IMPROVEMENTS IN CURTAIN RODS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
DI
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd May 1858.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CURTAIN RODS," a communication from Jules Antoine
Pelosse, a foreigner resident abroad, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of curtain
rods suitable either for double or single curtains, whereby the traversing of the
curtain rings along the rod for the purpose of opening or closing the curtain
or curtains is effected in a more efficient manner than heretofore. The rod,
according to this Invention, has spiral grooves or cliannels formed upon it,
and may be made to rotate upon its longitudinal axis by means of a barrel or
barrels having cords wound round them in opposite directions, so that on
pulling one or other of the cords the rod will rotate in either direction
required.

page_text: The curtain rings are cach contained in a separate groove or channel of the
series formed by the spiral, so that on turning the rod they will run along its
surface in either direction, according to the direction in which the rod is
rotated.
The spirals are made of a finer pitch at the opposite ends of the rod, so as
to gather the curtain into close folds on each side of the window where doublo
curtains are used, and in this case the two halves of the rod must have spirals
made in opposite directions, thus forming right and left handed screws. For
single curtains one screw or spiral only is required, which must nevertheless be
of a finer pitch at the commencement for the purpose above mentioned.
Various arrangements may obviously be adopted for imparting the rotatory
motion to the curtain rod.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and
of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Pateut, bearing date the Twenty-second day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Henry Johnson, Пer special license that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or
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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CURTAIN RODS" a communication from Jules Antoine
Pelosse, a foreigner resident abroad, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within

page_text: six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the sail Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement of
curtain rods, suitable either for double or single curtains, whereby the
traversing of the curtain rings along the rod, for the purpose of opening or
closing the curtain or curtains, is effected in a more efficient manner than
heretofore. The rod, according to this Invention, has spiral grooves or
channels formed upon it, and may be made to rotate upon its longitudinal axis
by means of a barrel or barrels having cords wound round them in opposite
directions, so that on pulling one or other of the cords the rod will rotate in
either direction required. The curtain rings are cach contained in a separate
groove or channel of the series formed by the spiral, so that on turning the
rod, they will run along its surface in either direction, according to the
direction in which the rod is rotated. The spirals are made of a finer pitch
at the opposite ends of the rod, so as to gather the curtains into close folds on
each side of the window where double curtains are used, and in this case the
two halves of the rod must have their spirals made in opposite directions, thus
forming right and left handed screws. For single curtains one screw or spiral
only is required, which must, nevertheless, be of a finer pitch at the commence-
ment for the purpose above mentioned. Various arrangements may obviously
be adopted for imparting the rotatory motion to the curtain rod.
And, in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figure 1 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings, represents in elevation a
curtain rod of my improved construction. A is the rod, on the right-hand end
of which the curtain rings B are represented in the small spirals C, as is the
case when the curtain is not extended or opened out. On the left-hand side
I have represented the rings B', in the large spirals D, as they will be when
the curtain is drawn out. The cord E, in Figure 1, serves to turn the curtain
rod in either direction, for which purpose it is coiled or wound round the
groove or pulley G, and one end hangs down from each side. In Figures 2

page_text: and 3, which represent respectively a head in elevation and section, the same
effect is obtained by the aid of two cords E', E", coiled round the two grooves
or pulleys G, G", but any other simple method may be adopted for effecting
the rotation of the curtain rod. Two supports H; Figures 1, 2, and 3, which
may be ornamented to any desired extent, receive the ends or journals of the
rod, and conceal the pullies employed for rotating it. These supports are
fixed against the wall of the apartment.
A rod for a single curtain would be precisely similar to the one I have
illustrated for double curtains, with the exception that one series of spirals
would extend along the entire length of the rod in place of a right and left-
hand spiral being formed.at each end.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the principles or main features of the said Invention; but what I con-
sider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me, by the hercin-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the general construction, arrangement, and mode of actuating curtain
rods for the purpose of effecting the opening or closing of curtains or draperies
of all kinds, as herein-before described.
Second, the suspending of curtains or draperies of all kinds, by means of
rings placed in spirals formed on a rotating curtain rod, for the purpose herein-
before described.
Third, the application and use of curtain rods fitted or formed with screw
threads, spirals or helices, and turning or rotating on centres, for the purpose
of effecting the opening or closing of curtains, or other draperies.
Fourth, the system or mode of opening or closing curtains by the rotatory
action of the rod which supports such curtains.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight.