US 4,192,072 A · Pendulum device

Abstract

In a kinetic sculpture apparatus, the lower end of a pendulum provides a scribe having a tapered tip that penetrates the surface of a bed of fine, particulate material to make an intricate pattern in the bed whose configuration is determined by the location of the pendulum's primary horizontal axis, the position from which the pendulum is released, and the depth of penetration of the tip of the scribe. The suspension system for the pendulum includes an arch which spans a pair of standards disposed on opposite sides of the receiver that contains the bed of material. The pendulum assembly is mounted above a baseplate by a ball and socket connection which permits the entire assembly to be tilted in any direction to move the at-rest point of contact of the scribe away from the center of the bed to any quadrant or region thereof where a subpattern is to be sculptured. Additionally, the receiver is independently rotatable about a vertical (or slightly inclined) axis through a selected angular displacement to permit the sculpturing of angularly spaced repeat patterns. A highly stable suspension is provided by a disc-shaped rocker element having a central slot therein through which the arch extends. Bed shaping is provided by a dish-shaped cover for the receiver having a convex lower surface.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A kinetic sculpture apparatus comprising:

a receiver containing a fine, particulate material presenting a bed thereof;
a pendulum having an upper end and a lower end, the latter presenting a scribe;
means above said receiver suspending said pendulum thereover with said scribe contacting said material at a predetermined point in the bed when the pendulum is at rest, and establishing a primary, generally horizontally disposed axis of swinging movement of the pendulum,
said upper end of the pendulum being provided with a secondary coupling connecting the pendulum to said suspension means;
standard means secured to said receiver and extending upwardly to said suspension means to support the same;
a base;
and
means mounting said receiver on said base spaced thereabove for tilting movement of the receiver, and hence the standard means, to any of a number of positions in which the receiver and standard means are tilted relative to the base and said primary axis is horizontally displaced, whereby said predetermined point of contact of the scribe may be moved to center the point in the bed or locate said point away from the center so that subpatterns may be sculptured.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pendulum device

Life of this patent

Pendulum device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16