AN IMPROVE- MENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN NAILS FOR HANGING OR SUSPENDING PICTURES, MAPS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edwin Mewis, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Rope and Twine Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVE-
MENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN NAILS FOR HANGING OR SUSPENDING PICTURES,
MAPS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."
Soaled the 28th November 1879, and dated the 10th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edwin Mewis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th June 1879.
GEORGE EDWIN MEWIS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Rope and
Twine Manufacturer. "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN NAILS FOR HANG-
ING OR SUSPENDING PICTURES, MAPS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."
In nails of the ordinary kind used for hanging or suspending pictures, maps, and
other like articles, the suspending cord is supported upon the stem of the nail and
in direct contact therewith, a small portion only of the cord taking or bearing upon
the stem of the nail. By the contact of the cord with the metallic stem of the nail
the said cord becomes rapidly worn and injured.
The object of my Invention is principally to prevent the wearing of and injury
to the suspending cord of the picture, map, or other article. This object I effect by
combining with or arranging upon the stem of the nail a large grooved bearing or
collar made preferably of wood, china, or other non-metallic material, over which
grooved bearing or collar the suspending cord of the picture or other article to be
suspended is passed. The said grooved bearing or collar is situated immediately at
the back of the screwed head of the nail, aud is made, by preference, of a circular
or disc like figure grooved on its edge or periphery, but I do not limit myself to
this shape of the said bearing or collar, nor to making it of any particular size, but
I generally make it of somewhat less diameter than that of the head of the nail.
The grooved bearing or collar is fixed in its place on the stem of the nail, before the
screwed head is screwed on the said stem, by driving it upon the stem from the
point towards the thick end of the stem, a shoulder or abutment being made at
the screwed end of the stem for the grooved bearing or collar to abut against.
The nail is driven by striking its screwed end in the ordinary way, the ornamental
head having been removed, and after screwing on the ornamental head the nail is
31

page_text: ready to receive the suspending cord, the said cord being passed over the grooved
bearing or collar behind the said head.
By means of the large non-metallic bearing surface, on which the cord is hung or
suspended, the cord is not injured by contact with the said bearing surface, and the
position of the said cord on the nail is preserved, and as the strain on the cord is
spread over a larger portion of the cord at the suspending or bearing part than
when ordinary nails are used, additional safety in the hanging of pictures and other
articles is thereby obtained.
Although I prefer to make the grooved bearing or collar separate from the
screwed head of the nail yet the said bearing or collar may be combined with the
head, so that the screwing of the head on to the stem of the nail at the same time
fixes the grooved bearing or collar on the nail.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Edwin Mewis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
December 1879.
GEORGE EDWIN MEWIS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Rope and
Twine Manufacturer. "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN NAILS FOR HANG-
ING OR SUSPENDING PICTURES, MAPS, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES."
In nails of the ordinary kind used for hanging or suspending pictures, maps, and
other like articles, the suspending cord is supported upon the stem of the nail and
in direct contact therewith, a small portion only of the cord taking a bearing upon
the stem of the nail. By the contact of the cord with the metallic stem of the nail
the said cord becomes rapidly worn and injured.
The object of my Invention is principally to prevent the wearing of and injury
to the suspending cord of the picture, map, or other article.
This object I effect by combining with or arranging upon the stem of the nail a
large grooved bearing or collar made preferably of wood, china, or other non-
metallic material, over which grooved bearing or collar the suspending cord of the
picture or other article to be suspended is passed. The said grooved bearing or
collar is situated immediately at the back of the screwed head of the nail, and is
made by preference of a circular or disc like figure grooved on its edge or periphery,
but I do not limit myself to this shape of the said bearing or collar, nor to making
it of any particular size, but I generally make it of somewhat less diameter than
that of the head of the nail. The grooved bearing or collar is fixed in its place on
the stem of the nail, before the screwed head is screwed on the said stem, by
driving it upon the stem from the point towards the thick end of the stem, a
shoulder or abutment being made at the screwed end of the stem for the grooved
bearing or collar to abut against; or the bearing or collar may turn loosely on the
stem, and be situated between two limiting shoulders on the stem. The nail is
driven by striking its screwed end in the ordinary way, the ornamental head
having been removed, and after screwing on the ornamental head the nail is ready
to receive the suspending cord, the said cord being passed over the grooved bearing
or collar behind the said head. Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawing
represent in side elevation nails having different shaped ornamental heads, the said
nails being provided with my Invention; Figure 3 represents in perspective one of
the said nails with the ornamental head detached from the stem; and Figure 4
represents a front elevation of one of the nails, with the suspending cord passed
over the grooved bearing or collar of the nail.
a is the stem of the nail and b is the ornamental head screwed onto the screwed
end c in the ordinary way; d is the grooved non-metallic or metallic bearing or
collar on the stem of the nail, over which bearing or collar the suspending cord e of
the picture, map, or other article is passed. I prefer to make the said grooved
bearing or collar & turn loosely on the stem a. In this case the hole in the axis of
the grooved collar d is made cylindrical and is slightly larger than the stem, the
said grooved collar & being situated and turning between two circular flanges or
shoulders f, g, on the stem. The lower flange or shoulder g is fixed on the stem
either by forging, soldering, or otherwise, and the upper flange or shoulder ƒ is
made separately, and fixed in its place by screwing it upon the screwed end c of
the stem, after the bearing or grooved collar & has been put in its place against the
lower flange or shoulder g.
The upper flange or shoulder f may be fixed otherwise than by screwing.
I prefer to make the grooved bearing or collar d of some non-metallic material,
such as wood, ebonite, or china, but the said grooved bearing or collar & may be
made of metal.
The nail a is driven by striking the screwed end c, after the removal of the
head b in the usual way, and after the nail has been driven the head 6 is again

page_text: screwed in its place, and the nail is ready to receive the suspending corde of the
picture, map, or other article, as seen in Figure 4.
Although I prefer to make the grooved bearing or collar & turn loosely on the
stem of the nail and confine it in its place between two flanges or shoulders f, g, as
represented, yet the said grooved bearing or collar may be made incapable of
turning on the stem. In this case it may be fixed on the stem by driving it
thereon, either from the point end, as represented in Figure 5, or from the screwed
end, as represented in Figure 6, a single flange or shoulder h being made for the
fixed grooved bearing or collar to take its abutment against; or the flange or
flanges may be dispensed with, the grooved bearing or collar being simply passed
onto the stem of the nail. Although I prefer to make the grooved bearing or collar
separate from the screwed head of the nail, yet the said bearing or collar may be
combined with the head, so that the screwing of the head onto the stem of the
nail at the same time fixes the grooved bearing or collar on the nail.
By means of the large non-metallic or metallic bearing surface on which the cord
is hung or suspended the cord is not injured by contact with the said bearing
surface, and the position of the said cord on the nail is preserved and readily
adjusted, and as the strain on the cord is spread over a larger portion of the cord
at the suspending or bearing part than when ordinary nails are used additional
safety in the hanging of pictures and other articles is thereby obtained.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention, the improvement or improvements in nails for hanging or suspending
pictures, maps, and other like articles, herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing, that is to say, combining with the stem of the nail, or
with the ornamental head of the nail, a fixed or loose grooved bearing or collar,
over which the suspending cord passes, for the purposes and substantially as
described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edwin Mewis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
WILLIAM BURRELL,
Birstall,
Nr. Leeds.
GEORGE EDWIN MEWIS. (L.S.)