IM. PROVEMENTS IN ARRANGING AND ACTUATING WINDOW CURTAINS, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Fraser at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th June
1864.
I, JOHN FRASER, of Number 78, Mildmay Road, Islington, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM.
PROVEMENTS IN ARRANGING AND ACTUATING WINDOW CURTAINS, AND APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of an improved method of drawing window
curtains when attached to the rings of a cornice pole from the sides of
a window to the centre thereof, and withdrawing such curtains; and is
effected by means of a projecting 2-sheaved upright pulley (No. 1), a
right-hand bevelled 2-sheaved side pulley (No. 2), a left-hand bevelled
two-sheaved side pulley (No. 3), two single pulleys on the right and left
respectively (Nos. 4 and 5), two cords and two guide and connecting eyes,
and wire stems to connect the cords with the guide or leading rings of the
cornice pole.
The manner in which I adjust the apparatus to the curtains of an
ordinarily constructed window is as follows:-I screw the pulley No. 1.
behind the cornice pole on the upper part of the window frame above the
centre of the window, and screw the pulley No. 2 on the right-hand side,
and pulley No. 3 on the left-hand side of the window frame, behind the
cornice pole at the extreme ends of the window frame. Having thus fixed
the three uppermost pulleys, I then proceed to adjust the cords, guide, and

page_text: connecting eyes, and wire stems and pulleys, Nos. 4 and 5, to enable me to
draw and withdraw the right-hand window curtain. I pass one of the cords
round one of the sheaves of the pulley No. 1, from right to left, carrying
the ends of the cord to the right-hand side. I then pass the end of the
cord nearest the cornice pole through the guide eye, to which I then tie the
cord at a distance of about 3 feet from the end thereof, which end I then
pass over the sheave of the pulley No. 2, which is nearest to the cornice
pole. I then pass the other end of the cord over the other sheave of the
same pulley, No. 2, and round the sheave of one of the pulleys Nos. 4
and 5, from left to right, and then fasten the ends of the cord securely
together in the usual manner in which blind cords are fastened. I then
screw the lastly mentioned pulley to and as far down the right-hand side
of the window frame as the cord will allow. I then pass the wire stem.
round the nearest part of the right-hand guide or leading ring of the cornice
pole and carry as much of the wire stem as necessary through the con-
necting eye, and fasten it by twisting the portion of the wire stem so carried
through round the shank of the guide and connecting eye.
I then arrange,
adjust, and fasten the other cord, guide, and connecting eye and wire stem
and remaining pulley, and connect them with and adapt them to the left-
band cornice pole, leading ring, and curtain on the same principle as I have
described with respect to the right-hand cornice pole, leading ring and
curtain. When so arranged, adjusted, and fastened, the curtains may be
drawn from the sides of the window to the centre and withdrawn without
being touched by hand, or crumpled or toru.
By the arrangements and apparatus hitherto in use, by which curtains
are drawn and withdrawn between the sides of windows and the centre
by means of pulleys and cords, a strain is caused on the cornice poles
whenever the cords are pulled, and the pulleys and cords are arranged
so that both curtains are drawn and withdrawn together, whereas by my
improved apparatus the strain is thrown wholly on the window frame, and
either of the curtains may be drawn from the sides of the window to the
centre, and withdrawn as above described, separately, without disturbing or
affecting the position of the other.