An Improved Method of and Means for Operating Portable Hinged Screens or Partitions for Dividing Large Rooms into Smaller Ones.
Year: 1899

page_text: An Improved Method of and Means for Operating Portable Hinged
Screens or Partitions for Dividing Large Rooms into Smaller
Ones.
ROBERT GRACEY, Joiner, 10, Alexandra Terrace, Whitley, R.S.O., Northumber-
land, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It consists of folding hinged screens or partitions made with any number of
leaves to suit the particular place it is for.
The division in the screen or partition
is at the centre of the room or hall. The ends of the screen or partition are
fixed to the wall in such a manner that although they are able to slide along the
wall so as to enable screen to be folded against it, yet they are so fixed as to make
a proper joint with the wall when the screen is open and in position for dividing
the room or hall into smaller rooms or balls. The folding screen is operated by
means of screw gearing arranged as follows; two screwed rods are fixed one over
the screen & one under the screen, in a line with the screen when it is in position
dividing the room or hall into smaller ones.
The screwed rods are made with right and left hand threads so that on being
turned, the two portions of screen or partition move in opposite directions.. The
screwed rods have a bearing at each end and also one at centre. On the end
leaves of each half of the screen or partition which come together when the screen
is fully extended. screwed nuts are fixed engaging with the two
screwed rods mentioned above, these nuts are SO fixed to leaves of
screen or partition that they allow them to swing around their centre
and so allow the screen or partition to fold against the wall at each side of the
room or hall. The weight of screen or partition is carried on rollers which are
fixed on the bottom of each leaf at the centre, in such a manner that although
they roll in one direction on their guide rail, yet by means of a pivot allow the
leaf to revolve on its axis and so to fold against the next leaf, etc.
Guides with an arrangement similar are also placed on top of each other leaf
of screen except the two centre ones which have the nuts; a chain or sprocket
wheel is fixed at one end of each screwed rod and the screwed rods are connected
together by means of a chain which is led to any convenient place in the room
or hall & is operated by means of a detachable crank and handle, thus when
the handle is turned in one direction the screen is closed and is opened on revers-
ing the motion of the handle. Wire rope, spur gearing or other means may.
be employed to revolve the screwed rods.
Dated this 5th day of June 1899*

page_text: An Improved Method of and Means for Operating Portable Hinged
Screens or Partitions for Dividing Large Rooms into Smaller
Ones.
I, ROBERT GRACEY, formerly of 10, Alexandra Terrace, Whitley, R.S.O.,
Northumberland, now of 256, Stanton Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the County
of Northumberland, Joiner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to an improved method of or means for operating
portable hinged screens or partitions for dividing large rooms into smaller ones.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of the par-
titions and operating gear. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan
showing partitions open. The Hoor is removed in both these two latter figures.
Figs. 4 and 5 show modifications of details.
The folding hinged screens or partitions A are constructed of any suitable
number of leaves according to the particular place where they are required to be
erected. The division in the screen or partition is at the centre of the room or
the like, as at A', and the ends of said screen or partition are so attached or
guided near the walls that although they are capable of sliding along near said
walls to enable the parts of the screen to be folded against them, a proper joint
is still formed with the walls when the screen is extended and in position for
dividing the room or the like. K shows abutment fillets for this purpose. The
folding screen or partition is operated by means of screw gear arranged as
follows: Two screw threaded rods C are arranged one above and one below the
screen parallel with the edges thereof when it is in extended position. The
screw threaded rods are each provided with a right and a left handed thread C² C¹
so that on said rods being revolved by means hereinafter described, the leaves of
the two portions of the screen or partition which are engaged by said screws move
in opposite directions. The upper screw threaded rod C may have bearings
at FF F, that is to say one at each end and one in the centre whilst the lower rod
is provided with similarly placed bearings J J J. On the end leaves of each half
of the screen or partition which abut when the screen is fully extended, screw
threaded nuts D and G are placed engaging respectively with the upper and lower
Ecrew threaded rods C. In some cases screw threaded nuts may be placed on one
of the intermediate or inner leaves in preference to the outer leaves. These nuts
are so attached to the leaves A that they allow them to swing round their centres
and thus allow the partition to be folded back against the walls at each side of
the room, for instance as shown in Fig. 1 the nuts D and G having projecting
pins or pivots M turning in brackets L attached to the said leaves A. The
weight of the screen or partition is carried on rollers T at the bottom of each leaf
in a vertical line below the corresponding nuts at the upper ends of the leaves in
such a manner that although these rollers roll in a straight line on a guide rail R
provided for this purpose yet by means of other pivots M turning in the brackets L
similar to those before mentioned they allow the leaves to revolve about their
vertical axes thus enabling them to be folded up on operation of the screw
threaded rods. Guides or sleeves E and H sliding on the rods C are provided at
top and bottom of each leaf except the two centre ones which are provided with
the beforementioned nuts D) and G in place thereof. A chain or sprocket wheel
is fixed at one end of each of the rods C as shown at V and U and the said sprocket
wheels are connected together by a chain W which is led to any convenient part

page_text: of the room or the like and operated by a sprocket wheel W supported in a
bracket X. Y shows the squared end of a spindle passing through said sprocket
wheel W to take any suitable crank handle for operating it. Thus when the
handle is turned in one direction the screen is folded or closed, and on reversing
the motion of the said handle the screen is opened. Wire rope, spur gear, or
other suitable means may be employed to revolve the rods C if desired.
Brackets N N¹ may be provided at the bottom of the leaves nearest the walls
said brackets having pins or projections P taking into a slotted pathway or guide-
way Q to assist the folding of the leaves to prevent their edges scraping the wall
and to guide their edges against the abutment fillets K when operated. S and Z
show the ceiling and Hoor lines respectively. The upper screw threaded rods and
accessories may be sunk in the ceiling or arranged at a distance therefrom as
shown and boxed in or encased.
Figs. 4 and 5 show two methods of attaching the rollers T to the leaves A.
In the former two rollers T are used supported by stub shafts on a block through
which the rod C passes said block being provided with a pin M, revolving in a
bracket L fixed to leaf A. In the second form only one roller T is used journalled
in a bifurcated block through the top of which the rod C passes as shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is-
1. An improved method of and means for operating portable hinged screens
or partitions consisting in the combination of series of hinged leaves A adapted
to be folded against the walls of a room or the like with means for operating
said leaves consisting of screw threaded rods C preferably both above and below
same, suitable bearings for said, rods and means for operating them, pivoted
nuts D G engaging said rods and revolving in brackets attached respectively to
one of the leaves of each set, pivoted sleeves EH sliding on said rods and also
revolving in suitable brackets attached to the other leaves and rollers T journalled
in revolving blocks and running on a rail for carrying the weight of the partition.
2. In partition operating devices substantially as described in Claim 1, the
brackets N with projections engaging a slotted segmental guide way Q whereby
the end leaves are guided to and from their closing position preferably in com-
bination with abutment fillets K.
ated this fth day of Novel 1000
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C., London.