Improvements in Metal Connecting Staples for and in the Method of Manufacturing Sun Blinds for Conservatories and Glass Houses, such Blinds being applicable also for Domestic and other purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metal Connecting Staples for and in the Method
of Manufacturing Sun Blinds for Conservatories and Glass Houses,
such Blinds being applicable also for Domestic and other purposes.
I, ELIJAH ASHWORTH, of the Moss Brook Works, Collyhurst, Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My said invention relates to improvements in metal connecting staples for
and in the method of manufacturing sun blinds, for shading and regulating the
admission of light to orchid houses, conservatories, and similar erections, the
said blinds being applicable also for domestic and other purposes.
A common form of blind at present largely used for controlling the admission
of light to glass houses, consists of a suitable number of laths or slats of wood
around which are bent clips formed of a strip of soft iron of a suitable section.
These clips also embrace rings, whereby the series of laths are connected together.
To prevent corrosion the clips are usually galvanized and in some cases, with
the same object, it has been proposed to make them from conper.
Owing to the pull of the rings on the bent clips gripping the laths, due to the
weight of the blind, the said clips are frequently torn from their hold on the
laths so that the whole or sections of the blind become disconnected or collapse.
Moreover with blinds so constructed any swinging movement of the blind
gives the connecting rings a purchase on the clips so that the rings are apt to
lever up the clips thereby destroying their hold on the laths.
Sun blinds constructed as above indicated possess no lasting qualities and are
a constant source of trouble and annoyance.
In constructing a sun blind according to my invention I employ a special clip
or staple formed from a strip of copper of suitable section, or it might be from
copper wire. This strip is bent upon itself and the two ends are arranged to
project or stand out at right angles to the main body of the bent strip, the
finished staple resembling the letter T inverted.
Although I prefer that the projecting ends of the bent strip shall not meet
they may if thought desirable abut against each other. The clips or staples
above described are connected together by mean of copper rings which rings
may be bent, stamped, or otherwise fashioned as thought desirable. These
rings are readily slipped into position on the bent staples, (in which they occupy
the ends of the elongated loops as will be readily understood) whereupon the
flat wooden laths, which form the main body of the blind, may be attached to the
staples. These wooden laths are formed with holes through their centre, such
holes being spaced a suitable distance apart. When connecting the laths to the
staples, the projecting ends of the latter are thrust through the holes in the
lath, which is then forced or pressed upon the flat portion of the staple so that
the two faces meet, and the rings are confined at each end, whereupon the pro-

page_text: jecting ends of the staple may be bent over onto the lath, hammered down, and
the connection is complete.
In some cases the bent over portions of the staples may be arranged to be
embedded in the laths.
Any suitable number of laths may be attached together as hereinbefore
indicated according to the length of blind desired, the staples occurring at in-
tervals throughout the width of the blind.
In blinds constructed in accordance with my invention the whole weight is
taken by the staple loops, at the back of the blind, and the pull is in a straight
line, so that the connection is very secure and permanent.
Although copper, not being liable to oxidise, is a very suitable metal from
which to make sun blind clips and rings, its use has hitherto being very limited,
the copper being too soft to stand the strain, when attached to the laths in the
old fashion, but owing to the particular construction of my improved staple I
can use copper however soft it be, because the pull is in a straight or practically
straight line.
Improvements in Metal Connecting Staples for and in the Method
of Manufacturing Sun Blinds for Conservatories and Glass Houses,
such Blinds being applicable also for Domestic and other purposes.
I, ELIJAH ASILWORTH, of the Moss Brook Works, Collyhurst, Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying
drawings:
-
My said invention relates to improvements in metal connecting staples for
and in the method of manufacturing sun blinds, for shading and regulating the
admission of light to orchid houses, conservatories, and similar erections, the
said blinds being applicable also for domestic and other purposes.
A common form of blind at present largely used for controlling the admission
of light to glass houses, consists of a suitable number of laths or slats of wood
around which are bent clips formed of a strip of soft iron of a suitable section.
These clips also embrace rings whereby the series of laths are connected together.
To prevent corrosion the clips are usually galvanized and in some cases, with
the same object, it has been proposed to make them from copper.
Owing to the pull of the rings on the bent clips gripping the laths, due to the
weight of the blind, the said clips are frequently torn from their hold on the
laths so that the whole or sections of the blind become disconnected or collapse.
Moreover with blinds so constructed any swinging movement of the blind
gives the connecting rings a purchase on the clips so that the rings are apt to
lever up the clips thereby destroying their hold on the laths.
Sun blinds constructed as above indicated possess no lasting qualities and are
a constant source of trouble and annoyance.
My invention and the manner of carrying the same into effect will be clearly
understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the
annexed sheet of drawings.

page_text: In the said drawings.
Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a series of three of the metal connecting
staples and rings constructed in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view showing the manner in which the laths are attached to the
staples.
Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of two laths duly secured to the metallic staples.
Fig. 5 is a front view of two laths broken in width and carried by the improved
connecting staples.
Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are detail views.
In constructing a sun blind according to my invention I employ a special clip
or staple a formed from a strip of copper of suitable section, or it might be from
flat copper wire. This strip is so bent upon itself that the two ends a¹ as project
or stand out at right angles to the main body of the strip, as clearly shown in
Fig. 1, the finished staple somewhat resembling the letter T inverted.
Although I prefer that the projecting ends of the bent strip shall not meet
they may if thought desirable abut against each other. The clips or staples 2,
as above described, are connected together by means of copper rings 6 which
rings may be bent, stamped, or otherwise fashioned as thought desirable. A con-
venient way of forming such rings is to punch a strip of metal 61 with holes b³
the strip being afterwards severed along the dotted lines 6* so that a number of
rings bare readily produced as is clearly indicated in Fig. 8. In connecting
together a series of the rings and staples, the rings 6 are slipped into position,
on the bent staples a, so that they occupy the ends of the elongated loops as clearly
shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
The main body of the blind consists of laths c formed from wood or other
suitable material the laths being held and supported by the bent staples a.
These
wooden laths c are formed with holes c¹ through their centre, such holes being
spaced a suitable distance apart in the width of the lath. To connect the laths
to the staples, the projecting ends a¹a of the staples a are thrust through
the holes in the lath c, whereupon the projecting ends of the staple may be
bent over onto the lath, hammered down, and the connection is complete. In
order to facilitate the bending over of the projecting ends of the staple the leg a¹
is preferably of greater length than the leg aª.
In securing the laths to the staples the laths may be forced or pressed
down so that the two faces of the staple meet or approach each other thus con-
fining the rings at each end of the loop, care however being taken that the
movement of the rings is not restricted as this would interfere with the flexibility
of the blind.
In some cases the bent over portions of the staples may be arranged to be
embedded in the laths.
Any suitable number of laths may be attached together as hereinbefore
indicated according to the length of blind desired, the staples occurring at in-
tervals throughout the width of the blind.
To prevent any splitting of the laths occurring, when bending over the pro-
jecting ends a a of the clips a, I may insert eyelets d in the holes c¹ of the
lath as indicated in Fig. 6, or the said projecting ends a¹ a² may carry a ring
or washer e as indicated in Fig. 7 with the same object.
In blinds constructed in accordance with my invention the whole weight is
taken by the staple loops, at the back of the blind, and the pull is in a straight
line, so that the connection is very secure and permanent.
Although copper, not being liable to oxidise, is a very suitable metal from
which to make sun blind clips and rings, its use has hitherto being very limited,
the copper being too soft to stand the strain, when attached to the laths in the
old fashion, but owing to the particular construction of my improved staple I
can use copper however soft it be, because the pull is in a straight or practically
straight line.

page_text: I do not confine myself to the use of copper as the staples and clips therein
described may be produced from any other suitable metal.
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 improved metal connecting staple a, a number of which are capable of
being strung together, and adapted to receive and sustain laths or the like whereby
sun and other blinds are produced, in the manner, and substantially as described
and illustrated.
2) A sun or other blind, formed from laths or slats of wood or the like carried
by metal staples a formed from a strip of copper or the like, the staples being so
fashioned, connected together, and applied, that the pull is of necessity in a
straight line, in the manner, and substantially as set forth and illustrated.
Dated this 21st day of December 1899.
Dated this 21st day of December 1899.
For the Applicant,
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 5, John Dalton Street, Manchester.