and other Curtains or Screens for Theatres and Large Openings.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 25th July, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 31st Aug., 1888
and other Curtains or Screens for Theatres and Large Openings.
JOHN STONES, Ure Mills, Ulverston, in the County of Lancashire, Engineer and
Revolving Shutter Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
My object in this invention is to make and work a Curtain or Screen to shut off
the Stage from the other part of a theatre in a few seconds in case of fire to prevent it
from spreading.
In all iron Curtains and Revolving Shutters now in use, it has not been
possible to make them large enough in one width to cover very wide openings on
account of the rollers giving way in the centre, thus preventing them working
properly.
In carrying out my invention I use a series of plates of iron or other material,
curved or bent to make them more rigid. Through these plates I cut or punch slot
holes in the centre, the size of hinges, at suitable distances, through which is put one
end of the hinge. These hinges are made the same length as the plates are in width,
and one end of the hinge is fixed by rivets to the top side and outer edge of curved
plate, and the other end is fixed in the same way to the bottom side and other edge.
One end of the hinge is male and the other female, thus the small one on the top of
the plate unites with the female one on the underside of the next plate above, and the
female one on the underside with that of the male on the next plate below. The
hinges are coupled together with pins or rivets thus making a complete chain from
top to bottom of screen. For the purpose of ensuring the curved plates closing one upon
another when the Curtain is drawn up, and opening when let down, I mount a centre
axis on each or alternate plates which move up and down in metal grooves fixed at
ends to allow the plates to fold in a zig-zag form. The bottom rail is made to slide
in the metal grooves with a square centre to keep it from turning, this rail being the
same width as the curved plates in order to allow them to fold upon it. The first
plate that is hinged to the bottom rail is only half the width of the others and is

page_text: hinged to the centre and to the underside of the second plate. The top or last plate
is also half the width of the others and is fixed to a strong har, or other suitable fixing,
in line with the centre of the grooves. On both edges of the bottom rail are fixed a
series of chains or wire ropes at distances that will lift the screen and keep it straight.
The chains, being fixed on both sides of the screen, are carried over pullies fixed at the
top the same distance apart as the width of the bottom rail so that the curtain or
screen will lift perpendicularly. The Chains are fixed to a series of drums or pulleys,
all of equal size, mounted on a shaft with suitable bearings for keeping it straight.
When this shaft is turned, the chains coil on the drums and lift the bottom rail; the
first plate folds upon it, the next upon that, and so on to the top in the zig-zag form
before mentioned.
The shaft, on which the drums, for raising and lowering the curtain are mounted,
may be operated upon by gearing or hydraulic power. The Curtain may be partly
balanced by means of conical grooved pullies and weights, the curtain always being
left the heaviest so that it can be lowered almost instantaneously.
My improvement for the construction of a light iron fireproof screen for sliding up.
and down in grooves is in making a frame, the size required to cover opening, of
light or Tiron or other approved section with proper stays from corners to centres
so that it be kept rigid and square, and to cover one side with thin corrugated steel
or other metal, on one or both sides of which I line or pad with Silicate Cotton or
Mineral Wool, or any other known fireproof material. Or both sides of the frame
can be covered with corrugated steel or other metal, and the Silicate Cotton or
other fireproof material placed in the centre. By corrugating the steel it will keep
the Silicate Cotton or other material from falling as it is padded or pressed into
the corrugations and afterwards covered with iron or steel netting, or with iron strips
fixed to the steel sheet in case one corrugated sheet only is employed. The
Screen.can be made in one or more parts, and if in two, one part can be made to
balance the other, the one ascending and the other descending to clear opening. If in
more parts the lowest may be made to lift the next & so on as they ascend.
The Screen can be balanced with weights in the ordinary way and worked with
chains or ropes.

page_text: Improvements in the Construction and Working of Fireproof Iron
and other Curtains or Screens for Theatres and Large Openings.
I, JOHN STONES of Ure Mills, Ulverston in the County of Lancaster, Engineer
and Revolving Shutter Manufacturer 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:-
The principal object of my invention is to provide a new or improved construction
of curtain or screen to shut off the stage from the other part of a theatre in a few
seconds in case of fire to prevent it from spreading; but my curtain or screen is also
applicable for covering large openings in other buildings or places. In iron curtains
and revolving shutters as heretofore made it has not been possible to make them
large enough in one width to cover very wide openings on account of the rollers
giving way in the centre, thus preventing them from working properly. In my
provisional specification I described using a series of plates of iron or other material
curved or bent to make them more rigid and hinged together. This and other parts
not hereinafter specially described I disclaim and I restrict my invention to the
following.
My light fireproof screen for sliding up and down in grooves consists of an outer
frame of the size required to cover the opening. I make this frame of iron or steel of
light angle or tee section or other approved section and with intermediate horizontal
and vertical bars of suitable section and diagonals to keep the structure rigid and
true. This framing I cover on both sides with corrugated sheet steel or iron on one
side with plain sheet steel or iron and line or pad it in the interior with silicate cotton
(mineral wool) or any other known suitable fireproof material. The corrugations of
the sheet steel (which by preference run in a vertical direction) serve to keep the
silicate cotton or other material from falling or shifting. The screen may be made in
one or more parts and if made in two parts one part may be made to balance the
other the one ascending and the other descending to clear the opening. If in more
parts one may be made to lift the next lowest as they ascend. The screen may be
balanced with weights in the ordinary way and worked with chains or ropes.
In the accompanying drawings figure 1 is a front elevation of my screen or curtain
and figure 2 a horizontal section to a larger scale through a part of the same of one
form of my screen.
The framing of the screen consists of the outer horizontal and vertical members A
and B here shown of angle section and made up in three parts or frames united by
covering strips E and rivets or bolts F each of these parts or frames having
horizontal members C of tee section, and diagonals D of much lighter angle or tee
section. It will be understood that a screen for covering a small opening will need
none of the intermediate members C and D. The framing is covered on both sides
with corrugated sheet steel or iron, and the interior is lined or padded with silicate

page_text: cotton or other suitable fireproof material. The whole structure or curtain is adapted to
work in vertical grooves or to be guided therein by the guide pulleys G and H. The
curtain is raised from a winch by cord or cords chain or chains passing over pulleys,
the weight of the curtain being nearly counterbalanced by weights W W; but all
these parts viz. those for guiding and raising and lowering may be constructed in any
other known suitable manner and form no separate part of my invention.
In Figure 3 I have shown a horizontal section through a curtain having one side
made with plain sheet steel or iron and the other with corrugated sheet steel
or iron.
Figure 4 is an end view showing the adjoining parts of two curtains or part
curtains where the upper one U serves to lift the lower one L, the two being formed
with projecting lips P which interlock.
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
First A fireproof curtain or screen consisting of an open frame or combination
of frames covered on one side with corrugated sheet steel or iron and on the other
.side with plain sheet steel or iron, the intermediate or interior part or parts being
padded or lined with silicate cotton substantially as described and shewn.
Second A fireproof curtain or screen consisting of an open frame or combination
of frames covered on both sides with corrugated sheet steel or iron, the intermediate
part or parts being padded or lined with silicate cotton substantially as described and
shewn.
Third-In the construction of fireproof curtains or screens the application and
use of corrugated sheet steel or iron substantially in the manner described.
Dated this 95th day of July 1888
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Patent Agents.