IMPROVEMENTS IN STAIR ROD FASTENERS
Year: 1884

page_text: GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON of 24 Seller St Chester in the County of Chester,
Mechanical Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN STAIR ROD FASTENERS."
The novelty in this Invention is the construction of a Stair-Rod Fastener to open
at the front part thereof, the Rod which the Fastener holds being employed as the
agent or means for releasing the said rod, and has for its object, to facilitate the
fastening and releasing of ordinary Stair Rods which cannot be drawn out of the
Eyes or Fasteners endwise, but more particularly those Rods which have Knobs at
each end, and to obviate the necessity of screwing such Knobs on and off.
Instead of making the Fastener in one solid piece as they are usually made, the
one embodied in this invention is made in 3 or more pieces, viz, the "L" piece, Jaw,
and Spring, or L piece Lip, Check-Hook and Spring, or L piece, Drop-Hook and
Lock-Hook all these patterns embodying the same principle, viz opening from the
front, the Rod being used as the means of opening same as hereinbefore stated.
In order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood, I hereunto
append a sheet of Explanatory drawings, to which I will now refer.
Figs 1 to 4 are four views of one form of my Improved Fastener, Fig 1. is a
sectional Elevation of the Fastener when closed, in which A is the space occupied
by the Rod B, the L piece, C the Jaw, E the Spring and F the pin upon which the
Jaw hinges Fig 2 is a sectional elevation of the Fastener open, in which the letters
refer to the same parts as in Fig. 1. Figs 3 and 4 are Front Elevation and plan of
the Improved Fastener, respectively.
Figs 5 to 8 are four views of a modified form of the above described Fastener-
Fig 5 is a sectional elevation, in which A is the space occupied by the Rod, B the
L piece, C the Lip, E the check spring, D the stud for deflecting the said spring,
F the pin upon which the Lip hinges-Fig 6 is a sectional elevation of this form of
Fastener when open-Figs 7 and 8 are, respectively a front elevation and plan of the
said Fastener.
Figs 9 to 12 are four views of another modification of the first described Fastener.
Fig 9 is a sectional elevation of said Fastener when closed, in which A is the space
occupied by the Rod, B the L piece C the Lip, D the Check Hook, E the spring,
F the pin upon which the Lip C, hinges, G the pin upon which the Check Hook D,
ED R21

page_text: hinges Fig 10 is a sectional elevation of this Fastener when open, in which the
corresponding letters indicate the same parts Figs 11 & 12 are respectively front
elevation and plan of this form of Fastener.
Figs 13 to 16, are four views of another modification of the first described
Fastener. Fig 13 is a sectional elevation, in which A is the space occupied by the
Rod, B the L piece, C the Drop-Hook, D the Lock-Hook, E the pin upon which the
Drop-Hook C hinges, and F the pin upon which the Lock-Hook D hinges.
Fig 14 is a sectional elevation of this modified form of the Fastener when open,
the corresponding letters referring to the same parts as in Fig 13. Figs 15 and 16
are front elevation and plan respectively of this form of the Fastener.
Dated the 26th February 1884.

page_text: I, GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON of 24 Seller St Chester in the County of
Chester Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN STAIR ROD FASTENERS 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 my Invention is to construct a Stair Rod Fastener or " Stair Eye"
suitable for every description of Stair-rod, which shall allow of the rod being
inserted or removed otherwise than by sliding in endwise, and which shall resemble
an ordinary Stair-Eye; to facilitate the fastening and releasing of Stair-rods in
confined positions where they cannot be slided in, as in the case of "Box" Staircases;
and to obviate the necessity of removing and replacing the Knobs of ornamental
Stair rods, and to employ the rod itself as the means or instrument for manipulating
the Fastener, either for fastening or releasing the said rod.
To effect the above objects, I make my Improved Stair Rod Fastener in three or
more pieces, viz, the Body, Lip and Spring, or, the Body, Lip and check Hook.
In the first mentioned form, the Lip forms the front part of the Fastener and is
hinged or jointed on a level with the centre of the rod, so as to allow it to open
outwards, and has a continuation or Tail part, fitting into a recess in the Body
which engages a flat Spring, contained in the said Body part the said Spring
projects outwards into the space occupied by the rod, thereby holding the rod
securely when in position. The Tail part of the said Lip passes beneath the rod
and engages the Flat Spring as aforesaid.
In the other form of my Improved Stair Rod Fastener the Lip is hinged above
the rod to allow of its opening upwards and has a Hook or barb formed upon the
underside of its outward end, which engages another Hook of similar shape
contained in a recess in the lower part of the Body, secured by a pin, and free to
oscillate thereon, which Hook has a continuation or Tail passing under the rod and
standing up behind same.
When it is desired to release the rod or open the Fastener in the case of the first
mentioned Spring Fastener, the rod is pressed inwards against the Spring, which
disengages the Tail part of the Lip, and allows the rod to be lifted out, the said
Spring pressing against the underside of the Tail, keeps the Lip open.
To fasten the rod or close the Fastener, the rod is placed in the jaw of the Lip piece
and pressed downwards, when the Tail passes the end of the Spring, which flies out
and prevents the Lip lifting until the rod is again pressed against the said Spring.
To release the rod in the case of the other Improved Stair Rod Fastener herein
described, the rod is pressed inwards, in the same manner as in the first described
form of Fastener, which disengages the two Hooks and thereby allows of the Top
one lifting up, which is also done by the rod.
The operation of fastening is the same as in the first described form of my
Improved Fastener, the pull outwards of the Carpet, keeping the inner Hook
securely engaged with the Top or Drop Hook.
In my Provisional Specification, I included four varieties, embodying the same
principle; I now propose to confine myself to two only i.e. those numbered 1 to 4
and 13 to 16 upon the Drawings accompanying my said Provisional Specification,
and which I will now proceed to describe that my said Invention may be the better
understood.
Figs 1 to 4 are four views of the first described form of my Improved Stair Rod
Fastener. Fig 1 is a sectional Elevation of the Fastener when closed, in which A

page_text: the space occupied by the rod, B the Body, C the Lip, E the Spring and F the
n upon which the Lip C hinges. Fig 2 is a sectional elevation of the Fastener
ben open, in which the letters refer to the same parts as in Fig 1. Figs 3 and 4
front elevation and plan respectively. Figs 13 to 16 are four views of the second
m of Fastener herein described. Fig 13 is a sectional elevation, in which A is
space occupied by the rod, B the Body, C the Drop Hook or Lip D the Lock
Check Hook. Fig 14 is a sectional elevation of this form of Fastener when open.
gs 15 and 16 are front elevation and plan respectively, the letters in each view
ferring to the same parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
laim is:-
1. The general Design and construction of a Stair Rod Fastener opening in the
front part thereof, allowing the removal and replacing of the rod by that
means, and securing the rod when in position by a self-acting Spring,
substantially as herein described.
2. The design and construction of a Stair Rod Fastener, opening in the front part
thereof, the rod being secured by two Hooks engaging each other, and kept
in position by the strain of the carpet upon the rod.
3. The Design and construction of a Stair Rod Fastener opening in the front
part thereof, by means of a Hook or Lip, hinged either on a level with, or
above the rod, and secured by a Spring or Lock Hook, substantially as
herein described.
4. The Design and construction of a Stair Rod Fastener which can be wholly
manipulated by the rod either to open and release, or to close and secure
the stair-rod substantially as herein described.
Dated this tenth day of November, one thousand, Eight hundred and Eighty
fout.