Improvements in Curtains or Screens for Doors, Windows, and the like, and Devices in Connection therewith.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 24th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 5th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Curtains or Screens for Doors, Windows, and the
like, and Devices in Connection therewith.
We HERBERT GARLAND, of Church Road, West Kirby, Mechanician, and JOHN
EVANS, of Albert Road, aforesaid, Provision Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows :-
The invention has for its object a curtain or screen for excluding draughts and other
purposes, and devices in connection therewith, which are so arranged that a very
slight movement of the door or window will cause the curtain to be lifted from the
threshold or sill beneath and enable the door to be opened without difficulty. By the
arrangement of parts hereafter described the curtain exerts a weight or pressure on
the door, which automatically closes it, when the opposing force which opened the door
is removed.
The curtain or screen is suspended from a rod which is supported by brackets, one
of which is attached to the door, and the other preferably hinged to the doorway
frame. Both brackets might be attached to the door if preferred.
The bracket which is hinged to the doorway frame, has a swivel socket in which
one end of the curtain rod is inserted, the other end being loosely put through the
eye or socket in the other bracket, so as to give it sufficient play when the door is
opened.
To the bottom of the curtain is attached a cord which is passed over a pulley on the
curtain rail, and the other end firmly attached to the top rail of the doorway frame,
or other fixed point. This pulley may revolve in a frame pivotted to the curtain rod,
or to the top rail of the door, so as to have a horizontal movement or play, the object
being to enable the periphery of the pulley to adjust itself to the position of the cord,
when the door is open or closed. Or a roller of suitable length might be employed
supported by the top rail of the door. One or more cords and pulleys may be provided
if desired but we generally prefer to use one cord, dividing into three branches where
it approaches the bottom of the curtain.
As the door is opened the distance from the pulley to the fixed point of attachment
of the cord increases. The screen or curtain is therefore raised from the threshold by
a very small movement of the door, and when it is so raised the latter can easily be
opened to its full extent. The brackets which support the curtain rod, preferably
stand out from the face of the door, so that the screen or curtain hangs a few inches
in front thereof. The bottom of the curtain or screen is preferably weighted, so that
when the opposing force which opened the door is removed, the curtain descends and
the door closes simultaneously.
The application of the invention to windows, etcetera, will be evident without
further description.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Curtains or Screens for Doors, Windows, and the
like, and Devices in Connection therewith.
We HERBERT GARLAND of Church Road, West Kirby, Mechanician and JOHN
EVANS of Albert Road West Kirby aforesaid Provision Dealer, 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:—
The invention has for its object a curtain or screen for excluding draughts, and .

page_text: other purposes, and devices in connection therewith, which are so arranged that a
very slight movement of the door or window will cause the curtain to be lifted from
the threshold or sill beneath, and.enable the door to be opened without difficulty. Also
by the arrangement of parts hereinafter described, the curtain exerts a weight or
pressure on the door, which automatically closes it, when the opposing force which
opened the door is removed.
The invention may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of a door provided with our improved curtain or screen, a
portion of the curtain being removed for the purpose of showing the invention more
clearly.
Figure 2 is a plan of the curtain rail and its attachments.
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing portions of the rail and its
connections detached one from the other.
The curtain or screen A is suspended from a rod B supported by brackets C C¹,
one, C, of which is attached to the door D, and the other, C", is preferably mounted
on the door frame E. Both brackets might be attached to or mounted upon the door,.
if preferred. The bracket C¹ may, if desired, be hinged upon a vertical axis to the
door frame, so that it may turn to one side as the opposite end of the pole: B is swung
outwards by the opening of the door. I prefer, however, to accomplish the same
object by making the bracket (" a fixture, and simply hinging the end of the pole B
upon a vertical pivot b on the bracket, or inserting the end of the rod into a swivel
socket upon the bracket. A knob 6' may be provided, which is screwed on to the
upper end of the pivot b to retain the end of the pole in position.
The opposite end of the curtain rod rests loosely within an eye or socket (³ in the
other bracket C, so as to give the pole sufficient play when the door is opened. FF¹ F2
are the curtain rings. The outer one F¹ is carried by the bracket C, which also
carries the terminal ornament 62. The outer ring F at the opposite end of the pole.
is supported from the bracket C by an arm C³, which is preferably adjustable as to
length, being secured in position by the screwed knob . It will thus be seen that
the edges of the curtain maintain a constant position relative to the edges of the door
notwithstanding any longitudinal movement of the bracket relative to the pole, such
movement heing due to the opening or closing of the door.
To the bottom of the curtain A is attached a cord G or its equivalent, which is
passed over a pulley H on the curtain rail, and the other end firmly attached, as at 9,
to the top rail of the door frame E, or other fixed point. This pulley may revolve in
a frame h pivotted, as at h', to the curtain rod, or to the top rail of the door, so as to
have a horizontal movement or play, the object being to enable the periphery of the
pulley to adjust itself to the position of the cord, when the door is opened or closed.
It is also preferable to mount the pivot h upon a ring or bracket 2, which is made..
adjustable upon the pole, so that the pulley may always be adjusted into such a
position that the cord G will pass down the centre of the door, as shown. The ring h³
may be retained in position by a thumb screw h³.
Instead of the pulley H a roller of suitable length might be employed; supported
by the top rail of the door. One or more cords and pulleys may be provided, if
desired, but we prefer to use one cord,,dividing into three branches G¹ G G³, at a
joint some distance down the curtain. The branch cords, G1, G2 G3 pass, by preference,
through rings a attached to the back of the curtain, the upper ends of the cords
being secured to a cross bar G*, suspended from the main cord G, while their lower
ends are attached to a cross bar G5, which is fixed to the lower edge of the curtain,
and is preferably weighted. By the above arrangement of cords & rings, it' will be
seen that, as the curtain is drawn up, it is plaited, at its lower part, into neat
folds.
44
The curtain hangs normally with its lower edge upon the floor, or a short distance
below the lower edge of the door. As the door is opened the distance from the
pulley H to the fixed point of attachment 9 of the cord increases. The screen or
curtain is therefore raised from the threshold. by a very small movement of, the door,

page_text: and when it is so raised the latter can easily be opened to its full extent. The
bottom of the curtain or screen is preferably weighted as above described, so that
when the opposing force which opened the door is removed, the curtain descends and
the door closes simultaneously.
The application of the invention to windows, etcetera, such as are hinged upon
vertical axes will be evident without further description.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The automatic raising of a draught screen or curtain of the kind described, by
means of a suitably guided cord, chain or its equivalent, connected at one end to the
lower edge of the curtain or to other suitable point thereon, and secured at its opposite
end to a fixed point above or beyond the door or window, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
2. In combination with a draught screen or curtain for a door or the like, a
curtain pole mounted at or near the hinge edge of the door upon a fixed axis lying
parallel to the axis of the hinge pivot, and resting loosely at its opposite end within
a bearing carried by the door at or near its opposite edge, substantially as
described.
3. The herein described improvements in draught screens and their attachments for
doors or the like, whereby the screen is prevented from interfering with the free
movement of the door and is kept at all times in its proper position relative to said
door, substantially as described.
Dated this
A
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.