Improvements in Movable Partitions and Screens.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1892-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Movable Partitions and Screens.
We GEORGE BRADY of Brownsfield Mill, Ancoats, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Mechanic and JAMES BROTCHIE PEACE of 7 Port Street,
Manchester, aforesaid, Joiner and Builder do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the movable partitions or screens which are employed
to screen off a portion of a room or to divide a large room into two or more smaller
rooms and are adapted to be moved when desirable so as to give access from one
division to another or to convert the two or more comparatively small rooms into a
larger room as is well understood.
In the class of partition to which our invention relates each partition is formed
in sections or units which are suspended and are adapted to be moved horizontally
out of the way. We suspend these sections from carriages which run upon rails
as usual but in place of the sections being disconnected we hinge them together
or we divide the sections constituting the entire partition into two or more sets and
we hinge together the sections in each set.
The sections are hinged together so that they can be folded one upon another
similarly to an ordinary lap screen. Taking for example a partition divided into
two sets the section nearest to each wall or side of the opening would be hinged
to the fixed casing or recess or wall each section or each alternate section or
certain of the sections being suspended as aforesaid. When the screen is pulled
out so as to divide the room the outer sections would meet together. When closing
up the screen the outer meeting sectious would be pushed away from each other
right and left and the sections would fold together. When thus folded the two
parts of the partition would occupy comparatively small spaces.
In some cases the partition would extend across the opening in one part the said
one part consisting of hinged sections.
When the partition would be drawn out or pushed toward the side of the
opening the hinging together of the parts would ensure parallelism of movement of
the flaps composing the screen.
We may employ racks and pinions to control the movements of the outer section
in each partition.
We do not confine ourselves to the ordinary method of suspension from carriages
running upon rails..
Dated this 2nd day of Contambar 1000
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
. Improvements in Movable Partitions and Screens,
We GEORGE BRADY of Brownsfield Mill, Ancoats, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Mechanic, and JAMES BROTCHIE PEACE of 70 Port Street,
Manchester, aforesaid, Joiner and Builder, 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 and accompanying
drawings:
:-
Our invention relates to the movable partitions or screens which are employed
to screen off a portion of a room or to divide a large room into two or more smaller

page_text: rooms and are adapted to be moved when desirable so as to give access from one
division to another or to convert the two or more comparatively small rooms into
a larger room as is well understood.
In the class of partition to which our invention relates each partition is formed
in sections or units which are suspended and are adapted to be moved horizontally
out of the way. We suspend these sections from carriages which run upon rails as-
usual but in place of the sections being disconnected we hinge them together or we
divide the sections constituting the entire partition into two or more sets and.we
hinge together the sections in each set. The sections are hinged together so that
they can be folded one upon another similarly to an ordinary lap screen. Taking
for example a partition divided into two sets, the section nearest to each wall or
side of the opening would be hinged to the fixed casing or recess or wall each
section or each alternate section or certain of the sections being suspended as afore-
said. When the screen is pulled out so as to divide the room the outer sections
would meet together. When closing up the screen the outer meeting sections
would be pushed away from each other right and left and the sections would fold
together. When thus folded, the two parts of the partition would occupy
comparatively small space. In some cases the partition would extend across the
opening in one part the said one part consisting of hinged sections. When the
partition would be drawn out or pushed toward the side of the opening the hinging
together of the parts would ensure parallelism of movement of the flaps composing
the screen.
We may employ racks and pinions to control the movements of the outer section
in each partition.
We do not confine ourselves to the ordinary method of suspension from carriages
running upon rails.
In order that our invention may be fully understood we will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the annexed two sheets of drawings:
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is a side elevation of a movable partition with hinged sections
made in accordance with our invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan view.
Fig: 3 is an end view of Fig. 1..
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view showing the hinged sections of the partition partly
folded together.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the upper suspending carriage and the lower guiding
bowl or roller.
The figs. on Sheet 2 illustrate modifications in the forms of the suspending or
carrying parts which might be used as substitutes for the carriage and lower roller
shown in Sheet 1.
-
Referring to Sheet 1 the partition shown in the drawings stretches uninterruptedly
across the room or space bounded by the sides a a. The partition consists of
sections b, b, 3, 3, which are of the ordinary construction. The first half section b
is hung close to the wall a and turns upon the pivot c. The succeeding.
sections are respectively hinged together at i so as to fold alternately in
different directions as shown in Fig. 4. Each alternate section (viz. sections b¹
and 3 in the drawings) is hung upon a pivot bar d which is adjustably connected to
the carriage e by nuts d' or by any other suitable means. The hole in the
carriage e through which the pivot bar passes is made slightly oblong so as to allow
slight movement of the bar. The. bar d passes. down through the centre of the
section and is furnished at the foot with a collar and an anti-friction roller d
kept in position by a washer as shown or it might be by a nut or any convenient
.means. The collar d³ enters a recess in a plate sunk into the foot or lower edge of
the section. The section is thus supported upon the collar and turns freely upon
the pivot bar d.. The carriages e, of which there are two in the arrangement
illustrated, are fitted with wheels which run upon rails g. The carriage may be
concealed by and run within a hollow beam or a recess to contain the carriage
may be formed within the ceiling. The rails g are laid down within the beam so
.

page_text: that the carriage e may travel freely from end to end thereof. The pivot bar d
passes through a slot in the lower side of the beam h while the anti-friction roller
runs in a slot in the floor k the said slot guiding and steadying the sections. A
sliding bolt may be applied about the middle of the partition to steady and hold it
in position when extended as shown in Fig. 1.
The last section may have a spring catch or a bolt or other fastening to engage
with the wall when the partition is extended. When it is desired to close up the
partition the bolt is lifted and the last section 63 is pushed aside so as to turn it on
its pivot. A slight sidelong push at the hinged joints throws the other sections out
of the straight line and the whole of the sections can then be folded together one
upon another as indicated in Fig. 4, the sections lying flat and close together up
against the wall, or within a recess provided in the wall to receive them. The
hinging of the sections together in the manner indicated steadies and strengthens
the whole partition, and in the act of folding together or drawing out the partition
the hinges ensure parallelism of movement of the sections and cause them mutually
to support each other and prevent them from canting and jambing as is so
frequently the case in manipulating the sections of partitions which are not so
hinged together.. Another advantage of the hinging is that only each alternate
section requires to be suspended or carried from the ceiling or floor, the section
being supported by the hinges. By thus diminishing the suspending or carrying
gear we greatly diminish the parts and consequent friction while the cost may be
also decreased. Instead of placing the pivot bar d in the centre of the sections as
shown and described we might place the bar to one side or at the extreme edge of
the section. We might suspend or carry each of the hinged sections.
We have chosen à very simple example of partition to illustrate our invention
but it will be understood that our improvement is equally applicable to partitions
consisting of two sets of hinged sections meeting in the centre of the apartment or
at another point therein as for instance is suggested in our Provisional Specification.
We might arrange so that one of the impivotted sections of the partition could be
disengaged from the hinges of one side and used as a door to pass through the
partition. As already pointed out we do not confine ourselves to any particular
manner of carrying or suspending the sections.so long as these are hinged together.
For example instead of suspending the sections from above from a wheeled carriage e
by means of a pivot rod d as described, we might as in Figs. 6 and 7 Sheet 2 carry
the sections on a wheel m at the foot, the said wheel running on a rail n laid beneath
the floor. The jaw o carrying the wheel is formed with a tail o' which serves as a
pivot to support the section b, the said pivot o working in a sleeve bearing p let into
the section. The upper end of the section is guided and supported by an anti-
friction bowl q running in a slot in the ceiling or beam above the partition. In the
case of light, cheap partitions we might dispense with carrying wheels or bowls at
both the top and bottom of the sections and as shown at Fig. 8 Sheet 2 use simply
pins r sliding in slots in the floor and ceiling.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is: :-
Hinging together the sections or flaps of movable folding partitions or screens of
the indicated description substantially as herein before described and shown.
Dated this lot do of Nainenting 1000
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, Agents.