Levitation apparatus

1. A theatrical apparatus for performing a levitation type illusion for the benefit of an audience looking in a viewing direction toward a stage upon which a performer is being located, said apparatus comprising:

(a) harness means for supportable interconnection with the performer, said harness means including a first connector element disposed in a plane extending substantially perpendicular to the viewing direction of the audience; and

(b) performer support means interconnected with said harness means for moving said harness means relative to the audience, said performer support means comprising:

(i) a second, elevated connector element disposed in said plane;

(ii) a support array comprising a plurality of spaced apart, fine wires disposed in said plane and interconnecting said first and second connector elements; and

(c) rotator means for controllably rotating said performer support means.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said first connector element comprises a first rod having a first length, said first rod being rotatable by said rotator means simultaneously with the rotation of said second elevated connector element.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said second elevated connector element comprises a second rod having a second length substantially greater than said first length of said first rod.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which one end of each of said wires is connected to said first connector element at spaced apart locations and the other end thereof is connected to load distribution means interconnected with said second elevated connector element for smoothly distributing the weight of the performer among said plurality of wires.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said load distribution means comprises a coil spring connected to each of said wires and to said second connector element at spaced apart locations whereby said support array is generally fan shaped in configuration.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which said rotator means comprises:

(a) an elevated supporting structure; and

(b) lifting means operably connected to said supporting means for controllably lifting said supporting structure relative to the stage.

7. A theatrical apparatus for performing a levitation type illusion for the benefit of an audience looking in a viewing direction toward a stage upon which a performer is being located, said apparatus comprising:

(a) harness means for supportable interconnection with the performer, said harness means including a first rod like connector element disposed in a plane extending substantially perpendicular to the viewing direction of the audience; and

(b) performer support means interconnected with said harness means for moving said harness means relative to the audience, said performer support means comprising:

(i) a second, elevated rod like connector element disposed in said plane;

(ii) a support array comprising a plurality of spaced apart, fine wires disposed in said plane and interconnecting said first and second rod like connector elements; and

(iii) load distribution means interconnected with said second elevated connector element for smoothly distributing the weight of the performer among said plurality of fine wires.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said load distribution means comprises a coil spring connected to each of said wires and to said second connector element at spaced apart locations whereby said support array is generally fan shaped in configuration.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 further including rotator means for controllably rotating said performer support means.

10. A theatrical apparatus for performing a levitation type illusion for the benefit of an audience looking in a viewing direction toward a stage upon which a performer is located, said apparatus comprising:

(a) harness means capable of being concealed beneath the performer's clothing for interconnection with the performer, said harness means including:

(i) a first support member partially encircling the performer;

(ii) first and second shafts connected to said first support member and extending outwardly therefrom, each said shaft having a longitudinal axis;

(iii) a bearing assembly connected to each of said shafts for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, said bearing assembly having an axis of rotation; and

(iv) a first connector rod connected to each of said bearing assemblies for rotation about said axis of rotation of said bearing assembly; and

(b) performer support means interconnected with said harness means for moving said harness means relative to the audience, said performer support means comprising:

(i) a pair of spaced apart, second connector rods disposed about said first connector rods; and

(ii) a pair of support arrays each comprising a plurality of spaced apart, fine wires, said wires extending between said first and second connector rods of each pair of said first and second connector rods.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which each said pair of first and second connector elements are disposed in a plane extending substantially perpendicular to the viewing direction of the audience.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 10 further including rotator means for simultaneously rotating said second connector rods, said rotator means comprising an elevated supporting structure including:

(a) an elongated support beam having first and second ends;

(b) a first driven wheel rotatably connected to said support beam proximate said first end, one of said second connector rod being connected to said first driven wheel for rotation therewith; and

(c) a second driven wheel rotatably connected to said support beam proximate said second end, the other of said second connector rods being connected to said second driven wheel for rotation therewith.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 in which said rotator means further comprises:

(a) a driving wheel connected to said support beam intermediate said first and second driven wheels;

(b) means interconnecting said driving wheel with said first and second driven wheels for rotating said driven wheels upon rotation of said driving wheel; and

(c) motor means for rotating said driving wheel.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 in which said first and second elevated rods are pivotably connected to said first and second driven wheels for pivotal movement with respect thereto.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 in which said performer support means further includes load distribution means for smoothly distributing the weight of the performer among said plurality of wires of said first and second support arrays.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 in which said plurality of fine wires have upper and lower ends, said lower ends being interconnected with said first connector rods at spaced apart locations thereon.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 in which said load distribution means comprises a plurality of coil springs each having an upper and lower end, said upper end of each said spring being connected to one of said second connector rods and said lower end of each said spring being connected to one of said plurality of the fine wires.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 further including means for lifting said elongated support beam relative to the stage.

19. A theatrical apparatus for performing a levitation type illusion for the benefit of an audience looking in a viewing direction toward a stage upon which a performer is being located, said apparatus comprising:

(a) harness means for supportable interconnection with the performer, said harness means including a first generally circular-shaped connector member; and

(b) performer support means interconnected with said harness means for moving said harness means relative to the audience, said performer support means comprising:

(i) a second, generally circular-shaped elevated connector member;

(ii) a generally frustoconical shaped support array comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart, fine wires disposed in said plane and interconnecting said first and second connector members; and

(c) rotator means for controllably rotating said performer support means.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 19 in which said first connector member comprises a generally circular-shaped plate rotatable by said rotator means simultaneously with the rotation of said second elevated connector member.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20 in which said second elevated connector member comprises a generally circular shaped ring having a diameter substantially greater than the diameter of said plate.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 21 in which one end of each of said wires is connected to said circular shaped plate at circumferentially spaced apart locations and the other end thereof is connected to said ring at circumferentially spaced locations whereby the weight of the performer is distributed among said plurality of wires.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 22 in which said rotator means comprises:

(a) an elevated supporting structure; and

(b) lifting means operably connected to said supporting means for controllably lifting said supporting structure relative to the stage.

24. A theatrical apparatus for performing a levitation type illusion for the benefit of an audience looking in a viewing direction toward a stage upon which a performer is located, said apparatus comprising:

(a) harness means capable of being concealed beneath the performer's clothing for interconnection with the performer, said harness means including:

(i) a first support member partially encircling the performer;

(ii) first and second shafts connected to said first support member and extending outwardly therefrom, each said shaft having a longitudinal axis;

(iii) a bearing assembly connected to each of said shafts for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof; and

(b) performer support means interconnected with said harness means for moving said harness means relative to the audience, said performer support means comprising:

(i) a pair of spaced apart, upper and lower, generally circular-shaped connector members; and

(ii) a pair of generally frustoconical shaped support arrays each comprising a plurality of spaced apart, fine wires, said wires extending between said upper and lower connector members.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 24 further including rotator means for simultaneously rotating said upper connector members, said rotator means comprising an elevated supporting structure including:

(a) an elongated support beam having first and second ends;

(b) a first driven gear rotatably connected to said support beam proximate said first end, one of said upper connector members being connected to said first driven gear for rotation therewith; and

(c) a second driven ear rotatably connected to said support beam proximate said second end, the other of said upper connector members being connected to said second driven gear for rotation therewith.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 25 in which said performer support means can swivel relative to said first and second shafts.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 25 in which said performer support means further includes load distribution means for smoothly distributing the weight of the performer among said plurality of wires of said first and second support arrays.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 27 in which said load distribution means comprises a plurality of coil springs each having an upper and lower end, said upper end of each said spring being connected to said upper connector member and said lower end of each said spring being connected to one of said plurality of the fine wires.

29. An apparatus as defined in claim 28 further including means for lifting said elongated support beam relative to the stage.