Improved Means for Raising and Lowering Door and like Curtains or Screens.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Sept., 1898-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1898
Improved Means for Raising and Lowering Door and like Curtains
or Screens.
I, WILLIAM BRECKNELL, Engineer, of 4, Averill Terrace, Middleton Road, West
Hartlepool, in the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention to be as follows:-
According to the usual practice, the bottom or lower edge of the curtain or
screens and relates to that kind which are suspended on doors or the like and
so adapted as to cover same and lie upon the floor or analogous part to effectually
exclude draughts.
According to the usual practice, the bottom or lower edge of the curtain or
screen becomes worn and damaged in opening and shutting the door, such
movements in addition being often impeded by the curtain, and though means
have been devised to obviate these defects, they have not attained to the desired
requirements by reason of their clumsy and inconvenient character, and my object
is to provide simple and handy means whereby the above disadvantages will be
overcome in a neat and efficient manner.
My invention consists in the combination of a resilient piece or member or
spring, curtain rod supporting levers, a striking or operating lever, arm or contact.
pieces, a stop or projections and certain auxiliary parts so arranged that on
opening the door, the curtain is automatically raised from the floor or drawn up
a predetermined distance to prevent damage and impediment, and on closing, the
curtain automatically resumes its original position to exclude draughts.
To this end, I arrange on the door a strip or member capable of being put in
a torsional condition and for the purpose I prefer to enclose and fix it in a tube
or cover supported in brackets attached to the door. I rigidly connect the said
member to its cover at one end, a convenient mode being to make the end of
the strip square and fit it into a corresponding hole in a thimble or holder pinned
to the tube or cover, and I similarly shape and insert its other end in a sleeve or
carrier part of which fits inside the tube while the other is formed to effect, when
desired, the operation of the sleeve, provided with a ring or flange having a
series of graded holes for use in conjunction with a hole or holes in the boss of
the adjacent bracket, or equivalent. Thus on turning the sleeve, by a spanner for
example, the strip or member, due to its terminal connections, is forced into a
condition opposing its normal tendency the degree of which, dependent on the
required amount of curtain lift, being maintained by uniting the sleeve flange
and bracket by a pin or screw and the holes aforesaid.
To this tube or cover I fix levers adapted to carry a rod from which the curtain
is suspended in the usual way, and I form on one or more of these levers a pro-
longation or arm adapted to co-act with a projection or stop on the wall or door
frame in such manner that, in closing the door, the arm strikes the projection
which presses it backwards thereby effecting the rotation of the tube synchronous
with the torsional movement of its contained member and the lowering of the,

page_text: curtain consequent on the lever connections, this state being maintained by the
continued contact of the arm and stop on the complete closure of the door; on
opening the door the contact is broken, whereupon the curtain is raised the deter-
mined amount under the reaction of the resilient member or spring.
In arrangements of this kind flexible joints are generally necessary in connection
with the curtain rod to maintain the required position of the curtain on the
operation of the door and for this purpose I may use any of the ordinary joints,
but I prefer in constructing a flexible joint to make the curtain rod tubular and
divide it transversely at a convenient point or points, joining the resulting parts
by a hinge and suitably connected spring all fitting thereinto and so disposed that
on opening the door, the rod bends, its extreme end sliding on the wall or frame,
and thereat it is advantageous to provide a pulley or roller on the rod and a plate
on the wall or frame to form its path, but on closing the door the rod returns to
its initial position by the aid of the hinge spring.
By the adoption of my invention useful results will ensue, since during the
movement of the door the curtain is positively actuated in accord therewith, all
dragging being abolished and the life of the curtain thereby prolonged.
I have described a torsional spring, but of course, as will be obvious, a spring
acting in tension or compression may be employed and similarly the details of
my invention may be varied accordingly to circumstances without departing from
its nature, and although it is specially intended for use with door curtains it is as
readily applicable to analogous purposes as will be understood.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1897.
PRYOR & HARVEY,
Agents.
Improved Means for Raising and Lowering Door and like Curtains
or Screens.
I, WILLIAM BRECKNELL, Engineer, of 4, Averill Terrace, Middleton Road, West
Hartlepool, in the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
-
My invention relates to improved means for raising and lowering curtains or
screens and relates to that kind which are suspended on doors or the like and
so adapted as to cover same and lie upon the floor or analogous part to effectually
exclude draughts.
According to the usual practice, the bottom or lower edge of the curtain or
screen becomes worn and damaged in opening and shutting the door, such
movements in addition being often impeded by the curtain, and though means
have been devised to obviate these defects they have not attained to the desired
requirements by reason of their clumsy and inconvenient character, and my object
is to provide simple and handy means whereby the above disadvantages are
overcome in a neat and efficient manner.
My invention consists in the combination of a resilient piece or member or
spring, curtain rod supporting levers, a striking or operating lever, arm or contact
pieces, a stop or projections and certain auxiliary parts so arranged that, on
opening the door, the curtain is automatically raised from the floor or drawn up
a predetermined distance to prevent damage and impediment, and on closing the
curtain is automatically returned to its original position to exclude draughts.

page_text: In order that my invention may be fully understood I will explain it in reference
to the accompanying drawings which illustrate it as applied to a door. Fig. 1
is a general front elevation showing the position of the improved means when
the door is closed and Fig. 2 is an end elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a similar
view to Fig. 1 representing the position assumed when the door is opened. Fig. 4
is a sectional plan of the arrangement of the aforesaid resilient piece or member
and Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a vertical section and an end elevation of
details of same. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of a detail in the construction of
the curtain rod. The four latter figures are drawn to a larger scale than the
first three for the sake of clearness and for the same reason the curtain is omitted
from Fig. 1.
A is a tube supported and revoluble in brackets B, B1, B2 attached to the door C.
The function of this tube is to enclose a resilient piece or member in the form of
a rectangular or other transverse sectioned strip or bar D, capable of being twisted
or put in a torsional condition, for which purpose it is rigidly connected to the
tube A at the right hand end and at the other to the bracket B. These fixtures
are conveniently effected as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 wherefrom it will be seen
that I make the bar D with terminal square portions d, , the former being fitted
into a corresponding hole in a thimble or holder E placed inside the tube A and
secured thereto by a pin e, while the portion d' is inserted in a sleeve or carrier
arranged partly within the tube A and provided outside of same with an inter-
mediate ring or flange f whereby it is united to the bracket B by a screw or pin G
passed through one of a graded series of holes f¹, f in the flange into a hole in the
boss of the bracket. The sleeve F is so fitted within the tube A that either may
be revolved independently of the other and for turning the former I form it,
beyond the flange f, with a square part f² to receive a suitable operating tool. The
tube A is revolved as hereafter explained. Supposing the screw G is displaced,
then the sleeve F is free to be turned within the tube A by a spanner. for example,
applied at the part 2 and when it is turned, and the tube A suitably held rigid,
the strip D, due to its immovableness at one end consequent on its connection to
the tube A and its fixture in the sleeve F at the other, is forced into a condition
opposing its normal tendency, the degree of which is determined by the amount
of curtain lift desired and maintained on re-uniting the flange f to the bracket B
by the screw G; the object of the holes f¹, f¹ is to admit of various adjustments
in this respect. For appearance, an ornamental cap f³ is shown fitted over the
flange f and square part f2.
H is a rod from which the curtain I is suspended in the usual way; it is carried
by levers J, JJ2 fixed by pins or otherwise to it and to the tube A as well, there-
fore they are integrally united, any movement imparted to the tube being com-
municated to the rod and consequently the curtain also. The lever J¹ has formed
on or fixed to it an arm or contact piece K adapted to co-act with a projection or
stop I attached to the wall M (or it might be the door frame) in such manner that,
when they are forced into contact, the tube A, by reason of its connection with
the arm or prolongation K through the lever J. is revolved in the brackets B, B¹, R²
against the force exerted by the bar D which, when the said contact is broken,
effects its revolution the other way: the amount of these revolutions may be
limited as shown in Fig. 1 by providing on the tube A a pin a to work in a
bifurcation of the bracket B¹.
In the foregoing I have described the construction of my invention, now I will
explain its working which is as follows:-Assuming the curtain I is raised com-
pletely off the floor, then the parts will be in the positions exemplified by Fig. 3
and on closing the door C, the arm K strikes, and is pressed backwards by, the
stop L which has the effect of turning the tube A in its brackets B, B1, Bª
whereby the rod H is depressed and the curtain lowered, this state being
maintained by the continued contact of the arm K and stop L onl
the complete closure of the door as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Syn-
chronously with the movement of the tube A, rod H and curtain I, the strip 1)

page_text: is twisted or subjected to torsion, since its end d is fastened to the tube and turns
therewith while the end is immovable due to its connection at the bracket B.
Thus it will be understood the door C is closed and the curtain I lowered in op-
position to the resiliency of the strip D. On opening the door, the arm K leaves
the stop L, therefore the strip D is permitted to resume its original condition and
under this reaction the tube A is rotated in the reverse direction to that before
referred to, the rod H is raised and the curtain I lifted the determined amount as
illustrated in Fig. 3. In this way the curtain is positively actuated, lifting result-
ing simultaneously with the opening of the door and lowering on closing it, all
dragging being abolished and the life of the curtain thereby prolonged.
In arrangements of this kind usually the curtain rod projects at each end
beyond the door to enable the curtain to completely cover same hence in the general
situation of doors as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 a flexible joint at the hinge side
is necessary in the rod to prevent it fouling the wall or its equivalent on opening
the door and at the same time maintain the curtain in the required position so'
that when the door is closed the curtain will require no re-adjusting. In construct-
ing such a joint I make the rod H wholly tubular or only at the end adjacent to
to the door hinges whereat I divide it transversely whence two parts h, h¹, result.
into each of which I fit a plug N one being furnished with a double eye and the
other with a single eye which are fitted together and united by a pin n to form a
hinge. In the outer end of the part h¹ I insert another plug P provided with a
roller adapted to run on a plate Q, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, fixed on the
wall M to preserve it; the roller and plate can, however, be dispensed with if
desired, but I prefer to use them. As clearly shown in Fig. 7, a hole is made
in each plug N through which passes a cord or chain R having one end fastened, by.
knotting or otherwise, at the inner end of the plug N within the part h of the
rod H and its other end joined to a spring S in turn united to the plug P. Thus,
on opening the door C, the rod H instantly rises as before described and comes,
in line with the plate Q and as the door is opened wider the part comes in
contact with the said plate thereby causing the rod to bend at the juncture therein
against the pressure of the spring S as represented in Fig. 3, the part h¹ running
on the plate Q. On closing the door, the rod H resumes its initial position as
shown in Figs. 1 and 7 under the action of the spring S. Instead of this joint,
I may of course adopt any of the known joints that may be suitable.
As will be evident, the construction of my improved means is neat and compact
there being no unsightly levers, cords and so forth exposed to view when the
curtain is drawn or removed as in some of the present arrangements and the parts
are made of any appropriate material or materials having the visible surfaces
polished or otherwise adapted to render the appearance pleasing.
Though I have described my invention in regard to door curtains for which it
is specially intended, still it may be applied to analogous curtains or screens and
the details may be varied according to circumstances; for example, instead of a
simple resilient bar a compound one may be employed and there may be two or
more stops or projections on the wall or door framing for co-acting with a similar
number of striking arms or prolongations in connection with the curtain rod.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what.
I claim is:
1-The improved means for raising and lowering door and like curtains or
screens constructed and adapted to operate substantially as herein set forth.
2-The improved means for raising and lowering door and like curtains or
screens consisting of a resilient strip or member uniting with the curtain rod,
a striking or operating lever or arm in connection therewith and a stop or pro.
jection on the wall or door frame, all arranged and adapted to operate substantially
as herein described in reference to the accompanying drawings.
3In means for raising and lowering door and like curtains or screens, the

page_text: combination of a resilient bar or strip D, tube or cover A, thimble or holder E
and sleeve or carrier F, all arranged and adapted for use substantially as herein
described and illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and of the accompanying drawings.
4-In means for raising and lowering door and like curtains or screens of the
kind above referred to, the construction and use of the flexible joint in the curtain
rod, substantially as herein described and shown more particularly in Fig. 7 of
the accompanying drawings.