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-

page_text: construction use and application of the herein described apparatus and the several
parts constituting the same, connected combined and operating substantially as
and for the purposes herein set forth and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In an improved apparatus for projecting gymnasts through space, the
combination of a board or plank A, sliding foot rest B, provided with any number
of studs or their equivalents C, to which and a like number of studs or their
equivalents D fixed upon A, are connected a like number of elastic cords or
ropes E. The spring bow F1 connected by clamps or their equivalents F to the
under surface of A and having end eyes or loops F" F, carrying cords or the
like G G also connected to the foot rest B. The manner of placing E and F' in
tension by the means of a cord, wire or the like N connected to B and wound
upon a roller L, and the employment of a leash, slip hook B' or any suitable
equivalent therefor, for retaining B in the position upon A shewn by Fig. 1, and
quickly releasing it therefrom, with any number of eyes or the like K for receiving
guy ropes or wires J the whole connected and operating substantially as and for
the purposes herein described and shewn.
Dated this 20th day of March 1895.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.