AN IMPROVED MODE OF FASTENING STAIR RODS AND OTHER RODS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Edwards, of Englefield Terrace, De Beau-
voir Town, Kingsland, in the County of Middlesex, Agent, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF FASTENING STAIR RODS AND OTHER RODS."
Sealed the 4th December 1857, and dated the 6th June 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Edwards at'
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th June 1857.
I, EDWARD EDWARDS, of Englefield Terrace, De Beauvoir Town, Kings-
land, in the County of Middlesex, Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF FASTENING STAIR RODS AND OTHER
RODS," to be as follows:-
The chief object of this Invention is to prevent stair rods from becoming
loose by moving endways and slipping out of their holders, whereby through
the carpet being left loose on the stairs, frequent and often very serious
accidents have been occasioned. The sockets for the rods I propose to make
of cast metal of an L form in side view, (so as to fit in the angle of the
stairs), and with a flange or projection on one end thereof to receive the
abutting end of the rod. These sockets are to be secured to the stairs at
suitable distances apart according to the length of rod employed, and when
the rods are inserted therein I slide over them caps which will take on to
the edges of the sockets, and cover the ends of the rods, and thereby prevent
them from rising out of their place. The rods may be of various sectional
forms, but I prefer to make them triangular. When otherwise formed the
sockets and holding down caps must be made to suit the change of the
sectional figure of the rods. The material of which the sockets, 'ŕods, and

page_text: caps are made may vary to suit different tastes and requirements.
propose to apply this mode of fastening stair rods to rods for carrying window
blinds, curtains, and other articles.
I also
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by: the said Edward Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th December 1857..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
EDWARDS, of Englefield Terrace, De Beauvoir Town, Kingsland, in the
County of Middlesex, Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edward Edwards, Her special license that I, the said Edward Edwards, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Edwards, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OP FASTEN-
ING STAIR RODS AND OTHER RODS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Edward Edwards, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Edwards, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The chief object of my Invention of "An Improved Mode of Fastening
Stair Rods and other Rods," is to prevent stair rods from becoming loose by
moving endways and slipping out of their holders, whereby, through the
carpet being left loose on the stairs, frequent and often very serious accidents
have been occasioned. The sockets for the rods I propose to make of cast
metal of an L form in side view (so as to fit in the angle of the stairs),

page_text: and with a flange or projection on one end thereof to receive the abutting end
of the rod. These sockets are to be secured by screws or otherwise to the
stairs at suitable distances apart, according to the length of rod employed, and
when the rods are inserted therein I slide over them caps which will take on to
the edges of the sockets, and cover the ends of the rods, and thereby prevent
them from rising out of their place. The rods may be of various sectional
forms, but for stair rods I prefer to make them triangular. When otherwise
formed the sockets and holding-down caps must be made to suit the change
of sectional figure of the rods. The material of which the sockets, caps, and
rods are made may vary to suit different tastes and requirements. I also
propose to apply this mode of fastening stair rods to rods for carrying window
blinds, curtains, and other articles.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn various views of the rods,
sockets, caps, and fastenings, and the mode of securing the same to the stairs.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation drawn upon an enlarged scale of a stair rod, with
the parts forming the improved mode of fastening shewn in longitudinal
section; Fig. 2 is a cross section taken in the line a, a, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is
a perspective view of part of a flight of stairs, shewing a number of the rods
in their places. It will be seen that the stair rod A, is made in the form of a
triangular bar, but any other suitable and convenient form may be adopted if
preferred. B, B, are the cast metal sockets which receive the ends of the
rod A. These sockets B, one of which is shewn detached, and in perspective
at Fig. 4, are secured permanently to the stairs by means of screws as shewn
in the Drawing, or any other contrivance for securing the sockets in their
places may be employed if preferred. The rods A having been placed in
their sockets B, as shewn in the detached perspective view, Fig. 5, are
held or secured therein by the metal caps C, one of which is shewn
detached at the right-hand end of Fig. 1, while the cap at the other end
is shewn in section; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cap or cover C,
shewing the interior thereof; Fig. 7 is a similar view of the back of one
of the sockets B, shewing the recessed part a, a, on to which the flanges
b, b, of the cap or cover C fit when the two parts are brought together.
The cover or cap C, is provided with a knob c, whereby it may be put on or
taken off the sockets. In the Figures above referred. to this knob c is a
fixture, but if desired it may be made to screw through the end of the cap,
and enter a hole tapped either in the end of the rod A, or in the side of the
socket B, as shewn in the sectional view, Fig. 8. The knob may be made
with a milled head, so that it may be turned with facility, and the screw at
the inner end made to screw into the socket or rod, so as to hold the several

page_text: parts together. Fig. 9 is a plain view, and Fig. 10, a sectional view of my
improved mode of fastening rods applied to curtain rods. The rod A is in
this instance made cylindrical, as the curtain rings are intended to run thereon.
The ends of the. rods A are received in the sockets of the brackets B, which
are screwed or otherwise fastened to the framework round the opening or
window, supposing that the rod is intended for a window curtain.. When the
ends of the rod are placed in the sockets they are secured therein by sliding
on the caps C, over the sockets as in the former instance. Fig. 11 is a front
view, and Fig. 12, an edge view or section, shewing the manner of adapting
my improvements to window blinds. The rods A are in this instance made of
a triangular section, as in the case of the stair rods, but round or flat bars or
rods may be employed if preferred. The rods A are secured in their sockets
by the caps C, as in the former instances, but I sometimes propose to dispense
with one of the caps C, and simply insert one of the ends of the rod A, into
a corresponding countersunk hole in one of the brackets, as shewn at B*, in
which it will be held securely by the cap C, at the other end, keeping its own
end in its proper place, as will be well understood. upon inspecting the
Drawing.
Having now described my Invention of "An Improved Mode of Fasten-
ing Stair Rods and other Rods," and having explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I would observe that I do not mean or intend to confine
myself rigidly to the precise arrangement or construction of parts herein.
shewn and described, as they may perhaps be varied without departing from
the nature and object of my Invention.
In conclusion, I claim the mode herein shewn and described of fastening
stair rods and other rods, or any mere modification thereof, in which one or
both of the ends of the rod is or are secured or held in a socket or sockets by
means of a cap or cover as above explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Edwards, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
. 66, Chancery Lane."
E. EDWARDS. (L.S.)