Improvements in Joints applicable to Cornice and other Poles or Rods.
Year: 1891

page_text: "The decision of the Comptroller-General of the 29th day of November 1895, allowed,
under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883, an Amendment of this
Specification.
Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 4th July, 1892-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Joints applicable to Cornice and other Poles
or Rods.
I, CHARLES JAMES HARCOURT, of the Atlas Brass Foundry, Moseley Street,
in the City of Birmingham, Brassfounder, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
. This invention relates to the manner in which I construct joints forming part of,
or for attachment to cornice poles and other tubes or rods to enable them to be
readily adjusted to any angle of a wall or room; and to permit the easy application
to bay or recessed windows, of any ordinary length or straight piece of pole, rod
or tube without requiring any special bends or curved portions of pole or rod to be
constructed for such purposes.
In one mode of carrying my invention into effect I arrange a ball or sphere,
preferably of hollow metal, between the two tubes which are to be united, and the
ball may be of greater external diameter than the internal diameter or bore of the
tubes. In the opposite sides of the sphere I cut or form slots and through
the slots I pass two links which I attach to a pivot or hinge pin in the centre
of the ball or sphere. These two links thus hinge from the same centre and
each is capable of movement through the arc allowed by the slot, and both links
swivel or hinge in the same or parallel planes. To the ends of the links 1 fasten
flanges, which flanges serve for attaching to the tubes to be jointed together.
Or 1 attach these flanges to short tubes which form the joint, and these tubes
in turn are attached to the longer cornice pole or other tubes, or if need be to
cornice poles of wood or other material in solid rods. The flanges may be.
soldered into the short tubes so as to form the joints, or they may be fastened
in any other convenient manner by socket and set screw, or a screw may project
from the flange, or link; and screw into a wooden pole or into a metallic or
other plate in the end of a cornice pole tube or into a wooden plug within
such tube.
When a wooden plug is arranged a short distance from the end of a cornice pole
tube, the flanges on the ends of the links may be dispensed with and the ends may
be formed as screws to screw directly into the said wooden plugs. In this case the
ends of the cornice pole tube come close to the central ball or sphere, and an.
effective and economical hinge is thus produced.
Instead of arranging the diameter of the ball or sphere a little larger than the
interior of the tube to be jointed, the said ball or sphere may be made of the same
external diameter as the external diameter of the tubes to be jointed, and the
edges of the tube may be closed in slightly and the interual edges cut at an angle
and closed in so as to give an increased hinging range and yet preserve the external

page_text: surface as smooth and uniform as possible. In this manner curtain rings can easily
pass round the bend and over the jointed part without obstruction. It is to be
understood that the sphere or ball is not fixed to either tube to be jointed, but the
ends of both tubes move freely over the opposing surfaces of the ball or sphere,
the only connection being by the links hereinbefore described.
With the joint constructed as herein before described the tubes swivel or hinge
in one direction, that is, in one plane, but when desired I can arrange a joint by my
central sphere or ball system which allows a certain range of freedoin in all
directions. To do this I cut circular holes in the sphere instead of slots and
cause the ends of the links to hook into each other within the sphere in such
manner as to allow them to be rotated each round the apertures through which
they pass; the tubes connected to these links are thus capable of swivelling from
the sphere in directions forming conical paths. For some purposes such joints for
tubes or rods are very useful.
In another mode of carrying my invention into effect when constructing my
improved fittings for attachment to wooden cornice poles, I form a jointing piece
for attachment to the ends of the poles which are to be brought together so that
the joint may be capable of turning in any direction without interfering with the
rigidity of the connection. I arrange a screw in the centre of a flange and I
cause this screw to enter into the end of the wooden pole until the flange is
brought closely into contact with the end of the pole, I form upon this flange a
projecting cup or bed, in the shape preferably of a semi-sphere; and I cause the
corresponding cup or projecting bemi-sphere from the end jointing piece upon the
other portion of the pole, to rest upon the upper surface of the cup or bed and
thus by their meeting to form a spherical exterior with the dividing line at their
centre in alignment with the two poles that are thus joined together. I connect
each of the semi-spheres together and form a pivot upon which they may be turned
to suit any angle, by passing a screw or rivet from one cup or bed to the other,
thereby rigidly connecting them together, while providing a free turning movement
upon the connecting pin or screw. I cast the cups or beds hollow and provide,
when necessary, bosses or snugs to receive the screw or rivet upon the exterior of
one or both of the cups.
When constructing my joint or union fitting of sheet metal, I stamp or fashion
each projecting semi-sphere or bed, preferably with a flange around or partly round
the line of contact, so that one flange rests and works within the other, and when
necessary I bend a portion of the lower flange over the upper. one for the purpose
of securely connecting one jointing end with the other. I attach the screws for
entering the ends of the poles to the cups or beds by means of projecting ears
which I form upon the cups to receive the round plain end of the screw or by
means of soldering, brazing or other well known method of connection.
Instead of making my jointing pieces with semi-spherical projections, I some-
times arrange them with jaw and butt ends so that one end may engage within the
other end and form an even exterior of a diameter equal to the diameter of the
tube, rod or pole to which it is to be attached, thereby permitting the free move-
ment of the cornice rings over the joint itself as well as over the rod or pole.
I also fashion or form the end of the rod when employing a solid rod to fit into the
jaw of the union piece formed upon or secured to the corresponding companion end
of the other rod.
I construct my union fittings and joints out of wood when joining large wooden
poles, or out of metal or any other suitable material.
Dated this 2nd day of October 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Joints applicable to Cornice and other Poles
or Rods.
I, CHARLES JAMES HARCOURT, of the Atlas Brass Foundry, Moseley Street,
in the City of Biriningham, Brassfounder, 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 manner in which I construct joints forming part of,
or for attachment to cornice poles and other tubes or rods to enable them to be
readily adjusted to any angle of a wall or room; and to permit the easy application
to bay or recessed windows of any ordinary length or straight piece of pole, rod
or tube without requiring any special bends or curved portions of pole or rod to be
constructed for such purposes.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I append hereunto one
sheet of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred to :-
In one mode of carrying my invention into effect as shown in elevation at
Figure 1, I arrange a ball or sphere A, preferably of hollow metal, between the
two tubes B, B', B, B", which are to be united, and the ball may be of greater
or less external diameter than the internal diameter or bore of the tubes. In
the opposite sides of the sphere A shown in section at Figure 2 and in elevation
at Figure 3 I cut or form slots a and through the slots I pass two links C
which I attach to a pivot or hinge pin a' in the centre of the ball or sphere.
These two links thus hinge from the same centre, and each is capable of move-
ment through the are allowed by the slot a, and both links swivel or hinge in the
same or parallel planes. Figure 4 is a sectional plan of my jointed rods and
sphere showing the connecting links C in position. Figure 5 and Figure 6 are
plans, and Figure 7 and Figure 8 elevations showing the right and left handed
mitre or corner pieces D, D' with the connecting links detached from the
sphere.
To the ends of the links I fasten flanges C', which serve for attaching to
the tubes to be jointed together.. Or I attach these flanges to short tubes C³,
which form the joint, and these tubes in turn are attached to the longer cornice
pole or other tubes, or if need be to cornice poles of wood or other material in
solid rods. The flanges C¹ may be soldered into the short tubes C' or into the
mitre pieces D, D' so as to form the joints, or they may be fastened in any other
convenient manner by socket and set screw; or a screw may project from the
flange or link and screw into a wooden pole or into a metallic or other plate in
the end of a cornice pole tube, or into a wooden plug within such tube.
When a wooden plug is arranged for, the flanges C' on the ends of the links
may be dispensed with, and the ends may be formed as screws to screw directly
into the said wooden plugs. In this case the ends of the cornice pole come close
to the central ball or sphere, and an effective and economical hinge is thụs
produced.
Instead of arranging the diameter of the ball or sphere a little larger than the
interior of the tube to be jointed, as shown in elevation at Figure 9, the said
ball or sphere may be made of the same external diameter as the external
diameter of the tubes to be jointed, and the edges of the tube may be closed in
slightly, and the internal edges cut at an angle and closed in, or a mitre piece D
may be arranged so as to give an increased hinging range, and yet preserve the
external surface as smooth and uniform as possible, as shown in elevation at
Figure 1. In this manner curtain rings can easily pass round the bend and
over the jointed part without obstruction. It is to be understood that the sphere
or ball is not fixed to either tube to be jointed, but the ends of both tubes move

page_text: freely over the opposing surfaces of the ball or sphere, the only connection being
by the links C and pin a¹ herein before described.
With the joint constructed as herein before described the tubes swivel or hinge
in one direction, that is, in one plane, but when desired I can arrange a joint by
my central sphere or ball system which allows a certain range of freedom in all
directions. To do this 1 cut circular holes in the sphere instead of slots and cause
the ends of the links to hook into each other within the sphere in such manner as
to allow them to be rotated each round the apertures through which they pass; the
tubes connected to these links are thus capable of swivelling from the sphere in
directions forming conical paths. For some purposes such joints for tubes or rods
are very useful. In another mode of carrying my invention into effect when
constructing my improved fittings for attachment to wooden cornice poles, I form
a jointing piece for attachment to the ends of the cornice poles, which are to be
brought together so that the joint may be capable of turning in any direction
without interfering with the rigidity of the connection. I arrange a screw in the
centre of a flange and I cause this screw to enter into the end of the wooden pole
until the flange is brought closely into contact with the end of the pole. I form
upon this flange a projecting cup or bed, in the shape preferably of a semi-sphere;
and I cause the corresponding cup or projecting semi-sphere from the end jointing
piece upon the other portion of the pole, to rest upon the upper surface of the cup
or bed and thus by their meeting to form a spherical exterior with the dividing line
at their centre, in alignment with the two poles that are thus joined together. I
connect each of the semi-spheres together and form a pivot upon which they inay
be turned to suit any angle, by passing a screw or rivet from one cup or bed to the
other, thereby rigidly connecting them together, while providing a free turning
movement upon the connecting pin or screw. 1 cast the cups or beds hollow and
provide, when necessary, bosses or snugs to receive the screw or rivet upon the
exterior of one or both of the cups.
When constructing my joint or union fittings of sheet metal, I stamp or fashion
each projecting semi-sphere or bed, preferably with a flange around or partly round
the line of contact, so that one flange rests and works within the other, and when
necessary I bend a portion of the lower flange over the upper one for the purpose
of securely connecting one jainting end with the other. "I attach the screws for
entering the ends of the poles to the cups or beds by means of projecting ears
which I form upon the cups to receive the round plain end of the screw or by
means of soldering, brazing or other well known method of connectiou.
I employ semi-spheres also for union purposes when tubes are to be joined
instead of wood poles, by casting or forming upon each semi-sphere E, E', a socket
piece e, e as shown in general elevation at Figure 9, and in sectional elevation at
Figure 10 and in sectional plan at Figure 11. Through the centre of these semi-
spheres I pass a pin or joint rivet F. I connect the socket pieces e, e¹ to the tubes
by rivets, pins, brazing or by any well known method for like purposes of jointing
one inetal rod to another. Instead of jointing my sockets e, e' or short tube C³ to
the main tubes by pins or other well known processes, I prefer to make a connection
to the tubes or hollow poles without requiring any special work or operation to be
performed upon them, and for this purpose I employ a band or springing clip G
shown in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7, which being held within a recessed portion of the
socket expands to securely fit the interior of the hollow pole when placed
within it.
Instead of making my jointing pieces with semi-spherical projections, I sometimes
arrange them with jaw and butt ends so that one end may engage within the other
end and form an even exterior of a diameter equal to the diameter of the tube, rod
or pole to which it is to be attached, thereby permitting the free movement of the
cornice rings over the joint itself as well as over the rod or pole. I also fashion or
form the end of the rod when employing a solid rod to fit into the jaw of the
union piece formed upon or secured to the corresponding companion end of the
other rod.
1

page_text: I construct my union fittings and joints out of wood when joining large wooden
poles, or out of metal or any other suitable material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination and arrangement of cornice pole and like jointing fittings for
enabling a swivelling movement of such joined lengths or portions to be made
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and as illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
2. In metal union piece or jointing connection for cornice poles and for other like
articles, the arrangement of a socket or projecting tube such as e, e' formed upon a
semisphere such as E, E¹-substantially as hereinbefore described and as set forth in
Figures 9, 10 and 11 of the accompanying drawings.
32. A joint for cornice poles and like purposes comprising in combination, a
sphere as A having slots or apertures, links as C pivoted within the sphere suitably
connected to the cornice pole or other rods, substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described reference being had to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of
the accompanying drawings
Dated this 2nd dex of Jul 1800
Dated this Ond
nd day of July 1805
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.