US2837863A - Combined puppet stage and carrying case - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1958 M. R. DUVALL COMBINED PUPPET STAGE AND CARRYING CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 2, 1957 INVENTOR.

MARION R. DUVALL June 10, 1958 M. R. DUVALL 2,837,863

COMBINED PUPPET STAGE AND CARRYING CASE Filed Oct. 2, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WIT-7,;

I" it i In 56 J I INVENTOR. MARION R. DUVALL ATTORNEYS United States Patent COMBINED PUPPET SZSEGE AND CARRYING Marion R. Duvail, Haddon Heights, N. 5.

Application October 2, 1957, Serial No. 687,709

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-13) My invention relates to a puppet stage and, more particularly, relates to a puppet stage which is readily collapsed into a compact carton wherein the puppets and stage props may be conveniently packed and the carton easily carried about from place to place.

Heretofore, collapsible puppet stages were constructed in such a manner that a plurality of individual severable components were adapted to be assembled in interlocking engagement when it was desired to set up the stage. As a result, therefore,the prior constructions were necessarily complex and costly. Furthermore, when it was expedient to collapse such stages for storage or to be carried for exhibition, the likelihood of misplacement and loss of one or more of the individual components was exceptionally great. Moreover, a separate carrying case was required to carry about not only the puppets and stage props, but also to hold the knocked down stage components.

It, therefore is an object of my invention to provide a collapsible puppet stage wherein the component stage elements are integrally joined in hinged relationship and adapted to be folded into a compact carton.

Another object of my invention is to provide a collapsible puppet stage which is constructed in the form of a self contained portable package.

Another object of my invention is to provide a collapsible puppet stage which does not require the use of nails or screws to effect erection thereof.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efficient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a combined puppet stage and carrying case embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view thereof.

Pig. 3 is an exploded view of the puppet stage in collapsed position and a sheath for carrying the collapsed stage therein.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the puppet stage is fabricated.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the sheath is formed.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view, and partly broken away, of the puppet stage collapsed within the sheath.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, I show a collapsible puppet stage, generally designated as A, and a carrying sheath, generally designated as B, which acts as an envelope for and conveniently holds the stage in folded position for storage or hand transportation. The carrying sheath B further may act as an easel for 2,837,863 Patented June 10, 1958 ice supporting the stage A when the latter is extended in exhibition position for operating the puppets.

The stage A in collapsed position has the shade of a conventional rectangular carton which has been assembled from a single cardboard or paperboard blank A1, as shown in. Fig. 4. A rectangular front panel 12 has a pair of side edge panels 14 and 16 adjacent the lateral edges thereof along scored lines 14A and 16A respectively. A top edge panel 18 is secured to the upper edge of front panel 12 along scored line 18A and a bottom edge panel 26 extends from the lower edge of the front panel along scored line 20A. Tabs 22 and 24 extend laterally from the top edge panel 18 along scored lines 22A and 24A respectively, and tabs 26 and 28 are similarly disposed at the lateral edges of the bottom edge panel 29 along lines 26A and 28A respectively.

Laterally disposed and integrally hinged to the side edge panels 14 and: 16 are wing panels 30 and 32 along fold lines 30A and 32A respectively. A portico 34 extends adjacent the top edge panel 18 and is foldably attached thereto along line 34A and similarly disposed adjacent the bottom edge panel 20 is a base panel 36 hinged thereon along line 36A.

The carton is formed by bending the edge panels upwardly at right angles to the front panel 12-and securing tabs 22 and 24 to the upper interior surface of the respective side edge panels 14 and 16 respectively by cementing or stapling after the tabs have inwardly bent along the respective fold lines 22A and 24A. The tabs 26 and 28 are respectively folded upwardly along lines 26A and 28A, thereafter being adhesively secured to the lower interior surface of the side edge panels 14 and 16. As is readily seen, the various edge panels form a single peripheral edge or rim firmly secured in right angle relationship to the plane of the front panel. The portico 34, the base panel 36 and the wing panels 30 and 32 may easily be folded inwardly along their respective fold lines into overlapping positions substantially parallel to the front panel and spaced therefrom to form a rear closed side of the carton wherein puppets and stage props may be conveniently stored.

Portals 40 and 42 are punched or slit in the front panel 12 and are integrally hinged thereto along lines 40A and 42A adjacent the side edges. in order to set up the stage for a puppet exhibition, the portals 40 and 42 are each folded backwardly parallel to each other in planes substantially perpendicular to the front panel 12. The portico 34 is also folded in a plane perpendicular to the front panel coplanar with the top edge panel. A portico flap 44 foldably secured to the portico along lines 44A and having spaced notches 46 and 48 is bent downwardly at 44A wherein the notches engage slots 50 and 52 respectively at the top of the portals. See Fig. 2. The wings 30 and 32 are folded backwardly and are maintained in substantially parallel spaced relationship by a telescoping curtain rod 54 piercing apertures 56 therein. Wing extensions 66 and 62 are foldably joined to the outboard edges of the wing panels 30 and 32 along lines 6tiA and 62A respectively and provide adjustable means for supporting and stabilizing the stage A upon a suitable surface. The base panel 36 is folded into a substantially horizontal position to define a stage floor and a split curtain 64 longitudinally slidable upon the rod 54 forms a back drop behind which the puppet operator may be hidden.

The sheath blank B1 is of cardboard and comprises a control panel 70, a pair of opposed sides 72, 74 hingedly secured thereto along lines 72A and 74A respectively and a flap panel 76 and 78 foldably hinged to the exterior edge of each side along lines 76A and 78A. A handle 80 is punched in each of the fiap panels 76 and 78 and hinged along lines 80A. The central panel 70, and the flap panels 76 and 78 are each identical in configuration to the top and bottom edge panels 18 and 2% of the stage A while the sides 72 and 74 are each commensurate with the front panel 12 thereof. It is easily seen that the sheath B may be folded into an open ended rectangular tube with the flap panels 76 and 78 overlaping and encase the stage A when the latter is collapsed into a carton, the handles 80 being folded upwardly for convenience in carrying. The sheath B may also be extended into a V- shaped horizontal configuration for supporting the stage A in exhibition position as shown in Fig. 1 to hide the legs of the puppet operator.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

A collapsible puppet stage adapted to be folded into a compact carrying case comprising a rectangular front panel, a peripheral edge extending at right angles to the plane of said front panel, a pair of portals punched in said front panel and hingedly secured thereto adjacent the sides thereof, said portals being folded backwardly respectively into planes parallel to the side portions of said peripheral edge, a portico hingedly secured to the top portion of said peripheral edge, a flap longitudinally hinged to said portico and having notches therein in detachable interlocking engagement with slots at the top of said portals, a wing hingedly secured at each side portion of said peripheral edge, a rod interfitting at each end With an aperture in each wing and detachably maintaining said wings in spaced parallel relation, a curtain slidably supported on said rod and a base panel hingedly secured to the bottom of said peripheral edge to define a stage floor whereby the stage may be opened in exhibition position for displaying puppets or collapsed into a compact carton for storage thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,620,591 Scola Dec. 9, 1952

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