Improvements in Swivels or Bearings for Swing Looking Glasses and the like.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Dec., 1886.
Complete Left, 2nd June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 5th July, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Swivels or Bearings for Swing Looking Glasses
and the like.
I JOSEPH CROWTHER, of 37 Cumberland Street, Lower Broughton, Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN SWIVELS OR BEARINGS FOR SWING LOOKING GLASSES AND THE
LIKE, to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in swivels or bearings for swing looking
glasses, fan-lights, and the like, and the object of my Invention is to make a joint
which will hold the swing glass or other article in any position to which it may be
adjusted and which will not be liable to wear loose.
The improved swivel or bearing consists of a plate or frame provided with a coned
or tapered socket into which is fitted the similarly coned or tapered head of a stud or
pivot the head being preferably made hollow to receive a piece of india-rubber or
other suitable spring. The plate with the socket is secured to the frame of the swing
glass or other article and the india-rubber or other spring is placed under slight
pressure with its projecting face against the frame its elasticity being exerted to press
the coned head of the pivot outward and toward the smaller diameter of the coned
socket the other end of the pivot being supported in a plate secured to the standard
or other support of the glass or other article.
Dated this 12th dovr of December 1886

page_text: Improvements in Swivels or Bearings for Swing Looking Glasses
and the like.
I JOSEPH CROWTHER of 37 Cumberland Street Lower Broughton Manchester in
the County of Lancaster Mechanic, 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:—
My invention relates to improvements in swivels or bearings for swing looking
glasses fan-lights and the like and the object of my Invention is to make a joint which
will hold the swing glass or other article in any position to which it may be adjusted
and which will not be liable to wear loose.
The improved swivel or bearing consists of a plate or frame provided with a coned
or tapered socket into which is fitted the similarly coned or tapered head of a stud or
pivot the head being preferably made hollow to receive a piece of india rubber or
other suitable spring. The plate with the socket is secured to the frame of the swing
glass or other article and the india rubber or other spring is placed under slight
pressure with its projecting face against the frame its elasticity being exerted to press
the coned head of the pivot outward and toward the smaller diameter of the coned
socket the other end of the pivot being supported in a plate secured to the standard
or other support of the glass or other article.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings reference being had
to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a front elevation showing part of one of the standards or other support
and part of the frame of a swing looking glass the parts being shown connected
together by my improved swivel or bearing.
Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section of Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 are side elevations showing the two parts of the improved swivel
disconnected.
Figure 5 is a view partly in section showing the several parts of the bearing
detached.
Figure 6 illustrates the application of a coiled spring to the improved bearing as a
substitute for the india rubber shown in the previous views.
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are similar views respectively to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
but showing a slightly modified construction of my improved bearing.
Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15 are elevations of an alternative construction of the
improved bearing.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring first to Figures 1 to 5. a designates part of one of the standards or
supports and 6 part of the frame of a swing looking glass or other article to which my
improved swivel or bearing is applied; c designates the plate or frame and c³ the coned
or tapered socket the plate c being secured to the frame b by screws d or otherwise ;

page_text: e is the stud or pivot the head of which is in this case made hollow and externally of
corresponding taper to the socket c¹ the other end e¹ of the stud being supported in
a groove or recess f¹ in the plate which is secured to the standard a by screws 9 or
any other suitable means for supporting and attaching the end e¹ of the stud e to the
standard or support a may be employed. In the head of the stud e is fitted a piece
of india-rubber i which when the cap or plate h is screwed rivetted or otherwise
secured to the socket c¹ is compressed and constantly tends to press the coned head of
the stude toward the smallest diameter of the coned socket and thus to retain the
frame-b. at any angle to which it may be moved or adjusted. Instead of a piece of
compressed india rubber i a coiled spring ; as shown in Figure 6 or any other suitable
form of spring may be employed.
In the modified construction of my improved swivel or bearing illustrated by
Figures 7 to 11 I dispense with the india-rubber or other spring and as an equivalent
I form and arrange the parts so that the weight of the looking glass or other article
always tends to draw the coned head of the stud e toward the smallest diameter of the
coned socket c¹.
To effect this the projection on the end of the stud e is bevelled off or made wedge
shaped as shown best at e³ Figure 8 and the recess f' in the plate f is made of
corresponding taper as shown best in Figure 11 so that when the wedge shaped pro-
jection on each side of the looking glass or other article is placed in its taper groove
the weight of the article pressing the projections & into the recesses f" always tends
to draw the studs e outward and so causes sufficient adhesion or friction between the
coned head of the stud and the coned surface of the socket c¹ to retain the glass or
other article in any position to which it may be turned. Although I have shown the
cap in this arrangement it is not essential and may be dispensed with.
In the alternative construction in the improved bearing shown in Figures 12 to 15
the plate f is made with a projection f³ and a recess f₁ to receive the neck of the
stud e on which is an india rubber washer i¹ or any other suitable form of spring.
The end of the stud e in this case has a screw thread cut upon it and a nut k is
employed to compress the india-rubber washer i¹ or other spring between the said nut
and the face of recess f³ formed in the projection f³ so as to constantly tend to draw
the coned head of the stud e toward the smallest diameter of the coned socket c¹.
If preferred the india rubber washer or other spring may be dispensed with and
the nut and screw used alone for the purpose of acting on the coned head of the stud
as above mentioned.
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. In a swivel or bearing for looking glasses and the like the combination of a
coned or tapered socket a similarly coned or tapered stud or pivot and a spring or
equivalent means for constantly pressing or drawing the largest diameter of the coned
stud toward the smallest diameter of the coned socket substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
2. The several constructions combinations and arrangements of parts constituting
the improved swivel or bearing substantially as and for the purposes herein described
and as shown.
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for Applicant.