US1278306A - Magician's cabinet. - Google Patents

Description

F T. CORTESE. MAGICIANS CABINET.

Y Patented Sept. 10,1918.

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F. T. CORTESE.

MAGICIAN'S CABINET.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. '|9\8.

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-VINVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY n M in sin!!!) CO..PNOTO-LI u ..w :4 mu,

F. T. CORTESE.

MAGICIAWS CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED rmza. 191a.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Sept. 10

WITNESSES ATTORNEY l FA onto

YORK.

MAGICIANS CABINET.

Application filed February 26, 1918.

To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK T. CoR'rEsn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magicians Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to theatrical appliances, and more especially to cabinets which are used by magicians and others for producing startling and other unexpected effects for the benefit of an audience.

The object of the present invention is to construct a cabinet of this type which is at first shown to be empty, but from which immediately afterward there issues a young lady impersonating Miss Columbia, and a further object is to permit her to issue by bursting through a screen of tissue paper so that the effect will be all the more startling.

These objects are carried out by constructing the cabinet as described below, and as shown in the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of the entire apparatus ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a rear view and Fig. 3 a plan View,

Fig. 4 is a front elevation with certain parts of the case in section, and the screen in position, and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-'5 of Fig. 4.

The base of this device comprises a table 1 approached at one end by a few steps 2 because the table top is raised from the level of the stage so that the audience may see under it, and a pair of standards 3 rising from sockets 4 on the table top and entering other sockets 5 in the bottom of the cabinet proper, or the frame-like structure 6 which comprises the body of this cabinet. This frame may take any desired shape, but in the present drawings I have given it the general contour of a shield, and the effect will be increased by coloring the doors described below to correspond wit-h the face of the shield, possibly by giving the coloring that of the stars and stripes of the national shield itself. If this suggestion be carried out, the body may be surmounted by an eagle 9 as seen in Fig. l. Said body may have the proper proportions but should be quite deep as seen in Figs. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Serial No. 219,249.

and 5, although an inspection of Fig. 3 will show that the body is not as deep as the table, nor is the body as wide as the table is long; therefore there is a passageway all around the body on which the magician can walk if he desires. I will say here that, for the benefit of the traveling operator, the parts may be separable as indicated in Fig. 4 where the steps are shown capable of being unhooked at 7 from the platform or table top, and the standards 3 remoued from the sockets. Also the legs 8 unscrew from the platform and the eagle or other symbol 9 may be removed as well as various minor parts, so that all may be packed in a trunk or suitable container for transportation. The coloring or details may also be such as will appeal to the entertainer who of course will know the wishes of his audiences. The body or frame 6 is entirely open from front to rear as seen in Fig. 5, and at its front it may be closed by a door 10 hinged at 11, while it may also be closed its rear by a door 12 hinged at 13 to the other side of the frame from that which carries the hinges 11. Both doors are shown closed in Figs. 1 and 2, and both open in Fig. 5. Knobs or other fastening devices or catches 1 1 on the doors and the body will interlock or inter-engage when the former are open to hold them in that position; and catches are provided at the free edges of the doors as shown at 15 for holding them when closed, although these catches may be released by the operator as will be clearly understood. On the front of the body or frame is shown an eye 16 and above it a fork 17. These are respectively to receive a pin 18 and a knob 19 (see Fig. 4) on an outer metallic frame 20 which is adapted to fit closely around an inner and preferably wooden frame 21 as best seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The inner frame may be braced at the corners as indicated by dotted lines at 22 in Fig. 4;, and the outer frame may have cars 23 at one corner or at any appropriate place capable of beingdrawn together by a set screw 24 so as to clamp it upon the inner frame. This structure will be u-sedas described below.

The concealed portion of the device is a crane best seen in Figs. 2 and 8. Eyes 30 are secured in the rear edge of one side of the frame 6, and into them are engaged hooks 31-turned down from the extremities of arms 32 all of which latter are connected in a light structure as best seen in Fig. 2, and the structure supports a seat 33 and a foot rest 34.d1rectly behind the transverse center of the frame. Upon tliis'structure iscarried she makcsher appea 'ance because it would be fatal to the effect to beproduced if her presence were discovered, and flowing skirts might have that result.

This theatrical appliance had perhaps best be used in the closing number of a performance. Itwill be located at a proper point on the stage, and the curtain will rise to disclose it as seen in Figs. 1 and 3 exceptingthat the young lady will be sitting on the seat 38 out of si ht of every person in the audience. The magician now ascends the steps 2 to the platform 1, grasps the catch 15 and wholly opens the front door 10, meanwhile keeping up an appropriate talk disclosing the interior of the cabinet which is of course empty. He may now pass back across-the face of the cabinet, around its end, and wholy open the rear door 12; although. meanwhile the young lady has swung. the seat along the line indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5 and she now sits on the crane. fully concealed by the open front. door 10. As soon as the magician opens the rear door to prove that the cabinet is entirely empty and there is nothing behind it, he himself is seen through the frame or body 6, and may even step through it to the frontof the platform 1, and thence jump down on the stage. Over the inner frame 21 has been laid a sheet of tissue paper, drawn tight, then the outer frame 20 has been slipped over the margin of theftissue and the waste cut off. This structure is now brought onto the stage and put in place as seen in Figs; t

and 5, fully closing the front of the frame 6; and immediately Miss Columbia swings herself back to the position shown in full'lines in Fig. 5 and steps off her foot rest 3& into the interiorv of the seat, and then restores the franie to the position shown in dotted lines. Having made fur- I ther appropriate talk, the magician calls for. music by the orchestra, and at a prede termined moment the young lady bursts through the tisue and jumps down onto the stage. The'curtainshould then be dropped immediately behind her and the magician but in front of the cabinet, because the latter itself will not stand inspection. However, Ihave found that the effect produced is very startling,.and the device-is-an excellent closer for an entertainment. That is why I. would'suggest that the coloring of the frame and the doors, perhaps the coloring of the tissue paper, and certainly the costumingofthe young lady be all made apstandards rising therefrom, a frame carried I by the standards, and doors hinged in the front and rear-of said frame; combined with a removable frame within the front of the main frame carrying, tissue,=and meansfor secreting an operator at the rear of the device and permitting her to burst through said tissue at an appropriate time.

2. A; theatrical cabinet comprising a platform mounted on legs-having. an approach, standards arising therefrom, a frame carried by the standards, and doors hinged in the front and rear of said frame; combined with a removable frame within the front of the main frame carrying tissue, a crane hinged to the rear of said main frame and having a seat and foot rest for an operator, the crane being of a size to be concealed behind the. front door when swung open, and means for holdingsaid door open.

3. In a cabinet .of the type described, the combination with a frame-like body open at front and rear, doors hinged to said front and rear at respectively: opposite sides of the body, means for holding them open,

latches for holding them closed, and a. tis sue-holding frame removably insertedin the front of'said body when the front door is open; of eyes in the'rear edge of. said body,

a crane having. hooks pivotally mounted. in"

said eyes, and a;'-seat and foot rest carried by said crane and adapted to stand at the transverse center of the body or to'be concealed behind the front door when the latter iss-swung. open.

4. In a cabinet of the type described,.the'

combinationv with a framelike bod-y open at front and rear, doors hinged to said front and rear at respectiwely opposite sides of the body, means for holding. them open, latches for holding them. closed,.and a tis-' sue-holding frame removably inserted in the frontof said body when the front door is open;'of hinged means at the rear-of said body for carrying an operator behind the rear door when closed or forswingingoutward and carrying the operator behind the front door when opened.

5. In a. cabinet of the type described, the combination with a frame-like body open at front and rear, a hinged door for closing the front, and a tissue-holding-frame removably inserted in the door opening-when this door is swung open, of bearings in the rear edge of said body on the same side which ca-rriesthe doorshinges, a crane pivotally mounted in said'bearings and-adapted to be swungbehind: thebody' or behind the door when the latter'is open, andineans on the free end of the crane for supporting an operator, the whole for use substantially as described.

6. In a cabinet of the type described, the combination with a frame-like body open at front and rear, and a door hinged to one side of the body and adapted to be swung inward to close the front of the frame or swung aside to open position; of bearings in the rear edge of said side of the frame, and a crane hingedly mounted in said bearings and of a size to swing to the transverse center of the rear of the frame or to a position at the transverse center of the door when the latter is open, the crane having means for supporting an operator and the whole adapted for use as described.

7. In a cabinet of the type described, the combination with a frame-like body open at front and rear, a hinged door for term porarily closing the front, and an eye at the bottom and a fork at the top of the opening on the front of the frame; of a tissueholding frame of a size to fit in the door opening when the door is swung open, said frame having elements at its top and bottom for engaging said fork and eye removably, and hinged means at the rear of said body for carrying an operator behind the transverse center of the frame or behind the transverse center of the door when the latter is open.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' FRANK T. OORTESE.

Witnesses:

ANDREW LETTIERI, THOMAS LA FALOE.

copies 0! thin patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Waehington, D. 0."

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