US3409099A - Sound reflecting structure - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 5, 1968 J, A. WENGER ETAL 3,409,099

SOUND REFLECTING STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 17, 1965 INVENTORS YA. (Ms/van? y HARVEYMI/RCH JERR Wuhan/a1 Arrpkrvs YJ' Nov. 5, 1968 J. A. WENGER ETAL SOUND REFLECTING STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INYEN'TQRJ YA. VVENGER JFFRR BY fl ARVEYM l/RCH WM Fed March 17, 1965 &

ArroRNtEY-f Nov. 5, 1968 J. A. WENGER ETAL 3,409,099

SOUND REFLECTING STRUCTURE 7 Filed March 1'7, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3

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Nov. 5, 1968 J. A. WENGER ETAL 3,409,099

SOUND REFLECTING STRUCTURE,

Fived March 17, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I IN VENTORS JZERR YAWENGER BY HARVEY/l4.- URcH Mew Arroknsvr United States Patent 3,409,099 SOUND REFLECTING STRUCTURE Jerry A. .Wenger, Owatonna, and Harvey M. Urch, West Concord, Minn., assignors to Wenger Corporation, a corporation of Minnesota Filed Mar. 17, 1965, Ser. No. 440,501 8 Claims. (Cl. 181-30) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An articulated acoustical canopy unit in a stage area having an over head batten. The canopy unit has a plurality of panel members with adjacent sides of the panel members hinged together. Hanger assemblies support the panel members from the overhead batten. The hanger assemblies have struts which are releasably connected at one end at selected positions to the panel members so that the relative angular positions of the panel members may be changed.

This invention relates to an acoustical canopy unit having sound reflecting surfaces for blending sounds of a performing group such as musicians, dramatists, orators or the like, and reflecting the sounds out toward an observing audience area. More particularly the invention relates to foldable ceiling baffle structure capable of being supported from conventional stage rigging above a performing group to provide accurate and effective sound projection out into the audience area.

It is known that controlling the reflection of sounds created by a performing group improves the artistic character of the verbal or audible picture. One of the criteria for proper, accurate and effective sound projection is the sound reflecting surface above a performing group. This surface in addition to reflecting sounds, should be adjustable to simulate a music shell so that all members of the performing group hear each other clearly and distinctly, that the sound of the entire ensemble is unified and blended and that a large portion of this blended sound is reflected to the audience.

The stage area of the typical theater has an open top used to store background scenery and other prop items. These items are usually supported by stage fly riggings which include horizontal battens. In use the riggings are lowered to position the background scenery and prop items in the stage area and raised to store these items above the stage area.

It is the object of this invention to provide an improved canopy unit which is usable with the normal stage rigging to cover a substantial part of a stage area for a performing group and is capable of being stored in the space above the stage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a canopy unit having sound reflecting faces which are angularly movable together and adjustable relative to each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of sound reflecting surfaces which are adjustably positioned relative to each other for tuning sounds or directing sound toward a particular location, such as a dead spot in the audience area.

A further object of the invention is to provide an articulate canopy unit which is readily folded into a relatively small flat space for storage and transportation purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an articulate stage canopy unit having sound reflecting surfaces which is foldable to a storage position wherein the sound reflecting surfaces are in face-to-face protected relation so that they cannot be damaged by other stage rigging or during transit from stage-to-stage.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a 3,409,099 Patented Nov. 5, 1968 canopy unit assembly constructed from a plurality of substantially similar canopy units which are readily assembled with and disassembled from each other.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a canopy unit assembly having one or more similar canopy units thereby making the canopy unit assembly versatile and usable with a wide variety of arrangements of stage floor plans.

Another object of the invention is to provide an im proved safety latch for releasably attaching a canopy unit to an overhead batten.

An additional object of the invention is to providr rugged and adjustable canopy unit which is stable when erected, economical in cost, and effective in use.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description sets forth in detail a particular illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which the same numerals refer to corresponding parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 11 of FIGURE 2 of the canopy unit of this invention in extended adjusted position and supported from a batten;

FIGURE 2 is a foreshortened side elevational view of the canopy unit of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1 showing a plurality of canopy units in assembled relation with each other;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is an end elevational view of the canopy unit in folded position and supported from a batten; and

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIGURE 3.

Referring to the drawings there is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 the canopy unit of this invention indicated gen erally at 15 in assembled relation with an elongated horizontal member 16, such as a stage rigging batten. Cable rigging 17 supports the batten horizontally above a theatrical stage area. The rigging and batten are conventional stage accessories and are used to support the background scenery and prop items in the stage area and are operated to raise these items to a stored position above the stage area.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the canopy unit 15 is supported from the batten 16 above the stage area and forms a top closure covering a substantial portion of the stage area. The canopy unit 15 is a foldable structure and as shown in FIGURE 8 closes to a compact upright position enabling it to be elevated by the rigging into the area above the stage without interfering with other background scenery and prop items.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, the canopy unit 15 comprises a pair of panels 18 and 19 positioned in side-byside relationship with adjacent edges attached to each other by an articulate connection 21 such as a hinge assembly or a flexible tape. The articulate connection 21 extends along the entire length of the adjacent edges of the panels 18 and 19. FIGURE 4 illustrates the articulate connection 21 as a hinge assembly having outwardly directed flanges positioned on the tops of the panels 18 and 19. Bolt and nut units 22 and 23 secure the hinge assembly to the panels 18 and 19 respectively.

The panels 18 and 19 are rectangular in shape, identical in construction and may be made of wood, metal or plastic sheets. Preferably the panels are plywood sheets having dimensions of four feet by eight feet. Panels 18 and 19 have smooth, hard and flat bottom surfaces 24 and 26 to provide optimum sound reflecting characteristics. The surfaces 24 and 26 may have a curved, sculptured or other non-linear shape. The exposed peripheral edges of the panels 18 and 19 are protected with metal channel members 27 and 28 positioned about the peripheral portion of the panels. Fastening members such as wood screws secure the channel members 27 and 28 to the panels 18 and 19.

As shown in FIGURE 3, beams 29 and 31 extend transversely across the top of the opposite end sections of the panel 18. In the same manner beams 32 and 33 extend transversely across the top of the opposite end sections of the panel 19. Beams 29 and 32 are in transverse alignment across one of the ends of the panels and beams 31 and 33 are in transverse alignment across the opposite ends of the panels 18 and 19. Referring to FIGURE 7, there is shown a detailed view of beam 32 which includes an upright flange 34 having holes 36 spaced uniformly along the length thereof as shown in FIGURE 1. The beam 32 has a horizontal portion 37 positioned on the top surface of the panel 19 and secured thereto by nut and bolt units 38. The beams 29 and 31 and 33 are structurally identical with the beam 32.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the panels 18 and 19 are supported from the batten 16 by a pair of spaced hanger assemblies indicated generally at 39 and 41. The hanger assemblies 39 and 41 are substantially identical in construction. The following description is limited to hanger assembly 39 shown in detail in FIGURE 1. Hanger assembly 39 comprises an upright bar member 42 pivotally secured at its lower end to the inner end of the upright flange 34 of the transverse beam 32. As shown in FIG- URE 5, a bolt 43 projects through a hole in the lower end of the bar member 42 and a hole in the flange 34 to pivotally connect the bar member to the flange. The bolt 43 is maintained in assembled relation with the flange 34 by a nut 44 having :a split locking flange 46. A fiber washer 47 interposed between the bar member 42 and flange 34 provides a firm yet movable pivot joint.

The upper end of the bar member 42 carries a safety latch indicated generally at 48 comprising an inverted J- shaped member 49 forming a hook positioned over the batten 16. The downwardly projected arm of the inverted J-shaped member is secured by a weld to one side of the upper end of the bar member 42. The opening 50 between the topof the bar member 42 and the end of the J-shaped member 49 is partially closed with an angle member 51 pivoted by a pin 52 to the bar member 42. Pin 52 projects through a hole in the first flange of the angle member positioned adjacent the side of the bar member 42. The angle member 51 has a second flange 53 engageable with the other side of the bar member 42 to hold the member 51 in an upright position so that the outwardly projected top edge 54 of the angle member 51 partially closes the opening 50 between the top of the bar member 42 and the end of the inverted J-shaped member 49. The inclined top edge 54 prevents the safety latch 48 from becoming accidentally disconnected from the batten 16 as it functions as a wedging surface to hold the angle member in the closed position. In order to remove the safety latch from the batten 16 the angle member 51 must be rotated in a counterclockwise direction when viewed in FIGURE 1 to an open position shown in broken lines to increase the unobstructed size of the opening 50.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the pin 52 is coupled to the top section of the first flange of the angle member 51. A lock nut (not shown) is threaded onto one end of the pin 52 and bears against the first flange of the angle member 51 applying a friction holding force on the angle member 51. This friction holding force inhibits the free movement of the angle member 51 so that it will remain in either the open position or closed position as shown in broken and full lines respectively in FIGURE 1.

Included in the hanger assembly 39 are a pair of struts 56 and 57 having lengths longer than the bar member 42. The upper ends of the struts 56 and 57 are pivotally connected to the upper end section of the bar member 42 below the safety latch 48. As shown in FIGURE 6, a bolt 58 having an enlarged body 59 projects through holes in the upper ends of the struts to pivotally connect the struts 56 and 57 to the bar member 42. A nut 61 secures the bolt 58 to the bar member 42. Washers 62 surround the bolt body 59 and are interposed between the struts 56 and 57 and the bar member 42 to provide clearance between the struts thereby enabling the struts 56 and 57 to have free pivotal movement about the axis of the bolt 58. The lower ends of the struts 56 and 57 carry laterally projected rivets 63 which project through holes 36 in the beams 29 and 32. The struts 56 and 57, beams 29 and 32 and bar member 42 form triangular structures which rigidly hold the panels 18 and 19 in a substantially horizontal position or other selected position. As shown in FIGURE 7, rivet 63 has an enlarged head 64 having a size slightly smaller than the diameter of the hole 36 so as to permit insertion of the rivet head through the hole 36. In use the weight of the panel 19 holds the beam flange 34 in contact with the mid-section of the rivet 63. The head 64 engages the side of the flange 34 thereby preventing the uncoupling of the strut 57 from the flange 34.

As shown in broken lines in FIGURE 1, the plane of the panels 18 and 19 is rotatable about the axis of the bolt 43 by changing the position of the rivets 63 with respect to the holes 36 in the flanges 34 of the beams 29 and 32. The entire plane of the sound reflecting surfaces 24 and 26 is angularly displaced from the horizontal by repositioning the rivets 63 of each of the struts 56 and 57. In order to change the angular relationship between the panels 18 and 19 one merely moves one of the rivets 63 in a selected hole 36. This adjustment permits the sound reflecting surfaces 24 and 26 to be moved between the range of an acute angle to an obtuse angle relative to each other.

Referring to FIGURE 8, it is seen that by removing the rivets 63 from the holes 36 the panels 18 and 19 pivot at the articulate connection 21 so the bottom surfaces are in a face-to-face relationship and extended in an upright plane. When the panels 18 and 19 are in this position they are supported from the batten 16 by the bar members 42 of each hanger assembly.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the length of the usable baffle structure is extendable by adding additional canopy units as required by the width of the stage area. The additional units are identical with the canopy unit 15 and are indicated by identical reference numerals having the suffixes a and b. When a plurality of canopy units are used they are maintained in an end-to-end relation by clamp devices 66 and 67 which have cooperative parts secured to the outer sections of the adjacent ends of the panels.

As shown in FIGURE 9, the clamp device 66 has a hook member 68 secured by screws 69 to the top of the panel 19. The panel 19a carries a lock member 71 pivoted by pin 72 in a bracket 73 attached to the top of the panel 19a. A U-shaped loop 74 carried by the lock member 71 engages the hook member 68 to hold the panels 19 and 19a in butting relationship. The clamp device is released by pivoting the lock member 71 in an upward direction as indicated by broken lines and thereby permit the loop 74 to be disengaged from the hook member 68. The clamp device 67 and the clamp devices on additional canopy units are identical with the clamp device 66.

In use, the canopy unit 15 is positioned on the horizontal batten 16 of the conventional stage rigging by moving the safety latch 48 of each hanger assembly about the batten 16. When the inverted J-shaped member 49 is positioned over the batten 16 the angle member 51 pivots to an upright position thereby preventing the uncoupling of the latch 48 from the batten 16.

The panels 18 and 19 are then rotated to a horizontal position or the desired angular position. This position is maintained by inserting the rivets 63 carried by the struts through the holes 36 in the transverse beams 29, 31, 32 and 33. The plane of the combined sound refleeting surfaces 24 and 26 is adjustable by changing the position of the rivets 63 with respect to the holes 36 in the transverse beams.

When it is desired to change the angular relationship between the sound reflecting surface 24 and the sound reflecting surface 26 one of the rivets 63 of the corresponding struts of each hanger assembly 39 and 41 is moved to a new hole 36 thereby pivoting one panel relative to the other panel about the articulate connection 21.

Additional canopy units such as units 15a and 15b may be assembled on the batten 16 in end-to-end relationship. These units are connected to each other by the clamp devices 66 and 67 as shown in FIGURE 3.

In summary, the canopy unit 15 of this invention has sound reflecting surfaces which are positionable over the stage area to form a top closure for the stage area. In use, the sound reflecting surfaces function to blend the sounds created in the stage area and direct the sounds out into an audience area. The canopy unit 15 is readily attachable to a horizontal batten of conventional stage rigging and is adjustable to vary or change the angular plane of the sound reflecting surfaces according to the requirements of the particular stage area. Changes in the relative positions of the planes of the sound reflecting surfaces permits sound to be directed toward a particular location, such as a dead spot in the audience area.

The canopy unit 15 is foldable into a storage position as shown in FIGURE 8 wherein the sound deflecting panels 18 and 19 are in an upright plane thereby permitting the entire canopy unit to be moved upwardly and stored in a minimum of space. When the panels are in the storage position the sound reflecting surfaces 24 and 26 are in face-to-face protected relation. Thus, the surfaces, being unexposed, cannot be scratched or otherwise damaged by other stage rigging or damaged during transit from stage to stage. This is accomplished by merely releasing the rivets 63 at lower ends of the struts from the transverse beams 29, 31, 32 and 33 and permitting the panels 18 and 19 to swing in a downward direction.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by way of example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sound reflecting canopy unit usable in a stage area having an overheat batten comprising:

(a) a plurality of panel members, each member having a top surface and a bottom surface,

(b) means articularly connecting adjacent sides of the panel members whereby the panel members are angularly movable relative to each other, and

(c) hanger assemblies for supporting the panel members from the overhead batten,

(d) each hanger assembly having at least one strut releasably connected at one end thereof at selected positions to one of the panel members whereby the angular position of said one panel member may be changed relative to the remaining panel members. 2. A sound reflecting canopy unit usable in a stage 5 area having elevatable overhead rigging comprising:

(a) a plurality of panel members, each member having a top surface and a bottom surface,

(b) beam members having upright flanges extended transversely across and secured to the top surface of opposite end sections of each panel member,

(c) means articularly connecting adjacent sides of the panel members whereby the panel members are angularly movable relative to each other, and

(d) hanger assemblies for supporting the panel members from the overhead rigging,

(e) each hanger assembly having strut means releasably connected to the upright flanges of adjacent beam members at selected positions along the length thereof whereby the angular positions of the panel members relative to a horizontal plane and relative to each other can be changed.

3. The canopy unit defined in claim 2 wherein each hanger assembly includes:

(a) latch means for releasably attaching the hanger assembly to the overhead rigging.

4. A sound reflecting canopy unit usable in a stage area having an overhead batten comprising:

(a) a pair of panel members,

(b) means articularly connecting adjacent sides of the panel members whereby the panel members are angularly movable relative to each other,

(c) means for coupling the panel members to the overhead batten, including (d) at least two longitudinally spaced upright members having lower ends pivotally connected to one of the panel members adjacent the articularly connecting means and upper ends releasably connected to the overhead batten, and

(e) strut means pivotally connected to the upper ends of the upright members, said strut means and panel members having coacting releasable means for connecting the strut means to the panel members at selected positions whereby the angular position of one panel member can be changed relative to the other panel member.

5. A sound reflecting canopy unit for use in a stage area having an overhead batten comprising:

(a) first and second panel members, each member having a top surface and a bottom surface,

(b) means articularly connecting adjacent sides of the panel members whereby the panel members are angularly movable relative to each other,

(e) beam members having upright flanges extended transversely across and secured to the top surface of opposite end sections of each panel member,

(d) at least two longitudinally spaced upright members having upper ends and lower ends, said lower ends pivotally connected to the upright flanges of the beam members on one panel member adjacent the articularly connecting means,

(e) latch means for releasably attaching the upper ends of the upright members to the overhead batten,

(f) strut means pivotally connected to the upper ends of the upright members and releasably connected to the upright flanges of the beam members at selected positions along the length thereof whereby the angular positions of the panel members relative to a horizontal plane and relative to each other can be changed.

6. The canopy unit defined in claim 5 wherein said latch means includes:

(a) an inverted J-shaped member forming a hook secured to the upper end of each upright member and positionable over the batten, and

(b) a latch pivotally connected to said upper end 7 8 forming a stop to prevent movement of the hook ing a portion of the space between said end of the from the batten. J-shaped member and the top of the upright mem- 7. A sound reflecting canopy unit assembly usable in her when said other flange engages said upright edge, a stage area having overhead rigging comprising: and p (a) a plurality of canopy units, each unit having a 5 (0) means pivotally connecting the upper section of plurality of panel members pivotally connected in said one flange to the upright member. side-by-side relative relation, (b) hanger assemblies supporting the panel members References Cited from the overhead rigging, each hanger assembly UNITED STATES PATENTS having strut means releasably connected at selected 10 positions to the panel members whereby the angular position of one panel member may be changed relative to the remaining panel members, and

(0) means for securing the canopy units in end-to-end 1,209,803 12/ 1916 Benn.

1,325,358 12/1919 Elzey 248327 XR I 1,831,797 11/1931 Arnold -1 ISL-33.4

3,028,706 4/1962 Falconer.

3 139 260 6/1964 Hamel 248340 relative relation. 15 8. The canopy unit of claim 1 wherein: i??? 13 2; Wenger 2) XR each hanger assembly has an upright member, 5 i 66 Wengel' XR (21) an inverted J-shaped member secured to the to 9 Jafie 181-30 section of the upright member, the end of the curved section of the l-shaped member being spaced 20 FOREIGN PATENTS from the top end of the upright member, 7 1/ 19 6 Germany.

(b) an angle member havingone flange positioned 4,365 1914 Great Britain. adjacent one side of the upright member and the 346,792 4/ 1931 Great Britain. other flange positionable adjacent an upright edge 306,333 6/1955 Switzerland.

of the upright member, said angle member having an upwardly and outwardly directed top edge clos- ROBERT S. WARD, JR., Primary Examiner.

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