Convertible counterweight rigging system
AssigneeElectronic Theatre Controls, Inc.
InventorsRyan Faga, Kenric Gibbs, Steven Ricks
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A counterweighted theatrical rigging system for movably supporting theatrical equipment above a stage floor. The rigging system includes a batten on which the theatrical equipment is configured to be supported. A counterweight arbor of the rigging system is configured to balance and offset the weight of the loaded batten. The counterweighted theatrical rigging system is convertible between a first configuration in which the batten and the counterweight arbor are linked for corresponding movement in opposite vertical directions, and a second configuration that allows the batten to be lowered to the stage floor while the counterweight arbor remains in a lowered position for ballasting the counterweight arbor from the stage floor.
Claims21
A counterweighted theatrical rigging system for movably supporting theatrical equipment above a stage floor, the rigging system comprising:
- a batten on which the theatrical equipment is configured to be supported;
- and
- a counterweight arbor configured to balance and offset the weight of the loaded batten,
- wherein the counterweighted theatrical rigging system is convertible by a selective disconnect device between a first configuration in which the batten and the counterweight arbor are linked for corresponding movement in opposite vertical directions, and a second configuration that allows the batten to be lowered to the stage floor while the counterweight arbor remains in a lowered position for ballasting the counterweight arbor from the stage floor.
A counterweighted theatrical rigging system comprising:
- a head block and a plurality of loft blocks provided at an elevated height above a stage floor;
- a plurality of lift lines extending over the head block and the plurality of loft blocks;
- a batten configured to be loaded with theatrical equipment, the batten coupled with first ends of the plurality of lift lines;
- a counterweight arbor configured to balance and offset the weight of the loaded batten, wherein the counterweight arbor is coupled with second ends of the plurality of lift lines;
- a lift line lock configured to selectively lock the second ends of the plurality of lift lines to the counterweight arbor;
- and
- a winch configured to selectively reel in or let out the second ends of the plurality of lift lines from the counterweight arbor when the lift line lock is not locked.
A method of operating a counterweighted theatrical rigging system, the method comprising:
- loading theatrical equipment to a batten from the stage floor with the batten in a lowered position;
- from the stage floor, ballasting a counterweight arbor that is coupled to the batten while the batten is in the lowered position;
- and
- after loading the batten and ballasting the counterweight arbor, converting the rigging system from a loading configuration in which the batten can move vertically without movement of the counterweight arbor into an operating configuration in which the batten and the counterweight arbor are linked for corresponding movement in opposite vertical directions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.