US1510399A - Counterbalance for stage lights - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 30', 1924. 1,510,399

1 A. HAUCK COUNTERBALANCB FOR STAGE LIGHTS Filed June 4. 1924 l 1 [Q0000 0OOOOO0O00,00000000000000] Fatented Sept. 30, 1924.

ALOIS HAUCK, 0F

VIENNA, AUSTRIA.

counrsnrataivon FOR STAGE LIGHTS.

Application filed June 4:,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoIs T-IAUCK, a citizen of the Republic of Austria, residing at Vienna, Austria, have inyented certain new and useful Improvements in a counterbalance for Stage Lights, of which the followin is a specification.

The presentinvention relates to a receptacle, for collecting a flexible member, for

instance a cable, and to means for compensating or balancing the varying weight of the receptacle caused by the varying length of the flexible member deposited therein.

F or lighting members which are adapted to be raised and lowered, particularly stage border lights, it is necessary to prevent the current-carrying cable from sagging in the shape of a loop underneath the lighting member when the latter is raised.

The present invention has for its object to provide an arrangement which permits the lighting member being raised from the stage to a point very close to the rigging loft or pulley support or holder, without danger of the current carrying cable extending below the illumination or lighting member in the shape of a loop.

One mode of carrying out the present invention is illustrated by way of example on the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically a light cable receptacle according to the present invention, and

Fig. 2 shows the arrangement of the receptacle on a light supporting member.

Referring to the drawing in detail the receptacle 1, which serves for the collection or reception of the slack portion of the current carrying cable 1 and is provided with a roof-like or saddle-shaped bottom a, is secured in any desired manner to the lighting member 2. The cable at, which is connected to the lighting member 2 in the usual manner, enters into the receptacle 1 from underneath and preferably through the ridge or top of its roof-like or saddle-shaped bottom to which it is secured, so that from the very beginning the cable has the tendency to arrange itself at the left or right hand sides of the ridge or top of the receptacle when the lighting member 2 is pulled up, and thus owing to the inclined surfaces of the receptacle the cable is deposited in the latter in the shape of piled up or superposed windings.

1924. Serial No. 717,905.

In most cases the border lights or lighting members 2 of stages are balanced by a counterweight or balance weight 7 in such a manner, that the suspension ropes 3 pass from the member to pulleys 5, secured to a pulley support 11, and subsequently in a horizontal direction to a pulley 6, from which they again pass downwardly and are attached to the balance weight 7. In case it is intended ,to raise or lower the lighting member 2, the balance weight is moved up or down by hand as only the frictional resistances and the stiffness of the ropes have to be overcome for which the force of a man is suflicient in most cases. However owing to the arrangement of the receptacle, the lighting member will be more and more loaded or weighted by the increasing length of the cable being deposited therein while the lighting member is moved upwardly. Owing to the considerable weight of the cable it is inconvenient for one man to operate by hand the arrangement in the higher positions. Therefore it is necessary to provide for the proper balancing of weight.

Now it is a question to determine the proportion between the weight of the cable 4 and the weight of the suspension ropes 3, in order to provide a fully satisfactory balancing action.

A complete balancing at any height between the weight of the lighting member loaded or weighted with the cable and the counterweight will be obtained, if the sum of the weights per yard of all suspension ropes is equal to half the weight of the cable per yard.

However when calculating the strength of the suspension ropes 3 such small dimensions may result, that the sum of their weights per yard may not be equal to half the weight of the cable per yard, and ropes of athickness which satisfy the condition of the equation above mentioned may not be advisable for certain reasons, for instance for the reason of economy. Thus in case the weights of the suspension ropes are too small for any reason, a balancing or compensating rope 8 may be resorted to, which may consist of an inferior material (for instance a hemp-rope), as it has nothing to carry. This balancing or compensating rope has to be of such a weight, that it supplement-s the missing weight of the suspension ropes 3 to the weight necessary for the balancing of the weight. One end of EPA roof-like or saddle-shaped bottom renders it possible that, during the relative movement between the pocket-like member and the flexible member, the latter is deposited automatically in loops in the said member.

I I claim V In combinatioma vertically movable member, suspension members connected at one end to the vertically movable member, guiding means for the suspension members, a counter-balance connected with the op 0- site ends of the suspension members, a ca le 20 connected with the vertically movable memher, and a receptacle carriedby the vertically movable member having a centrally raised portion and adapted during the upward movement of the vertically movable member to cause the cable to arrange itself within the receptacle, the weight of the cable length deposited in the receptacle at the time and varying in accordance with the height of the vertically movable member being accurately balanced at any height by a correct proportion between the weight per unit length of the suspension members and the weight per unit length of the cable.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

, V ALOIS HAUoK.

Witnesses CARL SONDENBURG, Gr. KAY.

Images