Improvements in the Drying of Curtains, Lace, and the like.
Year: 1887

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Drying of Curtains, Lace, and the like.
I, CARL OTTO WOLFF of Plauen in the Kingdom of Saxony, Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The drying of curtains, lace, smooth tulles, and the like in the original breadth has
hitherto been effected in such a manner, that only one piece of fabric could occupy the
frame, and therefore a separate operation was required for each piece of material to he
dried in the respective drying room; this resulting from the large size of the piece of
fabric viz.: 8 metres in breadth and 56 metres in length, and the construction of the
stretching frames which consist of two bars movable on wheels and provided with
needle beads, to which the curtain is hooked along the sides. These bars are adapted
to be approached to or removed from each other by means of rack or similar mechanism,
while in the middle between the two bars are arranged the frames which support the
rack bars and carry the pinions and operating mechanism.
Owing to the construction of such a frame firstly the space in the drying room,
which corresponds in size to the piece of material, is badly utilized and secondly the
working capacity of the frame is very limited.
To remove these drawbacks, I employ a frame system allowing several curtains,
laces or flat tulles in original breadth to be simultaneously stretched and dried on
frames situated above one another.
Referring to the annexed drawings Fig. 1 is a side view. Fig. 2 a plan and Fig. 3
an end view of the frame, the other figures representing various details of construction
The rows of posts HH2 H3 etc. and S1 S2 S3 etc. are placed parallel at a distance
corresponding to the whole or half of the original breadth of the curtains or material
to be dried namely 4 or 8 metres, the separate posts of cach row being connected
together by the rods etc. Each corresponding pair of posts H and S are also
connected with each other by a number of double cross QQQ³. These cross rods
support the extremities of the bars W1 W2 W3 and V1 V2 V3 provided with needle
beads (Figs. 4 and 5) on which the curtains are hooked in the usual manner. The

page_text: single bars W, the length of which is equal to the distance from centre to centre of
the posts H, are at their extremities provided with iron plates » (Fig. 7) furnished
with slots s Fig. 5 through which extend the pin z on the iron plates P, sliding on the
cross.rods Q2. Thus the bars Ware so connected with each other, that they can
be turned from the straight line into the position indicated by dotted lines Fig. 2 and
thereby can be slightly displaced in their longitudinal direction. The plates P have
on their lower side a rectangular nut M (Figs. 7 and 8) which serves as a guide to the
plates when being displaced, and is provided with a screw nut thread which gears with
the spindle It provided with crank or hand wheel K. The spindles Rare journalled so
as to be revolvable but not displaceable in the posts H and cach post H carries so
many spindles as there are pairs of bars W and double cross rods Q. By turning
the hand wheels K the plates P and with them the ends of the bars W can be
approached to or removed from the posts H.
The bars V1 V2 are likewise provided at their extremities with iron plates », which,
similarly to the bars W are held by pins on the plates P; these however are provided
on their under side with projecting beads t for the purpose of accurate guiding of the
plates. Each of the plates P on this side of the frame carries a ratchet hook or pawl G,
which catches into a ratelet har Z (Figs. 4, 5 and 6) fastened to the cross rod Q.
The pawl G secures the plate P and therewith the bars V in any position and prevents
it from displacement by the strain of the stretched fabric.
At the front and rear end each of the frames arranged above each other is completed
by a cross lath Land E respectively Figs. 1 and 2. The laths L at the fore extremity
of the frames, which may be called the front laths are journalled in the posts X and Y
and the trunnions of these laths extend through the posts X and Y Figs. 11, 12 and 13
and are bored laterally to receive the pin m which when passed through the trunnion
comes in contact with a dog p on the post X or Y respectively and thereby secures the
Jath L either in the position shown in Fig. 12 or, when turned for half a revolution in
the position shown in Fig. 13.
This turning of the lath L is necessary to protect the piece of fabric which is drawn
over the lath to be stretched on the frame from coming in contact with the pins n'.
situated on the lath and being torn or injured thereby.
The above mentioned end laths E, are displaceable; they are supported with their
ends direct by the bar W and V respectively and fixed in their relative position by
clamps O in such a manner, that they come in close contact under the strain of the
stretched piece of fabric with the clamps screwed fast on the bars W and V. Thus
each end lath E can lie set fast without impairing the movement of the thereunder
lying bars in the cross direction. Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate the manner in which this
is performed. The piece of fabric to be stretched is brought to the fore end of the
frame to the lath I. and lies in its original breadth, the end lath E is now slid to the
front end of the frame, the edges of the curtain or fabric is hooked upon the lath E
and the latter is drawn rearward by means of a cord and a windlass placed at the end
of the frame, the fabric is drawn longitudinally over the whole frame. When the
fabric is so far drawn rearward, that the extremity arrives nearly over the lath L this
end is hooked on the needle bead of the lath L, the latter having been turned from the
position shown in Fig. 13, into that shown in Fig. 12, whereupon the piece of fabric
may be completely drawn out to the required length. In this position of the
fabric stretched lengthwise, the end lath E is fixed by the holdfasts O and the piece of
fabric is hooked at the sides onto the needle beads of the bars W and V and also
stretched to the required breadth.
During the lateral stretching first the bars V1 V2 V3 and then the cheeks
WWW are drawn outwardly that is to say towards the posts S or H respectively.
The cheeks V are drawn out by hand through the supporting plates P connecting
the bars with each other.
The bars Ware however drawn out by means of the screw spindles R. The
first piece being thus stretched, other pieces are in the same manner stretched on
the other frames since moisture drips from the fabric when stretched, the pieces

page_text: of fabric are stretched on the frames successively from above. Above the frame
and over its whole length may be arranged ventilating wings, which turn in a
direction opposite to each other and effect in combination with the heat of the room,
the drying of the fabric.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The process of stretching curtains, laces and smooth tulles, for the purpose of
drying, in the half and whole of the original breadth on several frames placed above
each other.
2. For the application of the process referred to in Claim 1, a device consisting of a
number of stretching frames situated above each other, supported by a frame formed
of posts HS and cross Rods Q with ratchet bars and screw spindles Rand consisting
of displaceable side bars V and W pivoted to each other, a stationary but revolvable
front lath Land a displaceable end lath E, the securing of the bars V being effected
by pawls G and tooth rods Z, the bar W being secured by the screw-spindles R, and
the end lath E by displaceable clamps O, substantially as set forth.