IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING CLOTHING AND OTHER ARTICLES IN SHOP WINDOWS AND OTHER PLACES, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO IS ALSO APPLICABLE. AS A FASTENING FOR
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Felix McIlvenna, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING CLOTHING AND OTHER ARTICLES IN SHOP
WINDOWS AND OTHER PLACES, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Felix McIlvenna at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th March 1881.
OTHER
FELIX MOILVENNA, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS.
IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING CLOTHING AND
ARTICLES IN SHOP WINDOWS AND OTHER PLACES, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVE-
MENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE. AS A FASTENING FOR WINDOW SASHES."
The subject matter of this application is the improving or perfecting of the
Invention for window fittings for displaying goods, for which Letters Patent were
granted to me, No. 2821 of 1880, to me, in conjunction with others, No. 1942
of 1877, and to my Patent Agent, William Phillips Thompson, partly as a commu-
nication, No. 108 of 1880, all which Patents are now being worked by the same
licencees, the firm with whom I am engaged.
First. A stand, such as that shown in Fig. 5 of No. 108 of 1880, has this dis-
advantage that the goods can be easily stolen from it. To obviate this, parallel
with the corrugated bar (C) or its equivalent I place a movable bar or bars, with
corresponding corrugations that when locked in position holds the goods as in a .
hand-cuff. The best form of lock perhaps is a couple of bolts, like ordinary window
bolts, that when locked lie flat against each other, each then locks the other against
an accidental push. These double locks would be equally servicable for window
sashes.
When the standards of the above mentioned stand are dispensed with, and
supporting sockets used, such as those shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of my Patent of

page_text: 1877, the cost is very considerable if they be made in metal, while if made in wood,.
as in the frame shown in the aforesaid Fig. 5, they are apt to cause the wood to
split, unless, as in that instance, they are very wide apart, and have an extended
base. Now to obviate this, and yet have a cheap wooden set of sockets and narrow
base, I prefer to make the base a hollow shell, weighted with cast-iron or lead, and
with a projecting cup or box into which the wood block in which the sockets are
bored is rammed. The block can be secured by wedges or set screws, and when
tight can be bored closely with little danger of splitting or of being useless even
when split.
Second. The pillars of the stands (Fig. 5), already spoken of, those shown in
Fig. 7 of No. 2821 of 1880, if made telescopic, and other telescopic stands for
supporting purposes, require to be adjusted and then fastened by a set screw.
To
obviate this trouble, in place of the set screw, which is always liable to get lost, I
use an automatic lock, which will allow the raising, but which wedges itself tight
the instant the stand is pressed down, unless the longer arm of the bell crank lock
or its equivalent be pressed up, so as to free the sliding surfaces from friction.
Third. The busks shown on the stand, Fig. 7, mentioned above, will not do well
for corsets; I therefore substitute for the plates (C', B',) a single plate about
midway between them, or a metal ring, and form the bust in a skeleton manner
by rivetting to the plate or ring spring steel, brass, or bronze blades or strips, curved
inward at top or bottom. These compress inward to suit the shape of the corset to
be shown. The arm I attach with a hinge to the bust, and so arrange the clock-
work in the bust that it shall give the arm a gentle oscillation, and thus give the
appearance of raising the hat or bowing. The bars (F), shown in Fig. 9 below the
busts, I prefer to make telescopic and loose, and with a hook at each end. They
can thus be packed away in very small compass, can be hooked to the transverse
bars of the shop window, and beside their ordinary use can be used when required
to hang another transverse bar or other small-articles by.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Felix M'Ilvenna in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th September 1881.
FELIX MCILVENNA, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING CLOTHING AND OTHER
ARTICLES IN SHOP WINDOWS AND OTHER PLACES, A PART OF WHICH IMPROVE-
MENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE AS A FASTENING FOR WINDOW SASHES."
The subject matter of this application is the improving or perfecting of the
Invention for window fittings for displaying goods, for which Letters Patent were
granted to me, No. 2821 of 1880, to me, in conjunction with others, No. 1942 of
1877, and to my Patent Agent, William Phillips Thompson, partly as a communi-
cation, No. 108 of 1880, all which Patents are now being worked by the same
licencees, the firm with whom I am engaged.
A stand, such as that shown in Fig. 5 of Patent No. 108 of 1880, has this dis-
advantage that the goods can be easily stolen from it. To obviate this, parallel
with the corrugated bar (C) or its equivalent I place a movable bar or bars with
corresponding corrugations, that when locked in position holds the goods as in a
hand-cuff. This is represented in Fig. 6, in which A represents the stationary bar,
B movable locking bar. A good form of fastening is to fasten to a projecting
piece C on bar B a fastening resembling two of the ordinary window fastenings back
to back, and with their flanges one under the other when in the locking position.
This fastening, which is shown in Fig. 15, is a capital thief proof fastener for
window sashes, as it cannot be opened from outside with a knife blade like ordinary
sashes.
In making a group of sockets on the plan of my Patent of 1877 the formation of
a series of independent sockets fitted together onto a stand is expensive; I there-
fore, in place of these sockets, form a wooden block bored with holes for the
umbrella points to fit into, arranged in any desired pattern, and encase this block
in an ornamental metal case, preferably weighted with lead. The metal case keeps
the wood enclosed in it from splitting or chipping, and also weights it so as not to
be so easily over-turned. Other materials besides wood will do, such as rubber, papier
mache, pottery ware, et cetera, but rubber is expensive, and pottery ware is apt to
scratch the umbrellas unless the holes be lined with rubber. Two forms of this
apparatus, which are being largely sold, are shown here, Figs. 1-3, one a single
block, the other 'with a second block fastened on over the first, and also encased in
metal.
In telescopic stands, in place of the set-screw usually employed, I prefer to use an
automatic lock which will allow the raising of the upper portion, but which wedges
tight when the latter is pressed down. There are various forms of this lock that
have suggested themselves to me, all based on a lever lying against the inner.rod
at an angle pointing a little upward towards the rod, so that when the rod is.
pressed down the friction tends to bring the lever down with it, thus wedging the
lever between its fulcrum and the rod. It is however useless giving a Drawing, as
it can be well understood, and though superior to the old arrangement I have
already almost abandoned it, and am sole licencee of another frictional joint for
which protection has been applied for, No. 2237 of 1881. If however this pivotted
friction lever be used it is best to make it of a hard tough wood, like box, or of
vulcanite, and cause the lever to fall against the rod at an angle of about 70 degrees.
To lower, one has only to press the free end of the lever.
Fig. 4 shows a corset stand formed of a metal ring A, with cross piece B to carry

page_text: a pin or socket to fit it to a stand. To this metal ring are rivetted a series of
blades of steel or spring brass, curving inward at top and bottom, as shewn. . These
accommodate themselves to the exact shape of the corset.
I sometimes make busts hollow throughout of stiff papier maché or other suitable
material, and have the arm of cork or other very light material, and pivotted as
far from the bust as possible without looking unnatural, so as to form a lever with
two ends, the pivot forming the fulcrum. The pivot is placed considerably below
the centre of gravity of the arm. The end inside the bust is shaped like a spoon,
and a spring attached to it nearly counterbalances the weight of the arm and hat..
The head is hollow, and filled with sand, with a very small hole below to let out
the sand in a small stream onto the spoon. As the spoon fills it falls, and thereby
raises the arm to the head; the sand then spills out, and the arm again falls to the
original position, a spring preventing too sudden motion, and causing a series of
oscillations till the spoon fills again with a like result.
In displaying neckties and other articles in the window I use the articles shewn
in Fig. 12, in which A is the hook holding onto one horizontal bar; B, notch to
hold onto the other; C, holder for scarf; D telescopic joint to adjust length. This
apparatus can be varied by forming C as a hook or other holder, as required, the
main points of novelty being a movable holder adjusted on the horizontal bars, and
the jointing such a holder, as at D, so as to serve for varying distances.
For displaying shirts I use two bars with their ends hooked round opposite ways,
thus
Fig. 5. These bars act for numerous purposes;
not merely
can they hang from one inner transverse bar, and leaning against the outer
transverse bar below, carry a shirt so as to show the front, but they can be also
used to hang another transverse bar on..
'
Having now described my Invention, and the best modes known to me of carrying
it into effect, I wish it to be understood that the drawing up of this Final Specifi-
cation and the Drawings having been unavoidably delayed till the last moment,
and not having had time to make fresh Drawings, I have been obliged to supply
for Drawings some lithographs made for a different purpose, and that Figures
thereon not mentioned in this Specification belong to the Specification of another
Patent for which I hold a licence, and I therefore wish to make no claim for them
under this Patent in any way, but that what I claim under the present Letters
Patent is,-
1st. The manufacture of umbrella or stick stands or frames for exhibiting
umbrellas in shop doorways and other like places, constructed with two bars
arranged to fit round the handles of the articles exhibited, one of which bars is
movable, and capable of swivelling out of the way to allow of withdrawing the
articles, and yet capable of being locked or securely fastened in a moment, substan-
tially as described.
2nd. The fastener for window sashes, consisting of two bolts similar to ordinary
window sash bolts, opening in opposite directions, so as to fit back to back, or one
actually overlapping the other, and so that each may be a guard to the other to
prevent a knife or other instrument inserted between the sashes from unlocking the
window.
3rd. The herein described umbrella or stick displayers, consisting of a block
bored with conical or other holes to fit umbrella points, enclosed in a metal or
other equivalent strong tough casing, and the whole of such weight as to avoid
danger of being upset with a slight knock when filled with umbrellas.
4th. Though, as already described, this is not a necessary part of my Invention, and
I attach little importance to it, but believe it to be to some extent useful and new,
the manufacture of telescopic stands for displaying goods, with the interior
sliding part held from sliding back by being tightly grasped between the side of
the outer sliding part, and a friction cam or lever pivotted on a point a little below
and considerably to one side of the point of contact of the lever or cam and the
inner slide, substantially as described.

page_text: 5th. The corset bust or stand, formed of blades of elastic material fastened to a
central ring or frame, substantially as described.
6th. The manufacture of busts in which an arm is pivotted and actuated by
clockwork, falling sand, or otherwise, so as to swing and thus give the appearance
of raising the hat or bowing, substantially as described.
7th. The improved shirt displaying bars formed of a simple bar hooked in opposite
directions at each end, and operated for displaying shirts on the transverse bars of
a shop, substantially as described.
8th. The modification of aforesaid bars, substantially as described in Fig. 12 and
the letter press relating thereto.
In witness whereof, I, the said Felix McIlvenna, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
FELIX MILVENNA,
(L.S.)