J.r. Clancy, Incorporated

Other

Rodney F Kaiser

Michael S Murphy

Thomas S Young

Charles B Shatzkin

Andrew J McArthur

Frank DeWitt

A manual theatrical rigging system is motorized to achieve greater control of speed and accuracy, avoiding need to load counterweights, and without sacrifice of standard line-set spacing. Each line set has a wire-reinforced drive belt connected with the associated hand line, and is operated by a geared or gearless motorized winch. A winch support frame supports the motorized winches in a number of rows, with the winches in positions staggered from row to row. The counterweight arbor holds a fixed counterweight. A computerized control panel permits a single operator to manage the entire system of line sets. An overspeed safety brake brakes the line set if the movement exceeds a safe speed.

Variable speed system to motorize counterweight line sets

The invention is a motorized winch which can be retrofitted into existing manually operated systems that use counterbalancing weights. The counterbalancing weight will be fixed at 50% of the maximum capacity of the set. The winch is rated at 50% of the maximum capacity of the set. By using the winch in a closed loop configuration, it will operate the set at any load from 0 to 100% of its rated capacity, without the need to ever adjust the counterbalancing weights.

Counterweight assisted winch

A rope lock is disclosed, suitably adapted for use in theatrical applications that use counterweight rigging systems. The rope lock includes an indicator to show if the counterweight rigging system is in- or out-of-balance. The rope lock also includes an automatic lockout that prevents the rope lock from being unlocked if there is an out-of-balance condition.

Rope lock with out-of-balance indicator and automatic lockout

An arbor guide shoe assembly for slidably interconnecting an arbor top plate or bottom plate with a pair of spaced rails. The guide shoe assembly has a rail contacting channel which defines a plurality of operable rail capturing distances, and an elongate slot for orienting the guide shoe assembly with a plurality of orientations with respect to the counterweight arbor.

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Syracuse, NY, United States of America

Rodney F Kaiser