IMPROVEMENTS IN CURTAIN ROLLERS AND APPLIANCES FOR RAISING, HOLDING, OR LOWERING CURTAINS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Griffith Brewer, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CURTAIN
ROLLERS AND APPLIANCES FOR RAISING, HOLDING, OR LOWERING CURTAINS."
A communication from abroad by Hubert Lewellyn Judd, of Brooklyn, in the
State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 30th January 1880, and dated the 24th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Griffith Brewer at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th November 1879.
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CURTAIN ROLLERS AND APPLIANCES FOR RAISING, HOLDING,
OR LOWERING CURTAINS." (A communication from abroad by Hubert Lewellyn
Judd, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of America.)
The curtain is attached at one end to a roller upon which it is to be wound. At
one end of the roller is a pivot pin or axis supported by a bracket; at the other
end of the roller there is an axial hole into which is inserted a long split spindle,
preferably of wood, with a spring of flat metal bent elliptically to open the spindle
and produce the required friction between the spindle and roller.
At the end of the spindle is an axial pin entering a horizontal slot in the bracket
that supports the curtain, and near the end of the spindle is a ratchet wheel of four
or more cam shaped teeth; there is a pawl or stop on the bracket, and the curtain
hangs down from the roller and by its weight revolves the roller, until the axial pin
rolls along in the nearly horizontal slot and brings one of the ratchet teeth against
the stop on the bracket and arrests the movement of the curtain.
The end portion of the curtain roller forms a spool to which one end of a cord is
attached; the cord passes around the spool in the opposite direction to the curtain
on the roller, so that as the curtain is drawn up by pulling on the cord the said
cord is unwound from the spool and the reverse.
The cord passes through an eye on the bracket, and has a tassel or weight at its
lower end; the curtain can be drawn down by taking hold of its lower edge, and
in so doing the cord is wound upon the spool and the roller turns on the split
frictional spindle which is held by the ratchet wheel at the end. The curtain can
also be lowered by the cord, because the action of the cord is such as to prevent the
axial pin rolling in the slot, hence the ratchet wheel and frictional spindle turn as
the curtain runs down by its own weight and winds up the cord on the spool; in
doing this the cord is handled by the attendant, who allows it to slide through the
hand with the necessary friction or holds the same and moves his hand upwardly
with the cord.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Griffith Brewer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th May 1880.
EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of 33, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CURTAIN ROLLERS AND APPLIANCES FOR RAISING, HOLDING,
OR LOWERING CURTAINS." A communication from abroad by Hubert Lewellyn
Judd, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of America.
Curtains have been attached to a roller and drawn up by a cord that is wound
upon a spool at the end of the roller; the curtain descends by unrolling from the
roller, and in so doing winds the cord on the spool. By the reverse movement the
curtain is rolled up by drawing the cord off the spool. The curtain and roller have
also been held by a ratchet and pawl.
The present Invention is an improvement upon this class of curtain fixtures.
The ratchet and curtain roller are connected frictionally, so that the curtain can be
drawn down by hand while the ratchet remains stationary, so as to render it
unnecessary to lower the curtain by the cord.
In the Drawing,―
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the curtain fixture and curtain, the middle part of the
latter being removed.
Fig. 2 is an end view with part of the bracket in section.
"
"
3 is a plan of the bracket and spool at the end of the curtain roller.
4 is a longitudinal section of the roller end and spool.
»
5 is a cross section of the same at the line x, x, and
"
6 is a cross section at the line y, y, of Fig. 4.
The curtain a is attached at one end to a roller b upon which it is to be wound.
At one end of the roller is a pivot pin or axis c supported by a bracket d; at the
other end of the roller there is an axial hole into which is inserted a long split
spindle e, preferably of wood, with a spring i of flat metal bent elliptically to open
the spindle and produce the required friction between the spindle and roller.
At the end of the spindle is an axial pin o entering a horizontal slot 2 in the
bracket that supports the curtain, and near the end of the spindle is a ratchet
wheel g of four or more cam shaped teeth; there is a pawl or stop 5 on the bracket,
and the curtain hangs down from the roller and by its weight revolves the roller
until the axial pin rolls along in the nearly horizontal slot 2 and brings one of the
ratchet teeth against the stop on the bracket and arrests the movement of the
curtain. The end portion of the curtain roller forms a spool to which one end of
a cord is attached; the cord passes around the spool in the opposite direction to
the curtain on the roller, so that as the curtain is drawn up by pulling on the cord
the said cord is unwound from the spool and the reverse.
The cord passes through an eye 7 on the bracket f, and has a tassel or weight at
its lower end; the curtain can be drawn down by taking hold of its lower edge,
and in so doing the cord is wound upon the spool and the roller turns on the split
frictional spindle which is held by the ratchet wheel at the end. The curtain can
also be lowered by the cord, because the action of the cord is such as to prevent the
axial pin rolling in the slot, hence the ratchet wheel and frictional spindle turn as
the curtain runs down by its own weight and winds up the cord on the spool; in
doing this the cord is handled by the attendant, who allows it to slide through the
hand with the necessary friction or holds the same and moves the hand upwardly
with the cord.
When the cord is liberated the axis of the roller rolls backwardly in its slotted
bearing and brings one of the teeth of the ratchet g over the stop 5, so as to arrest
the further downward movement of the curtain; but if the curtain is grasped and
pulled down the roller and spool turn upon the spindle e, which remains stationary
with the ratchet wheel.

page_text: The end of the spindle e and ratchet wheel g are connected by a pin or screw, and
there is a groove across the face of the ratchet wheel that receives the end of the
spindle, which latter is flattened to enter such groove, as seen in Figs. 4 and 6, so
as to firmly connect the spindle and ratchet.
What is claimed and to be secured by Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination in a curtain fixture of a roller with a cord spool at the
end, a frictional spindle, a ratchet wheel connected to the spindle, and a bracket
having a slotted bearing for the pivot and a stop for the ratchet, substantially as set
forth.
Second. The combination with the curtain roller having a spool, frictional spindle,
and ratchet wheel, of a bracket having a slot for the roller pivot, a stop for the
ratchet, and an eye for the cord, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Griffith Brewer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
E. G. BREWER. (L.S.)