US847139A - Means for producing aerial gymnastic performances. - Google Patents

Description

No. 847,139. PATENTED MAR. 12, 1907.

J. J. WILLIAMS. MEANS FOR PRODUCING AERIAL GYMNASTIG PERFORMANCES.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 10,1906. 1 I

UNITED sr rrns JOSEPH JOHN .WlLlJl'AMS,

PATENT oF IoE.

or JACKSON. aussissirrl.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 12, 1907.

Apolicntiou filed November 10,1906. semi N". 342.830.

To all whom, it TIMI/l] concern,-

Be it known that I, Josnrn JOHN WIL- LIAMS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jackson, in the county of Hinds and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Producing Aerial Gymnastic Performances, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to means for producing aerial gymnastic performances, the apparatus of which may be raised from a stage or the ground well above the same or near the top-of a tent or any suitable place, together with the performers of the act, and which is adapted for the suspension at points removed from each other of depending de vices to which the performers attach and suspend themselves while being carried through the act by the apparatus.

The object of my invention is to provide Ineans by which the performers may be suspended in midair at distances apart and sub stantially in the same horizontal plane and be bodily revolved about asubstantial vertical axis and'in such a manner that they may have the appearance of flying in a circle through the air and at considerable distance above the audience viewing them-as, for instance, a distance above a theatrical stage or in the upper part of a circus-tent or open air.

A further object of my invention is to provide means by which two or more performers may be suspended in mid-air at predetermined distances apart and against the possi- 'bility of their bodies coming in contact with each other and in such a manner that when revolved about a vertical axis their bodies, through centrifugal. force, will assume inclined positions and by means enabling them to, by bodily force, during their suspension rotate their bodies on an axis therethrough while being carried around in a circle.

A further object of my invention is to provide means by whichtwo or more performers may suspend themselves in mid-air at predetermined distances apart and by the neck, and especially by the mouth, in substantially the same horlzontalplane by means of twisted fibrous ropes, which may be tightly twisted by a rotary movement of the bodies of the performers on their own axes and which by their own torsion while the performers are sus e pended therefrom will actuate the bodies of the performers in the opposite direction and operate to accelerate their revolutions.

A still further object of my invention is to provide 11 cans by which two or more per formers. may be suspended in mid-air, as last l above sta ed, and by means and in such manl nor that they may be revolved in a horizontal plane ibout a vertical axis at a point midway between that of their point of suspension and in such manner that during the ro- I tat-ion or twisting of their individual bodies they will by centrifugal force be extended on lines oppositely diverging downwardly from each other.

\Yithihese ends in view my invention consists in certain features of novelty in the conparts by which the said objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the said drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention with the performers suspended in their operativepositiontherefrom. .Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus on a reduced scale, and Fig. 3 anv enlarged view of the swivel by which apparatus is connected with and suspended from a cable or rope passing over pulleys above a stage or in the upper part of a tent or high pole in open air.

As shown in the drawings, 4 indicates a bar, which may be round or angular form in cross-sectionand which is sufiiciently stiff to ten or more feet in length and provided at or toward each end with rings 5 and 6, we tending below and above the bar, and which are preferably projections from aclamp 7 sleeved and tightly secured to the bar and if desirable, removable therefrom for convenience in packing and storage for transportation.

To the ring 6 by direct attachment or by means of ordinary clips, as may be for detachable purposes, are secured the oppol site ends of a cable or rope 7, to.the center of length of which is attached a swivel 9, the

extended, as shown inFig. 1, it forms, with the bar, a triangular frame or structure cable or rope7 being of such a length as when struction. combination, and arrangement of not to bend under the weight of the performers and which in actual practice is from five and for manipulation by posite sides ofthe drum'and attached at their rnonly-used joint and secured at their upper end there is sup orted on the upper triangular sides of the convenient reach'of attendants for manipu- V lating the drum,.as

7; at about pyramidal frame formed-by iou'r diverging.-

adapted tobe suspended by means of a cable or rope 10, assing over pulleys 11 and 12, at considerab e distancea'part, and preferably a distance equally more than; one-half the length of the bar 4, so that the latter will be clear'of the cable, which extends? below the pulley 12 to a pointinconvenientzreach of attendants standing on the floor or ground a substantial distance below the upper pulleys. Instead of forming. the triangular" upper side of the frame by means of the cable 7 said sides maybe formed of'ro'ds secured in. the rings 6 or directly to the bar 4 byany com ends tothe swivel 9-by any clamping deviceordinarily employedor suitable for that PUT" pose. Swivel 9serves thelt'wofoldpurpose ofia convenient detachable connection between the frame and the suspending cable or volved about a vertical axis," and to which ame a drum 13', rigidly and preferably clamped to its supporting sides by hooks 2121, providing means fer detachablsecurirzg thereto mouthpie'ces 22 22', whic prefer ly' are of ormed and she may be grippe' by the teeth' of the performer in such a'manner as'tosuspend t 'emselve's drawing,'and during theiperformancein mid- 1 air hereinafter describedand which for some time past has been publicly repeated several hundred times, tie-hereinafter described."

In the" employment f the app aratusherein shown and described it is I s such a point that the performers" standing I on the ground or stage, asmay be; may in-. sertjin their mouths and between the teeth the mouthpieces 22, the cable or rope .1 6 having before been given'the about the drum- 13.

grip on the mouthpieces and; efore the: lifting of the structure, together with thebodies,

the rope with one any suitable means, preferably such as wi 1 permit its detachment therefrom for packing and shipping purposes. J

The drum l3, is provided with. an upper side flange 14 anda lowersid'e flange,15, be-. tween which thebody ofthe drumis sulh ciently long fora number of turns about it of a cable or rope 16. secured at one end to the drum and passing thence-to-and over a pulley 17', preferably located in approximately a horizontal line extending from the face of the drum and down to a point-within V W hereinafter described, andrevolving the bar orcircle 4 horizontally the swivel and the drum. s V a .7 Drum-+13 is secured to cables,'- rods or "ropes 7 by chps orvother suitable fastenings,

'abeutesubstantially vertical: axis through (not shown,) which maybe and-preferably? remo'i'rably cbnnect' the drum thereWith and is also preferably-held against tipping or strainmg the fastenings by cords 18, secured at opopposite-ends to the-swivel 9 or to thecables departure from' ny inventionto have a rigid rods .or bars suspended from the swivel and having" cablei' {attached thereto ,asa supportfor the-drum- -113'. 525T Attached-to each ofthe rings 5/ are fibrous; ropes; 191' 1 9,,and also sh'or ter ropes 2020, which msnewn wound aboutathe gb'are out, of use v andjout of the wayduring ll'thejern r0pes. 19./j 7 Theseevices vare of twisted ropes or suspendm' g' I gradually permittheir weight t6- be suspended entirely-from the mouthpieces',-and

before or when they hauemeachedj theexa to their sides. v V

ployed' and hasbe'en for some time there are three: acts, in the first 'of'which the short ropes 20] 20 are en'rployed, the I performers presenting themselves to .infafteinoon or evening costume, consisting of long skirtsand broad' picture-hats, the

roundin s, and fansintheir hands. -They step tot e bar, hang their open 'fans'thereon, and seemingly take hold or the hand portion with their-mouths, but as a-matter of fact they insert the v mouthpieces, as before -described, and afteribeing lifted to ,the' desired I point and hanging there motionless for some that po nt; butit would be n e.

time they simultaneously deliberately close their fans, dropthem below,' 'whei e they are caught by attendants and as deliberately pr'oceedf to remove" their hat-pins and after removing heir'hats put'thehat pins baclg in '{theirhats and drop them to the'attendants-ahd 8-: and at their lower ends are permanently securedtosnapwhen they are loweredtofthe ground for a resting spell. The-cords in this'first eaten;

by the employment of the teeth, the muscles. o the jaw, and'the neck, as indicate'din the first lowered to minutes, in. mid-air W1 th their, hands dropped AS. he enemas s h publicly: ea.

he. audience dressed:

colors of. which-are in harmonywith' the surv desired number ot'coils H After etting a-good."

is commenced; the performers take hold of or both hands, "as may be, to steady themselves and at the same time v arerev'olved about a circle, the skirts 's' read 0ut both=from the wands held-by the ends a and from the bo'dyinsuch a manner that fas 2o 'a-resting spellfor=--the.third a'ot, and- 'f'or the tightsand' as soon as they are raised. to their performingv position the; cord] 16 ,is' then pulled fupon' until the gbodies of the v formers are" flying through 'the'airin a clrcle'f I with such; rapiditythat the cent .puts their-'bodies in-outward andmc edj-po -vers e turn of the 'b' dies. the torsion of the 1'opes'--is' sufficient td revolve their bodies sow the bar may be trench lengthv that three .or more persons ma,

from as before escribed andrthat'Tthejbar may be bent to the form of the are-of acirclej' be desirable to, employ'jand;"suspend byx a,

' the short'cordslfor the reason that during'thej revolving bar and not assume n in'clined position, such as' wil'l follow from the em-v. "ployinent'jas will be readily e cplainedj of thedressed in white or other color skirt ffancy a vertical.'axis,l substantially as descnbed.- the manner as before described and while 35; Ina device forthe purpose described, v

stationary and with their arms free 'goformed upon the'fstage, and after this has" been continued some time then'tlfe cord .16 1 isagairfypulled upon,and While their bodies: v in revolvethe bar,- horizontallya outa vertical; 1

pear'a'n'ce' of enormous. butterflies oi fbifr s.

' simultaneously twist-their bodies=1unti11 the amng "described; inv

claim, and desire'Tto securbyLetters'l?atent,

revolution is desired that their bodies remain at a righ't angle-t0 and behind the longerropeslQ.

In the second'act'theperformers come out costume and after being lifted or elevated in through: the skirt dance: vas ordinarily per theyswing about thiscirclethey have the {a Afte r this butterfly act has been continued for some time the-performers are loweredfor purpose of which-the longer ropes 19', .With' their mouth iecespare employed., lnnthis thirdact t e performers 'are-i;dressed in sition substantially-'- beyond the end of the bar 4,1andthenwhi-l'e' in position they ropesiareso tightly; twisted that after "a re"- rapidly that they 'arefhardly distinguishable as human 'bodies', although; as before stated, clothed intights. p

In conclusion: it should he observed that;

suspend themselves there or an entire 'circlegand any numberofiper'sonsi' suspend themselves therefrom; aud t/hereby.

avoid f the otherwise necessity" of [the bar of: suchjan increased length-as to render. more or lessdifficult the perfect balancingoi"v the bodieslof-any number f'PersQn's it my,

sin le-overheadcableior'rope' t ntion'; that 4 1..- Ina device. for the purpose herein {de scribed, :ahorizontal bar, means :forraisihg l the same to considerable" elevation and low- '5. In lhorizonta'l bar, a cable attached at opposite;

ends of; the bar and extending aboveithe same, a swivel 'secured to' said cable or rope al-forcev said bar, means for. raising, lowering and sus- Inivitness-where'of' I ering it there from, of depending suspensory devices and'means for suspen'din the human 'body below'the same through t e actionv of 1 the. teethto ether 'with the ,"muscles of the j-awsiand 'nec substantially a s'describ ed'.

-2. "I1\ a device for the horizontal bar,- devices purpose described, a. or raising, lower p and suspending the santiein rmd-airpani means. for revolvingsaid bar horizontally on a horizontal bar,- "means. se-cured: directly 1 4 thereto and projecting (above the same,

I means for raising, lowering and suspending- Qsaidbar in mid-air, a dru'mconnected there; e

With-and a cord-for actuatin saidlaxisysubs'tantially as described.

"' 4.111 axdevi'ce'forthe p posedescribeda horizontal bar, 'a s'uspending devicetherefor converging to a pointabove the" centerv of .Ien'gththereOfQaswivel, and-a cable or rope visecured to said: swivel whereby be raised and, lowered and revolvedlhorizone id b'ar may 3s.

'tally,about a vertical axis bisectin the cenwith its axis bisecting th'e'center of length ofpendingxsai'd bar in mid-a r, a drum mounted a the described; a '1 upon'saidfoa'ble or rope and means for actu- {atin said and. thereby revolving the bar.horizontlly'aibout-the vertical axis, sub-- .gstantiallyas described. Y

6'.'-'I n'a .device'for the purpose described, a horizontalbar, means for ralsmglower ng and suspend ng said bar in m1d-a1r,1adrum, 0911-.

nectod withisaid' bar, means for'actuetingsaid drum and revolving the bar honzon Itajlly about a verticalfaxis, of suspending deroo viees-attach'ed'at'or near the opposite ends'of said bars; and-depending below the. same and meansvtherebyperformers may sus-{ p'dl th lvesby their mouth in mid- -'horizon'tally 'abput-aivertical axis, substam;

JOSEPH fwltnessesz' SJ STEWART;

AUG; a imus.

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