Improvements in or relating to Cornices and other Hanging Devices for Curtains and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1894--Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cornices and other Hanging Devices
for Curtains and the like.
We, PERCIVAL PHILPOT, Manufacturer, and PERCIVAL CHARLES WILLIAM
PHILPOT, Clerk, both. of George Yard, Aldermanbury, in the City of London,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the hanging or suspending of curtains, blinds and the
like and may be carried out in the following manner :-
A "cornice" or suitable sliding device is secured at the top of the window, door
or elsewhere, where the curtains or the like are to be hung; the construction of
this sliding device may greatly vary according to circumstances as for example it
might be a simple rod or tube, but I will describe it as made in the form of a slide.
The slide would preferably consist of a back-board of suitable dimensions with
under-cut cover pieces so as to form a T-shaped groove in which the desired
number of blocks or equivalent supporting devices can slide without danger of
their coming out, any suitable stops or equivalent being if necessary provided at
the ends to prevent their escaping and preferably a block or stop being placed in
the centre so as to control the movement of each curtain should two curtains or
blinds be employed. Or the outside block of each set may be fixed. A helical
spring adapted to cover the whole of the blocks for one curtain is laid in the groove
in the "cornice" each block being fastened to the spring and a cord or equivalent
is connected to the end of the spring or to the end sliding block carried along in
the groove of the cornice and over a pulley at the end. Each block carries a
suitable spring or spring-controlled clip by which the curtain or blind may be
With this
fastened preferably being folded or pleated, one clip taking one pleat.
arrangement no stitching, pinning or equivalent fastening is required and the
curtain is merely folded or pleated by hand and placed in each clip and is then
hung. To draw the curtain the cord is pulled, expanding the spring and drawing
the blocks with their respective clips apart thus spreading or "drawing
curtain or blind. The cord may be secured in any convenient manner when the
curtain is drawn and if the cord be released the spring will draw back the curtain
to its normal or folded condition. The blocks when drawn back by the spring
may be in contact or may have spaces between them and it will be noticed that
instead of a spring an elastic cord, or one or more weighted inelastic cords may be
employed for the same purpose or each block may be provided with an independent
spring retracting device. Or the automatic retracting device may be dispensed
with and the blocks drawn back by a cord in the ordinary manner. Also although
we much prefer to employ the above mentioned clips they are not essential to the
working of the apparatus as the curtain may be fastened to the blocks by stitching,
pins or other suitable device, say for instance, hooks over which eyeletted or other
holes in the curtain may be passed, or screwed pins to receive the curtain and nuts
to screw thereon. Or instead of employing springs or cords or similar devices
an arrangement of links toggle levers lazy tongs or the like may be used to
expand or contract the curtain, the primary movement being imparted by a cord
rod screw device or the like. In the case of the lazy tongs one curtain
holding block or equivalent may be connected at each joint of the links.
"
the
The other end of the cornice would be provided with similar devices to those
already described and where the helical springs are employed the cord from the
opposite end may be passed through the hollow centre of the spring.

page_text: The blocks may take the form of rings, hooks or the like when desired especially
in the case of a rod or tube being employed instead of the previously mentioned
slide.
Although we have previously mentioned the operating cords as hanging at the
ends of the cornice we may place these or the other operating devices at the centre
or other part if desired; or the cord controlling each curtain may be placed upon
that side of the cornice say for example by employing pulleys at the centre of the
cornice and carrying the cord round and back again.
Dated this 28th day of November 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cornices and other Hanging Devices
for Curtains and the like.
We, PERCIVAL PHILPOT, Manufacturer, and PERCIVAL CHARLES WILLIAM
PHILPOT, Clerk, both of George Yard, Aldermanbury, in the City of London,
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 relates to the hanging or suspending of curtains blinds and the
like and in the accompanying drawings we have illustrated the manner of carrying
it into practice, which we have found to give the best results.
In these drawings
Figure 1 is a view of the device, partly in longitudinal section and partly in
elevation,
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, drawn to a larger
scale showing one of the curtain clips closed, and
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the curtain clip open.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
°
A is a cornice pole provided at its lower part with a longitudinal slot A', in
which the spring clips B are free to slide in the direction of the length of the
cornice-pole. These spring clips are formed with loops B at their upper part
so that while free to move longitudinally along the slot A' they cannot fall out
therefrom. To place them in position the knobs C which normally close the
ends of the slots, are first removed; the spring clips may then be inserted into
the slot and after this the knobs are again screwed or otherwise secured to the ends
of the cornice pole.
D is a helical spring adapted to be placed in a pocket or hem E of the
curtain E, and the spring clips B at their lower ends are so formed that when
they are closed they tightly grasp the curtain and press it against the helical
spring.
Fare hooks adapted to fit in the slot A', to which the inner end of each
spring D is secured. These hooks when the curtain is in its fully extended
position are held against movement under the tension of the spring D connected
therewith by a cord G passing to the end of the cornice opposite to that at
which the last-mentioned spring is provided; when the cord is released the
spring contracts and draws the hook towards the end of the cornice pole thereby
bringing the curtain to its narrowed or open position. The outer end of each
spring D is connected to another hook F¹ which is retained by the knob C in the
outer end of the slot A' but prevented from moving therein by means of a lug F³
adapted to bear against the closed end A2 of the cornice pole.
The hook F is formed in part with a housing for accommodating a roller H
over which passes the before-mentioned cord G, this cord descending below the

page_text: cornice pole to a convenient height to enable it to be pulled or released for
extending the curtain or allowing it to be drawn into its narrowest position by
neans of the appropriate spring D. The cord for operating the right-hand curtain
passes through the loops B₁ of the left-hand set of spring clips and those for
operating the left-hand curtain through the loops of the right-hand set so that they
are retained in proper working position. When either cord G is pulled the
spring D to which it is connected is expanded and the spring clips B gripping the
curtain on said spring are drawn apart, thus spreading or "drawing" the curtain.
It will be readily seen that by pulling the cord G at say the right-hand end of
the cornice pole A, the curtain at the left-hand side will be extended and by
releasing this cord the same curtain will by its spring D, be drawn into its narrowest
position, and similarly with the right-hand curtain the extension and contraction of
which is controlled by operating the cord G at the left-hand end of the cornice.
For strengthening purposes a metal spring A³ may be secured to the cornice-
pole A, so as to bridge across the slot A at its central part where the spring clips
or hooks do not require to travel in the slot.
The device may be applied to single as well as double curtains.
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 combination with a slotted cornice-pole of a helical spring adapted to fit
in a pocket or hem of the curtain and spring clips movable in the cornice pole to
engage with the spring and the curtain at the part surrounding it substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a hanging device for curtains the combination with a spring such as D of
one or more spring clips which support the curtain and slide with it substantially
as described.
3. In a hanging device for curtains the combination with a spring such as D
upon which the curtain hangs of one or more spring clips such as B which fix the
curtain to the spring at certain points and also slide in or upon the tube or rod by
which the whole is suspended substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete device
for hanging curtains and the like substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
P. PHILPOT.
P. C. W. PHILPOT.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicants.