Improvements in Fastening Devices for Carpets, Rugs, or the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fastening Devices for Carpets, Rugs, or the like.
A communication from abroad by JAMES LAWRENCE KINGSTON, of 81, Cedar
Street, Boston, in the County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, one of the
United States of America, Inventor.
I, ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES, of 55 & 56, Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, Chartered Patent Agent, 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:
This invention has for its prime object the production of strong, convenient
and compact means for removably attaching rugs, carpet and other floor coverings
to floors and the like, and the various features of the invention will be fully
illustrated and described in the drawings and specification and set forth in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the in-
vention as it may be embodied in a rug fastener, shown in place;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the fastener proper;
Fig. 2 being a view in detail of the form of spring clip shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the stud to which in Fig. 1 the fastener is shown as
applied.
Fig. 4 illustrates a form of stud member adapted to be used when two layers
of fabric are to be united, it being attached to one layer, in position to cooperate
with a housing member on the other layer, as shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a view taken on a section at right angles to the section line of Fig. 1,
and the notch is to receive the clip F, which runs in the plane of the web d,
and conceals the said web in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5.
In Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the fastener is shown as built up from sheet material
and consisting primarily of an upper member centrally swaged or spun or other-
wise raised above the plate of attachment, in which lies the flange or web-like
portion of the blank of metal or other material from which it is made, to form
the "housing" into which the head of the fastening stud L may enter.
To engage the fastening stud and hold the fastener firmly thereto, a clip is
provided made of a flat spring F, best seen in Figs. 2 and 24, split throughout
The greater part of its length and having the split enlarged at about the middle
to form an attaching aperture f adapted to receive the head of the stud, the legs
of the spring fl and f coming into gripping engagement with the neck of the
fastening stud L which preferably has, as illustrated, a groove into which the
said legs enter so that the head of the stud prevents accidental displacement
of the spring clip therefrom.
As one suitable and strong means for securing this spring clip to the upper
member, the flat portion or web d of the latter is, in the instance illustrated
áttained by cutting material away, at ², to form a seat for the clip F, the lead f³
whereof preferably fits very snugly while the legs f, f, extend preferably, though
not necessarily, across the entire width of the plate d, in which instance a cut
away recess may be provided sufficiently wide to permit some little play of

page_text: the legs f, f, though not enough to allow breakage of the spring by excessive
separation.
As an additional means for holding clip F within its seat, use has been made
of a lower member which consists of an annular plate h, extending entirely across
the lower surface of the upper member d to which it may be affixed by crimping
the edge of one over that of the other, as illustrated, or in any other suitable
and desired manner.
This plate has a central aperture opposite the aperture f of the clip and
approximately of the same size as the latter, and it not only serves to hold the
clip in place but also to protect the latter by insuring proper relative position
of the fastener and stud before the fastener can be forced down upon the stud.
It is often desirable to change the position of this class of device on the fabric,
ctcetera, to which it is secured, and while fasteners are in existence which are
merely sewed to the fabric and may therefore after removing the stitches be
secured to another part of the fabric in a similar manner, and while the present
fastener offers no obstacle to the use of such securing means, if it is desired to
perforate its members slightly as indicated at d, Fig. 2, securing means are
shown which are believed to be novel and which afford means to readily and at
any time enable removal, by the fingers, of the fastener from one location to
another without the necessity for any tools not found in the fastener itself.
In the form of removable securing means illustrated, the housing is provided
with a post 2 which may be integral with the material of the housing as shown
or otherwise adapted thereto.
to
This post or projection is preferably threaded, and to cooperate with it a nut
or similar device is provided, shown as having a threaded central recess
receive and engage the threaded post h².
In applying the fastener to the fabric P the post 2 is forced up between the
fibres of the fabric at the desired spot until the end appears above the fabric,
when the nut or equivalent device K is screwed or fastened down upon it, the
material of the fabric in the region of the device being clamped between the hous-
ing member and its securing means.
Obviously upon unscrewing the nut the operator can relocate the fastener
where desired.
While the housing is illustrated as rounded, it is within the scope of the
invention to give it any convenient form, and instead of providing it with a
post it may be furnished with a threaded aperture and the device K be pro-
vided with a threaded post to enter the same.
It will be noted that the threaded opening in the nut, as shown in Fig. 1,
which receives the threaded post h², extends but partially through the nut so as
to leave the top of the latter smooth and free from depressions that would tend
to collect dirt and be a general nuisance.
As a convenient form of stud member there is shown at L an annular member
adapted to receive in its central aperture a securing screw or the like means by
which it may be fastened to the floor, etcetera, and having a neck contracted as
described at 7, but however, the fastener may be used with any suitable form
of fastening stud.
Inasmuch as it is often equally desirable that not only the fastener but the
fastening stud may be adjustable upon the fabric, particularly where rugs are
used upon carpets, use may be made of any suitable stud adapted to be attached
removably to the fabric.
One form of such a removable stud is illustrated in Fig. 4 where the upper
member m has a grooved head m¹ and a central threaded recess m², and the lower
platen has a threaded post n' to pass through the fabric o and enter into engage-
ment with the threaded recess m² whereby the fastening stud is attached to the
fabric, the latter being clamped between the plates.
This invention is not restricted to the exact contour shown, since the same may
be varied considerably without departing from the spirit of the invention.

page_text: 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. The use in a carpet or rug fastening device, of a stud member adapted to
be fastened to the floor or support, a housing provided with a spring clip adapted
to engage said stud member, said housing, being provided with a vertically pro-
jecting post adapted to pass through the carpet or rug to be fastened, and a
holding member detachably arranged upon said post for detachably holding the
carpet or rug between it and said housing.
2. The use in a carpet or rug fastening device, of a stud member adapted to
be fastened to the floor or support, a housing provided with a spring clip adapted
to engage said stud member, said housing being provided with a vertically pro-
jecting, threaded post adapted to pass through the carpet or rug to be fastened,
and a nut threaded upon said post for detachably holding the carpet or rug be-'
tween it and said housing.
3. The use in a carpet or rug fastening device, of a stud member adapted to
be fastened to the floor or support, a housing provided with a spring clip adapted
to engage said stud member, said housing being provided with a vertically pro-
jecting, threaded post adapted to pass through the carpet or rug to be fastened,
and a nut partially threaded upon said threaded post for detachably holding the
carpet or rug between it and said housing, the post receiving the threaded opening
in said nut and extending but partially through the latter so as to leave the top
of the nut smooth and free from depressions, for the purpose specified.
4. A carpet or rug fastener comprising a spring clip F of flat metal having a
head, and legs or gripping members fi, f2, apertured at f to receive a suitable
fastening stud or the like; and housing or supporting means for said clip, said
means comprising a lower plate apertured to permit entrance of said fastening
stud, and an upper housing member having a central portion raised to clear said
fastening stud, and an integral flanged portion recessed to receive said clip; said
plate and upper housing member being secured together with said clip embraced
between them; and means by which said fastener may be attached to a carpet or
rug.
5. A carpet or rug fastener comprising a spring clip F of flat metal having a
head and legs or gripping members fi, f, apertured at f to receive a suitable
fastening stud or the like; and housing or supporting means for said clip, said
means comprising a lower plate apertured to permit entrance of said fastening
stud, and an upper housing member having a central portion raised to clear said
fastening stud, and an integral flange portion recessed to receive said clip, said
plate and upper housing member being secured together with said clip embraced
between them; and means by which said fastener may be attached to a carpet
or rug; said means comprising a vertically projecting post on said housing
member and adapted to pass through the carpet or rug to be fastened, and a
holding member arranged detachably upon said post for holding detachably a
carpet or rug between it and said housing.
Dated the 23rd day of May 1800