An Improved. Apparatus for Displaying Lace Curtains and other Textile Fabrics.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1892--Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved. Apparatus for Displaying Lace Curtains and other
Textile Fabrics.
CHARLES ARTHUR CHARLTON 37 Ebury Road, Sherwood Rise, Nottingham
Commercial Traveller and ALFRED THOMAS SICKLEN 43 Waldeck Road,
Carrington, Nottingham Commercial Traveller do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
:―
The curtains or other fabrics are carried by clips attached to rods which are
connected at one end to carriages fitted with small trucks or runners capable of
travelling upon suitable rails.
The rails may be cast upon a bracket, or be made from rods or bars suitably
supported, the whole forming a kind of tramway which may be attached to a wall,
column or other convenient support.
There are two parallel lines of rails connected at one or both ends by semicircular
rails, so that the fabrics may be traversed round the lines, or from one line to the
other. In some cases the lines of rails form a complete circle.
There may be two or more rails in each line, and there is also one or more rails
placed over the carriage trucks to hold the carriages upon the rails while the
carriages may be fitted with one, two, or more trucks to each rail.
The rails are fitted at a convenient position with a friction clip, catch, or other
contrivance for holding the carriages while the fabric is inspected.
The carriages may be drawn along the rails by cords or other connections, or the
rails may be inclined. The carriages may be moved over the semicircular
rails by an armed disc, to which the catch for holding the carriages may be
attached.
Dated this 7th day of November 1891.
W. H. POTTER,
Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Displaying Lace Curtains and other
Textile Fabrics.
CHARLES ARTHUR CHARLTON 37 Ebury Road Sherwood Rise Nottingham
Commercial Traveller and ALFRED THOMAS SICKLEN 43 Waldeck Road,
Carrington Nottingham Commercial Traveller 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:-
Our invention relates to an improved apparatus designed to be used in shops
warehouses and similar places where it is desired to show in a convenient manner
several articles of different patterns, such as curtains of all kinds dress materials and
similar fabrics.
In carrying out our invention we attach at any convenient position in. the shop
or other place a specially made bracket which is shaped to form a kind of tramway,
and upon this bracket we mount a number of carriages each provided with an arm
for carrying a fabric.
The tramway bracket may be quite straight, or a complete circle, or partly
straight, and partly curved, the particular shape we consider best for general use
having two straight sides connected at one pair of ends by a semicircle, while the
other pair of ends are made with feet for fastening to the wall or other fixed part of

page_text: the building. According to one design we so arrange the rails that the carriages
run between them, but preferably we form the carriages to embrace the rails.
The carriages are made with pulleys which run upon and are guided by the
rails, the disposition of the pulleys depending partially upon the kind of rail
adopted, but with either rail we make use of sufficient pulleys to effectually support
and guide the carriage, and also to prevent it twisting. This we find most
important especially when the carriage has to pass round curves. We also add to
the carriages other trucks which run upon the sides of the rails in order to prevent
the weight of the fabric tipping the carriage, and thus fasten itself upon the rail.
The fabrics are attached to rods carried by the carriages and in some cases we
support the outside ends of the rods in order to further relieve the carriages of the
• weight of the fabric, and thus allow the carriages with the attached fabric to be
more readily moved.
With this apparatus and with our proposed shape of rail it is intended to attach
two fabrics to each carriage and to show two patterns at the same time, these.
patterns standing in a line which is a continuation of, and upon both sides of, the
diameter of the semicircle joining the two straight lines, and after the patterns have
been inspected, the carriage on one side is moved round to the other side, and a
fresh carriage brought to the position of the first mentioned carriage. It will thus
be seen that a carriage on, say, the right hand side will show the pattern of one
fabric carried by it, and that when moved round the semicircle to the other side
will show the other pattern.
For moving the carriages from one side to the other we make use of a lever
capable of turning about the centre of the semicircular portion of the rails, and
fitted to ride upon a cam surface which lowers the lever to engage with a carriage
at one side of the rail, and raises the other end of the lever clear of the carriage at
the other side of the rails, so that the carriages are caught by the lever at one side,
carried round the curved portion of the rail and then released, the lever being
turned by hand but raised and lowered automatically when in the desired position.
We may also make use of stops for holding the carriages in a position to be caught by
the lever and when released from the same. The carriages may be moved on the
straight portions of the rail by a cord attached to the carriage, or by an
independent rod.
In order however that our invention may be thoroughly understood we
have attached hereto two sheets of drawings showing in
Fig. 1. a plan of the rails with one of the carriages, also the lever for moving it
round the semicircle, and the cam for raising and lowering the lever; in
Fig. 2 a sectional elevation of the same showing one section of rail, and an
additional carriage.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation to an enlarged scale showing a carriage which embraces
the rail; and
Fig. 4 a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation to the same scale as Figs. 3 and 4 showing a carriage
which runs between the rails, and
Fig. 6. a front elevation of the same..
We preferably employ the design shown in Figs. 1 to 4, and in these figures the
same parts are lettered with the same reference letter.
The rail a of the section shown or a similar section is made with feet a' by which
it can be bolted to the wall or other fixture b, and with a removable portion a² for
the ready insertion and withdrawal of the carriages c. The lever d for moving the
carriages round the circular portion of the rails is carried by a spindle d' which has
its bearing in a boss a¹ carried by the cross rail a³, the lower end of the spindle
being provided with a shaft d² which is brought within working distance of the
attendant, and fitted with a handle d³ for convenience of turning. The underside
of the lever d rests upon a cam ring d which is carried by the cross rail a³ and at
the points d³ and do is shaped to lower one end of the lever and raise the other
thus automatically engaging with a carriage at one side of the rails and disengaging

page_text: itself from a carriage at the other side of the rails, this action taking place which--
ever way the lever is turned. The carriage shown more particularly in Figs. 3
and 4 is made of a single casting c and is fitted at the top with four rollers c¹ which
run upon the top of the rail a. At the bottom of the carriage we use a single and
larger roller which runs upon the underside of the rail, and at the sides of the
carriages there is one or more guide rollers which run upon the sides of the rail.
In the carriage shown there are two rollers at each side and they are marked c³.
and c. At the front of the carriage we show a boss c³ for carrying the rode Fig. 2
to which the fabric f is attached, the connection between the rod and carriage may
however be effected by any well known method either for making it a permanent
one, or so that the rod can be readily be removed if desired. We have not shown
the rail for supporting the outer ends of the rods, but it may be of any suitable
section, and the ends of the rods may or may not be fitted with trucks. On the
top of the carriage there is a projecting bar c or one or more pins against which
the lever & bears when it is moving the carriage.
In Figs. 5 and 6 we show the arrangement adopted when the carriage g runs
between the rails h and these latter being drawn to represent wrought iron bars
bent to the circle, but we may adopt rails of other materials if desired, and may
have a different number at the top or bottom, but do not consider it advisable to
use a single rail at both places. The carriages are fitted with two pairs of rollers g
which run upon the underside of the top rails and two pairs of rollers g² which
run upon the top side of the lower rails h. There are also two pairs of side
rollers 3 and 9 and the carriage is provided with a boss g³ for carrying the rod
and fabric. We also extend upwards the sides of the carriage at 9 and thus
obtain projections against which the lever d may bear when moving the carriage.
It will of course be understood that if the number of rails be varied, the number
and disposition of the rollers, and also the shape of the carriage must be altered
accordingly.
When in position the whole of the carriages except one would be on one side
rail, the one referred to, being opposite the diameter of the semicircle and on the
other rail so that two patterns would be shown. After inspection the attendant
would move round the lever d and carry one of the carriages round with it until the
opposite side was reached when it would push the carriage then there further up
the rail after which one end of the lever would rise and disengage itself from the
carriage last moved while the other end would be lowered to engage with another
carriage which would have been previously moved into a suitable position by the
attendant.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In an apparatus for displaying textile fabrics, the use of a carriage for
carrying the fabric, and capable of travelling upon a fixed rail substantially as
shown and described in the accompanying drawings and Specification.
2. In an apparatus for displaying textile fabrics, the use, in conjunction with the
carriage and rail, of a lever and cam, or their mechanical equivalents for moving
the carriages upon the curved portion of the rails, substantially as shown and
described in the accompanying drawings and Specification.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1892.
W. H. POTTER, M.I.M.E.,
Parliament Chambers, Nottingham, Agent for the Applicants.