An Improved Curtain Stretcher.
Year: 1894

page_text: 1, PHŒBE MARGARETT HARTPENCE of Walnut Street, Harrison, Hamilton
County, Ohio, U.S.A., Gentlewoman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an adjustable curtain stretcher that is adapted for
drying curtains after they have been washed. Upon two bottom supports there is
respectively fixed an upright composed of a front and back piece with an open
space between.
At the top the front and back pieces of the uprights are held
apart by two blocks between which is passed the top crossbar over which the
curtain to be stretched is drawn. Below the top cross bar there is a bar to which
the two ends of the curtain are fixed. At the bottom there is a third cross bar.
One of the bottom supports and the upright thereon is stationary whilst the other
bottom support and upright may be adjusted along said cross bars according to the
width of the curtain, which at the sides and ends is fixed on pins in inner rabbetted
parts of the uprights and middle cross bar. The uprights and top and bottom
cross bars are held in position by pins passing through the fixed upright and hy
thumbscrews in the shifting upright. The middle cross bar is held against the
uprights by dogs. Further the uprights and bottom cross bar are stayed together
by means of hooks. The whole may be readily taken to pieces.
Dated this 21st day of June 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
An Improved Curtain Stretcher.
I, PHOEBE MARGARETT HARTPENCE of Walnut Street, Harrison, Hamilton
County, Ohio, U.S.A., Gentlewoman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
aud in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to those curtain stretching frames which comprise a
stationary standard, a laterally movable standard, an upper or fixed rail and a
lower or vertically adjustable stretching rail, and the invention consists in a com-
bination of parts that enables a ready adjustment of such frames and makes them
stand perfectly square so as to prevent the curtains being drawn out of their proper
shape while drying.

page_text: In the drawing
Fig. is a front elevation of the improved curtain stretcher with a curtain
applied thereto. Fig. 2 a vertical section of the anmo on line - of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 an enlarged horizontal section of the frame in the plane of the stretcher
bar N.
Fig. 4a greatly enlarged vertical section taken through said bar.
Figs. 5 and 6 relate to modifications of construction.
A, A, are a pair of feet or sills from which project vertically two rigid
standards composed of front stiles B, C, and rear stiles B. C', the stiles of each
standard being separated a suitable distance to admit a bar and two rails. Further
the opposite edges b, c, c', are rabbetted vertically and at these parts provided
with horizontally projecting pins D, D¹, E, E¹, on which the side margins of the
curtains are engaged.
F, G, are blocks to which the extreme upper ends of the stiles are united
and f, g, other blocks placed a slight distance below the upper ones.
The open
spaces between these blocks are traversed by the top rail H of the frame one end
of said rail being fastened to the stationary standard by a removable pin whilst
its other end is secured to the adjustable standard by a thumb screw i. The rail
is provided with an inch scale corresponding with a like senlej on the bottom
rail J by menus of which the adjustment of the left hand standard to the width of
the curtain is facilitated. Rail is fastened to the stationary standard by a pin K
and is coupled to the adjustable standard by a thumb screw a series of holes!
being inde in said rail to admit the free end of a hook L attached to the stile B.
M is a similar hook attached to said rail and having its free end held in a hole m
of the stile C which arrangement of hooks may be duplicated at the back of the
frame if desired.
Adapted to be easily moved in the vertical openings of the standards is n
stretcher bar N whose upper edge has a central tongue from which project
horizontally two sets of pins P, PR is a dog or other detent pivotted near one end
of this bar N and adapted to automatically engage with the edge of stile C, and
R' is another dog adapted to engage with the edge of stile B. The dog R' is not
applied direct to the stretcher bar but is pivotted to a slide S capable of being
noved along said bar and then held to any determined adjustment by means of a
thumb screw s.
r is a spring that may be employed for rendering the action of the
dog inore positive.
The curtain T is applied to the frame after adjusting the movable standard to
its width and fixing said standard by thumb screws, &, the curtain being thrown
over the rail with its two bottom ends in line with each other. Bar N is now
brought to a position where the front end of the curtain can be engaged over the
ping P whilst the other pins are passed through the rear end. The bar is then
depressed to bring the curtain to the desired tension when the dogs R, R', are
allowed to bite against the stiles B, C, by which the bar is prevented from lifting
in the drying and consequent contraction of the fabric. The front side margins of
the curtain are engaged over the pins D, E, and the other pins D, E, are passed
through the rear side margins and then the curtain is left in this position as long as
may be necessary, When the curtain is dry its ends are disengaged from the
pins 1, P, the bur N lowered to rest upon the rail and the vertical edges of the
curtain disengaged from the other pins.
The above is a description of the preferred construction of the frame bui
modifications may be made therein an evident change being seen in Fig. 3 where
the stretcher bar is held against the pull of the curtain by pins U inserted in holes
in the standards which holes must be in suflicient number to suit different lengths
of curtains. As also shewn the rabbets may also be in one piece with the stiles,
ash, or formed by inner strips secured to outer ones as c, c.
In Fig. 5. the slide S has a cam V pivotted to it for holding the Bar N in place.
Fig. 4 shews that this slide may have secondary dog R to act against the
stile B. Fig. 6 shews that the rabbets may be omitted from the stiles and hook

page_text: shaped pins to be employed instead. The frame can hold a number of curtains at
the same time provided they are all of the same size.
To separate the parts of the frame the screws is slackened and the slide S
removed from the bar N which latter is then pulled to the right free from the
standards.
The pins I, K, and hooks L, M, are drawn out of their holes and thumb screws i, k,
unscrewed to allow of rails H, J, being detached, after which the parts of the frame
can be packed very closely together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The combination in a curtain stretching frame of the sill A supporting a
laterally movable standard consisting of a pair of vertical stiles B, B', separated
by an opening and united at top by blocks F, ; the sill A' supporting a stationary
standard consisting of a pair of stiles C, C', separated by an opening and united at
top by blocks G, 9; the top rail H inserted between said blocks F, G, g, and
connected to said standards by a pin 1 and thumb screw; the bottom rail J
occupying the openings between said standards and secured to them by a pin K
and thumb screw &; the hook L pivotted to the stile B and having its free end
engaged with either one of a series of holes in said bottom rail; the hook M
pivotted to this rail and having its free end engaged with a hole m of the stile C;
and a stretcher bar N vertically adjustable within the openings between the
standards and having devices for securing it in place; said standards and the
stretcher bar being provided with means for the ready attachment of a curtain,
substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 20th day of April 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.