A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING CORNICE POLES, AND PICTURE AND CURTAIN RODS, AND OTHER RODS FROM WHICH ARTICLES ARE SUSPENDED
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas James Perry, of the Lozells, in the
Parish of Aston-juxta-Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Engine Turner, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD
OF CONSTRUCTING CORNICE POLES, AND PICTURE AND CURTAIN RODS, AND
OTHER RODS FROM WHICH ARTICLES ARE SUSPENDED."
Sealed the 23d August 1853, and dated the 8th March 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas James
Perry at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th March 1853.
I, THOMAS JAMES PERRY, of the Lozells, in the Parish of Aston-
juxta-Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engine Turner, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING CORNICE POLES, AND PICTURE AND CURTAIN RODS,
AND OTHER RODS FROM WHICH ARTICLES ARE SUSPENDED," to be as follows:-
Fig. 1, represents a transverse section, and Fig. 2, a longitudinal
section of a cornice pole, constructed according to my Invention.
the hollow tube, of which the cornice pole consists; b, a rod suspended

page_text: by its ends, and also, if necessary, by its middle in the axis of the said
tube a; c, is a slot extending from end to end of the tube a, or ex-
tending from each end to nearly the middle of the said tube a; d, one
of the rings (of which any number may be used) from which the curtain
is suspended; e, a link, hanging from each of the rings d, the lower end
of the link passing through the slot c, in the tube a: a hook f, is
attached to or hung from each of the links e, to which said hooks the
curtain is attached by sewing or otherwise. The said ring d, and link e,
may be made in one piece: g, is a helical-spring, one end of which
bears against a block h, sliding on the rod b, and the other end against
the closed end of the tube a. i, is a cord connected to the sliding
block h, and passing over a pulley k, at the end of the tube a. By
pulling the said cord i, the block h, is made to slide on the rod b, and
compress the coiled spring g, and gather up the curtain; the rings d,
carrying which, are situated between the coils of the said spring. By
then fastening the said cord the curtain may be maintained in its
collapsed state, and by loosing the said cord the spring g, expands and
opens or spreads the curtain where it is thought desirable. The spring g,
and cord and pulley i, k, may be omitted, and the curtain drawn by
hand; and sometimes I omit the rod b, and suspend the rings to which
the curtain is hung from the coils of the spring.
By this method of construction the exterior of the said tube a, may
be ornamented, without the said ornament interfering with the sliding
of the rings d.
My Invention applies to curtain and picture rods, and generally to
rods from which articles are suspended; and in applying my said Inven-
tion to picture rods, and rods in general from which articles are sus-
pended, I omit the spring cord and pulley herein described.

page_text: Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engine Turner, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Thomas James Perry, Her special licence that I, the
said Thomas James Perry, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Thomas James Perry, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,.
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel!
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED:
METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING CORNICE POLES, AND PICTURE AND CURTAIN RODS,
AND OTHER RODS FROM WHICH ARTICLES ARE SUSPENDED," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas James Perry, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and as
certain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same:
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas James Perry, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
Figure 1, represents in vertical and longitudinal section one method
of carrying my Invention into effect, the said Figure representing a cor-
nice pole constructed according to my Invention. Figure 1, A, represents
a transverse vertical section of the same; Figure 2, represents in
vertical and longitudinal section another method of carrying my In-
vention into effect; and Figure 2, A, represents a transverse section of
the same; the said Figures 2, 2 A, representing a cornice pole con-
structed according to my Invention; and Figure 3, represents a
vertical and longitudinal section of a curtain rod for carriages and
'

page_text: other places where a single curtain is used, constructed according to my
Invention.
I will describe the several Figures in numerical order: a, Figures
1, 1 A, is the hollow tube of which the cornice pole consists. b, is a
rod or tube suspended by its ends, and also, if thought necessary, by its
middle, in the axis of the said tube a. c, is a slot extending from end
to end of the tube a, or extending from each end to nearly the middle
of the said tube. d, d, are rings (of which any number may be used)
from which the curtain is suspended; these rings are placed equi-
distantly on the rod b, and between the coils of the springs g, J.
e, e, are links suspended from or attached to the rings d, d; the
lower ends of the said links e, e, pass through the slot c, in the tube a:
hooks are attached to the links e, e, to which said hooks the curtain is
attached by sewing or otherwise. g, g, are helical springs, one end of
each of which is connected with plates h, h, sliding on the rod b, and
the other ends of the springs g, g, bear against the closed ends of the
tube a. i, i, are cords attached at one end to the sliding plates h, h,
and passed over pulleys k, k, at the ends of the tube a: by pulling the
said cords i, i, the plates h, h, are drawn along the rod b; the
springs g, g, are thereby compressed, and, in contracting, gather up
or draw together the rings d, d; and with them the curtains suspended
therefrom. By pulling one of the cords i, i, one end of the curtains
will be gathered up. By then fastening the cord or cords the curtain
or curtains will be held in a collapsed state. By loosing the cord or
cords i, i, the spring or springs g, g, will be allowed to expand, and,
assuming the position represented in the drawing, will open or spread
the curtain or curtains. When it is thought desirable, the springs g,g,
and cords i, i, and pulleys k, k, may be omitted, and the curtains drawn
by hand.
The method of carrying my Invention into effect, represented in
Figures 2, 2 A, differs from the modification represented in Figure 1,
1 A, in the following respect; that is to say, the rod b, Figure 1, 1 A,
is omitted, and the diameter of the helical springs 1, 1, Figures 2, 2 A,
is as large as is compatible with their proper sliding in the tube m;
the links n, from which the curtain is suspended, are hung on the

page_text: coils of the springs 1, 1, as represented; and the cords o, by which the
springs 1, 1, are compressed, are situated in the axis of the tube m, and at-
tached to blocks p, p, against which the moveable ends of the springs I, I,
bear. By drawing the cords o, o, the blocks p, p, are made to slide along
the tube m, and compress the springs 1, 1. By compressing the said
springs 1, 1, the curtains hung therefrom are gathered up, as will be
understood from what has been already said with respect to Figures 1,
1 A. I prefer carrying my Invention into effect according to the
method represented at Figures 1, 1A, when the cornice pole is of
large diameter; and according to the method represented in Figures
2, 2A, when the cornice pole is of small diameter; but I do not
limit myself thereto. The method of carrying my Invention into
effect, represented in Figure 3, is applicable to single curtains, and
so closely resembles in construction and action one half of the cornice
pole, represented in Figures 2, 2 A, that its action will be readily
understood by an examination of the said Figure 3, and reference to
the description of Figures 2, 2 A.
The method of carrying my Invention into effect, represented in
Figure 3, is applicable to single curtains, such as the curtains of rail-
way and other carriage windows.
By constructing cornice poles, curtain and other rods, according to
my Invention, the exterior of the said cornice poles and curtain and
other rods may be ornamented, without the ornament thereon inter-
fering with the sliding of the rings from which the curtains or other
articles are suspended.
In applying my Invention to picture rods, and rods from which
articles are suspended that do not require moving, after the manner of
curtains, I construct the same as herein described with regard to
Figure 1, 1 A, excepting that I omit the springs g, g, cords i, i,
pulleys k, k, and plates h, h, of the said Figure 1, 1 A;
say, I use the outer tube a, Figure 1, 1 A, having a slot c, and the
inner rod b, in the axis of the said tube a; the rings d, from which the
picture or other article is suspended, being hung on the rod b.
that is to
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be under-

page_text: stood that I do not limit myself to the precise methods of carrying my
Invention into effect herein described and represented in the accom-
panying drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from
the nature of my said Invention; but I claim,-
Firstly, constructing cornice poles, curtain, picture, and other rods
from which articles are suspended, by placing a rod in the axis of a
tube, the rings from which the curtains, pictures, or other articles are
suspended sliding on the said rod, and being connected with the cur-
tains, pictures, or other articles, through a slot in the said tube, as
⚫herein described and illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
Secondly, spreading or opening. curtains by the use of a helical
spring in the interior of cornice poles or curtain rods, whether the said
curtains be suspended on the said spring, or on a rod in the axis of the
said spring, and withdrawing or collapsing the said curtains by com-
pressing the said spring by means of a cord, as herein described and
represented in the accompanying drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas James Perry, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
THOMAS JAMES PERRY. (L.S.)
Witness, GEORGE SHAW.