Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1838
Complete Left, 14th May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 27th July, 1888
ADAM HORROCKS, Ironmonger, No. 8, Fleet Street, and THOMAS THORNTON,
Carpenter & Joiner, 34 Margaret Street, both of Bury, in the County of Lancaster,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to stretch or straighten out Window Curtains, in
process of drying after being washed and starched, more particularly what are termed
Long" Window Curtains and to dry two of these at one and the same time, on the
same stretcher, ensuring a clear air space between them.
66
Our invention as herein after described, provides for securing in a more convenient
As the Curtains and stretcher are
way the stretching and drying of Lace Curtains.
suspended on a clothes line or rail by means of two hooks or rings, the curtains being
the thickness of the frame apart, that is, one on each side of the frame, there is a
clear air space of the thickness of the frame between them. The parts of the stretcher
are adjusted seperately as the Curtains are fixed on.
In carrying out our invention, we make four rails or laths of wood all of one
thickness, of a suitable length and strength. On the two flat sides or faces of these
rails we drive pins or hooks, preferably pins, on which to affix the curtains.
One of these rails is for the top and one for the bottom, and the other two are ends.
On the edge of the top rail are screwed two hooks or rings to suspend it from a
clothes line or rail. The curtains are next stretched lengthwise onto the pins in the
rail, one Curtain on each side of the rail. To the suspended Curtains is now affixed
the bottom rail, also by means of the pins, the weight of this rail stretches them out
to their width. We have now two Curtains suspended, the thickness of the rails
apart but the ends are slightly curved inwards, so we next hook into the Curtains the
end rails, into the outer edges of these end rails, are two screw eyes, or hooks, thro
these eyes or hooks is passed cords, which are attached to the ends of the top and
bottom rails and then drawn taut and tied, thus stretching the two Curtains.

page_text: For convenience of storing away the top and bottom rails are in two pieces and
joined with hinges so that they will close up, or they may be 'spliced or fished together
and joined with thumb screws.
The end rails are say five feet long and to allow for the various widths of Curtains
we cut these rails at either one or both ends and then join the pieces to the
rails again with hinges so that they will turn either up or down to make the rail
either longer or shorter.

page_text: 1
An Improved Curtain Stretcher.
ADAM HORROCKS, Ironmonger, No. 8 Fleet Street and THOMAS THORNTON,
Carpenter & Joiner 34 Margaret Street, both of Bury in the County of Lancaster,
do hereby declare the nature of our invention for AN IMPROVED CURTAIN STRETCHER
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to stretch or straighten out window curtains in
process of drying after being washed and starched more particularly what are termed
Long" Window Curtains and to dry two of these at one and the same time, on the
same stretcher ensuring a clear air space between them.
Our invention as herein after described provides for securing in a more convenient
way the stretching and drying of lace curtains. As the curtains and stretcher are
suspended on clothes line or rail by means of two hooks or rings, the Curtains being
the thickness of the frame apart, that is, one on each side of the frame, there is a clear
air space of the thickness of the frame between them. The parts of the stretcher are
adjusted seperately as the curtains are fixed on.
In carrying out our invention, we make four rails or laths of wood all of one
thickness of a suitable length and strength, on the two flat sides or faces of these
rails, we drive pins or Hooks, or Tapes, preferably pins, on which to affix the
Curtains.
One of these rails is for the top and one for the bottom and the other two are
ends. On the edge of the top rail fig. 2 are screwed two hooks or rings to suspend
it from a clothes line fig. 1 or rail. The curtains are next stretched lengthwise onto
the pins in the rail, one curtain on each side of the rail. To the suspended curtains
is now affixed the bottom rail, fig. 3 also by means of the pins, the weight of this rail
stretches them out to their width. We have now two Curtains suspended the
thickness of the rails apart but the ends are slightly curved inwards, so we next hook
into the curtains the end rails figs. 4 & 5, into the outer edges of these end rails are
screw eyes or Hooks, thro these eyes or Hooks is passed cords, which are attached to
the ends of the top and bottom rails and then drawn taut and tied, or wound around
cleats, thus stretching the two curtains.
For convenience of storing away the top and bottom rails are in two pieces and
joined with hinges, so that they will close up as in fig. 6. Or they may be spliced or
fished together and joined with thumb screws.
The end rails are say five feet long and to allow for the various widths of Curtains
we cut these rails at either one or both ends and then join the pieces to the rails
again with hinges so that they will turn either up or down to make the rail either
longer or shorter as in figs. 7 & 8. Fig. 9 shows end view of frame & curtains.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of our
said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is-
A simple, efficient, and quick, method and apparatus for stretching two "Long”
Lace Curtains, of all sizes made, at one and the same time, on the same frame, one
on each side, constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein particularly set forth.