Improvements in or Connected with Machines for Folding curtains.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or Connected with Machines for Folding curtains.
I, JAMES HESELWOOD, of Woodhouse Square, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to construct machinery whereby curtains may be
straightened out and folded after washing whilst in a damp condition, and the said
curtains may be thus dried without danger of tearing or crinkling the fabric.
According to my invention, I provide a table which is of sufficient length to carry
a curtain stretched longitudinally on same, and at the ends of the table are two
uprights which carry a rod at a suitable height above the table. Two pulleys are
provided on the rod over which cords or chains pass for the support of two carriers,
which are connected together by a holder rod; and counterbalance weights are
attached to the opposite ends of the cords for the purpose of balancing the weight of
the carriers and also the weight of a longitudinal rod which is supported by hooks on
the carriers. On the framework at each end of the machine are two shafts which are
mounted in bearings near their centres, and one of these shafts is provided with spur
gearing through which it is connected with right and left driving pulleys. The two
shafts are formed with right screw threads on one side of their bearings, and with left
screw threads on the other side of their bearings, and the two shafts are connected
together by means of chain or other gearing. Above the table two movable narrow
tables are provided, being carried on the screw shafts and on slides situated at the
ends of the machine, in such a manner that the rotation of the shafts causes the
narrow tables to move toward or away from the centre of the main table, according to
the direction of rotation of the screw shafts. The belt fork is mounted on a sliding
rod, and adjustable tappets are provided on the said rod, in such a manner that they
may be set in any desired position where the narrow tables will come in contact with
them in their movements, and thus throw the shafts out of gear at the required timė.
An open frame is provided of or about half the width of the curtain, and the use of
this frame will be described hereafter.
The curtain is folded down the centre on a table provided for the purpose, and the
loose rod, being first inserted in the fold, is lifted up by hand and placed in the hooks
of the carrier, when the curtain remains suspended equally on both sides of the rod.
The sides of the curtain are now drawn over the narrow tables, where they are
straightened out, and the narrow tables being moved apart the curtain is opened out
over the face of the main table. The rod is then removed and the holder keeps the
curtain central whilst the continued movement of the narrow tables draws the curtain
apart; and when this movement is completed, the holder and carrier are run up out
of the way, and the open frame above referred to is placed on the curtain, thus holding
same down in contact with the main table. The tappets having been brought into
action, the movements of the screw shafts is reversed, thus causing the tables to come
toward each other and pass over the frame, thereby drawing the sides of the curtain

page_text: over the narrow tables and on to the open frame; and when the narrow tables have
come together, the curtain is entirely laid on the frame and the latter can then be
removed and the curtain be allowed to dry in the folded position.
Dated this with day of Man 1007
I, JAMES HESELWOOD, of Woodhouse Square, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, 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 :-
3
The object of this invention is to construct machinery whereby curtains may be
straightened out and folded after washing whilst in a damp condition, and the said
curtains may be thus dried without danger of tearing or crinkling the fabric.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to describe
same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer to
like parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed according to my invention,
and Figure 2 is an end view of same. Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are diagram views,
illustrating the working of the machine.
According to my invention, I provide a table A, which is of sufficient length to
carry a curtain stretched longitudinally on same, and at the ends of the table A two
uprights B and C are provided being carried on the frame D of the machine. E is a
shaft carrying two pulleys F and G over which chains H pass for the support of two
carriers J, J which are connected together by a carrier rod K having pins K¹ on its
under side. L, L are counterbalance weights, which are attached to the opposite
ends of the chains H, and M is a rod which is carried on hooks N, N attached to the
carriers J, J. On the framework D at each end of the machine, two shafts P, P¹ are
mounted, the shaft P being provided with spur gearing R through which it is
connected with left and right driving pulleys S, S¹. The shafts P, P¹ are formed
with right handed screw threads on one side of their bearings, and with left handed
screw threads
on the other side of their bearings, and the two shafts are
connected together by means of chain gearing T. Above the table A two movable
narrow tables U and V are provided, being carried on the screw shafts P, P, and on
slides W, W₁ fixed to the end frames of the machine; in such a manner that the
rotation of the shafts, P, P₁ causes the narrow tables U and V to slide on the
rods W, W and to move toward or away from the centre of the table A, according
to the direction of rotation of the shafts P, P¹. Z is a belt fork which is carried on
a sliding rod 2, and adjustable tappets 3 are provided on the said rod, for the purpose
of engaging with the narrow tables U and V as they come to the limit of the move-
ment required, thus causing the sliding rod 2 to be moved and the machine to be
reversed or thrown out of gear. 4 is a pulley which is attached to the shaft E,
and 5 is a chain which enables the said shaft E to be rotated by hand and thus to
raise or lower the carriers J, J, at will. 6 is an open frame, on which the curtain is 4
folded by the machine, for drying purposes.
The curtain is folded down the centre on a suitable table provided for the purpose,
and the loose rod M is inserted in the fold so as to divide the curtain equally on both
sides. The rod M is then lifted up and placed in the hooks N on the carrier K, and
the sides of the curtain are drawn over the narrow tables U and V, as shewn in the

page_text: diagram at Figure 3. On the narrow tables U and V being moved apart through the
medium of the screw shafts P, P¹, the carrier K with its rod M are lowered, the
pins K¹ keeping the curtain central as the tables separate, until the narrow
tables U and V reach the limit of their action as seen at Figure 4. The rod M is then
withdrawn from the carrier, and the latter is run up out of the way, leaving the
curtain stretched freely between the tables U and V. The frame 6 is then placed
on the curtain as seen at Figure 5, thus holding the curtain in contact with the
surface of the main table A, and the belts having changed from the right to the left
pulleys through the action of the tappets, the screw shafts P, and P₁ are reversed,
thus causing the narrow tables U and V to move toward each other and pass over the
main table A, thereby drawing the sides of the curtain over the surfaces of the narrow
tables U and V on to the open frame G, as seen at Figure 6. The curtain is thus
entirely laid on the frame 6 and the latter can then be removed and the curtain be
allowed to dry in the folded position.
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
1. In a machine for folding curtains having a fixed table supported on a frame, the
two movable tables U and V, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination of the fixed table A, movable tables U and V, carrier rod K,
and the open frame 6, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The combination of the movable tables U and V, screws P, P¹, slides W, W¹,
tappets 3, 3, and sliding rod 2, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The combination of the uprights B and C, carriers J, J, carrier rod K having
pins K¹ on same, counterbalance weights L, L, chains H, hooks N, and rod M,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. The general arrangement, construction, and combination of the various parts
forming the improvements in or connected with machines for folding curtains,
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of October A.D. 1897.
Dated this 11th day of October A.D. 1897.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.