FIXED CURTAINING

Abstract: There is disclosed an element of fixed curtaining in the form of a swag (10) or tail (11) for example having an upper edge, means on the rear face of said upper edge for adhering the element to support means at the head of a window or door, and means on the front face of said upper edge for adheringly receiving the rear face of the upper edge of a like element.

Description: This invention concerns fixed curtaining, by which we mean elements of curtaining which are intended to remain undisturbed for an extended period after installation and more particularly so-called swags and tails. Swags and tails are notoriously costly largely on account of the fact that they are invariably custom-designed and hand crafted for each installation. The present invention is based on an appreciation of the possibility of providing preformed elements of standard sizes capable of installation to form swags and tails to the curtaining of a window of any size. FR-A-2424009 discloses the use of double and single-sided adhesive tapes (including those of the VELCRO® kind) for the making up of curtains without need for sewing. According to the present invention there is provided an element of fixed curtaining having an upper edge, means on the rear face of said upper edge for adhering the element to support means, and means on the front face of said upper edge for adhesively receiving the rear face of the upper edge of a like element. The means on the rear and front faces of the upper edge may comprise tapes of loop pile, the loops on one being cut to form hooks whereby the tapes adhere when pressed together, the support means carrying the appropriate one such tape. The elements may be in the form of swags or pleated tails and the swags and tails may be used in combination as desired. A finial in the form of a decorative strip may be provided and adherable to the forwardly facing means on an assembly of the elements. The invention will be further apparent from the following description with reference to the several figures of the accompanying drawings, which show, by way of example only, one form of fixed curtaining utilising elements of fixed curtaining embodying same. Of the drawings: Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a first form of element in the form of a swag; Figure 2 shows a cross-section through the first form of element on the line II-II of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a front elevation of a second form of element in the form of a tail; Figure 4 shows a cross-section through the second form of element on the line IV-IV of Figure 3; Figure 5 shows a front elevation of a support means at the head of a window for receiving the elements of Figures 1 and 3; Figure 6 shows a front elevation of an assembly of the elements of Figures 1 and 3 on the support means of Figure 5. A preferred embodiment of the invention, now to be described, utilises textile tapes such as Velcro (Registered Trade Mark) of two types, one having a closed loop pile and the other having a cut loop pile, which adhere when pressed together. Such tapes will be termed hereinafter as tapes of the first and second kinds referred to. Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that fixed curtain elements in the form of swags 10 (Figures 1 and 2) and tails 11 (Figures 3 and 4) are provided, the latter in both left-handed and right-handed versions. The upper edge 12 of each kind of element is essentially flat (though the tails 11 are of pleated construction) and backed by a tape 13 of the first kind referred to with the pile thereon facing rearwardly. The front of each upper edge 12 is faced with a tape 14 of the second kind referred to whose pile faces forwardly. As best seen from Figures 2 and 4 each of the elements comprises a forwardly facing fabric 15 backed by a rearwardly facing lining 16. As shown in Figure 5 a rigid support, which may be in the form of a wooden pelmet board 17, is provided over the window W which is to be curtained. The front face of board 17 carries a tape 18 of the second kind referred to. As shown in Figure 6, a plurality of the elements 10 may be adhered to the board 17 by pressing the tapes 13 thereof against the tape 18. Although the elements 10 may have a standard width (or number of standard widths) they can be arranged to extend over a window W of any width by such overlapping as necessary. Overlapping portions of the elements 10 are adhered to underlying portions of other elements 10 by engagement of the tapes 13 on the forward elements with the tapes 14 of the underlying elements. Elements 11 are added at the opposite sides of the arrangement, their tapes 13 being adhered with the tape 18 and tapes 14 of any underlying elements 10 as necessary. The assembly is completed by a covering element comprised by a finial strip 20 of contrasting or similar fabric backed, of course by a tape 21 of the first kind referred to. The tape 20 covers all otherwise exposed tape 14 on elements 10 and 11 to present a neat and attractive upper edge to the entire assembly. It will be understood that all forwardly facing tapes are of one of the two kinds referred to and all rearwardly facing tapes of the other. This ensures that the elements can be positioned and overlaid as required to produce a desired decorative effect. The elements need not necessarily overlap, though they generally will. They need not collectively cover the entire length of the support means, though again they generally will. In certain applications, as where the support means is located in a recess above the ceiling level, a covering to hide the exposed forwardly facing tapes may not be necessary. Where such covering is necessary it may comprise a number of elements arranged with abutting lateral edges instead of a single element extending over the entire length of the support means. The covering element or elements need not be in the form of a strip or strips, but of more complex form such as in the shape of a swag or in the form of a frilled valance for example. It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible, without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims. Although we have described curtaining for a support at the head of a window, it will be understood that the support member may be over a door or elsewhere as on a blind wall.

Claims: 1. An element of fixed curtaining (10, 11) having an upper edge (12), means (13) on the rear face of said upper edge for adhering the element to support means, and means (14) on the front face of said upper edge for adheringly receiving the rear face of the upper edge of a like element. 2. An element of fixed curtaining according to claim 1, wherein said means on the rear and front faces of the element are in the form of tapes. 3. An element of fixed curtaining according to claim 2, wherein said tapes are of the Velcro-type, one kind of such tape being secured to the rear face of the element and the other kind of such tape being secured to the front face of said element, whereby the elements are adherable to a support means (17) carrying a tape (18) of said other kind. 4. An element according to any preceding claim in the form of a swag (10). 5. An element according to any one of claims 1-3 in the form of a tail (11). 6. An assembly of fixed curtaining elements each according to any preceding claim, all adhered either directly or through one or more underlying such elements to a support means at the head of a window or door or elsewhere in a desired combination and configuration. 7. An assembly according to claim 6, including one or more covering elements (20) adhered to the forwardly facing means of the assembly of elements to provide a decorative finish. 8. An assembly according to claim 7, wherein there is a single covering element in the form of a strip. 9. An assembly of fixed curtaining elements each according to-claim 3, adhered to a support means at the head of a window or door or elsewhere and including a covering element in the form of a decorative strip adhered to the forwardly facing tapes on the assembly of elements, said strip having a tape (21) of said one kind on its rear face. 10. An assembly of at least two fixed curtaining elements and a support means at the head of a window, door or elsewhere, wherein a first of said elements is adhered to said support means and a second of said elements is adhered to said support means or said first element or to both said support means and said first element. 11. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein each of said elements has means on its rear face for adhering it to said support means or to the front face of another element, and means on its front face for adheringly receiving another element. 12. An assembly according to claim 11, including at least one covering element adhered to any exposed length of the support means and any exposed said means on the front face of said elements to provide a decorative finish.

Inventors: SMITH, DONALD
Applicants: CURTAINCRAFT LIMITED
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A47H21
IPC codes: A47H21