US721767A - Device for exhibiting works or art. - Google Patents

Description

nm 0 9 l aw R A M D E T N B T A P v7 6 1 1 2 7 m N DEVICE FOR EXHIBITING' WORKS OF ART.

APPLIOATIQN FILED mm a, 1902.

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 1902.

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'INVENTOR 22am? 7750i fllllllllll WITNESSES:

A TTORN UNITED ST TES PATENT OFFICE.

WALLACE WOOD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DEVICE FOR E XHlBlTlNG WORKS OF ART.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 721,767, dated March 3, 1903. Application filed June 3,1902- S erialNo.110,0'79. (No model.)

a plurality of scenes in such a relation as to,

be readily compared by spectators.

My more particular object is to produce a device in-which a central movable member. is provided with a plurality of scenes to be witnessed one at a time and closely following each other in a predetermined order.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a section upon the line m w of Fig. 2 and is substantially a plan view-of my device inclosed within a building for the purpose. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section, partly in elevation, through Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a modification of my device for exhibiting spectacular figures, and Fig. 4 is a section of the same upon the line 1 y of Fig. 3.

The building 1, preferably provided with a dome 2, has a main floor 3, provided with seats 1 for the spectators. It has also an upper gallery 5, provided with seats 6 for the spectators, the general arrangement being substantially the same as 'in theaters. A disk-shaped turn-table 7 is provided centrally with a shaft 8, which rests in the bearing or king-post 9. Acircle of the posts 10 11, each provided with a wheel 12 13, serves to support the turn-table nearits edges, so as to allow freedom of movement.

An electric motor 14 is provided with a friction-disk 15 forthe purpose of actuating the turn-table. A pair of large friction-disks 16 17 are connected together and are movable by means of a clutch-collar 18, which is mounted upon the end of the forked lever 19. This lever is actuated by hand. When the operative grasps the handle of the lever 19 and dle of the lever 19 be raised and the disks 16 17 are lowered the friction-disk 15 of the motor makes contact with the horizontal disk .17, thereby causing the same to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction. The spline 18 renders the motion comparatively uniform.

It will be noted, therefore, by merely operating the lever 19 the turn-table 7 may be rotated in either direction or may be rocked back and forth'to any desired degree. Upon the turn-table are mounted the screens or walls 20 20, whereby the space over the turntable is divided on" into a plurality of sectorshapedst'ages 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28, the number of these stages being immaterial. Various scenes'of art, history, &c., may be represented in divers ways upon these stages. For instance, coniparative styles of architecture may be thus exhibited to advantage. In the drawings the several stages represent Indian, Egyptian, Grecian, Etruscan, Roman, Basilican,Byzantine, and Gothic styles of architecture. I do not limit myself, however, to these styles of architecture or merely to exhibits of architecture generally. My device may be used for exhibiting any comparative scenes and may of course be made in a great variety of ways. I merely'give the above example as typical. Neither do I confine myself to the particular form of stages shown in the drawings, because obviously stages may be made of any form without departing from the spirit of my invention. v

In the modifications shown in Figs. 3 and 4 a revoluble floor ct-is provided with columns b, and upon the columns rest the dome 0. Between each consecutive pair of columns is a disk d, surmounted by a pedestal e, and upon each pedestal is a spectacular figure f g, representing a deity. Each of the disks d is revolubly mounted upon a pivot h in the revoluble floor a. The disks t are similar to the disks d and are revolubly j ournaled at it upon the cylinder i. Portable screens Z, fastened together telescopically by means of clamps m, are provided for the purpose of shielding the house to any extent. The disks d and t are arranged in pairs, and each pair is connected by a semicylindrical shield n. The outside orconvex portion of each shield presents a surface which may be colored or otherwise made to represent the exterior of a building. The inside or concave portion of each shield forms a very appropriate alcove or niche and may be given a color different from that of the exterior or convex portion.

The several columns 1), taken in connection with the convex surfaces of several of the semicylindrical shields, may be made to represent the outside of a temple or of some portion thereof. The dome 0 may be advantageously used for increasing this effect. This dome may be provided with ribs q and with a gilded covering 1', representing a roof, and also provided with ornaments, such as 3. Each pair of disks id being connected rigidly by the semicylindrical shield may be rotated together, the shield in one instance appearing to be concave, as indicated in the middle of Fig. 3, and in another instance appearing to be convex, as indicated at the right and left of said figure. The arrangement can be seen to better advantage by comparing the relative positions of the shields in Fig. 4.

As the portable screens Z, above mentioned, may be moved into any desired position, it is obvious that one, two, three, or four of the shields may be brought into the view of spectators located outside of the house a. By turning an individual shield, together with its disks, the figure f 9 (representing a deity) may be exhibited to the audience or concealed therefrom.

In practicing my invention I frequently exhibit the exterior of a temple or of some portion thereof by arranging the shields so that the convex surfaces will be outermost and then explain to the audience that the spectacle presented is that of a particular temple or a part thereof and that the gods who are worshipped in the temple are concealed within the same. I next state to the audience that in the present degenerate age our reverence for the gods has so greatly lessened that they may now be brought out of the temple and shown to the gaze of the public. I thereupon cause an attendant, who may be situated inside of the house or at any convenient point, to give a semirotation to some one or more pairs of disks with their attached shields. The result is that the temple apparently opens and one or more gods make their appearance. The effect is quite startling and the act is generally applauded by the spectators.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A device for exhibiting works of art, comprising a revoluble house, provided with niches and with a floor, stationary posts provided with wheels for supporting said floor, a shaft rigidly connected with said floor and depending therefrom, a central stationary bearing for engaging said shaft, a pair of friction-disks connected together and splined upon said shaft, a manually-operated lever for shifting said disks relatively to the general length of said shaft and a motor provided with a friction-wheel for engaging said disks.

2. A device for exhibiting works of art, comprising a revoluble house surmounted by a dome, a plurality of spectacular figures mounted within said house, and shields disposed adjacent to said objects and movable relatively to said house.

3. A device for exhibiting works of art, comprising a revoluble house, a plurality of spectacular figures mounted therein and movable relatively thereto, and a plurality of semicylindrical shields disposed adjacent to said figures and movable relatively to said house for the purpose of exhibiting said figures to spectators outside of the house.

4. A device for exhibiting works of art, comprising a revoluble house, a plurality of spectacular figures mounted therein and movable relatively thereto, a plurality of semicylindrical shields disposed adjacent to said figures and movable relatively to said house, means for mounting said shields for the purpose of exhibiting said figures to spectators outside of said house, and a plurality of portable screens normally disposed adjacent to said revoluble house. I

5. A device for exhibiting works of art, comprising a floor and ceiling, columns connecting said floor and ceiling, said columns being spaced asunder, disks arranged in pairs and revolubly mounted intermediate of said columns, a semicylindrical shield connected with each of said pairs of disks, and a plurality of spectacular figures mounted intermediate of each pair of said disks.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALLACE WOOD.

Witnesses:

WALTON HARRISON, F. W. I'IANAFORD.

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