US1583775A

US1583775A - Collapsible theater

Info

Publication number: US1583775A
Application number: US743069A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erdmann N Brandt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1924-10-11
Filing date: 1924-10-11
Publication date: 1926-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1943-05-11

Description

2' Sheets.- 3.

May 11 1926.

My-n 192s.

E. N. BRANDT/ coLLAPsIBLE THEATER Filed on. 11. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- BY ma ATTORNEY Patented May 11, 1926;

5 UNITED STATES vP ERDMANN N. BRANnT,.or TARRYTOWN, NEwYoax.

` ooLLarsIBLa THEATER.

Application filed October 11, 1924. SeralvNo. 743,069'.

i This invention relates to collapsible thea-l ters and particularly toy theaters, although' certain features thereof are of more general application. The object ofjthe invention is a novel theater lof a "construction enabling it to be readily setup' and' collapsed into compact form with peculiar: facility, To these ends I'have deviseda` theatrical unit of collapsibleone-piece form which' may be readily knocked down' into a compact form storable in' confined and narrow spaces and which, with equal facility, may be set up to form` the essentials of an improvised temporary theater. Further objects'of the invention reside in a structure of this character which Vis of marked simplicity and is capable of being economically manufac tured. Y- i yFor a better understanding of the'above indicated novel features of' my invention and others which will hereinafter appear, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein- Fig. 1l is a perspective view of one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating the collapsible vfeatures thereof.r

Fig. 3 is a'perspective viewin detail of certain' of the parts of the apparatus.V

Fig. L is a perspective view of still other parts on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a detailed'view of a mechanism.

facilitating the collapsing and setting up of the parts, and i Fig. 6 is a part sectional and part plan view of a portion of the apparatus. v

Referring to the drawings where similar reference numerals designate similarparts throughout,^l'have illustrated my invention as embodied in a ltoy or readily improvisable theater comprising as' one'of its elements the central proscenium'arch 1. The latter comprises the .two righ-tv andleft side portions or

halves

2 ,and 3. and the narrow central portions l and 5. The l'right and left parts 2 "and 3 are 'hinged to v the upper central part 5 by means of the hinges 6 and 7 and to the lower central base part 4v by means of the

hinges

8 and 9.'. The Ytwo lhalves 2 and 3, therefore, of the arch,

may swing in parallel relation to each other and at right nangles to the Vcentral parts'a and 5. On the outer edges of the prosceni- Aum arch panel 1 are swung the side panels' or wings 10 and 11 these being hinged thereto by means vof pairs of hinges 1.0l and. 11

respectively. The Y panels "101 and '11 are' preferably of the same height as the pro scenium arch 1 andare capable of Yassuming lrightangle positions with reference thereto Ainthe set up position ofthe` theater,

as indicated'in Fig. v1, Aand in this position suitable lattaching* braces 12 may Abe pro-v vided for'rigidly anchoring `the panels in this position. These braces V12 may consist of linlisfof wire of sufficient rigidity to hold y the side panels in the set up position and include the 'down turned ends 12 entering suitable recesses inthe upper edges'of the panel members'2, y3, 10 and 11 for rigidly holding the parts Vin distended relation.

The width of the panels 10 and 11 is prefer-- ably substantially the width of the

' halves

2 and 3 of the arch, so that rtheir outer edges reach approximately or fall `short of the edges of the central parts Zland 5 in the col?V lapsed position. I have indicated a curtain for the proscenium .arch containing the right and left hand halves .13 and 14,. these curtains being carried by a flexible strand of suitable material 15, such for example as Va flexible metallic wire. This wire 15 is. attached at either end to and adjacent the'upf per edges of the panels l0 and 11 and at i points approximating their hinged edges. The wire or flexible strand carrying, the curtain should be of such length asto be reasonably taut when the panels 10 and 11 are lfolded baclwardly, as indicated in Fig. 1 vand .anchored at right angle positions to the arch. The arch 1 also has hinged to its opposite side edges the'

front panels

16 and 17. This is effected throughthe

pairs Vof hinges

16 and 17 ,permitting the front panels 16 `and 17 to take positions, as indi'- cated in Fig. 1, in continuation ofthe central arch structure orany position forward thereof, including the position wherein they are flat up against the front side of the arch halves 2 and 3.4 Inthev preferred embodiment there is an auxiliary pair of side pan els 18 an-d 19 supported on the rear sides. of the

front panels

16 and 17 respectively.

',Theseauxiliary panels are supported bythe pairsoflhinges 18 and 19 respectively, Aand are capable` of assuming various positions with reference tothe carrying'members 16 and 17, In the position Yindicated ini F ig.

jl they are disposedat right angles respectively to the

panels

16 and 17 andy have suitable legs 20, on their bottom edges for forming suitable supports for the panelswhen open. 'In they particular embodiment illus t-rated, the

front panels

16 and 17 comprise

rectangular frames

21 and 22 with suitable coverings 21 andl22 ysuitably secured tothe front side of the

rectangular frames

21 and 22 to close the rectangular fra-me. These

coverings

21 and 22 vmay be of any suitable material, as for example silk fabric. Preferablythe auxiliary side panels 18 and 19 are smaller than the

panels

16 and 17 and are justlarge enough to fit snugly or easily into Vthe interior of the rectangular frames 21 and 22 (Fig. l6) so that when the panels 18y and 19 are swung up against the rear of the

carrying panels

16 and 17 they fold inA to the rectangular openings of the

frames

21 and 22 and comeA substantially flush with the rear sides thereof. The panels 18 and 19y themselves are preferably constructed similiarly to the

panels

16 and 17 namely with rectangular Vframes closed by central coverings 23 and 24; ofsuitable material. In like manner the sidepanels 10 and 11 preferably consist of rectangulary frames of wood or other suitable material covered by silk or other suitable fabric 25 andY 26. If -desired some suitable means may be provided for bracing the laterally flexible and foldable arch 1 in the rigid -distended position shown in Fig. l. This may be effected through the medium of a suitable elongated bracing arm 27 (Fig. 5) slidably carried on the 'up`V per edge of the arch and passing through the aligned eyes 28 on the

parts

2, 3 and 5. This arm 27 engages a stop 29 in its open position and lmay be provided with an O- set end 27 to prevent dislodgement and loss. This prevents the movement of the

parts

2 and 3 about their

respective hinges

6, 8 and 7, 9. vIf desired a bracing means 3a similar to the

bracing mechanism

27, 28 may be provided for the lower part of the arch across the central part 1, which adds to the rigidity when set up The two

curtains

13 and 14; may be operated in any 'suitable manner, as for example bymeans of the continuous flexible operating strand 30, the latter passing through openings in the panel 10 andextending parallel to the wire 15 to the opposite end' thereof, where it is looped through two holes 31 in the left side panel 11, one of the halves of the flexible operating string 30 being attached to the curtain 13 and the other one to the curtain 14. Suitable hand holds in the form of Vrings 32 are fixed to the free ends of the string.

1 illustrates the theater set up for use, the

panels

10, 16, 18, and 11, 17, 19 rforming dressing-rooms respectively on the right and left for the use of the performers. vIf desired, suitable doors 33 may be provided through the panels to permit entrance `and exit of the performers, the doors being formed in any suitable manner as for example by dividingthe fabric covering of the panels into two parts for a portion of their length from thebottom. The preferred use is indicated in Fig. 1 and the theater may be `set up on one side of va room or chamber to be utilized for this purpose. For example, it may be assumed that the proscenium arch 1 is disposed parallel to one wall of such chamber with the panels 10 and 11 having their rear vertical edges abutting thereagainst. If desired, however, the

panels

16 and 17 may be turned forwardly '900 so as to be at right angles to the arch instead of in continuation thereof. It is observed that the whole structure forms a single unit organized together in the manner indicated so that it may be collapsed 4into the compact fiat form indicated in Fig. f2, wherein the arch halves 2 vand 3, the

front panels

16 and 17, andthe side panels 10 and 11 are all disposed in parallel 'relation substantially flatk ingv function of the unit and permit the folding into the pancake form indicated with-v out any of the parts fouling or being fouled by Vthe others. By means of `this unitary construction and arrangement all of the parts are retained 'in assembleable relation whether knocked down `or set up, andthe loss or misplacement of parts thereby obviated. Moreover, when 'constructed and used asa toy theater for children, it maybe of dimensions, when set up, of suiiicient proportions to take up .a'substantial portion .of the usual room and still on account of its com pactness as indicatedl nFig. 2 when collapsed, it may be stored away with the greatest facility in the usual closetV space provided in homes. The panel frames are preferably constructed of a light and cheap wood so that the whole apparatus may be manufactured cheaply and economically.

It is understood that while I have de scribed my invention as being particularly p applicable to toy theaters, yet it is equally applicable to theaters for ,grown-ups, :as for example when a temporary theatrical .struc-- ture is to be improvised foramateur and `hastily arranged performances, Y

Having thus described'my invention,what

I claim and `desire to protect by Letters Patent is: 1. An apparatus of thecharacter set forth including a vertically divided laterally llO foldable proscenium arch `anel with side panels hinged to the opposite edges thereof for folding flat up against the foldable por tions of the arch when the latter are folded into parallel relation.

2. An apparatus of the character set forth including a proscenium arch in two parts laterall foldable into parallel relation, side panels hinged to the free edges of the two alves of said arch for disposition either at right angles thereto, or in folded relation flatly thereagainst, and a flexible curtain carrier mounted thereon and permitting the collapsing and folding of the foldable proscenium arch and side panels flat against each other into a compact form.

3. An apparatus of the character set forth in claim 2 having a pair of front panels also hinged to the outer edges of the arch halves and adapted to assume any position from the continuation thereof to a position flat up thereagainst.

4. An apparatus of the character described including a vertically divided proscenium arch panel comprising two parts hinged together for folding positions parallel to each other, a pair of anels hinged to each part thereof, one to t e back side to be folded flat against the rear sides of the proscenium` arch parts, the other one to the front side thereof to be folded against the front sides thereof, and a pair of auxiliary panels hinged to the outer' edges of the front panels.

5. A collapsible theater including a vertically divided proscenium arch panel which is formed of a pair of laterally foldable wings with an intermediate part of narrow strip form adapted to form a continuation of the arch in distended form and to assume a position ati-ight angles to the arch halves when they are folded backwardly thereby permitting the folding of the proscenium arch wings into parallel spaced relation with each other and the disposition of other theater parts therebetween.

6. A collapsible theater including a proscenium arch panel vertically divided into two laterally foldable parts separated from each other bothwhen in distended form and.

in the folded parallel form, and a pair of side panels swung on the outer edges of the arch panel parts and capable of assuming either right angle positions with reference thereto or positions flat against the rear sides of the arch panel halves and in close juxtaposition when thepanel halves are folded laterally in parallel relation whereby the hinged parts may be collapsed and folded into parallel relation flat up against each other.

7 A collapsible theater of they character set forth in claim 6 having a pair of front panels swung for pivotal movement about the front side edges of the arch halves and tinuation of the side panels to a position flat up against thefront sides thereof.

8. A `collapsible theater Aunit'including a proscenium arch v panel divided vertically into two wings which are laterally foldable into parallel relation, a foldable side panel hinged to the outer vertical edge of each of the wings and spacing devices disposed between the two hinged wings to form a continuation thereof when distended and serving to space them from each other when laterally folded a distance at least equal to double the thickness of a side panel, thereby permitting the accormnodation of the foldable side panels between the proscenium wings when the latter are laterally folded into parallel relation.

9. A collapsible theater unit including aproscenium arch panel divided vertically into tw-o portions for folding laterally thereof into positions substantially parallel with each other with a spacing device between said arch halves, a pair of side panels swung on the outer edges of the arch halves and said panels being of a width not greater thanv the width of th-e arch halves whereby the side panels may be folded inwardly of the laterally folded arch halves without fouling the spacing device.

curtain support disposed parallel with the arch when distended.

12. A collapsible theater unit of the character set forth inv claim 9 having a pair of front panels hinged to the front outer edges of the arch halves for collapsing movements opposite to the movements of the side panels. 13. A collapsible theater of the charactei set forth in claim 9 having bracing means for rigidly bracing. the distended proscenium arch and the outwardly folded side panels. 14. A collapsible theater unit comprising a' vertically divided proscenium arch panel with the halves thereof vpivotally attached for-lateral folding movements about vertical axes, a pair of panels pivotally attached to an outer edge of one of thefdivided por` tions of the prosceniurn arch, one of said panels being formed of a Yrectangular frame with a covering for one side thereof and an and adapted ywhen folded into collapsed form Vauxiliary panel hinged to the edge thereof by the rectangular frame.

In testimony whereof, I have signed name to this specification.

- Ananiuainv N. BRANDT.