Theatre Design & Technology - Oct 1969 - 12

From the 1969 USITT Conference:

Modifications to a
Synchronous Winch System at UCLA
WILLIAM E. CROCKEN
University of California
at Los Angeles
Note: Since the installation of the winch system at
U.C.L.A. described here by Professor Crocken, other
systems built by the J. R. Clancy Corporation have
incorporated improvements based on experience gained
on this and other jobs. The most recent of these is
at San Jose State College (California). At the moment, Clancy Corporation does not offer this panicular
synchronous system, although it does install spot
line systems like that found in the Krannert Center,
University of Illinois. Because of the' immense interest
generated by the Clancy-Izenour synchronous winch
system over the past decade, USITI asked Professor
Crock en to make the following report on modifications to his own system at its 1969 Los Angeles
Convention. Editor

The intent of my paper is to discuss some
of the problems and subsequent solutions
with respect to the Clancy-Izenour synchronous winch system installed at the Playhouse, Macgowan Hall, University of California, Los Angeles.
Perhaps it would be best to describe our
installations in some detail, to explain how
these problems arose.

The
Playhouse
is best described as
combination-rigged, for we have not only
the winch system but counterweight as well.
This is, as far as I know, the only winch
system so constituted. There are 33 counterweight sets and 50 synduction motors,
each motor capable of lifting safely 2 50 Ibs.
The loft block position for the counterweight is separate from the Unistrut network
that accommodates the movable winch
blocks. This makes it possible to use the
maximum space in the grid and it is essential that they be separate, for having the
permanent counterweight loft blocks associated with the movable winch spotting network precludes optimum use of the winch
flexibility.
There are 25 winch motors on the downstage grid wall and another 25 on the upstage grid wall. The motor units can pivot
approximately 80 0 so that each unit is
rendered accessible to about 60% of the
stage volume itself. Control and patching of
the motors is located on stage right and is
mobile to provide, in most cases, operator
visibility. This feature, visibility, is essential
to basic safety.

The Unistrut channels for the winch blocks
run up and down stage on 4 ft. centers.
With short (4'-6") movable sections of Unistrut, it is possible to span adjacent permanent channels providing provisions, now,
complete for spotting a winch block almost
anywhere in the grid.
With the exception of the first six counterweight sets, the remaining 27 are not truly
permanent as in most standard counterweight installations. That is, with respect to
the I ines they are not permanent to the
pipe batten. Rather the individual lines terminate with a forged boat hook, secured
with nicopress fittings, and are subsequently
secured to the pipe by a short lanyard or
steel eye in the pipe itself. This now allows
for several variables. One is ·that we use
two types of pipe battens: single (55 ft.
long) and truss configuration, both fabricated from 1.69 high carbon steel tubing.
The truss sections come in two lengths 20 and 30 feet-and are used both for the
counterweight as well as the winch systems. Thus, several combinations may be
achieved. Because lines comprising a set
are not permanent to a pipe, greater flexibility results.

Section through large theatre and shop

@ITC] THEATER DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

OCTOBER,1969

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Oct 1969