Decorative Device with Flames that can be Raised and Lowered

Abstract

A decorative device which includes at least one controllable winch (8) which is intended for unwinding and winding up an elongated non-rigid element (4), and the elongated non-rigid element (4) is connected to a respective burner (11) at one end (6) and to the at least one winch (8) at the other end (7), and the burner (11) can be moved down towards the floor (1) and up away from the floor (1) with the unwinding and winding up of the elongated non-rigid element (4), characterised in that the burner (11) can be ignited to generate a flame by means of an igniter via a controller (9) arranged outside the burner (11).

Claims

1. Decorative device comprising at least one controllable winch (8) which is intended for unwinding and winding up an elongated non-rigid element (4), and the elongated non-rigid element (4) is connected to a respective burner (11) at one end (6) and to the at least one winch (8) at another end (7), and the burner (11) can be moved down towards the floor (1) and up away from the floor (1) with the unwinding and winding up of the elongated non-rigid element (4), characterised in that the burner (11) can be ignited to generate a flame by means of an igniter via a controller (9) arranged outside the burner (11).

2. Decorative device according to claim 1, characterised in that the elongated non-rigid element comprises an electrical cable (4) and an igniter of the burner (11) is electrically conductively connected to one end (6) of the electrical cable (4) and the controller (9) controls a voltage on the igniter via the electrical cable (4).

3. Decorative device according to claim 1, characterised in that the burner (11) is electrically conductively connected to an accumulator arranged in or on the burner (11) and the controller (9) controls a voltage on the igniter via a wireless connection.

4. Decorative device according to claim 3, characterised in that the controller (9) comprises a central transmitter/receiver unit (9b), and at least one first transmitter/receiver unit (9a) on each of the at least one winch (8) and the at least one first transmitter/receiver unit (9a) controls a respective drive of the at least one winch (8).

5. Decorative device according to claim 1, characterised in that the burner (11) is suspended by means of two wires (4a, 4b) of the electrical cable (4) which are separated from one another.

6. Decorative device according to claim 1, characterised in that the elongated non-rigid element is designed as a fuel hose and the burner (11) is suspended by means of the fuel hose (4c).

7. Decorative device according to claim 1, characterised in that a number of winches (8) and a number of burners (11) is provided and each winch (8) is associated with precisely one burner (11).

8. Decorative device according to claim 1, characterised in that in each case a redirection roller (3) is associated with the at least one winch (8), which is arranged above the floor (1) and redirects one element end (6) associated with the at least one winch (8) towards the floor (1).

9. Decorative device according to claim 1, characterised in that the burner (11) comprises a fuel reservoir and the controller (9) comprises a second transmitter/receiver unit (9c) which is connected in a signal-conducting manner to a control valve of the burner (11).

10. Decorative device according to claim 1, characterised in that a heat sensor (13) which sends a switch-off signal to the first transmitter/receiver unit (9a) is arranged on the at least one winch (8).

11. Decorative device according to claim 1, characterised in that the elongated non-rigid element (4) is formed as a rope.

Description

[0029] The invention is described with reference to two embodiments in two drawings. In the drawings:

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a decorative device with an individual controllable cable winch,

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a decorative device with a large number of controllable cable winches.

[0032] The decorative device illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a stage floor 1. The stage floor 1 can have dimensions of 100 m.sup.2 or more for the production of major shows. However, other sizes are also conceivable. A holding structure 2 in the form of a rack, a continuous roof, a frame structure or the like is provided above the stage floor 1. In the context of this application the words “at the top” and “at the bottom” or “above” and “below” always relate to an indication of direction counter to the force of gravity or in the direction of the force of gravity.

[0033] A cable winch 8, on which an electrical cable 4 can be wound up and unwound is rotatably arranged on the holding structure 2 in the embodiment according to FIG. 1. One end 6 of the electrical cable 4 is connected to a burner, the other end 7 of the electrical cable 4 is rolled up on the cable winch 8. The cable winch 8 is controllable. In order to control the cable winch 8 a drive is provided which drives a shaft of the cable winch 8 in the clockwise direction or in the anti-clockwise direction. The drive is rotatable in the clockwise direction or in the anti-clockwise direction by means of a controller 9, wherein the angular velocity of the drive and thus of the shaft of the cable winch 8 is also controllable.

[0034] The cable 4 is a two-strand or three-strand cable, and one cable end 6 is divided into individual strands 4a, 4b. The individual strands 4a, 4b are used as a holder which is stable against tilting for a burner 11. In principle, however, other embodiments are also conceivable, in particular multi-strand cables 4 with three, four, five or a higher number of strands can also be provided, which could be used for larger burners 11 having a plurality of cartridges and potentially different flame colours.

[0035] The burner 11 comprises a controllable valve, an igniter and a fire space in which the flame can form. The fire space is the free space between the strands 4a, 4b, in which the flame can spread out. The flame can even spread out over the strands 4a and 4b, in particular laterally but also upwards, if jets of flame are formed. The burner 11 is connected to a fuel reservoir for LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) or another combustible liquid, for example alcohols. The fuel reservoir is arranged behind a casing of the burner 11 and is not visible to the viewer. The fuel reservoir in this exemplary embodiment is a cartridge which can be screwed into the burner 11. The controllable valve is provided in order to regulate the flow of gas or liquid.

[0036] However, the burner 11 can also have completely different outer casings. It can also be designed as a fire bowl or flat-sided geometric shape, in particular as a platonic body.

[0037] In principle, it is also conceivable that the burner 11 has an upright fuel feed. This feed can be designed for example in the form of a fuel hose 4c which supports the burner 11.

[0038] An electrical igniter can be provided at a gas outlet of the burner 11. The igniter is designed as an electric arc igniter, piezoelectric igniter, glow igniter or pyrotechnic igniter which ignites the ignitable gas.

[0039] The igniter is connected by means of the strands 4a, 4b of the cable 4 to a voltage source which is electrically connected to the other cable end 7 which is wound up on the cable winch 8. A voltage is applied via the cable 4 to the igniter of the burner 11 by the application of a voltage to the other cable end 7, and ignition takes place by electric arc or switching on of an incandescent coiled filament or a pyrotechnic igniter and by opening of the gas feed during or just before the ignition, so that by application of the voltage a flame immediately forms on the burner 11. A lasting flame or a jet of flame is formed.

[0040] The burner 11 is advantageously designed so that in the viewing direction from an audience space arranged in front of the stage floor 1, preferably obliquely at the bottom in front of the stage floor 1, the cartridge 12 is concealed, but the flame remains visible; thus an impressive visual impression of a flame floating above the stage floor 1. By unwinding of the cable 4 from the cable winch 8 or winding up of the cable 4 onto the cable winch the cable 4 can be lengthened or shortened between the cartridge 12 and the cable winch 8, so that the burner 11 is moved up and down above the stage floor 1, depending upon how the cable winch 8 rotates. This movement is illustrated by double arrows in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In the audience space an impressive image is produced of a freely flying flame which moves up and down. The cable 4 is preferably kept dark and against a correspondingly dark background it cannot be seen or can hardly be seen.

[0041] The decorative device according to the invention is formed in its entirety in an arrangement such as can be seen by way of example in FIG. 2. A three-dimensional arrangement of a plurality of burners 11 is illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus they only extend over a width of the stage floor 1, but in particular also along a depth of the stage floor 1 and, furthermore, they can be positioned at various controllable heights above the stage floor 1. Burners 11 are positioned over the entire three-dimensional space above the stage floor 1.

[0042] A large number of burners 11 is arranged above the entire extent of the stage floor 1. A discrete cable winch 8 is assigned to each of the electrical cables 4. The cable winches 8 are fastened to the holding structure 2. Each of the cable winches 8 is provided with a controlled drive, and all drives are controllable individually, but also centrally by means of a controller 9. The controller 9 comprises a first transmitter/receiver unit 9a on each cable winch 8 which controls the associated drive and, in the event that the fuel feed is controlled separately on the burner 11, a second transmitter/receiver unit 9c for the control valve belonging to the burner. In addition it has a central transmitter/receiver unit 9b for all first and second transmitter/receiver units 9a, 9c. Thus, by programming of the central transmitter unit 9b over the course of the stage show, a choreography of a flame stage show can be presented by temporarily switching on and off the individual flames and flame combinations and in combination with up-and-down movements of the flames. Using the ATM protocol the central transmitter/receiver unit 9b sends control signals via a wireless connection to the first and second transmitter/receiver units 9a, 9c and receives control signals from these units using this protocol.

[0043] An upper and lower redirection point is programmed into the controller 9 of each cable winch 8. Mechanical locks can also be provided on the cable 4, so that the flame cannot be raised higher and thus closer to the holding structure 2 than the upper redirection point and cannot be lowered below a lower redirection point towards the stage floor 1.

[0044] A further safety mechanism can be provided by the provision of a heat sensor 13 according to FIG. 1 above the burner 11 and advantageously below the cable winch 8 on a casing of the cable winch 8. The heat sensor 13 is connected in a signal-conducting manner to the associated burner 11 of the first transmitter/receiver unit 9a. If the heat sensor 13 measures a predeterminable, specific threshold temperature and the threshold temperature is exceeded, the heat sensor 13 sends a switch-off signal via the first transmitter/receiver unit 9a to the central transmitter/receiver unit 9b, which in turn passes on the switch-off signal to the associated second transmitter/receiver unit 9c, and the control valve turns off the fuel feed, and the flame goes out.

[0045] In other embodiments the heat sensor 13 interrupts the signal to the burner 11, which is transmitted via either the unwindable cable 4 or a wireless connection.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0046] 1 stage floor [0047] 2 holding structure [0048] 3 redirection roller [0049] 4 electrical cable [0050] 4a strand [0051] 4b strand [0052] 4c fuel hose [0053] 6 one cable end [0054] 7 other cable end [0055] 8 cable winch [0056] 9 controller [0057] 9a first transmitter/receiver unit [0058] 9b central transmitter/receiver unit [0059] 9c second transmitter/receiver unit [0060] 11 burner [0061] 12 cartridge [0062] 13 heat sensor