US1055208A - Theatrical appliance. - Google Patents

Description

A. S. MOORMAN.

THEATRICAL APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION HLBD 0012.9, 1909. Bnmwnn ooT. 27, 1911.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

i lallllqlllgtlla! gf me/Mon Mm @W/ @nieuwe UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT S. MOORMAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

THEATRICAL APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

Application led October 9, 1909, Serial No. 521,874. Renewed October 27, 1911. Serial No. 657,184.

To all fui/'tom t may concern:

`Be it known that I, ALBERT S. MOORMAN, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Theatrical Appliances, of which the following is a specification, reference being-.had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in theatrical appliances and more particularly to a trick automobile for use on the stage, and made of separable parts or sections whichwhen assembled will be an exact representation of an automobile or motor vehicle, but which under certain conditions will become disengaged and fall apart to give the machine the appearance of a Wreck, the main portion of the machine being adapted to rotate or spin when the parts separate.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical appliance of this character which will be effective in accomplishing its intended purpose.

Vit-h the above and other objects in View the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved trick automobile. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view with parts in section, and Fig. 3 is a detail vertical longitudinal section.

lVhile the machine or vehicle may be made of any number of separable parts or sections, and such parts may have any desired form and construction, the embodiment of the invention illustrated consists of a main section 1 forming the front portion of the body of the machine, a rear section 2 consisting of the rear portion of the body and the rear wheels, and a front section 3 consisting of the axle and front wheels. These parts are detachably connected by any suitable means which will permit them to separate when released by trip devices, and when assembled as shown in the drawings the front and rear sections 3 and 2 support the main section 1, Which latter drops to the floor when the parts or sections separate. Said section 1 which contains the seat 4t for the driver is so constructed and mounted that When itdrops upon the floor of the stage it will be rotated or spun. This is accomplished, preferably, by providing a base or false bottom 5, from which rises a vertical pivot (3 for the section 1. An annular row of antltriction bearing balls 7,

or any other antifriction bearing, is preferably provided between the parts 1, 5 so that the former may rotate freely on the pivot 6. Said section 1 may be rotated by any desired means, but I preferably employ the one illustrated which consists of a spool or drum S fixed to the bottom of the section 1 concentric with the pivot (i and about which is wound a cord or similar flexible element 9 adapted to have its free end pulled by an operator in one of the side wings of the stage. To cause the section 1 to spin or rotate first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, the cord 9 has its inner end attached to a pin or peg 10 and wound first in one direction several times around the spool, then looped around said pin and wound in the opposite direction several times. Such reverse winding of the cord may be repeated as many times as desired.

The rear section 2 of the machine which preferably contains a seat for one or more persons is adapted to be drawn rearwardly ott' of the stage and into the side Wing by means of a cord or cable 11. If desired a third supporting wheel 12 may be provided on the front portion of the bottom of the section 2 for supporting the latter after it has been detached from the main section 1. The sections 1, 2 are preferably ,held in engagement by pin and `socket connections indicated at 13 inv Fig. 2, and by a latch or catch device lelshown more clearly in Fig. 3. As illustrated the catch 14 is in the form of a bell crank pivoted on the section 1 and adapted to have its angular end engage a keeper opening or seat 15 on the section 2. A link 16 connects the other arm of the catch 14 to an angular trip lever 17 provided on the bottom of the section 1 and adapted to be actuated by the foot of the drivel'.

The front section 3, which consists of the front axle and the front ground or traveling wheels, is preferably detachably connected to the section 1 by having the front axle seated in recesses formed in bearing blocks 1S secured to the lower side of the section l, said axle being detachably held in place by means of leaf springs 19 which are attached to the lower side of the section 1, as best illustrated in Fig. 2, the free ends of the springs extending across and underneath the axle in contact therewith. Projecting rearwardly and upwardly from the front axle, is an arm 2O having an angular apertured end which extends upwardly through an opening formed in the bottom of the section l, a slidable catch 21 being adapted to extend through the aperture of said arm, wherebythe axle will be prevented from being detached from the section 1 so long as the catch 2l is in locking engagement with the arm 20. The catch 2l is adapted to be retracted by a cam-shaped arm on an angular trip lever 2Q, also arranged within convenient reach of the i'oot of the driver of the automobile. A cord or the like 23 is attached to a depending eye 24 on the middle of the front axle and may be used both for pulling the automobile across the stage when the parts are assembled, and for pulling the axle 3 oit of the stage after the parts or sections have become detached.

In operation, the automobile is drawn on to the stage, preferably by means of the cable 23, and when the driver reaches the center of the stage he actuates the trips 17, 2Q to release the rear and front sections 2, 3 from the main section 1 of the machine. Such front and rear sections are then drawn in opposite `direction oill of the stage by the cords attached to them, and the main sect-ion 1, on its false bottom or base 5 dropping to the floor of the stage, is rotated by an operator drawing upon the cord 9.

l/Vhile l have shown and described in -detail the preferred embodiment of my invent-ion I wish it understood that changes in the form, proportion and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus 'described the invention what I claim is:

1. A theatrical appliance comprising a main section, other sections detachably connected to the main section, catches for holdg ing the several sections in temporary connection, and means for rotating the main section when the other sections are disconnected from it.

2. A theatrical appliance comprising a plurality of sectie-ns detachably connected together so as to represent an automobile, means for holding said sections in temporary connection, and means for rotating one of said sections when the other sections are disconnected from it.

3. A theatrical appliance comprising a main section, detachable supporting sections, means for holding` the several sections in temporary connection so that they represent an automobile when assembled,

and means for separating the supporting sections from the main section when released by said holding means.

t. A theatrical appliance comprising a main section, detachable supporting sections, means for holding the several sections in temporary connection so that they represent an automobile when assembled, and means for rotating the main section when disconnected from said supporting sections.

5. A theatrical appliance comprising a main section, detachable supporting sections, means for holding the several sections in temporary connection so that they represent an automobile when assembled, means for separating the supporting sections from the main section when released by said holding means, and means for rotating the main section when disconnected from said suppo-rting sections.

6. A theatrical appliance comprising a main section, detachable supporting sections, means for holding the several sections in temporary connection so that they represent an automobile when assembled, a false bottom or base carried by the main section and adapted to support the same for rota tion when the supporting sections have been disconnected from it, and means for rotating said main section when the latteris supported upon its base.

7. A theatrical appliance comprising a main section, detachable supporting sections, means for holding the several sections in temporary connection so that they repre sent an automobile when assembled, a sup porting base carried by the main section and on which the latter is rotatable when the supporting sections have been disconnected from it, a spool carried by said main section and a cord wound upon said spool.

8. A theatrical appliance comprising a main section wheeled front and rear sections or supporting the main section. catches detachably connecting the front and rear supporting sections to the main section, cords connected to said front and rear supporting sections, a base carried by the main section and adapted to support the same tor rotation when the front and rear sections have been disconnected from it, and means for rotating the main section when supported upon its base.

1n testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT S; MOORMAN.

1Witnesses CARL YALTo, R. A. VILLIs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C.

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