GB2302280A

GB2302280A - Protecting a work of art

Info

Publication number: GB2302280A
Application number: GB9611523A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Starforth
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-06-15
Filing date: 1996-06-03
Publication date: 1997-01-15
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-03
Also published as: GB9611523D0; GB2302280B

Abstract

To protect a work of art against fire, theft or vandalism, the work is hung in a frame, and when a sensor detects a threat, a canopy is automatically lowered to protect the work. When one of the sensors at 15 detects a threat to wotk of art 14, a motorised reel 12 will automatically wind in belt 6 to pull down exterior canopy 3 and interior canopy 4 via canopy bars. With canopy lowering, protective bars 7, for the external canopy, and 8, for the internal canopy, are raised to a protective position. The canopy bars are then bolted in holder 9, and side clamps move over both canopies to seal off the work of art. The protective bars establish a protective cage. Movable parts are concealed under paper which tears as the canopies move. A non-flammable coolant gas may be released between the canopies. A battery back-up for the power source may be provided.

Description

WGRK OF ART PROTECT 10K The invention relates to a protection for works of art from fire, theft, and vandalism.

The work of art protection as designed to prevent irreplacible works of art from being damaged or destroyed as in the Windsor Castle fire, or as art theft increases more each year to prevent them from being stolen to order, and also as art vandalism increases to prevent them from being slashed or vandalised by vindictive people.

Ine invention comprises of a main frame that can either be emDeadeu into or fixed onto a wall. It could also be used to be free standing. Ihe work cf art then hangs in the centre surrounded by the working parts that are concealed underneath by a paper/material, that is there primarily to conceal the working parts, and secondly to add to the decoration. The invention is designed to be on constant alert waiting for any threat to occur.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows from a frontal view the invention as it would look With tne working parts concealed by the paper/material prior to activation. Lines indicating the outside of the invention would be concealed if it was embedded into a wall, or nad a decorative border acted.

Figure 2 shows from a frontal vieW the invention minus the paper/.materi i prior to activation.

Figure 3 shows from a disected side view the invention as it would look prior to activation. Minus protective bars.

Figure 4 shows from a disected side view the invention as it would look after activation.

WORKING PARTS INDEX:1 Upper canopy bar 2 Lower canopy bar 3 Exterior canopy 4 Interior canopy 5 Canopy support bar 6 Canopy belt 5 Protective bars 8 Interior protective bars 9 Canopy bar holder 10 Boltiny mechanism 11 Canopy clamp 12 Mozor/canopy belt reel 13 Paper/Material 14 Work of art 15 Area for sensors Referring to the drawings and the working parts index the process of activation carries on as below: When one of the sensors(15) picks up the threat to the work of art tne invention will automaticly be activated. The motor/canopy belt reel(12) will automaticly start to turn ann reel in the canopy belt(6). The upper canopy bar(l) which is securely attached to the canopy belt(6) will lift up and tear through the paper/material(13) before travelling down the canoDy belt(6).The lower canopy bar(2) being attached to the upper canopy bar(l) follows. The exterior canopy(3) being attached to the upper canopy bar(l) and the interior canopy(4) being attached to tne lower canopy bar(2) follow by momentum which in turn brings up the canopy support bar(S) into itss predesignated position securely. As the upper canopy bar(l) travels down the canopy belt(6) it passes the protective bars(7) which in turn lift up and settle securely into their predesignated angles. The interior protective bars(8) lift up into their predesignated angles securely to protect thr work of art from the interior canopy(4). Both canopy bars (1) and (2) will then drop into the canopy bar holder(";) where the bolting mechanisms(lG) will fire a bolt into each side of the upper canopy bar(1) to hold it dcn securely. she canopy clamps(ll) will then move over the unsecurec parts of both canopys (3) and (4) in order to totally seal off tne hork of art from and canter.

Claims

1 A protection for works of art to prevent them from being destroyed cr damaged by fire. theft, or vandalism, comprising of a main frame where the work of art will hang securely in it's centre, where to look at from a frontal view conceals all relevent sensors ana working parts, which ken one of tne sensors picks up a threat to the work of art the invention will automaticly be activated by turning the motor/canosy belt reel.

which will in turn reel in the canopy belt which being attached to the upper and lower canopy bars will lift them up and carry them down the canopy belt, which in turn pulls botn the exterior and interior canopys, which as they travel down all protective bars automaticlt lift up to protect the work of art before both canopy bars drop into the canopy bar holder where as it aets bo@ted in securely the canopy clamps cross over the canopy to totally seal off the work of art from the threat.

2 A protection for works of art there the upper ano lower canopy will be made from suitable materials that are heat proof, flame proof, melt proof, smoke proof, and water proof. and that will withstand very nigh temperatures and be very strong.

3 A work of art protection where the protective bars will be mace from very strong materials that will withstand very high temperatures anc be strong encucn to withstand great forces of weight.

n @ork of rt protection where tne main frame hlll be made from very strong materials tnat will witnstand very high temperatures an be strong encn to witnstand great forces Of weight.

5 A work of art protection where all other working parts to be usec will be maoe from very strong materials that will withstand very high temperatures and be strong enough to withstand great fcrces of weight.

6 A work of art protection where after activation a pressurised non flammable coolant gas could be released between the canopys from within the main frame to heip with the protection of the work of art.

/ A work of art protection tnat primarily works from a mains power source but will be equipped secondly with a battery back up in case of mains power failure.

8 A work cf art protection that with some structural amendments could be altered into other shapes to protect other items of art.