US-12616914-B2 - Convertible counterweight rigging system

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.

Inventors

• Ryan Faga
• Kenric Gibbs
• Steven Ricks

Assignees

• ELECTRONIC THEATRE CONTROLS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230526

Claims (20)

1. 1 . 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.
2. 2 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 1 , wherein a winch is supported on the counterweight arbor and operable in the second configuration to unwind a winch line between the counterweight arbor and the batten for lowering the batten to the stage floor while the counterweight arbor remains in the lowered position.
3. 3 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 2 , wherein the winch line is coupled to a clew from which a plurality of lift lines extend to the batten, the rigging system further comprising a head block and a plurality of loft blocks over which the plurality of lift lines extend.
4. 4 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 3 , further comprising a lift line lock selectively engageable and disengageable between the clew and the counterweight arbor to achieve the first configuration and the second configuration, respectively.
5. 5 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 2 , further comprising a lift line lock integrated within the winch and switchable to convert the counterweighted theatrical rigging system between the first configuration and the second configuration.
6. 6 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 1 , further comprising a counterweight arbor lock operable to selectively lock the counterweight arbor in the lowered position.
7. 7 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 1 , wherein the counterweight arbor includes a rod configured to selectively retain one or more of a plurality of individual ballast weights.
8. 8 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 7 , wherein, with the rod extending through the plurality of individual ballast weights arranged in a single stack, a select group of the plurality of ballast weights at the top of the stack are secured to the rod by individual locking pins.
9. 9 . 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.
10. 10 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 9 , wherein the lift line lock is integrated within the winch.
11. 11 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 9 , wherein the lift line lock is separate from the winch.
12. 12 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 11 , wherein a winch line extending from the winch is coupled to a clew from which the plurality of lift lines extend to the batten.
13. 13 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 9 , wherein the counterweight arbor includes a rod configured to selectively retain one or more of a plurality of individual ballast weights.
14. 14 . The counterweighted theatrical rigging system of claim 13 , wherein, with the rod extending through the plurality of individual ballast weights arranged in a single stack, a select group of the plurality of ballast weights at the top of the stack are secured to the rod by individual locking pins.
15. 15 . 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.
16. 16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein converting the rigging system includes moving a plurality of lift lines that extend from the batten over a plurality of loft blocks and a head block down toward the counterweight arbor and locking the lift lines to the counterweight arbor.
17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein moving the plurality of lift lines includes operating a winch supported on the counterweight arbor to wind up a winch line that extends from the winch to the plurality of lift lines.
18. 18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein converting the rigging system further includes operating a lift line lock integrated within the winch.
19. 19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein converting the rigging system further includes operating a lift line lock separate from the winch.
20. 20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein ballasting the counterweight arbor includes engaging a stack of individual ballast weights retained by a rod of the counterweight arbor.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/351,110, filed on Jun. 10, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND The present application relates to theater/staging equipment. Performance venues such as theaters, arenas, concert halls, auditoriums, schools, clubs, convention centers, and television studios can employ battens or trusses to suspend, elevate, and/or lower lighting, scenery, draperies, and other equipment that can be moved relative to a stage floor. Conventional counterweighted riggings systems are known to provide a rope and pulley system by which the weight of a loaded batten is offset or balanced by a counterweight arbor so that raising/lowering the loaded batten is easily accomplished—often by hand with a hand line. As such, for setup, counterweights are added to the counterweight arbor after loading the batten with the requisite equipment. Due to the nature of the connection between the batten and the counterweight arbor, the batten is up when the counterweight arbor is down, and the batten is down when the counterweight arbor is up. The batten is typically loaded up with the requisite equipment at the stage floor level. A worker then loads the counterweight arbor with counterweights from an elevated gallery where various counterweights are stored. Alternatives to traditional counterweighted rigging systems include motorized lift systems with automated controls. Such motorized lift systems can obviate manual tasks such as balancing the loaded batten with counterweights and operating a hand line to raise/lower the batten. However, motorized lift systems represent a complete departure from traditional counterweighted rigging systems at a level of cost and complexity that is not suitable for every venue. SUMMARY In one aspect, the invention provides 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. In another aspect, the invention provides a counterweighted theatrical rigging system including a head block and a plurality of loft blocks provided at an elevated height above a stage floor. A plurality of lift lines extend over the head block and the plurality of loft blocks. A batten of the rigging system is configured to be loaded with theatrical equipment, the batten coupled with first ends of the plurality of lift lines. A counterweight arbor is configured to balance and offset the weight of the loaded batten, and the counterweight arbor is coupled with second ends of the plurality of lift lines. A lift line lock is configured to selectively lock the second ends of the plurality of lift lines to the counterweight arbor. A winch is 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. In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method of operating a counterweighted theatrical rigging system. The method includes loading theatrical equipment to a batten from the stage floor with the batten in a lowered position. From the stage floor and with the batten in the lowered position, ballasting the counterweight arbor is carried out while the counterweight arbor is coupled to the batten. After loading the batten and ballasting the counterweight arbor, the rigging system is converted 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. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a counterweighted theatrical rigging system in a normal operating configuration. A batten for theatrical equipment is positioned at its uppermost position, and a counterweight arbor connected to the batten is positioned at its lowermost position. FIG. 2 illustrates the counterweighted theatrical rigging system in a loading configuration where the batten and the counterweight arbor are at their respective lowermost positions so that both may be loaded from the stage floor. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a locking/unlocking device at a top portion of the counterweight arbor. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a te