Improvements in Rails for Short Blinds and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 9th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rails for Short Blinds and the like.
I, IDA IRENE BECKER, of Carisbrooke Lodge, Muswell Hill, in the County
of Middlesex, Dame, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to rails or bars such as are used for windows and the like
to carry short blinds or curtains. Usually the fabric is attached to such rails by a
hem or piping or by rings or other means requiring previous preparation. My
object is to provide a simple and cheap rail to which the blind or curtain can be
very easily affixed and detached without any previous preparation.
For this purpose I provide a rail of an inverted shape. It may be made of
brass, tin, or other metal, or of wood or any suitable material, and ornamented or
painted as desired. This rail when cut to the required length to fit any window
frame may be fixed thereto by staples, eyes and screws, hooks, or otherwise
conveniently. On one of the inner sides of the rail I arrange a series or line of
pointed pins suitably spaced upon which the upper edge of the fabric is simply
pressed either plainly or with any kind of tucks or pleats. The fabric may be
then secured in position by a simple rod adapted to press against it adjacent to
and preferably underneath the pins and passing through eyes at either end; or I
may make the pin-bar of metal of sufficient resiliency to pierce and hold the
fabric firmly either of itself or by aid of an internal projection or projections,
pointed or otherwise.
In some cases 1 may make my improved fixing rail in two parts and hinge them
together so as to enable it to be opened whilst adjusting the fabric on the pins, and
then closed together and fixed by screws, hooks, clips, or the like. Thus the short
blinds need no preparation for fixing and may be removed and replaced without
removing the rail.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1894.
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Agent.
Improvements in Rails for Short Blinds and the like.
I IDA IRENE BECKER, of Carisbrooke Lodge, Muswell Hill, in the County
of Middlesex, Dame, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and the
manner in which the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to rails or bars such as are used for windows doors and. so
forth to carry short blinds curtains and the like. Usually the fabric is attached to
such rails by a hem or piping or by rings or other means requiring previous
preparation. My object is to provide a simple and cheap rail to which the
blind or curtain can be very easily affixed and detached without any previous
preparation.
For this purpose according to my invention I provide a rail of an inverted
shape more or less, the front and back members thereof being of the same or

page_text: unequal lengths as may be desired, and the back member or that one which comes
next to the window being flat or nearly so. The back bar is provided with a
series of pins by which the fabric is pierced and then further secured as hereinafter
appears.
will more fully describe my invention with sundry modified arrangements in
reference to the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a partly sectional view of one form of my improved rail with part of
a blind fixed, and Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 show modified arrangements of
same hereinafter referred to ;
Fig. 8, shows two of my improved rails with both curtains and short blinds
attached and fixed in position in a window.
being shown of
The rail may be
may be of wood,
metal and other
Referring to Figure 1, A is the rail, the side pieces of the
unequal lengths and the back or window piece flat or nearly so.
made of brass, tin, or other suitable metal, or for cheapness it
papier-maché, millboard or other material or a combination of
material, and painted, scalloped or otherwise ornamented to any desired degree.
The rails are made of any required length, width, and depth; or a long rail may
be made and cut to the required lengths to fit any window frames or other situations,
and it is fixed thereto at either end by staples, eyes, or slots such as e. e. or screws,
hooks or otherwise conveniently. On one of the inner sides of the rail, preferably
on the flat back or window side, I arrange a series or line of pointed pins B
suitably spaced apart, upon which the upper part of the fabric F is simply pressed
by hand either plainly or with any kind of tucks or pleats as desired.
The fabric is then secured in position by a bar or rod such as C which may be
round or flat but is adapted to press firmly against the fabric preferably immediately
underneath the pins B; the rod is secured by passing through closed or opening
eyes b at either end, or by an eye and socket as shown. To secure a good hold
the rod C may be thickened at its ends where they engage the staples as at c in
Fig. 1, or it may be formed into knobs as at c¹ c¹ Figs. 4 and 5; or as illustrated
in Figs. 2 and 3 I may make the rail A of metal of sufficient self-resiliency to be
sprung open and to pierce and hold the applied fabric F by its own spring pressure
aided by pins or an internal projection such as B'; or if desired the front side
or covering part may be slit in several places to form a series of clips as shown
at a. a. Fig. 3, for facilitating the fixing in position of the fabric F.
In some cases I make my improved rail in two parts A. A' as shown Figs. 4 5
and 6, the back one A being flat or nearly so and the front one A¹ being curved
and shaped as required. The two are hinged together at a¹ so as to enable the
rail to be opened whilst adjusting the fabric on the pins B, and fixing the rod C,
and then closed together; or I may dispense with the rod Cand so form the
cover A as to press gently against the pin points B and be secured in that position
by hooks such as h in Figure 6, or by screws or clips or other suitable means; or
the closure may be effected by a spring such as s, Fig. 7, serving to keep the
part A only in fully open or fully closed position. In these constructions the
window piece A may conveniently be made of wood and the cover piece A¹ of tin
or suitable metal.
Where a very inexpensive rail is required I may dispense with the covering
part A, the flat part A only being used in conjunction with the pins B and rod C
but I prefer the use of the front member or cover as giving a neater and more
finished appearance.
Thus the blind or curtain needs no preparation for fixing, and may be removed
and replaced without removing the rail; it only being necessary when hanging the
curtain to raise the part A' of the rail, press the fabric upon the pins, replace the
bar C, or release or return the part A¹ to its normal position, when the curtain
will be securely fixed to the rail. Fig. 8 illustrates a window fitted with my
improved rails both for the curtains and the short blind.
By this invention no sewing or previous preparation is required and the blinds
may be fixed and detached readily and by any inexperienced person.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The hereinabove described construction of rail for short blinds and the like
consisting in the combination of a bar of more or less inverted shape having a
number of interiorly arranged pins for piercing the fabric with a detachable bar
for securing same, all arranged and adapted for use substantially as set forth.
2. The construction and arrangement of rail set forth in reference to Figs. 2
and 3 wherein the rail is made of resilient metal bent to the required shape
and provided with internal pins or projections substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
3. The construction of rail set forth in reference to Figures 4, 5 and 6 consisting
in the combination with the back or pin bar A of a covering piece A¹ hinged
thereto and means for securing the fabric; the whole being arranged or adapted
to operate substantially as and for the purposes above described.
4. The several arrangements of my improved rails for short blinds and the like
substantially as above set forth and illustrated respectively in the figures.
Dated this and dox of Fahmuar 1905
For the Applicant,
J. C. CHAPMAN,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.