GB2460171A

GB2460171A - Divided material dropper

Info

Publication number: GB2460171A
Application number: GB0908741A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Wilsher
Original assignee: SET UP SCENERY Ltd
Current assignee: SET UP SCENERY Ltd
Priority date: 2008-05-24
Filing date: 2009-05-21
Publication date: 2009-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 2029-05-21
Also published as: GB0908741D0; GB0809522D0; GB2460171B

Abstract

Apparatus for producing a shower/cloud of falling material in divided form includes an elongate tubular container 2 for receiving the material that is intended to form the cloud/shower, said container 2 having a plurality of apertures formed therein through which the material may fall and supports members 9,10 for supporting the container 2 for displacement in such manner that as a result of said displacement the material is enabled to fall through the apertures-12 in such manner as to form said shower/cloud. The container 2 may be mounted for rotation relative to the support members by a motor 8. The support member 8,9 may take the form of end plates 8,9 which are connected by a number of linking bars 6. The apparatus may be used during a stage or theater production to be able to produce a cascade of material creating the effect of a fluttering cloud as a part of the scenic background to a production. For example, the apparatus may produce a representation of a snow storm.

Description

DIVIDED MATERIAL DROPPER

This invention relates to apparatus for the production of a cascade of material in divided form.

It is not an infrequent requirement during a stage or similar production to be able to produce a cascade of material in divided form with a view to creating the effect of a fluttering cloud as a part of the scenic background to a production.

For example, in productions set in a winter period it is a common requirement to be able to produce a realistic representation of a snow storm.

it is known to produce such an effect by dropping upon a stage a plurality of petals like elements of a size and colour that during the period of their dropping the individual elements visually to combine to be seen by an audience as the fluttering flakes of a snow storm. In the case where the elements are white the cloud is readily accepted by the audience as simulating a snow storm.

In practice, it is important that the material being dropped is located at a particular region 1 5 of a stage arena such that the falling material will represent the visual effect desired by the producer will take place at the required location and additionally will be of such distribution and density of such material as is required to create the required effect These particular requirements imply that the arrangements for producing the shower effect need to be locatable at any region of the stage/arena.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus that facilitates the production of such aforesaid fluttering showers of falling material.

Broadly, according to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for enabling the production of a cascade of material in divided form, including a container for receiving material that is to form the cascade, the container incorporating a plurality of apertures through which the material may be caused to fall as a result of the displacement of the container in such manner as so to position the apertures that the material can fall there through. * -2-

Broadly according to a further aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for producing a shower/cloud of falling material in divided form, including an elongate tubular container for receiving the material that is intended to form the shower/cloud, said container having a plurality of apertures formed therein through which the material may fall, means for supporting the container for displacement in such manner that as a result of said displacement the material is enabled to fall through the openings in such manner as to form said cloud/shower Preferably the container is mounted for rotation relative to said means for supporting in such manner that the material within the container is enabled to fall through the openings in the container in such manner as to form said cloud/shower In a preferred construction of the container the openings are so formed in the container as to form at least one row of the openings positioned axially of the container.

In a preferred construction the openings are positioned in the container as to provide rows of openings extending lengthways of the tubular container with the rows circumferentially 1 5 spaced around the longitudinal axis of the container, with the openings within adjacent rows axially offset relative to each other.

Preferably the openings are so positioned in said rows/lines that whenever openings are located below the axis of rotation of the container material is able to fall through said below the axis openings.

Conveniently the contained is rotatably mounted at each end thereof in an associated support arrangement, said support arrangements being interconnected by bars extending Iengthways of the longitudinal axis of the container.

Preferably each such support arrangement includes rolls or the like upon which the container rotatably rests.

Conveniently, one or both of the support arrangements includes drive means adapted to rotate the container about its longitudinal axis In a preferred construction the opposite ends of the container are supported by a support frame adapted for mounting at a required position above a stage/arena said frame including at each end thereof means for rotatably supporting/mounting the adjacent end S -3-of a container when supported by the frame in such manner that the container is readily engageable with the end units to receive rotational drive from one or both said end units.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how to carry the same into effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a side view of an embodiment of apparatus for producing a cascade of falling material in divided form, and Figure 2 is a schematic end view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 1, the apparatus 1 shown therein includes a tubular container 2 which is mountable for rotation about its longitudinal axis by an elongate support frame 3 including a pair of end units 4,5 maintained in spaced relationship by elongate bars 6.

The frame 3 includes four of such bars 6 of which two are positioned beneath the container 2 when mounted in the frame 3 and also below the axis of rotation of the container, whilst the remaining two bars 6 are located one to each side of the container just above the centre line thereof, i.e., the axis of rotation.

As shown in the Figure 1 the end unit 4 at the left hand end of the Figure 1 embodiment includes a housing 7 for a drive motor arrangement 8 (only schematically shown in the Figures). The housing includes a back plate 9 which connects with the adjacent ends of the bars 6.-The other end unit 5 includes an end plate 10 that connects with the adjacent ends of the bards 6. Each of the plates 9 and 10 mounts a pair of slave or drive wheels 11 which mounted to the associated plate and which are so positioned that when the container 2 is mounted in the frame 3 the lower part of each end of the container rests upon and is supported by the adjacent pair of slave or drive wheels 11 mounted to the plates.

Furthermore, the separation between the drive/slave wheels of each pair is such that the container 2 nests slightly into the space been the wheels of the associated pairs of wheels 11. whereby simultaneous contact is made between the container and both wheels. With the above described relative arrangement of the bars and the container it will be noted that the container is readily mountable to the frame * -4-and readily removeable from the frame without the need to connect or disconnect retaining means 15 With this arrangement the container 2 is effectively, when mounted to the frame 3, is automatically centred within the frame 3 and is evenly supported for the required rotation upon the pairs of wheels 11.

The body of the container is perforated by a plurality of apertures/holes 13 that are distributed along the length of the container. Rotation of the container 2 encourages the material within the container to fall through the holes 13 whereby when rotation stops material ceases to fall from the container.

The motor drive arrangement 8 includes an output shaft (not shown) coupled to rotate one or both of the adjacent wheels 11.

It will be understood that when both wheels are to be driven an appropriate gear train (not shown) will be provided.

In a variation of the apparatus above discussed the frame can be so adapted as to be able to mount two or more containers eaxh capable of independent rotation or rotation in communication with each other.

With such arrangements the control of their operation can be such that they can be simultaneously operable at the same or different rates at the same or at different times so that the cascade period can be increased as compared with the time period of a single container.. -.5-

Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus for enabling the production of a cascade of material in divided form, including a container for receiving material that is to form the cascade, the container incorporating a plurality of apertures through which the material may be caused to fall as a result of the displacement of the container in such manner as so to position the apertures that the material can fall there through.
2 Apparatus for producing a shower/cloud of falling material in divided form, including an elongate tubular container for receiving the material that is intended to form the cloud/shower, said container having a plurality of apertures formed therein through which the material may fall, means for supporting the container for displacement in such manner that as a result of said displacement the material is enabled to fall through the apertures in such manner as to form said shower/cloud.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, and wherein the container is so mounted for rotation relative to said supporting means that material within the container that is to form the cloud/shower is enabled to fall through the apertures in the container in such manner as to form said cloud/shower
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the apertures are positioned in the container as to form at least one row of the apertures.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the apertures are positioned in rows directed axially of the container.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the apertures are so positioned in the rows as effectively to form a spiral of apertures extending length ways of the container.
7. Apparatus as claimed in 2 or 3, and wherein the apertures are positioned in the container as to provide rows of apertures extending Iengthways of the tubular container the rows being circumferentially spaced around the longitudinal axis of the container, with the openings within adjacent rows axially offset relative to each other. * -6-8 Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 2 to 7, and wherein the apertures are so positioned in rows/lines that whenever apertures are located below the axis of rotation of the container material is able to fall through said below the axis opening.9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and wherein the container is rotatably mounted at each end thereof in an associated support arrangement, and wherein said support arrangements are interconnected by bars extending Iengthways of the longitudinal axis of the container.10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, and wherein each such support arrangement includes rolls or the like upon which the container rotatably rests.11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or 10, and wherein, one of the support arrangements includes drive means adapted to rotate the container about its longitudinal axis 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9,10 or 11, and wherein opposite ends of the container are mounted for rotation by a support frame adapted for mounting at a required position 1 5 above a stage/arena, said frame including end units each incorporating means for rotatably supporting the adjacent end of a container in such manner that the container is readily engageable with the end units to receive rotational drive from one or both said end units.13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and including two or more apertured containers for receiving material for forming a cloud/shower, the arrangement being such that the same or different materials may be used to form cloud(s)/shower(s).14. Apparatus for producing a cascade of material in divided form, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing